Speak Now
A joella one-shot.
Joe woke up at 8am, by his alarm clock. Today was the day he had been stressing over for 7 months.
He went downstairs to find a different atmosphere in the house he had known since he was 2. What seemed like his whole family, were all sitting around the kitchen table. His aunts were blabbing about all the celebrity gossip and scandals, while his uncles and father were discussing his uncle Ray's 79' Mustang he had refurbished. While his cousins were teasing and chasing each other. Nick and Kevin were still sleeping, as well as Frankie. His mother and grandmother were both in the kitchen preparing every breakfast food you could think of.
When they all realized he was there, they cried out, in a burst of joy. Joe walked through the dining room, head nodding to everyone, darting for the kitchen. He smiled when he saw his mother, the only person that seemed to understand him these days. He hugged and kissed his grandmother as she went to the dining room with a huge plate of bacon, sausage, and ham.
"Hi honey." His mother smiled at him. She had been dreading this day for so long, but she dreaded it for her personal reasons. Like she didn't exactly like his fiancée, Vanessa. The perky, obnoxious, annoying girl that was going to be with her son forever, but she had never told Joe that.
"Morning mom." He leaned up against the counter, with tired eyes. There was a familiar knot in his stomach, the same knot he'd been carrying for those long, empty seven months.
"You ok?" She turned from the oven. Joe paused, before sitting on the counter. Collecting his thoughts he watched the eggs being fried for a moment.
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing today?" He whispered. She turned back to the pan, fiddling with the egg.
"I can't tell you what to do Joe."
"I want you to tell me what to do. Mom, I'm so confused. I thought...I know I love her, but maybe not as much as I really should." He hung his head.
"It's the age old response...But follow your heart. Do what you think is right for you. Sometimes things happen for a reason." He let the words sink in. "I know who you miss Joe." He looked up. "I know you're deeply attached to her." He closed his eyes, staring at her in his mind. His mother's hand on his knee brought him back to reality.
"Either you move forward or stay in the past. Which do you love more?" She took the pan over to the tray lying on the counter, putting the eggs on it and taking them to the dining room.
He thought about the past every day. Not a day went by when he didn't think about her. Was that normal for a soon-to-be-married man? But it was the truth; he was deeply attached to her. The last time he saw her was 5 months ago when they got into an argument about the whole wedding thing. How she still loved him, he said he didn't, he lied through his teeth. She said she was done, and from then it was done. Since then they haven't spoken, or seen each other.
After eating he went up to shower, and dress into a plain white t-shirt, and jeans. He hid in the bathroom for at least two hours before checking the time seeing he was behind schedule. He went into his room to change into the white dress shirt, black pants, black socks, and black dress shoes. He looked at himself in the mirror picturing someone different at his side.
He grabbed the bow tie from his bed, noticing his mom at the door. He turned around to her.
"Hi." He sighed, playing with the piece of silk in his hand.
"You look so handsome." She smiled, taking the bow from his hand. She put it around his neck, and began tying it slowly. "How do you feel?"
"Horrible." He frowned. "This is supposed to be the greatest day of my life, and I'm ruining it." He cut her from his neck, falling to the bed in frustration. She sat next to him wrapping her arm around his back.
"I know it's hard...to forget your first love."
"I know what it's like to move on; I know how it feels to lie. There were so many things left unsaid...it's so hard to let all go." He sighed. "I just want something new, something real...it seems like what I think is right, is wrong. And what's wrong is right. It makes no sense." He put his head in his hands, sighing again. Joe got up and continued tying the bow.
"Well...whatever you do we will always support you. As long as you're happy."
"I know mom." He whispered. She got up and hugged her son.
"I love you." She said as a tear ran down her face.
"I love you too." He whispered, kissing her on the cheek as they parted.
An hour later he was physically ready. He met his brothers at the altar. Kevin and Nick gave their brother a reassuring look. Before taking their places.
As he watched the bridesmaids, flower girl and ring bearer come down the aisle he couldn't help think about how he wished she was the one that was here, waiting behind the doors. And how he hadn't gotten a say in anything in what was being arranged. Flowers-Vanessa, dresses and tuxes-Vanessa, catering-Vanessa, the bows on the pews, the priest, where it was going to be, the honeymoon-Vanessa.
"You're going to that wedding with me today!" Macy cried out from the kitchen of their apartment. Stella laid there letting the words echo in the room. Wedding. Joe's wedding. Her best friend since kindergarten's wedding. The thought made her sick. Even though she hadn't been invited to the train wreck, she still dreaded it. She knew she would be home watching some romance movie, while she wondered if it was over yet, if he was taken yet...forever. She closed her eyes in the darkened room, the sunlight straining to get in behind the shades. She heard the door slam open.
