Notes: Thanks for all your amazing support, REAL Worlders! We are so thrilled at how many of you were looking forward to this big day!
Hope you enjoy!
Married (A McRoll in the REAL World Story by Mari, Sammy, and Ilna)
"Wake up! It's today!" Joan announced as she burst into her parents' room. "We'a getting mawwied today!"
Mary smiled as Aaron hoisted Joan into the air. "It's today! Are you ready, peanut?"
"Weady, Mama! Wet's go!"
"In your pajamas?" Aaron teased as he placed her on her feet.
"I'm getting dwessed at the hotel wif Mama," she said as she looked to Mary for confirmation.
"That's right, but we can't go in pajamas, can we?" Mary and Aaron were dressed in casual clothes for the morning. "Daddy and I have a special t-shirt for you."
Joan's eyes lit. "Ohhh, I wanna see!"
Aaron pulled a pink t-shirt with sparkly writing from their dresser and held it up. "It says 'I'm the Flower Girl' " he read as Joan squealed in delight. "Let's get your breakfast eaten and you can put it on."
"Yay!" She tugged Mary's hand toward the bedroom doorway. "Cmon, Mama, bweakfast! Then we can go get mawwied!"
"What happened?" Aaron nearly screamed when Alyssa limped through the door of the hotel room he was using to dress on the arm of her husband wearing a large black ankle brace. "I just saw you like twelve hours ago and you were fine."
"You don't like my new accessory?" Alyssa smiled then winced slightly. "I think it's very attractive."
"She tripped over a stick," Paul reported.
"I didn't trip," she retorted.
"Are you ok?" Aaron asked with genuine concern. His first concern, over and above any effect it might have on his wedding day, was his sister's well-being.
"I'm fine," she assured him. "You remember I was running the 5k to benefit the Humane Society this morning, right?"
Aaron nodded. "Right."
"Well, I couldn't have been 200 yards from the start line and my foot landed on a stick and I rolled my ankle." She grimaced at the memory. "The medic on the scene said it's probably just a sprain."
"Shouldn't you have … I don't know … gotten x-rays maybe?" Aaron asked.
"It'll be fine," Alyssa said confidently. "I iced it down for an hour and took some ibuprofen. There is no way I was gonna miss walking down the aisle at my brother's wedding."
Aaron leaned in and hugged her. "Thank you. That means the world to me."
"You're welcome." Alyssa returned the hug. "I'm very proud to be your 'best man'."
His voice cracked slightly. "There's no one else I would have wanted standing beside me today."
"Ohhh," she said. "Okay, no more of the emotional stuff." Alyssa pulled back and smoothed down the front of her dress. "My makeup will be running down my face before we even get to the 'I do' part."
Aaron flung his arm around her shoulder and slipped seamlessly into the role of teasing sibling. "You tripped over a stick?"
"I didn't trip," she repeated. "It blended in with the pavement," she added with a smile at his quirked eyebrow. "But hey, I finished the race at least. Maybe a little slower than expected but I finished." Her smile widened. "And speaking of crossing the finish line … let's go get you married."
Catherine finished dressing Angie and lifted her off the bed.
"All set." She turned to Steve. "What do you think?" She held the baby in front of her, against her body.
"Gorgeous just like Mommy. And she matches you." He waved a hand, indicating the tiny white dress with blue trim.
"Of course she matches, she can't clash with the wedding party in the pictures." She kissed Angie's cheek and was rewarded with a smile. "Can you, baby girl?"
Steve grinned broadly and leaned over their daughter to kiss Catherine who said, "Hold her, I want a picture."
She took several before kissing him quickly. "Looking very handsome, Commander. Are you ready?"
He grinned. "I'm good. Finish up."
"I just need to put my dress on," she said as she slipped off Steve's T-shirt. She'd done her hair and makeup before dressing the baby. "Give me two."
"She'll be quick," he told Angie. "Mommy really does mean two minutes when she says that."
