The next morning Zoe was awoken by furious knocking on her front door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." She said crawling out of bed and stumbling to the front door. She opened the door and Wade was standing on the other side.
"I hope you're not wearing that to our wedding?"
Zoe looked at him for a minute, trying to process what he was talking about. "Oh, sorry. Today?" she asked
"I just came from Earl's and he does not look good."
Zoe's eyes popped open and all sleep was officially washed away and replaced with concern. "What's wrong? Is he pale? Sweating? In pain?"
"Relax Doc, he looks a little worse than yesterday but he won't tell me how he's feeling. I just want to do this sooner rather than later."
"Ok I'll get dressed, you go get Lavon."
"Will do." He said "You're gonna shower right?" he smirked
Zoe shook her head and shoved him out the door "Out."
"Just sayin, I like my woman clean." He laughed
"That's not what you used to say." She laughed back at him
"Doctor Hart." He said in shock "Get your mind out of the gutter."
"You put it there." She laughed again and shut the door.
Wade walked into Lavon's house and went into his office. Lavon looked up at Wade. "How's your Dad?" he asked with a little bit of sadness in his voice.
"Not well, so I need you to do me a big favor."
"Anything, you name it, I'll do it."
Wade chuckled and Lavon shot him a confused look. "I need you to marry me and the doc."
"What?" Lavon asked choking on his own breath "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, I want my dad to die happy and the only thing he wants is me with Zoe. We've talked about it and we want to do this for him. We already told him we were together." Wade explained
"Ok, no problem then. I can do that. You need fake paperwork?" he asked
"If you could make this look as real as possible, that would be a huge help."
"Ok, yeah no problem. I can get you a license in like 10 minutes. I just have to fill out some paperwork online."
"Ok yeah, do what you have to do." Wade said "I have to go find something to wear."
"Does Earl know?"
"No."
As Zoe was getting out of the shower she heard knocking on her door again. "Wade, I'll be ready in a half hour." She said as she opened the door "Oh, Hi AB." She smiled
"Where are you and Wade going?" she asked
"To get married." Zoe smirked at her friend
Annabeth almost fell over "Excuse me?"
Zoe laughed "We are fake getting married. Earl only has a few days left and we want to make him as happy as possible. Us getting married makes him very happy."
"Did you two get back together and forget to tell me?"
"No, but we told him we were back together and then he said how upset he was he won't see our wedding. So we're getting fake married."
"That's sweet. And it's today?"
"Yeah, before he gets to bad."
Annabeth smiled "Can I come?" she laughed
"Of course but Lavon is marrying us, or at least I hope he is. Is that ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Plus, I really want to see this."
"Ok, you can help me pick out an outfit."
"Yay" Annabeth cheered and they walked towards her closet
Meanwhile back at Lavon's, he was working on getting the license for them. It was easy for him because since he is mayor he has the power to actually marry people. He was just glad that his license expired at the end of the month. He printed out the license and put his seal of approval on it. He then went and put on his best suit.
"I'll be right out." Zoe said as she put the finishing touches on her make up.
"Are you sure you're ok with this Zoe?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"I don't know, he's Wade."
Zoe smiled "What are you getting at?"
"Well I don't know. Do you still have feelings for him?"
"We're not really getting married." She laughed
"That was not my question."
"I know." She looked at her phone. "We're going to be late. I'll meet you outside."
"Do ya'll have rings?"
"Crap no. I didn't even think of that. Oh well. Maybe he won't realize." She laughed
Annabeth just nodded and walked outside to see Wade and Lavon walking towards the carriage house.
"Hi" she waved "Happy wedding day." She smiled at Wade
He chuckled "Thanks. Is she almost ready?"
"Yeah, she'll be right out."
Zoe came out and Wade turned to look at her "Wow" he said looking her up and down.
Zoe blushed when she heard him and went to make a joke or tell him to stop but then she looked at him. "Woah" she said checking him out.
