Cameron was at her wits end. The wedding was one thing. Luckily she didn't have to do much, but her daily conversations with an increasingly nervous Pamela were harrowing at times. Pamela wasn't getting cold feet; it was just nervous energy over the whole thing. Pamela and nervous energy was not a good mix. Cameron could slightly relate since she felt the same way when her wedding approached. The only difference was her nervous energy wasn't built on anticipation and excitement.
Pamela though was just one contributor. Chase was causing some major issues as well. The past few weeks followed the same repeat pattern. Chase would come over to her place or she would go over his, they would eat, watch TV and then fall asleep. The intimacy was still there, but Cameron knew deep inside something was missing. He spent much of the time closed off emotionally. She was sure that part of it was a defense mechanism since he had been clocking a lot of time in the ICU recently. The diagnostics cases were few and far between. She was spending a lot of time helping in the clinic and the lab, so her days were far less stressful and she wasn't around to witness what might be happening with Chase.
Her frustration levels intensified with each day as she tried to figure out how to get him to open up. He was still a deep mystery to her and she needed to know what was going on inside when he was completely detached. She wanted to help; she wanted to fix him. She knew he would hate it if she ever admitted that, but fixing was in her nature.
"You know you can trust me. If something is bothering you, I'm here if you need to talk." She told Chase one evening.
"I'm fine. I'm sorry I haven't been much fun lately. Work has just been really hard. Once we get some cases, things will be back to normal."
She left it at that, even though he was hiding something. Or at least she thought he was hiding something. She really didn't know for sure. She was having trouble cracking this ambiguity and the frustration kept getting worse. She tried hard to be patient, but a part of her couldn't help but think Chase was also acting selfish. He had no reason not to trust her. She didn't know how to get him to realize that.
The day before the wedding provided the right incident that pushed her over the edge. House was bothering her more than usual, probably because he sensed she was already nervous about the weekend festivities. He loved to push buttons in those situations. He sent her to get approval from their patient's difficult mother about a set of tests for microbials that they wanted to try. She knew she was singled out only because she was being rather short with him.
"These tests sound dangerous."
"They are routine and rather safe. We just need to rule some possibilities out." Cameron assured the mother.
"So my child becomes a guinea pig. What microbials do you think he might be exposed to?"
"There is nothing specific we suspect, we just need to be sure."
"I don't need some young snippy doctor who has never had a kid of her own to tell me what is best for my child."
"Ma'am, I assure you, this is what is best."
"Your assurances mean nothing. Now go get me a real doctor to talk to."
The anger and frustration welled up inside. She stormed out of the patient's room and went back to diagnostics to calm down. Chase happened to show up at the wrong time.
"I won't be over tonight. Something came up." He said apologetically.
"Something came up?" She snapped. She was getting so tired of the mysterious behavior. She didn't trust what he was telling her. "That is the oldest excuse in the book."
"Is something wrong?"
"If you mean lying to me and avoiding my questions, then yes."
"When did I ever lie to you?"
Cameron mentioned the first thing that came to mind, probably because she was still stewing over the situation. "You told Pamela something."
Chase rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. "Are we back to that?"
"Why can you share with other people your stories but you can't tell me?"
"There's nothing to tell."
"You are lying. Most people can't tell when you are lying, but I know you well enough."
"I am not lying. I was just making small talk."
"Small talk. Okay, tell me the same small talk."
"I don't want to."
"Why?"
"Because you right now are not being rational. You are obviously upset about something."
"I'm upset that you won't talk to me."
"Oh, I get it. Whenever you are stressed about something I become your verbal punching bag. You've been doing that to me ever since we slept together." Chase's comment stung of pent up resentment.
"Why can you talk to Pamela but not me?" Cameron would not back down now.
"When I talk to Pamela, she hears what I say and lets things go. You will ask for every painful detail and want me to share my feelings. Now is not the time."
"When is the time!" Cameron took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. "I don't expect you to be an open book with me. You just need to share more of yourself. You need to learn to trust me."
"Cameron, I just don't know what you are expecting of me."
"My name is Allison! Cameron is the doctor you work with. Allison is the name of your girlfriend!"