While Catherine slipped the dark blue sheath style bridesmaid's dress over her head and turned to grab her earrings, Steve put the baby in her carrier. When he straightened, she pulled her hair over her shoulder and turned.
"Zip me?"
He did, and kissed her shoulder, then her neck before stepping back. "Beautiful."
She pecked his lips. "Thank you." She looked at the baby. "Let's go get your Aunt Mary and Uncle Aaron married."
Twenty minutes later, Mary and Alyssa stood off to the side of the room Mary had used to dress watching as Catherine handed over a freshly fed and diapered Angie to Danny who would have the pleasure of holding her throughout the ceremony.
"Say bye-bye," he said, waving Angie's little hand. "We'll see you out there."
Catherine stood in the doorway watching them go, and Mary marveled at how well the dress they'd picked out and ordered without Catherine ever trying it on looked on her sister-in-law. "It's hard to believe she had a baby three months ago. My body didn't look that good when Joan was that age and I didn't even give birth to her."
Alyssa chuckled. "I think I was still wearing my maternity jeans when Avery was that age." She smiled as Catherine stepped into the bathroom for a moment. "It would be easy to hate a person like her who's so good at everything, except on top of it all she's just about the nicest person I ever met."
"That she is," Mary agreed.
There was a brief knock on the hotel room door, then Steve appeared. "I'm supposed to tell you thirty minutes until go time," he said.
"Go time?" Mary snorted. "That sounds romantic."
Steve shrugged. "It does to me."
Mary rolled her eyes then smiled as she saw Catherine come out of the bathroom. "Alyssa and I were just saying how beautiful Catherine looks in her dress."
Steve grinned. "You'll get no argument from me about that."
"Angie's outfit is adorable, too," Alyssa added.
Steve took a few steps forward and met his wife as she joined them. "I'm a very lucky man."
Alyssa, as "best man," went to spend the remaining wait time with her brother. Catherine, with a squeeze of Steve's arm, said, "I'm going to go get Joan. I'll be back in a few."
Steve flashed her a grateful smile before she disappeared. He turned to Mary.
"Well, how are you doing?" he asked.
She paused. "I'm kinda nervous, to be honest," she admitted.
"I would be, too, in those shoes," he teased with a grin. "Now I know why you really wanted me to walk you down the aisle. You're afraid you're gonna faceplant halfway down."
She smacked his arm. "Steve!"
He chuckled, making a show of rubbing his arm, then sobered. "You've got nothin' to be nervous about, Mare. You've already done the hard part."
She looked up at him, clearly listening closely, and waited for him to continue.
"Opening yourself up for this," he went on. "For love." His voice grew quieter and his eyes drifted away momentarily. "Believing that it's not … gonna be taken away." He looked back at her steadily. "That's the hard part. The wedding itself?" He shook his head. "That's easy."
Mary blinked back tears. "Really?"
"Really."
She took a deep slow breath and gave him a little smile. "Did you ever think we'd be here?"
He quirked a questioning eyebrow.
"You happily married with a kid, me about to be," she clarified.
Steve paused. "When we were younger? No," he said honestly. "I didn't. But eventually … after I moved back to the island and Catherine was transferred there … I did. Not right away, and not all at once, but eventually, yeah, I did." He held her gaze a moment and slid back into teasing, sensing the need to lighten the mood. "And you know I'm always right."
She smacked his arm again.
"Hey!" He grinned and rubbed his arm. "Cut that out."
Mary wrapped him in a hug which he returned without hesitation. "I love you, big brother."
"I love you, too."
After a moment, they heard a familiar voice in the doorway. "Room for one more?"
They looked over, and Mary immediately held out an arm. "Aunt Deb."
She stepped over and wrapped an arm around both Mary and Steve.
When they stepped apart, Deb smiled. "I have something I've been waiting to give you."