They just stood there, Wade looking at Zoe, thinking how amazing she looks in the tight white dress that stopped right above her knees and showed a little too much cleavage for a wedding dress. Zoe couldn't take her eyes off Wade in his black dress pants, white button down shirt with the first couple buttons still undone and black jacket thrown over his shoulder.
Lavon and Annabeth looked at the two in front of them just staring at each other and then smiled at each other. Lavon decided to break them out of their trance.
"You two ready?" he asked
Wade shook his head. "Yeah, let's get married." He laughed and held his hand out for Zoe. She just smiled and took it. "You look beautiful." He whispered as he held the door to Lavon's Navigator open for her.
She blushed again "Thank you, you look very handsome as well."
Lavon and Annabeth climbed in on the other side of the car and soon enough they were in route to Earl's.
"You guys sure about this?" Lavon asked before they all piled out
"Yes" Wade and Zoe said in unison and got out.
The four of them walked into the house and right towards Earl's room. He was sitting up in bed just looking through another photo album.
"Hey Dad." Wade greeted and Earl looked up.
"Hello Son. What brings you here all dressed up?"
"Well, Zoe and I have talked and we want you to be at our wedding."
Earl hung his head "Wade, I don't think I'm going to last.."
"Dad." Wade interrupted "We're getting married now."
"What?" he asked in shock and Zoe pushed her way passed Wade. Earl smiled at her. "You look stunning."
"Thank you. Now you are not wearing those pajamas to my wedding." She chuckled
"Of course not. I will change."
"Need help?" Wade asked
"Nope."
They all sat in the living room and were waiting for a call from Earl but he came out of the room instead in his best Sunday suit.
"You look good Dad."
"I feel good." He smiled and then looked at Lavon and Annabeth. "One of you marrying these two?"
"That would be me." Lavon smiled and stood up from the couch
"I'm just a witness." Annabeth chimed in
"Are we going to the church?"
"No Dad, we're gonna do it right here. Just us." Wade smiled
"How about outside? You don't want memories of your wedding day in this old shack."
Wade just nodded and felt a tiny pang of guilt in his heart. He felt bad lying to his father but he just wanted him to be happy and he knew this would do it.
"You have rings?" Earl asked looking from Wade to Zoe
"No, we'll get them another time." Zoe told him
"No way." Earl said and spun around walking back in his bedroom.
Wade followed his dad and watched as he dug through his bedside table drawer
"Whatcha doin Dad?" Wade asked
"Got em." Earl said and took out two black velvet boxes. "Here." He put them in Wade's hand.
"What?" Wade asked and opened one to reveal just a plain silver ring. He opened the other one to reveal a diamond ring. "These are yours and Mom's" he said
"Yes they are, and now they can be yours and Zoe's."
"Dad, we can't." he said feeling more and more guilty.
"You can't get married without rings. Whether you keep them or get new ones, I don't care. You were going to get them anyway. This isn't too soon for you two is it?" Wade had to laugh at that. If Earl only knew how soon it was. "Do you love her?" he asked when Wade didn't answer his first question.
Now that, Wade could answer truthfully. "With all my heart."
"Then it's not too soon. Let's get you married."
They walked out of Earl's room and back into the living room. "We have rings." Wade smiled and showed Zoe the boxes. She gave him a worried look but he winked at her and that instantly eased her mind. There is something about him that can calm her down in second with just a smile or a wink.
Earl walked outside. "It's a little messy." He said
"It's fine." Zoe smiled at him. "Relax, take a seat." She told him
"I'm fine, you worry about yourself." He told her. "I'm sorry this can't be perfect."
Zoe was now feeling as guilty as Wade but like Wade she knew this would make him happy so she smiled "I have the four most important people to me here, that is all I need." At least she didn't have to lie. Lavon, Annabeth, Wade and Earl were the four most important people to her in Bluebell.
"I asked Wade and I have to ask you too because I don't want this to be too soon. You love him?" Earl asked
Zoe has only admitted the answer to this question to herself but now was as good of time as any to say it out loud. "Yes I do." She smiled and then looked back at Wade who was laughing at something Lavon was saying. "I really do."