Chase felt the steam rising up inside of him. He wasn't going to put up with anymore of her attack. She was in a bad mood and needed some time alone. He turned away and headed for the door.
"You also don't leave in the middle of a fight!"
"Watch me." He opened the door and slammed it shut as he left.
Cameron stood there with her mouth hung wide open. She shouldn't be surprised that he would walk out like that, but she still was. Abruptly leaving was worse than a slap in the face. That was about the worse thing he could have done to her.
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The pictures have been there for years, dark shadows on the wall behind them resulting from blocked sunlight for the sake of displaying precious mementos. Foreman brushed his sleeve along the front of the glass, pushing away the accumulated dust particles that blocked his view of a simpler time. The younger version of himself looked at him with an enthusiastic smile, as well as his mother when she knew who he was and his father when he wasn't so tired and lonely. His brother sat in the background of all this, which made perfect sense to him. His brother never felt like he was part of their familial bond.
Foreman realized as he stared at the past reflection that he finally had his chance to make snapshots of his own. He always imagined he would be intimidated when faced with such a prospect, but all he felt at this moment was deep joy, excitement, and deep love for the woman he was ready to take as his wife.
He was staying at his father's home tonight. He let Pamela have their place since her brother came in from out of town and needed a place to stay. The ceremony was at ten thirty tomorrow morning. Chase would take him to the chapel and he and his new bride would ride back with his dad. His dad couldn't take him because he was going to visit his mother before the ceremony and share the joyous news of her son's marriage. He wanted to let her know on the day of the ceremony so that even in one fleeting moment she would remember it was her son's wedding day. Foreman appreciated the gesture, but couldn't find it in himself to be there as well. He had too much already to deal with. Seeing his mother would be too much. He would take Pamela to see her once they were husband and wife.
He smiled at the picture with one last glance before strolling down the hall to take in the other pieces of nostalgia. Family, close friends, even fallen pets littered the wall representing a long forgotten past. He knew his dad would never have the heart to take down these photos. These memories were all he had left to cling onto. That and his faith.
Tomorrow it would all be different. Marriage makes everything different. Anyone who dared think that living together and being married was the same thing couldn't fathom the true meaning of the vows or the true license of the commitment. It was an act of declaration in front of family and God to the love of your life 'til death do you part. Tomorrow's nuptials would become the single important moment of his life to date. Greater than graduating from medical school, greater than the decision to put his mother in a home, greater than the day he almost died.
He had to admit, he had a dubious advantage over his incredible fiancée. Being on the brink of death made him fearless. The awesome commitment didn't seem anywhere near as scary as the time Chase and Cameron put him in the induced coma in which he never believed he would wake up. Lucky for him saying "I do" could be done with confidence and no fear. That made this event easily the greatest.
Pamela restored to him the most important aspect of who he was, his confidence and his arrogance. Those qualities got him through medical school, got him through his internship and now grueling fellowship, and now he believed it would get his marriage off to a great start. He was forever indebted to this woman and wanted to happily give to her all that she had given him. He lamented that this was the first evening they had been apart since they moved in together. He already missed her, but her absence made tomorrow all that more special. Eager anticipation was hard but it was also so darn exciting. The next time he saw his woman she would be wearing a stunning wedding dress.
Foreman was shaken from his deep thought by a knock. "Dad, he's here." Foreman opened the front door and welcomed their invited guest in.
Mr. Foreman walked in all smiles. "Dr. Chase, I'm really glad you could join us for this."
"Thanks for asking. I wouldn't have missed it."
Mr. Foreman turned around to retrieve three brandy glasses and a bottle of twenty-year old cherry brandy. "Did Eric tell you that this is something my father did with me the night before my wedding to Eric's mother?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure why I'm here."
"Aside from the fact that you're standing up for Eric tomorrow, you were one of the people responsible for getting him better during his illness. We wouldn't be here celebrating if it wasn't for you. I have never given my proper thank you."
"Thanks, but all I did was my job. Our entire team deserves the credit."
