It's late July, the weather is warm and sunny, the perfect summer's day for Gillian and Cal's wedding. The girls had taken over Cal's house, and kicked him out to Ben's place. Their excuse for kicking him out of his own house was that they were going to put the finishing touches on all the decor. After Gillian had a private chat with Cal, he gave in, gave his bride-to-be, and daughter a kiss goodbye, and left them and Ria at his house.
The next morning at Ben's house, Ben woke up about 9am to a knock at his front door, and the sound of breakfast being made. Ben let Loker in and they walked into the kitchen to find Cal at the stove fixing himself a plate. "Lightman."
Cal looks at Ben and Loker, "Morning. I made plenty of food, so have at it." Ben and Loker make their way to get breakfast, as Cal fixes a cup of coffee and sits at the table to eat.
"How come you're up so early?" Ben inquires.
"Couldn't sleep." Cal says with a mouth full.
Loker pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Cold feet?"
"Do you like your job, Loker?"
"Yea. I mean after you started paying me again, of course."
"Well, if you don't want to become an unpaid intern again, I suggest you zip it."
"Point taken."
A couple hours later at the Lightman house, Gillian and Emily are in the kitchen eating brunch. Ria walks in from the dinning room with a pro-looking digital camera in hand.
"Well, I got a nice bunch of pre-wedding photos, and the flowers are still attached to the sashes so I guess the hot glue worked."
"I knew it would." Gillian sits at the island with a cup of coffee. "So everything's ready now? Eli has everything taken care of outside, right?"
"Yep, he's gonna run out before everyone gets outside and setup the music, and Reynolds is going to slip out and take care of the candles on the tables while we stay in here for pictures." Ria sets the camera on the counter.
Emily wraps an arm around Gillian for comfort, "Breathe, Gill. It's going to amazing, don't worry."
Gillian's nerves come out in her voice, "I'm not worried."
"Hmm, guess I must have misheard the raised pitch in your voice." Ria says with a sly smile as she sips her coffee.
Gillian sighs loudly. "I'm not worried. It's just... I guess I just don't quite believe this is all really happening. Like it's a dream or fantasy, not reality."
"Do you need me to pinch you?"
Gillian lets out a small giggle, "No, I'm okay, thank you."
Ria gets a serious look as she asks the following with caution, "Foster, can I ask you something... personal?"
"Sure." Gillian notes Ria's expression.
"What made you decide to completely skip the whole dating thing and jump right into marriage with Lightman? You've never seemed like the type to make such a huge decision without being sure it's the right one."
"Well, when you know each other the way Cal and I do, and in addition to our friendship, our line of work allows us to see everything but the why, so when it come to things like this there's not a whole lot that you don't already know about the other."
"But I thought that the closer you are to someone, the harder it is to read them." Emily is a bit confused.
"That's true, but it mainly applies to when you're trying to see a lie or believe one." Gillian stops to take a drink of coffee and sees the time on the microwave '12:27', "Besides, I suppose Cal and I both realized our feelings weren't going anywhere, and now that we're both divorced, there's nothing stoping us so why prolong something we know is certain to happen eventually. And, I was supposed to be in the shower half and hour ago." Standing, she puts her cup in the sink.
"Whoops" Emily giggles. "You go, we can clean this up, right?" She looks at Ria.
Ria nods. "Sure."
"Okay. I'll try not to be too long." Gillian heads up the stairs to shower.
Ria looks at Emily. "Do you need to get in the shower too before you get ready?"
"Yea, but I'm quick." Emily starts washing the dishes.
"Go take your shower. I got this covered." Ria nudges Emily out of the kitchen.
"You sure?"
"Yes, go."
Emily smiles and heads upstairs. She comes down a minute later and Ria's washing dishes.
"I thought you were taking a shower."