"Ok then, let's get you two married."
Zoe walked over to Lavon and Wade. "Ready?" she asked
Wade smiled at her "Can we talk for a second?" he asked
"Yeah." She smiled as he put his hand on the small of her back causing her to inhale sharply. He led her into the house and closed the door.
"You're sure about this?" he asked "Because I saw the worried look on your face when I came out with the rings. I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to."
"Wade I have never wanted to do anything more. This was my idea and we're not really getting married. Plus, look how happy he is." She looked out the window at Earl smiling and talking to Lavon.
"Yeah I know. Thank you so much for this Doc. We don't have to wear the rings."
"If you don't want me to wear your Mom's ring, I totally understand."
"No, no that's not it at all. It will look great on you. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable." He smiled down at her
"I'll be just fine, let's go get hitched." She smiled and fixed the collar of his shirt then kissed his cheek.
Wade smirked and led her back outside and over to Lavon. "Let's get this show on the road."
Lavon smiled and started to speak. He got through everything pretty quickly and then it was time for the vows. He recited the vows for Wade to repeat and then smiled at Wade.
"I, Wade, take you Zoe to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." He slid his mother's ring on her finger. He smiled at her with tears starting to form in his eyes. He kept telling himself to quit it, it's not even real but something about saying those words to Zoe gave him butterflies in his stomach and made his heart beat a mile a minute. Seeing Zoe smile up at him as he said them didn't help either. He swore he saw a tear roll down Zoe's cheek and that made him even worse.
Lavon smiled at him and then looked at Zoe. He recited it for her and she took a giant breath.
"I, Zoe, take you Wade, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Her hand was shaking as she slid the ring on his finger. She thought hearing Wade say those words to her was hard but saying them herself was even worse. She had to remind herself that this wasn't real but she had a lump her in her throat and her stomach was doing cartwheels. Then she realized what was next. She had to kiss him. She hasn't kissed him since Hanukkah in the hay maze and that didn't count because by the time she realized what was happening it was over and Wade was gone.
Lavon was another one who couldn't stop smiling. "It's not even real." He told himself and tried to compose himself enough to finish the ceremony.
Annabeth couldn't stop snapping pictures with her phone. She didn't care if this was real or not, it was the most beautiful heartfelt ceremony she's ever been too.
"By the power vested in me by the state of Alabama, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Lavon watched as his friends froze in front of him and he had to laugh.
"Oh crap." Wade said to himself. "Forgot about this part." He thought.
Zoe stared at him and was waiting for him to make the first move. "Why isn't he moving?" she asked herself
"You're supposed to kiss." Lavon told them, watching his friends freak out made him happy. He's known them long enough by now to know their true feelings for each other.
Wade nodded and finally pulled Zoe into him and kissed her. It started of slow and reserved but one of them deepened it real quick with the other quickly following. They didn't know what was happening around them anymore, it was just them and the sparks that were shooting off between them.
"Um, ok. Save the rest for the wedding night." Lavon yelled trying to get them apart.
They started laughing before they even broke the kiss. Wade pulled away and looked into her eyes. He hasn't seen that smile in over a year and he was so glad he was the one putting it back on her face. He couldn't help himself when he gave her another small peck on the lips. Zoe giggled when he did that. Her brain was all fuzzy after that though.
Annabeth had tears rolling down her cheek. She felt like she was at a real wedding. She could see the emotion in both Zoe and Wade's eyes and that really confused her. Either her friends were better actors then she thought or there was something going on between them again. She was really hoping it was the second and she was still taking pictures.
Earl came up and hugged them both and Lavon and Annabeth figured they should too.
"I'm proud of you Son." Earl told Wade
"Thanks but if you could just keep this on the down low if some people come to visit, that would be great. We'll announce it in our way."
"No problem. I'm just glad I got to see it. Y'all can have a big fancy wedding with everyone invited some other time."