Mary's brow knit. "Aunt Deb, you don't have to–"
"I've been saving it." Deb took a small satin bag from her purse and handed it to Mary who opened it and removed a delicate silver filigree bracelet.
Mary held it gently. "It's beautiful."
"It was your grandmother's," Deb said with a soft smile. "She wore it on her wedding day."
Mary gasped, tears springing once again to her eyes. "Oh … Aunt Deb … this is … I … I don't know what to say."
"Say you'll wear it," Deb said, her own eyes watery. "It would make me very happy."
"Of course," Mary said immediately. "Will you help me put it on?"
She held out the bracelet and Steve smiled softly as he watched Deb put it on Mary's wrist. After connecting the clasp, Deb took both Mary's hands in hers.
"She would have loved this day," Deb said. "Seeing you so happy with Joan and Aaron. Your grandfather, too. And your father … he would have been very proud."
Mary let out a shaky breath. Her feelings about her father would always be complicated, but she could admit to herself that she did feel his absence today.
She looked at Deb and felt a swell of gratitude. Hugging her fiercely she said, "Thank you, Aunt Deb. For this … for raising me … for putting up with me through … through everything. I wouldn't be here today … if it wasn't for you."
"Oh, Mary," Deb said, her voice cracking as she held her niece tighter.
Steve inhaled deeply, looking up and blinking rapidly to stop his own emotions from overflowing.
Deb caught him out of the corner of her eye and smiled, reaching out a hand to grab his arm. "Come here, you." She pulled him closer and he willingly obliged, wrapping an arm around them both.
With a little chuckle, Deb said, "Whoever thought we McGarretts would be such huggers?"
"Not me," Mary admitted, looking at them both in turn. "But I'm glad we are now."
Steve gave a soft smile and a nod. "Me, too."
Soft music filled the air as Aaron, flanked by his parents, walked down the aisle in the outdoor garden of the hotel.
They reached the front and he turned to face them. Sue leaned up for a hug and held him tightly. "I love you, honey," she said. "And I could not be more proud of you. Or more happy that you've brought Mary and Joan into our lives."
"Thanks, Mom," he said, giving her a final squeeze. "I love you, too."
Ramon hugged him next then stepped back enough to put a hand on his shoulder. "Congratulations, mijo. I didn't think it was possible for you to bring us more joy, but you did."
Aaron blinked back tears. "Thanks, Dad."
As his parents went to their seats, Aaron took his place in front of the white arch with Mario Hendricks, their officiant for their ceremony.
Aaron smiled as he watched Joseph escort Deb down the aisle, his smile broadening as she gave him a wink that was pure Aunt Deb.
Avery and Paul Jackson were next in matching tuxes and bow ties. They paused at the front so Avery could give his uncle an exuberant high five and Paul could give his brother-in-law a handshake and quick hug.
Aaron had to chuckle as he watched his sister Alyssa hobble down the aisle. The hotel had offered the use of a wheelchair, but she had insisted on walking unaided, though she did wear her brace and clean white tennis shoes instead of heels to support her sprained ankle.
When she finally neared the front, she purposely caught her brother's eyes and brushed a finger along the side of her nose in an old gesture from their childhood they'd taken from the movie The Sting. Aaron, smiling broadly, reciprocated before stepping forward to help her the last few steps. She took her place at his side, keeping most of her weight on her good leg. Her husband came forward with a small white stool the wedding coordinator had found and set it up for her to rest her bent knee on during the ceremony. She chuckled at the thought of how that was going to look in the wedding photographs but smiled gratefully all the same.
Catherine appeared next, the color of her blue dress matching Alyssa's, though the styles were different. She gave Aaron a kiss on the cheek before taking her own place on the other side of the arch.
Several "awwww"s were heard as Joan, in her now scallop-hemmed white and blue dress, began her trek down the aisle. Her beaming smile was as bright as the sun as she enthusiastically tossed flower petals from her basket in every direction. Unable to contain her excitement, she skipped the last few steps up to Aaron who moved out to meet her and swept her up into his arms.