"I am, but Gill's in Dad's bathroom so I'm gonna shower in the one down here." Emily slowly walks backwards down the hall with a sly grin. "You've seen it, remember?" Emily walks away, as Ria shakes her head continues to clean the kitchen.
About and hour later, Gillian is just about done blow drying her hair, Emily walks in Cal's room and finds her standing in the bathroom in a short, white, silk robe. Gillian didn't hear Emily come in over the blow dryer, so when she sees Emily in the doorway she jumps. She turns the blow dryer off and faces Emily. "Emily, you scared me."
"Sorry, just thought I'd come see if you were ready."
Gillian brushes her hair so it's smooth. "Yep, just need to plug in the curling iron and it should be ready in a few minutes. Should we do your hair?"
"Sure, where do you want me?"
"I think if you sit on the bench at the foot of the bed, and I sit on the bed, it should work. Where's Ria?" Emily has her brush, and Gillian grabs the cup of bobby pins and a few hair ties. They go into the bedroom and sit.
"She forgot her earrings so she left to go get them. She said she'll be back in about 15 minutes." Emily sits with her back to Gillian, and she starts parting Emily's hair.
Ria walks in about 10 minutes later. "I'm back."
Emily calls from upstairs, "We're up here."
Ria walks upstairs and goes to Cal's room. Gillian is putting the diamond and rosette hair pin in Emily's hair as she enters. "Wow, that looks really pretty, Emily."
"Really? I haven't seen it yet?"
"You can now. Tell me what you think." Emily gets up and goes to look in the bathroom mirror.
"I didn't know you could french-braid, Gillian."
"I used to french-braid my hair all the time when I was younger. Do you like it?"
"I love it." Emily gives Gillian a hug. "Thank you. Your turn." Emily grabs Gillian's hand and pulls her into the bathroom. "What are we doing to your hair?"
"Well, I found this picture," Gillian goes back to the bedroom and opens her laptop, after a few clicks the picture pops up. "I thought it was nice, and it doesn't look like it'll be too difficult to do." Emily and Ria come to look at the picture.
"Not at all. I think if you use the iron to get the shape around your face, and we can make soft curls in the back and pin them up."
"Okay, let's do it." Gillian gets up and goes to the bathroom with Ria in tow.
"Do you have something to put in your hair?"
"I bought a hair pin with silk roses. I thought they would be nice on the side."
Its just after 4pm, Cal, Ben, and Loker walk into the house and run into Ria.
"Oi. Torres, where's my girls?"
"Upstairs-" Cal tries to get passed her, but Ben holds him back.
"Lightman, you have to wait to see Gillian just like the rest of us."
"If you still worked for me I'd fire you."
"Well, then it's a good thing I don't. Come on." Ben leads Cal to the living room, Loker starts to follow, but Ria stops him.
"Loker can you do something for me?"
"Sure."
"Can you hang around the front door in case people start showing up? Just tell them to go to the living room and get comfortable, I'll be down in in a few minutes."
"Okay." Ria starts heading back upstairs. "You look nice, by the way."
"Thanks, so do you." Ria smiles before continuing upstairs, Loker goes to the front door.
Once in the living room, Ben gets ready.
"I'm gonna pop outside for a minute." Cal slips out the back door before Ben can stop him. Cal walks around so he's out of Ben's sight, pulls out his phone and dials Gillian.
In Cal's room, Gillian is standing in front of the full-length mirror putting her earrings in as Emily, already dressed, buttons the top of Gillian's dress. Gillian's cellphone rings, she reaches for it on the nightstand. She smiles as she sees the caller ID. "Let me guess, you thought since you can't see me, you'd try calling instead?"
"Well, that's a fine 'how do you do?'" Gillian is quiet, and Cal gets worried. "Gillian, love, you alright?"
"I'm fine. Are you okay?"
"Absolutely. I mean I'd be better if I could see you."
"Well, according to your daughter, it'll be worth the wait."
"If it has to do with you, it is."