"No, Dr. Cameron and you deserve all the credit. She will be getting my proper thank you tomorrow. Dr. House was nothing but a pain-in-the-you-know-what the entire time. In the end, it was the brain biopsy that saved him, as well as all the care you both gave him. You both were also there to give me support and were completely honest with me the entire time. No, Dr. House has earned no kudos on that one. But enough about that man. Tonight, we celebrate."
The three men retreated to the living room while Mr. Foreman distributed the drinks. They all took a drink and Chase slightly choked while Foreman laughed at him. "You don't have a lot of experience with the good stuff."
"You know I'm not a big liquor drinker. This is good though."
The three continued to drink in strange silence. They were enjoying the moment, the drink, the company, but none of them knew what to say. Mr. Foreman decided to break the silence. "So you and Dr. Cameron are dating."
Chase nodded. They went back to silence.
A few minutes later Mr. Foreman got up and headed down the hallway toward the bedrooms. "Where are you going?" Foreman asked.
"I'm getting the photo album of your mother's and my wedding. You both can see her when she was younger and prettier."
"So, have you two made up yet?" Foreman asked.
"How did you know we had a fight?" Chase gulped down the rest of the drink in his glass then shook his head. The drink was still packing a punch.
"I ran into Cameron about ten minutes after it happened. The girl likes to blab."
"Figures. No, hopefully we'll have sometime tomorrow. I didn't have a chance before I left. Anyway, there's no talking to her when she is like this."
"You should speak to her man. She carries grudges."
Chase was able to avoid responding as Mr. Foreman showed up with the photo album. "Let me show you the most beautiful woman in the world."
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"He just walked out on me. He really doesn't care how I feel about things."
"Your fight was hours ago. Why haven't you talked to him yet?" Pamela couldn't believe they hadn't tried to make up by now.
"I'm still mad."
"Holding onto all that anger will tear you apart." Pamela's brother Jamal interjected pointing his finger in a slight scolding motion.
"The boy knows what he is talking about. He's already had two wives."
"You and Dr. Wilson should join a club." Cameron snarked to Jamal. She put her head into her right hand. "My husband and I didn't fight like this."
"Uh, Robert isn't terminally ill. I think that makes a difference."
Cameron scowled and stayed quiet as she knew Pamela was right.
"What you need girlfriend is some more wine. Let's drink up. The night is young." Jamal seemed better at giving advice than taking it.
Pamela filled the glasses for a much needed refill. "Tonight is about us. No more talk about bitter feelings. That all happens tomorrow."
"I can tell you two are related. You both know how to avoid things rather well." Cameron started drinking anyway. "I'll play along for now."
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"No more for me thanks." Chase told Mr. Foreman as he tried to fill his glass. They had been going through pictures for a while now. He had to admit, listening to Mr. Foreman reminisce was pretty interesting. He had a lot of stories to share.
"You don't have to drive home. I have an extra bed here."
"Thanks, but I'm fine." The real problem was he knew from experience it wasn't good to drink heavily when something was bothering him. Happiness was okay, sadness was a symptom.
"Then I'll take the rest of that." Foreman emptied the rest of the bottle into his glass. "I'd rather be here than home. When Pamela and Jamal get together, its trouble."
"When has Jamal not been trouble?" Mr. Foreman replied with a big laugh. "I'm surprised he didn't end up like….uh."
Foreman's face fell flat even though his dad didn't utter his brother's name. "Did you tell him when you saw him?"
"Yes, I went for visitation last week. He said congratulations."
"No he didn't, but thanks anyway."
Chase wisely knew to sit and say nothing. He knew family secrets weren't meant to be shared. He got up. "Thanks, but I have to get going. I'll be by early tomorrow."
"Talk to her." Foreman advised as he walked him to the door.
Chase pulled out his cell phone when he stepped outside and called Cameron's number. After several rings with no answer it went to voice mail. He thought about leaving a message, but he didn't know what to say. He hung up and decided it be best that he go home. Tomorrow was an important day and they could talk then.
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"She doesn't look like she's going to be able to go anywhere." Jamal noticed as Cameron lay motionless on the couch.
"It's all your fault. You got a key member of my wedding party stinking drunk. If she has a bad hangover tomorrow, you are in trouble." Pamela tried not to shout too loud so not to bother their sleeping guest.