"We don't need a big fancy wedding." Wade chuckled
Lavon and Annabeth were off to the side and Annabeth turned to him. "Beautiful ceremony." She chuckled.
"Yeah it really was. You see them tearing up? I think they thought it was real." He laughed
"There is something going on with them. Did you not renew your license?"
"No I actually forgot and was going to next week. It expired on the 31st. I got my days all messed up."
"31st of what?" she asked confused
"May." He said
Her jaw dropped "Today is the 30th Lavon."
"What?" he asked in shock "Are you sure?"
"Yes." She pulled out her phone and showed him the date on the screen
"Naw, naw, naw, naw. So this was real?" he asked
"We all just signed that paper. Yes it's real. Lavon. Oh my gosh, what are they going to do?"
"I don't know." He said and then smiled
"Why are you smiling?"
"You do know they still love each other."
"Yes I know that but still, you have to tell them."
"Do I?"
"Yes" she said sternly but then cracked a smile "Maybe they'll work out their crap."
"See, it's funny."
"You have to tell them."
"I will, on our way home. Let them have this with Earl now."
"Good idea. They are going to hate you." Annabeth laughed
"Oh thanks, blame me." He tried to act offended but he couldn't help but snicker
"You're the one who can't read." She smacked his arm and giggled
"Look at that." Zoe smiled watching Lavon and Annabeth laughing
Wade looked over and smiled as well. "The magic of a wedding I guess." He leaned down and kissed Zoe's head. He was going to get in as many kisses as he could before they left Earl's and weren't married anymore.
Zoe got chills every time he kissed her, she couldn't stop the smiles that formed. She leaned her head on his chest and could hear that oh so familiar heart beat that she's missed so much but still had memorized.
Earl smiled at them. "You two are the cutest couple I have ever seen. Love is a wonderful thing huh?"
They just nodded and Zoe looked up at him. She didn't think she could get any happier than she was right now and she wasn't even really married. She had to keep reminding herself that it wasn't real but the look in Wade's eye really wasn't helping her. She couldn't help herself when she leaned up and gave a small kiss, giving herself chills this time.
"She is driving me crazy." Wade thought after she pulled away from him and rested her head back on his chest. "This isn't real, we're not really married. Man do I love her though." The thoughts continued to run through his head.
"How we doing?" Lavon came over to them with his hands in his pockets and a cheesy grin on his face.
"Very good." Zoe smiled
"Good." He turned to Earl. "How about you?"
"I have never been happier. But I am exhausted. Why don't you kids get going, I'll be alright. Besides you two should be celebrating." He winked at them.
Wade's stomach did flips when he said that "If only." He said to himself
Zoe bit her lip and giggled "I wish." She thought and then stopped herself "Get it together Zoe." She yelled at herself
"You sure you're ok Dad?" Wade asked
"Yes, I'm tired but I actually feel good right now."
"We'll call you later." Zoe hugged him "Love you."
"I love you too." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and turned to Wade. "Love ya Son." He brought him into a hug.
"Love ya too Pops. Like the Doc said, we'll call you later."
"I'll be fine, it's your wedding night, there is no calling parents." He chuckled
Wade and Zoe both shook their heads and they all walked inside. They got Earl settled and then all piled in the car. It was quiet for a few minutes until Annabeth started poking Lavon.
"Quit poking me." He laughed
"No." she said
"What's going on?" Wade asked eyeing the both of them.
"I have to tell you something." Lavon said when they pulled onto the plantation
"What's wrong?" Zoe asked starting to panic
"Um well, I didn't realize that today was the 30th." Wade and Zoe just looked at him confused. Lavon continued "Well my license to marry people expires on the 31st."
"Ok and?" Wade asked still confused
"That little ceremony we just performed was real." Lavon told them "Y'all are really married." He said very carefully. Their jaws dropped and they just stared at him. They didn't speak for a good two minutes just staring at Lavon and then Annabeth and each other. "Hello?" Lavon asked waving his hands in front of them.