He kissed her and she squealed happily. "Wet's get mawwied, Daddy!"
Aaron laughed along with everyone else and kissed her again. "Great idea, pumpkin. But we need one more person, don't we?"
Joan's head whipped around. "Mama!"
Aaron kept Joan on his hip as everyone stood. Mary, escorted by Steve, appeared and began her walk down the aisle.
"Wook, Daddy, Mama is sooooo happy," Joan said, taking in her mother's beautiful smile that lit her whole face.
Aaron kissed her cheek, even as he kept his eyes on his bride.
"That's right, pumpkin. And so am I."
He stepped out with Joan to meet them, his own smile amazed that this moment had finally come.
"Mama," Joan said happily. "It's time to get mawwied!"
"Just about, peanut," Mary said, reaching over to squeeze her hand and smiling at her. She turned to hug her brother. "Thanks, Steve," she whispered. "It was really important to me that it was you walking me down the aisle."
He swallowed hard at her heartfelt words. "It was my honor."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then turned to Aaron. He shook his soon-to-be-official brother-in-law's free hand warmly, clasping his arm. "I'm not gonna say 'Welcome to the family' because you've been part of our family for a while now. I will say that I'm very glad you are. I know that Mary and Joan are your priorities and always will be. The three of you make each other happy. That's all I need to know."
Aaron inhaled deeply, moved by his words. "Thank you, Steve," he said sincerely.
"Unca Steve," Joan said pleadingly, bouncing against Aaron's side. "You go sit down now so we can get mawwied!"
Steve grinned at his niece, reaching over and tickling her. "Yes, ma'am." With a final squeeze of Mary's arm, he moved toward his seat in the front row, catching Catherine's eye as he sat and sharing a meaningful look.
Catherine took Mary's bouquet and Joan's basket, and Mary stepped close to Aaron, Joan between them. They turned to face their officiant Mario who smiled warmly. "Are you all ready?" he asked.
The family of three smiled at each other.
"Ready," said Aaron.
"Ready," said Mary.
They looked at Joan who grinned back. "Weady!"
"Welcome, everyone, to this beautiful ceremony on this beautiful day," Mario began. "We're here to celebrate the joining of this man, this woman, and this wonderful little girl as one official family. I've had the great pleasure of getting to know them over the last few months, and it was clear to me from our very first meeting how much they love each other and belong together."
He looked at the three before him. "Aaron, Mary, and Joan, I'm going to ask you now to face each other and make three special promises as a family."
Mary and Aaron faced each other, and Mary took his free hand and one of Joan's in hers, forming a small circle.
"Communication is so important in a family," Mario said. "Do you promise to listen to each other and talk to each other every day?"
"I promise," Mary and Aaron said together.
"I pwomise," Joan echoed, nodding seriously.
"It's also important to support each other and take care of each other, no matter what happens. Do you promise to be there for each other on the happy days and the sad days?"
"I promise."
"I pwomise."
"And most importantly, being a family means loving each other. Do you promise to love each other every day?"
"I promise."
"I pwomise!" Joan cried, too excited and happy to keep it in as she gave another little jump against Aaron's side.
"Excellent," Mario said with a smile. "Mary and Aaron, I understand you have something special to give to your daughter."
"We do," Aaron said, his eyes lighting at the word 'daughter.' He released Mary's hand to take a small box out of his pocket. He gave it to Mary who opened it and carefully removed a silver necklace.
Joan's eyes widened in surprise as this had not been in the rehearsal the previous evening.
Mary held the necklace up so Joan could see it.
"Hands!" she exclaimed. "Thwee hands!" She gazed at the small outline of a hand intertwined with two slightly larger ones.
"That's right," Mary said. "One hand for you, one hand for Daddy …"
"And one for Mama," Aaron finished. "Our hands. Our family."