"When am I not in trouble? You started it. Besides, I never thought anyone out there couldn't hold their red wine."
"You kept filling her damn glass at a dizzying rate. An elephant would be drunk with that amount."
"I was being a good host."
Pamela threw her arms up in the air. "You are a pinhead. You know not to keep filling the glass of anyone who is having relationship problems. Is this what you did to your wives? Go to bed. I'll make sure she is comfortable. It seems my long morning tomorrow just got longer."
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The chapel was exactly what anyone would picture when asked to describe a typical one in the country. It was a small building that stood alone in an open vast field overlooking the standard yet picturesque rolling hills that defined the area. The sun hit the structure at just the right angle where the bright white color of the building was a little hard on the eyes at first glance. The small steeple in the center accented the décor of modest but charming. For the small intimate ceremony that was about to take place, it was perfect.
Pamela, Cameron and Jamal arrived first. Cameron's headache was starting to disappear from the 1000 mg of ibuprofen she took. The fresh air was helping her look a little less green too. "I'm sorry again that my brother is an idiot." Pamela told her regretfully.
"It's not his fault. He didn't make me drink. Anyway, stop worrying about me. You are the one getting married."
Chase and Foreman arrived later. "Go talk to her." Foreman instructed. Chase nodded as Foreman took his place in the room to the left of the entrance.
"Good morning, you look fantastic." He could tell she seemed a bit off, but he wasn't about to say that. She did look great in her ivory colored floral print dress. It made her look sophisticated and stylish. Little did he know she was saving the spicy dress for the reception.
Cameron flashed him a jaded glare. "We both know I don't, but thanks for trying."
Chase rolled his eyes a bit. "I can tell you are still mad."
"What a keen observation Nancy Drew."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you again yesterday. I got tied up. How about we talk right after the ceremony?"
"I'm not sure what we have to talk about."
"Allison, I need your help." Pamela said yelling through the cracked doorframe of the room on the opposite side. "Good morning Robert."
"Please, we can talk later." Chase pleaded to Cameron.
She gave him a 'we'll wait and see' look and went into help Pamela.
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The only person they were waiting on was Mr. Foreman. Everyone's faces lit up when he eventually arrived for he had brought an unexpected guest. Chase quickly moved to the door on his right and knocked. "Foreman, your dad is here."
"Send him in."
Foreman had his back turned to the door as he messed with his tie. He heard the faint sound of someone entering the doorway. "Eric."
He felt his heart sink into his stomach and was suddenly flooded with intense sentiment. He hadn't heard that once familiar voice say his name in so long. His eyes were already welling up when he turned around. By the time he lovingly embraced the frail person in front of him, his tears were streaming. "Mom, I can't believe you are here."
"Neither can I. I didn't know you were getting married until this morning. I couldn't miss this." She joined her son with tears of her own.
He looked at his father as he continued to hold on to his mother. "Did you plan this?"
"Sort of," he replied with a huge smile. "The doctors told me last week she could come if it was one of her good days. As soon as I saw her face this morning, I knew it was."
"I can't wait to meet...uh…"
"Pamela. You have met her before. I'm sure she will seem different today." Foreman gave her another big hug. "Oh, it is so good to see you here."
Chase didn't want to break up the family reunion, but he had a job to do.
"Foreman, she's ready."
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Pamela emerged from the room eager to get on with this ceremony. She had a husband to kiss. Her dad was out in the foyer ready to perform his duty. As she took her place her hand up quickly jerked up to cover her mouth, which had fallen open wide with excitement when she saw who was making her way into the main chapel. "Mrs. Foreman?" Now she was all teary.
Mrs. Foreman looked at her with adoration yet slightly confused. Mr. Foreman whispered something in her ear, likely reminding her of the bride's name. Her faced lit up with a heavenly smile once she remembered. "That will be your name soon."
"Good luck," Mr. Foreman beamed to them both before he led his wife into the chapel.
As Pamela tried to control her overwrought emotions, Cameron pulled out some Kleenexes from her purse. "You can't be all teary until after the wedding." She checked Pamela to make sure the makeup wasn't smudged, and then had Pamela take her father's arm in preparation for the next step. "There, you are ready to go." Cameron slipped into the chapel to join the rest of the wedding party.