"OK, get the heeckkk up! Let's get you ready! I hope you have some sexy dresses in here." She opened the closet going through everything.
"Macy, I wasn't invited. I can't go. And I don't even want to." She sat up watching her best friend stare at her with evil eyes. "Macy, you honestly think after what happened between me and Joe, that he will even care about me?"
"Yes, I do. Stella, he's loved you since third grade, you two fought dozens...thousands of times, why does one fight change everything."
"Because, I haven't spoken to him in 5 months." She said with a frown.
"Nick is picking me up at 11. So if you're going you better get ready in..." she pulled out her phone. "50 minutes. So I suggest you hurry up." She went back into Stella's closet and pulled out a black skinny dress. "Here, might as well look depressed, but sexy." She smiled, at the 20 year old in her pjs.
Stella hadn't talked to any other guy in those 5 months. She just went to college, came home and spent time with Macy. She was always looking at old pictures.
"Stella you better go or you will never get another chance like this...ever. After today, Joe will be taken forever! No chance of ever getting him back! So get your fat ass up and get dressed.
"Macy...I'm not going. I don't want to ruin the best day of Joe's life...and sad to say it, ruin Vanessa's day either. Joe would hate me forever, even more than he does now."
"You'll never know until you try." She went out of the room.
I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion;
But you are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl.
Stella over looked the dress on her bed. She tried to ignore it, but it was breathing down her neck. Oh my god Macy I hate you, she thought. Playing images of him over and over in her mind. Picturing Vanessa in the white dress, Joe in his black tux waiting for her at the end of the isle. He would be beaming at her, as her father let her go. It was supposed to be her. All along. She sat there pondering for an hour before Macy walked in.
Macy's face turned disappointed as she looked her friend over.
"Too late Stells...I'm leaving. I'll be back later." Without saying another word to each other, she walked out the door.
Nick walked in with Macy on his arm, small talk with his family.
"Where do you go?" Macy whispered to Nick.
"I don't know...just as long as I'm not near Vanessa." He whispered back, as she laughed into his shoulder. "It's true. Joe is making a mistake." He paused. "I wish Stella would have come." They were now standing in the lobby of the church. "I mean Joe loves Vanessa, but not as much as he loves Stella."
"Loves?" She emphised.
"Yes, loves. I talked to Joe like, a month ago. He told me he was still in love with her, he's never stopped. But he's brainwashed by Vanessa and her family about how a relationship should be..."
"And how's that?"
"That they should be perfect and that their relationship will grow. I mean if you're not fully sure of your feelings now, why get married? It's just going to lead to problems and divorce."
"I know." She sighed.
After a few more minutes Macy took her seat in the middle next to Joe's mom, while Nick went up front to the altar. She took a look around the room to see Joe's family, his friends from high school, band mates, and people from work. Then Vanessa's whole family on the other side, all dressed in pastel. They were the snobbiest people you would ever meet. Especially, her mother. She didn't even like Joe, just his money from the band. Macy had met her one time and she called her fat, and ugly. Nick about flipped, and that was the turning point for him hating Vanessa.
Vanessa had won, Joe was hers forever...No second chances.
I sneak in and see your friends,
and her snotty little family all dressed in pastel,
And she is yelling at a bridesmaid,
somewhere back inside a room wearing a gown shaped like a pastry.
Stella got in her car and sped off, reading the address on the invitation that had been on the refrigerator since the day Stella cried herself to sleep that night. When she got to the medium sized church she parked in the front just in case she needed a getaway car. She snuck in the door trying to avoid anyone she saw.
Standing in the lobby she heard Vanessa behind a door screaming at a bridesmaid for wearing the wrong kind of eye shadow, to match with her dress. She ducked down behind the pews, taking a seat in the last pew, closest to the wall. She saw Macy by Joe's mom. Her stomach became knotted seeing the altar decorated with, she guessed, Vanessa's favorite colors. Pink and baby blue. It looked really gross. I would have picked different colors...no focus, ugh I really hate you Macy. She thought, rolling her eyes.
This is surely not what you thought it would be,
I lose myself in a daydream, where I stand and say.
The piano and violin players started playing the light bridal music as all the bridesmaids slowly came down the aisle in the baby blue & pink dresses. All of Vanessa's slut clan. Then the flower girl, and ring bearer. The tears welled in her eyes as she saw Joe standing there at the altar, waiting. Wiping her eyes, she knew this is not what Joe wanted. He told her what he had wanted a long time ago, when he was positive he wanted to marry her.