Ria walks in and stops in her tracks. Emily turns and sees Ria slowly take a few pictures. A couple of Gillian and Emily, a couple more of just Gillian: reflection in mirror, facing Gillian, etc.
"I should go."
"No, not yet."
"The ceremony starts in about 5 minutes, I think you'll survive."
"I'll have to if I want to finally see your dress."
"Is that all?"
"Well, that and you know get married." Cal says nonchalantly.
"Bye, Cal."
"Bye, love. Remember, I'm the one waiting at the alter." They hang up. Cal walks back into the living room with a big grin on his face.
Emily says to Ria, "What do you think?"
"Lightman has no idea how lucky he is."
"He's about to. Are we ready, Gill?"
"More than ready." Emily locks an arm with Gillian as they walk down the hall. When they get to the stairs, Ria goes first and Emily walks behind Gillian. Once at the bottom of the stairs, Ria snaps a few more photos before Emily leaves to take her place beside Cal. Gillian starts taking deep breaths to calm herself.
"I don't think I've ever been more nervous and excited at the same time in my life."
"There's a first time for everything, even if it takes a couple tries it's worth it in the end." Ria gives Gillian a hug before going to the living room with everyone else.
The music starts, 'One and Only' by Adele. As she listens to the words she remembers Emily insisting that this was the perfect song for her dad and Gillian.
You've been on my mind, I grow fonder every day
Lose myself in time just thinking of your face
God only knows why it's taken me so long to let my doubts go
You're the only one that I want
I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before
Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all
You'll never know if you never try
To forget your past and simply be mine
After a couple more deep breaths, Gillian makes her way from the kitchen, through the dinning room and towards the living room through the french doors.
I dare you to let me be your, your one and only
Cal looks up as everyone stands to watch Gillian enter.
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms
So come on and give me a chance
To prove I am the one who can walk that mile
Until the end
Ria takes a few photos of Cal's reaction to seeing Gillian, his face completely lights up, and she turns to take a few of Gillian walking down the aisle. Eli faded the song out before it said 'starts', they decided to cut that out for fear of implying the marriage wouldn't last. Gillian gets to the front and stands to face Cal, who has Emily linked to his arm. Ben takes a breath before starting.
"Friends, we come together today to witness the long-awaited union of Cal and Gillian." Everyone claps lightly and a few small chuckles can be heard. "Who gives this man to this woman?"
"I do." Emily says with a huge smile. She turns to Cal and gives him a tight hug, then turns and gives Gillian a tight hug as well before taking her seat in the front.
Ben turns to Cal. "Cal, do you take Gillian to be your wife? To love, honor, cherish, and stay true to for as long as you live?"
"I absolutely do."
Ben turns to Gillian. "Gillian, do you take Cal to be your husband? To love, honor, cherish, and stay true to for as long as you live?"
"I do."
"Please face each other and join hands." Gillian hands Emily her bouquet, and joins hands with Cal. "At this time, the bride and groom have chosen to read their own vows."
Cal reaches in his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper and chuckles at himself. "I just knew if I didn't write it down I'd forget things." Cal flicks his gaze between the paper and Gillian as he speaks. "Gillian, from the time I met you there was something about you that just drew me in. I admit those first couple meetings were a tad rough, but I couldn't stay away. I thought you were going bonkers when you agreed to be my partner, but I was very relieved nonetheless. You're the only person to truly make me fear that I'd, one day, push too far and you'd leave, but you never have. You have stayed by my side all these years, and I'd like you to continue to stay by my side for the rest of my life. Let this ring be a reminder of my vow and promise to you." Cal slips the wedding ring on Gillian's finger.
Gillian's eyes are beginning to water, but after a deep breath, she keeps the tears from starting. "Cal, while you know how to drive me out of my mind on, nearly, a daily basis, I wouldn't have turned down that opportunity of a lifetime in a million years. You're not the easiest man to work with, but at the end of the day you manage to make it up somehow. As my best friend, you have always been there for me. No matter how bad a fight we have, or how long we're mad at each other, you're always there for me. And, I'd like us to continue to be there for each other for the rest of our lives. Let this ring be a symbol of our vows and promises to each other." Gillian slips the wedding band on Cal's finger.
