This story just kind of "came" to me. :o)
Forever Hold Your Peace
Caitlin pulled on her dress, careful not to disturb her hair and make-up as well as to avoid getting anything on the beautiful flowing wedding gown. Her sister helped her zip and tie up the back of her dress and attach the train.
"You look beautiful," said her sister as she smiled through happy tears. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks," replied Caitlin who in return touched her sister's growing belly. "It's a good thing I didn't wait too much longer or you wouldn't have fit in that bridesmaid's dress.
Her sister laughed. "I know," she replied. "Sometimes little surprises kind of sneak up on you."
Caitlin's sister stared at her a moment. "Well, let me give you a few moments alone," she replied. "I know how hectic things are going to get from here on out for you. I've been through this remember?"
Caitlin sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and missed your wedding," she replied.
"Well, it wasn't exactly your fault sis," she replied. "Hey, as long as you come when the baby is born, we'll call it even."
Caitlin smiled. "It's a deal," she replied.
When her sister left, Caitlin turned and looked at herself in the long floor length mirror. Her hair was swept up with small roses and baby's breath. Her makeup was flawless thanks to a friend she who worked at one of the studios that Santini Air did stunts for. Everything seemed so perfect. She thought that maybe it was all too perfect.
As she stared in the mirror, the door opened behind her. Dom smiled as he entered the room and shut the door behind him.
"Dom, you made it," she said as she gave him a hug. He squeezed her tight before letting go and taking a better look at her. "Wow, you beautiful," he said.
"You clean up pretty good."
Caitlin laughed. "Thanks," she replied. "So why do I feel like I'm going to throw up?"
Dom shrugged. "You're not…..you know?" he asked.
Caitlin slapped him on the shoulder and laughed. "Absolutely not," she replied. "I'm not ready for anything like that just yet."
Dom smiled. "Well, are you ready to get married?"
Caitlin turned and moved towards the small window at the end of the room. "I don't know Dom," she replied. "I mean, I thought I was but here I am just an hour away from saying my vows and I'm starting to have doubts. Is that normal?"
"I don't think it's uncommon," he replied. "But Caitlin, if you don't want to get married, now is the time to make that decision."
"I just don't want to hurt him Dom," she replied. "He's such a great guy. He loves me and I've never been treated so well by a man before."
"So your head is telling you one thing but your heart is saying another?" asked Dom.
"Exactly," she replied. "I can't seem to get the two to meet in the middle. I mean, I'd be crazy to walk away from a great guy like that but…."
Dom reached over and gave her another hug. "It's your decision sweetheart. Your family and friends will support you in whatever you decide," he replied. "Don't get married for the wrong reasons. If you are truly in love with him, then walk down that isle. If not, then you need to tell him the truth."
"Thanks Dom," she replied. "I guess I need to take some time to think. Will you please tell everyone to stay out of here for awhile?"
"Sure," he replied as he turned and left the room.
Caitlin moved back over the mirror to look at herself again. She took a deep breath and let out the tears she had been holding back. "Why can't I do this?" she asked herself.
Dom walked outside to the little bar that was serving drinks to the guests. String was standing and looking out towards the ocean.
"She sure picked a great spot to get married," he told Dom as his friend came up and joined him.
"Yeah, she sure did," he replied. "How are you doing?"
String smiled. "I'm fine. Why?"
"Oh, just wondering," he replied. "It's a big day and there are a lot changes ahead."
String sighed. "Yeah, it's hard to believe."
Dom shook his head. "I can't believe it's gotten this far," he replied.
"What are you talking about?" asked String.
"You two," he replied. "I've seen stubbornness before but you two take the cake."
"Dom, let it go," he replied. "Come on, let's get inside. We can't be late."
Dom and String walked inside the beautiful resort. The wedding was being held in a large room with tall glass windows that overlooked the ocean. They watched as Michael headed towards the back room where Caitlin was waiting.
"Where is he going?" asked String. "I hope everything is okay with Cait."
Twenty minutes later, Michael came back out carrying a note in his hand. "I have a message for the groom," he stated sadly.
Michael handed Ted the letter. In it, Caitlin explained that she couldn't marry him. She realized that she even though she loved him she wasn't in love with him. She told him she would call him later and explain in more detail but that she had to get out of there for now.
"What's going on Michael?" asked String.
"Cait called off the wedding," he replied. "She's gone."
String's heart nearly leaped out of his chest."What? Why?" he asked.
"You'll have to ask her that," he replied. "I got one of my girls to take her fly her out wherever she wanted to go. I'll let you know as soon as she returns as to where they went."
Caitlin's family went ahead and held the reception for the guests since they had made the effort to be there. String and Dom stayed around for awhile to help out her parents and make sure everyone got their gifts back. As he was leaving, String saw Ted sitting out by the beach. He went out and sat down beside him.
"I'm sorry," he replied. "I don't think any of us saw this coming."
Ted turned and looked at him. "I think I did," he replied. "I pushed too hard and wanted too much too soon. She said she hasn't gotten over someone else yet and until she does, she can't be married to anyone else."
"You're a great guy Ted," said String. "Somehow I don't think you're going to have a hard time finding the right woman."
"Thanks," Ted replied. "Take care of her Hawke."
"I will," he nearly whispered in response.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Dom dropped Hawke off at the cabin before heading back home. As he walked up the path, String noticed smoke coming from the fireplace. He ran up the steps and slowly opened the door.
Still in her wedding dress, Caitlin was sitting on the couch and staring into the fire.
"Wow, you look beautiful," he said as he came in and sat down beside her.
"Sure, I do," she replied. "I'm sure my makeup is all runny by now with all the crying I've done."
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
Caitlin gave him an incredulous look. "Because I just walked out of my own wedding and left a wonderful guy behind who didn't deserve all that."
"He's doing okay," assured String. "No one wants to marry someone if they aren't in love with them."
Caitlin sighed. "I just wish I'd stopped all this sooner," she replied. "It just all got out of hand and I wanted so bad to make it work. He was such a perfect guy. It was all just too perfect I guess. Why couldn't I love him they way he loved me?"
Instead of answering, Hawke ran upstairs and within a few minutes he came down with one of his t-shirts. "Here, let's get you out of that dress into something more comfortable before we finish this conversation."
Caitlin blushed a little but had no choice but to let him help her out of the complicated dress she was wearing. It took him a few minutes to figure out how to undo the back and unzip her. She turned her back to him as she eased the dress down just to her waist before taking and slipping the large sized t-shirt over her head and then removing the rest of the dress.
"Feel better now?" he asked.
Caitlin smiled at him. "Yeah, thanks," she replied as she sat back down on the couch.
"We can't help who we love Caitlin," he said while finally answering her earlier question. "I'm just as guilty as you. You tried to move on and I tried to hide from it. Yet, here we are."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I had to know," she replied. "I had to know if you felt the same way or not. I can't move on until I know."
"I'm not going to let you move on this time," he finally replied. "I stood back and watched you nearly get married and it was tearing me apart."
"Damn it String," she replied. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"I just wanted you to be happy," Hawke replied. "I like Ted. He's a good guy. But deep down I wanted more than anything for you to be mine."
Caitlin took off her engagement ring and placed it on the coffee table. "Well, I'm all yours now," she replied. "So what are you going to do about that?"
String smiled. "Oh, I can think of several things," he replied as he leaned over and kissed her.
"I love you," he finally said.
"I love you too," she replied.
The End