Watching them all go down the aisle, thinking about what she was going to say. Don't do it, I love you. I've always loved you, I'm sorry. Before she could think, the bridal march started. Everyone stood, and Macy caught sight of her. Her mouth dropped open into a huge smile. Stella half smiled, shaking her head, still in disbelief she brought herself here.
Fun gestures are exchanged,
and the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march,
She floats down the aisle like a pageant queen,
But I know you wish it was me.
The longer the song played the more it made her sick to her stomach. Stella watched Joe as he fidgeted with the cuff of his jacket. He was unsure of what he was doing; she could tell he was nervous. Vanessa was floating down the aisle, like she'd done this a million times. When she got to the end the music stopped and everyone sat back down. Vanessa's father sat down next to her mother as Vanessa put her arm around Joe's, facing the priest.
"Dearly beloved-" The late fifties man shouted to the congregation. After about the third line Stella tuned him out, watching Joe's body language. Macy kept looking back at her every so often, smiling the hugest smile. Stella looked at Joe's mother, who was looking over at Macy probably wondering why she kept smiling.
Joe kept his head down most of the time except for the parts he had to say something. He would say it plainly, flat, and quick. Without looking at the priest, or Vanessa. It broke Stella's heart to see him so unhappy. It made her feel like it was her fault he was in this situation. She had told him it was over, causing the whole fight...
She heard the priest wrapping up the ceremony. Oh no. It was coming. Her mind went blank as she forgot everything, except him.
"If anyone objects to these two people to be joined together, please speak now, or forever hold your peace." Macy looked back at Stella who was starting to cry again.
I hear the preacher say, "Speak now or forever hold your peace."
There's a silence,
There's my last chance,
I stand up with shaking hands,
all eyes on me,
Horrified looks from everyone in the room,
but I'm only looking at you.
Stella slowly stood up, crying. Standing only long enough for everyone to recognize she was there. In .89 seconds, Macy, Nick, & Kevin all smiled, just as fast they frowned again. The priest didn't see the blonde in the back, as she turned to leave. Joe's mom looked back at Stella, in disbelief and disappointment as she went through the doors. Joe looked up making eye contact with Macy. "Stella." She mouthed to him. His eyes became wide, as his heart dropped, causing him to smile.
"Do you Joseph Adam Lucas; take Vanessa Elizabeth Tanet to be your wife..." Joe dropped his hands from Vanessa's. She looked up at him in rage and disbelief.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered to her. "I can't do it...I'm in love with someone else." He looked at Nick.
"Go!" He stressed to his brother. Joe took off down the aisle, as his feet fumbled.
"Stella!" He called going out into the lobby. His mother smiled. Nick and Kevin high-five, as Vanessa shot them a look of death. Running through the lobby and out the entrance. He saw her getting in her car.
He ran as fast as he could across the parking lot towards the car backing up. The car bolted for the exit, and down the road. He stopped running and took out his phone. Scanning the contacts for the name he hadn't made sense of even being there in so long.
She picked up her phone, unable to see through the tears. Stella hit end, sending the call to voicemail, and putting it back in the holder. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she continued driving. Joe called her again, this time she let it ring.
Shaking Stella shut the car off, sitting there wiping under her eyes. When she got inside she sat on the bed. The room seemed darker, the world seemed darker.
She laid there until hearing another car door shutting outside, and a few moments later the front door opening. Stella needed her best friend.
"Macy, I made a complete fool of myself. I couldn't do it...I couldn't ruin today for him..." She said with a shaky breath.
"I'm pretty sure you made today one hundred percent better." She was startled by the deep voice at her door.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"Same reason why you showed up today."
"I was supposed to stop you. Macy convinced me...but I couldn't ruin your day." She said crying.
He wiped the tears from her face. "I promised myself that if you showed up, I wouldn't get married. You've only been here 10 seconds and I've fallen in love with you all over again." He stressed.
"But you're not supposed to be here..." She put her hands on his chest, noticing he wasn't wearing the bowtie anymore.
"That there was still something missing. I wanted you to show up more than anything...I missed you so much. I'm sorry, for saying all the things I said." She cried even more. He put her in his arms, as she cried into his chest. "I love you Stella...I always have. I promise I always will." He whispered. She looked up at him.
"I love you too." She whispered. He looked into the eyes he'd been missing for so long, slowly moving his hands up to her face, he kissed her passionately.