They could hear the music acoustically bounce its pleasing melody from the main room. Pamela personally requested the young violinist of Chase's acquaintance to play at the wedding. This time though, LeAnn brought her piano accompanist Steven to help with a particular piece that she knew would please the wedding party. At this moment though, their selection was Mendelssohn.
Pamela and her father elegantly strode into the chapel on cue. Her huge and stunning smile accompanied in beauty the incredible dress that draped over her. From across the room she could see the whites of her soon to be husband's eyes explode wide open from a sense of overwhelming joy. Foreman couldn't move. He could only gaze at this incredible woman who yet again marveled him with her ability to completely throw him off guard. To say she looked beautiful was like saying the Mona Lisa was a nice painting. The way she looked at this particular moment was beyond words, so he was left to just savor feelings of deep love and excitement over the prospect of spending the rest of his life with her.
Pamela's father gave Foreman her hand and then a prideful look of approval before he took his place in the small crowd. Her quivering gave away her nervousness, but Foreman put her at ease with a simple smile. "20 minutes, it will fly right by," he whispered in her ear. She gritted her teeth under her huge smile while softly letting 'Gee thanks' escape from her voice.
Since Cameron and Chase were just witnesses, they didn't have to stand at the alter with the couple. They stood with the other family members, who were asked to stand together in one group during the ceremony rather than sit divided. This was a ceremony Pamela and Foreman wanted everyone to be a part of.
Cameron adored the informality and complete charm of this sweet and simple ceremony. It started with the minister charismatically delivering the traditional greeting which addressed how the ceremony represented love, commitment, and honor under God. Cameron recalled similar words mentioned at her ceremony, but they weren't delivered with such impact and they didn't carry as much meaning. 'Til Death Do Us Part' was coming much sooner than later. Is that were she lost her faith in God? No, his death did that.
After the greeting Chase went up with his well-worn bible to deliver a verse. Cameron remembered when Pamela and Foreman first approached him. They didn't know what to pick and innocently asked him for some suggestions, but she could tell they had another agenda. When he came up with one in particular, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, they asked him to read it. He was apprehensive at first, but eventually agreed. The people pleaser in him couldn't say no. Despite her anger at him right now and the fact she was agnostic, she did swoon at the words as they were spoken with that distinctive accent. Was that wrong that bible verses mentioned by him were such a turn on?
The music came next. LeAnn's selection was a fantastic arrangement where the violin and piano melodically bounced off one another to create a rich sound laden with emotional impact. The performance delighted everyone in the room, especially Pamela's family. They must have been intimately familiar with that piece. Cameron didn't recognize it, but she knew to ask Chase about it later, assuming she would be talking to him.
Both Pamela and Foreman's voices shook as they recited the traditional vows. They chose ones that were simple as possible because as they correctly anticipated they were nervous wrecks by the time they got to this part. They anxiously slid their rings onto each other's fingers as their faces indicated deep relief that this was almost done. Foreman then got the instruction he was longing to hear. "You may kiss the bride."
Everyone in the room was profoundly touched by the deep romantic kiss that transpired in front of them. They were witnessing love at its purist. Pamela's mother and sister and Foreman's parents were all teary, while the others smiled joyfully from ear to ear. Cameron through her joy glanced at Chase, who showed a humble respect on top of his usual blank expression. Given his emotional restraint, she knew that he was even touched by this moment.
After they broke away from their kiss and turned to face everyone, Cameron could only think of how she reminded Pamela to bring the no-smudge lipstick, although a slight smile came to her face at the thought of Foreman's lips covered in pretty bright red colors. She should have switched it out to be funny. Ah well, a lost opportunity.
"I now introduce Mr. and Mrs. Eric Foreman." Everyone cheered and smiled as the new married couple worked their way gleefully through the room to the chapel entrance. Everyone followed offering their heartfelt congratulations, especially Jamal who whipped up his family with a "whoo, whoo, whoo…" while pumping his fist in the air. While Pamela and Foreman truly looked like the happiest couple on the earth, they seemed more relieved that the formality was finally over. The fun now could happen.