Mary carefully put it around Joan's neck. The little girl touched the simple design in wonder, whispering, "Ou' famiwy."
Mary leaned over and kissed her cheek. "We are always with you. We love you, Joan."
"So much," Aaron said, kissing her on the other side. "We always will."
"I wuv you, too," Joan said as Mary stepped closer and the three stood silently, heads together, and everyone present could see the strength of their bond.
After a moment, Aaron passed Joan to Mary who gave her one last hug before setting her down. "Okay, peanut, go sit with Uncle Steve now."
She ran happily to her uncle who lifted her easily into his lap, smiling as she immediately held up her necklace to show him and Deb.
"Wook, Ann Deb. This is for ou' famiwy."
"Beautiful, munchkin," Deb said with a warm smile. "Now let's watch the rest of the ceremony."
Joan settled back contentedly against Steve, holding her necklace in both of her small hands as she looked at her parents and Mario.
"Mary," Mario said, "during our talks, a couple things stood out to me. You spoke about how much you loved Aaron's supportive nature, his willingness to see the best in everyone, and of course, how much he loves Joan. Do you today, in front of these witnesses, promise to love him as your husband and share your life with him for all of your days together?"
Mary smiled through her tears, looking up into Aaron's face as she held both his hands and said, "I promise."
"Do you promise to respect him, and to work together to build a life for each other and your daughter, sharing your hopes and your dreams as equal partners?"
"I promise."
Mario smiled and turned to the groom. "Aaron, what I remember most from talking with you is how much you admire Mary's strength, her loving heart, and how amazing a mother she is to Joan. Do you today, in front of these witnesses, promise to love her as your wife and share your life with her for all of your days together?"
Aaron took a deep breath, his eyes locked on Mary's, and replied, "I promise."
"Do you promise to respect her, and to work together to build a life for each other and your daughter, sharing your hopes and your dreams as equal partners?"
"I promise."
Mario smiled. "You will now exchange rings as a sign of your commitment to each other." He turned to Alyssa who took the two rings from the hidden pocket of her dress and handed them to him. He gave the larger one to Mary. "Mary, please place this ring on Aaron's finger and repeat after me. 'I, Mary, give you, Aaron, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment."
Mary slid the simple band onto Aaron's ring finger. "I, Mary, give you, Aaron, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment."
"Aaron, please place this ring on Mary's finger and repeat after me. 'I, Aaron, give you, Mary, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment."
"I, Aaron, give you, Mary, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment." He slid the ring onto her finger and kept hold of her hands, both their smiles growing as they knew they were nearing the end of the simple ceremony.
"Mary, Aaron, you have joined together in matrimony by pledging vows and exchanging rings," Mario said, smiling at their obvious happiness. "By the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He grinned. "You may seal this declaration with a kiss."
The gathered friends and family clapped and cheered as Aaron and Mary kissed, both smiling ear to ear.
Mario waved to Joan. "Joan, please rejoin your parents."
Joan practically leaped from Steve's lap and ran back to Mary and Aaron, crashing into their legs and wrapping her little arms around them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce for the first time, the McGarrett-Reyes family!"
The cheers grew even louder as Mary and Aaron each took one of Joan's hands and started back up the aisle together as a family.
"We'a mawwied!" Joan cried, squealing happily as they lifted her by the arms to swing between them.
"That's right, pumpkin," Aaron said, just as happily. He leaned over to kiss Mary. "We're married."
After the marriage license was signed and a few family photos had been taken, the wedding party joined the reception. Mary and Aaron had opted for a casual event, preferring to mingle with their friends and family in the garden now set up with round tables, chairs, and a small dance floor.
Joan sat on Joseph's lap, her expression one of sheer joy as she showed him her necklace. "See my neckwace? It's got thwee hands for Mama, Daddy and me!"
"That's just beautiful, honey. And you were the best flower girl ever. You did a great job for Mama and Daddy." He kissed her cheek and she grinned happily before jumping down and tearing off toward Catherine who was standing across the garden with Carrie. As she ran, Joan held one small hand over her treasured new necklace.