"It is my great honor to pronounce you two as man and wife. You may kiss your bride." Everyone cheers and claps.
Cal and Gillian are still holding hands, Cal slips one hand to the small of Gillian's back, and Gillian places her free hand on the side of Cal's face. They close the space between them and share their first kiss as husband and wife, it's slow and sweet.
About 30 minutes later everyone is in the backyard enjoying the music when Cal, Gillian, Emily, and Ria walk out of the house after taking a ton of photos. Cal and Gillian take their seats that have personalized signs on the back that say 'Cal's Wife' and 'Gillian's Husband'.
Later in the night they have their first dance, 'Save Your Love For Me' by Cannonball Adderley & Nancy Wilson.
"So tell me how it feels to be stuck with me for the rest of your life, Mrs. Lightman."
"Feels like a dream that was well worth the wait. How do you feel being stuck with me?"
"What kinda question is that, Mrs. Lightman? Do you not recall that rebound case?"
"I do. But I also recall telling you that you might not have tried hard enough."
"Well, I did finally try, and now I'm happily married to you, Mrs. Lightman."
"Are you going to call me 'Mrs. Lightman' all night?"
"Why? Don't you like it, Mrs. Lightman?"
"No, I like it. I'm just beginning to miss some other names."
"Okay, love." Gillian smiles, he smiles back, and they finish the song dancing cheek to cheek.
Cal and Gillian cut their cake about an hour later, there was no smashing cake in each others face, but that didn't stop Cal from "accidently" getting icing on Gillian's neck. While cake was served, Ria and Anna came over to talk to Gillian.
"Congratulations, Dr. Foster. No, Dr. Lightman. Sorry."
"Thank you, Anna. I think we'll stick with Foster at the office so there's no confusion."
"Of course." Anna smiles while Ria takes a seat beside Gillian.
"So Foster, what are you two doing for your honeymoon?" Ria has a devious smile.
"Not what you're thinking."
"At all?!"
"Ria that is not something you talk about at your reception."
"Okay, not details, but are you going somewhere?"
"Yes. We're leaving in the morning to Virginia Beach, going to stay in an oceanfront hotel, and spend a few days on the beach."
"Why just a few days?"
"Emily has to be back to catch a flight to her mom's on Friday."
"Emily's going with you?"
"We're going to think of it like a trip together as a new family, but Emily's going to have her own room. And, the plan was to head back Thursday, detour to Busch Gardens and do rides all day, spend the night, and drive home Friday, but Zoe booked Em a morning flight so we're going to drive straight home Thursday afternoon."
"That still sounds like it's going to be a fun trip."
"Yea, I'm sure Cal and I will probably think of something to do over the weekend, just the two of us."
"Zoe knows about you and Lightman, right?"
"Absolutely. She wasn't thrilled, of course, but she accepts our marriage. We haven't discussed the legal part of my becoming Emily's stepmother, but that's a discussion I am prepared to wait for."
Cal walks over with two glasses of champagne, and hands one to Gillian.
The party ended at about 11pm, and Ria offered for Emily to stay the night with her, giving the newlyweds their wedding night alone. Ria did as promised and Emily was home at 8:30 the next morning, and by 9 o'clock they left on their trip. Loker and Ben showed up just after 9 and met Ria at the Lightman house to clean up.
As they pulled out of their driveway they saw the house as a symbol of a fantasy they didn't think would come true; Cal and Gillian are husband and wife, and this is their home. They knew marriage wasn't going to be easy, but they knew that if they stuck together, and loved each other, they could make it... And, if the rest of their lives was anything like that first night, it would be well worth the effort.