"There's my favorite flower girl!" Catherine scooped Joan into a hug.
"I'm the best f'ower giwl," she announced. "Unca Joseph said." Momentarily distracted, she held one foot out when Catherine put her down. "I got bwue shoes wike Ann Caf," she told Carrie.
"You certainly do."
Catherine smiled and placed her own foot next to her niece's. The matching blue satin of Joan's shoe and her own pump had the little girl pointing.
"Just wike Ann Caf's."
Halfway through their first dance together, Mary and Aaron dropped hands and each held one out to Joan, who was at the edge of the dance floor in Steve's arms.
He placed her down with a smile and whispered, "Go dance with Mama and Daddy, Joanie."
She made a beeline for her parents, grinning ear to ear.
Aaron lifted her into his arms and all three danced as the song morphed from Stevie Wonder's You Are The Sunshine of My Life to Disney's When You Wish Upon a Star.
When Joan excitedly called out, "Pinocchio!" every teary eye in the room was accompanied by a smile.
Catherine leaned back against Steve as his arms tightened around her.
As Aaron waited to dance with his mom, Steve stepped onto the floor with Mary. The DJ announced, "the bride and her brother Steve will dance to What a Wonderful World.
"See?" he said. "Nothin' to be nervous about."
"I don't want to say you were right because it'll give you an even bigger head, but …" She sighed and smiled. "You were right."
He smiled softly in response. "Congratulations, Mare. I'm really happy for you."
Her arm around his shoulder tightened. "Thanks, Steve. I'm so, so glad you're here with me today."
As they danced, Catherine caught her husband's eyes over his sister's head and smiled while Deb, who was standing beside Catherine, placed a hand on her arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. The two shared a meaningful look before looking back at the dance floor.
Later in the evening, as Steve and Catherine danced to their own wedding song, she whispered, "Who'd have thought, huh?" as she lifted a hand from his shoulder to wave at Angie, who was being held by Grace.
Steve kissed her softly and smiled. "That eighteen months after our wedding we'd be dancing at Mary's and that she married a really good guy that I actually like? That I'm dancing with you while Gracie holds our beautiful daughter? " He shook his head. "Never thought I'd be happier than the day we got married, but … he nodded towards their baby, "having you both, I'm even happier."
"Me, too," she whispered, and held him even closer. "Love you."
"Love you, very much."
After their dance Steve led Catherine over to where Grace stood with Elizabeth. He gently lifted Angie from his niece's arms.
"C'mon, Angie," he said quietly as Catherine looked up at him in question.
"Where are you two off to?"
"I'm going to dance my first official dance with my daughter." He smiled and bent to kiss his wife.
"Ohhhhh," Grace said, her hands flying to her mouth.
"I definitely need a picture of that." Catherine reached for her phone and as Steve settled the baby on his shoulder, she stood and snapped several shots. "Okay, baby girl, go dance with Daddy."
Her smile was huge when seconds later, Joseph was at her side, offering his hand. "Let's show them how it's done, shall we?"
She nodded and, blinking back a tear, joined her father on the dance floor next to Steve and Angie as Elizabeth picked up her own phone to video the moment.
As the reception continued around them, Aaron and Mary moved off to the side of the garden with Joan. They sat close together, Mary and Aaron holding hands and Joan in Aaron's lap.
"Well, pumpkin, what do you think? Was that a great day or what?" Aaron asked, smiling broadly.
"I wuve this day!" she replied instantly. "Can we get mawwied again tomowwow?"
Mary laughed. "We're not gonna get married again tomorrow, but you know what? We are going to be a family forever, and that's even better."
Joan touched her necklace and looked between them, seeing how her parents were smiling happily at each other and at her.
"That's wight, Mama," she said, nodding resolutely. "That's even bettew!"
Hope you enjoyed!
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