For Erica and Mark, Thanksgiving and Christmas was not a big deal. Their impending wedding maintained all of their focus, attention and money. In fact, both doctors spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day working in the hospital, taking care of all the crazies. When they did get off on Christmas day, they spent time making last minuet preparations for the wedding.
Their family arrived in Seattle a few days before the wedding. Both the Hahn and Sloan families went straight to the resort where the ceremony was going to be held. The day her family arrived, Erica had a surgery in the morning. As soon as she was finished, she left the hospital and met everyone at the hotel of the resort.
"Erica over here," Beth said waving to her sister-in-law.
She walked over and enveloped Beth in a hug. "Hey Beth, was your flight all right?"
"Yeah, it was peachy. Matthew slept the entire way."
"Where is my nephew anyway?"
"With your brother in the room. I've been roaming around getting a feel for the place. It's gorgeous here."
"I know. I wanted to do a garden wedding, but its winter time and Seattle doesn't have any indoor gardens. I figured here would be the next best place."
"So, is Mark taking the next few days off or what?" Beth asked.
"No, he's taking Friday and Saturday off. Tomorrow he's got a pretty big surgery during the day."
"Have you guys planned anything for us to do tomorrow, since it is New Year's Eve and all?"
"We have one of the conference rooms reserved. We're going to have a little meet and greet where our families can get to know each other."
"That sounds like a good idea. You need to show me the exact room where you cast off your single cape and join the ranks of married women."
"It's this way." Erica led Beth into an intimate room that could seat approximately fifty people (the perfect size). On the far side of the room were three sets of French doors that opened out onto a terrace. Beyond the terrace was an enclosed garden with winter blooming flowers.
"Believe it or not, but this is just how I imagined it." Beth said walking around the now empty room.
"It is nice." Erica smiled.
"So what types of flowers make up your bouquet?"
"My bouquet is made up entirely of Calla Lilies. You know that was part of the way he proposed to me."
"I know, you've only told me a thousand times. And they're your favorite flower. I should have known." Beth smiled. "Show me which room the reception is going to be in."
"Right this way." Erica led Beth onto an elevator that went up to the very top floor. The doors opened to a lavish banquet type room. There were tables set up, as well as a dance floor. The most spectacular part of the room was the view.
Beth made her way over to one of the large windows. She looked out and saw ocean waves crashing against rocks down below. "Erica this place is amazing. How did you find it?"
"The internet contains a wealth of information. I'll have to teach you how to use it." Erica said sarcastically.
Beth rolled her eyes. "So, explain the set up of this room to me. Are the tables going to be in this exact position or what?"
"Well the cake is going to be on a table against the far wall. The tables will look just like they do now. We thought about getting an ice sculpture, but I think that would have been overkill. But we will have a chocolate fountain in the corner over there. It will be like its own station with fruit and cakes."
"And the menu?"
"You got the invitation. It's the standard choice between chicken, steak, fish or vegetarian." Erica and Beth got back on the elevator and took it down to the lobby.
"So when am I going to see the dress?"
"On my wedding day while you help me get ready." Erica smiled. "Why are we down here?" She asked realizing they were back in the lobby.
"Your mom is bringing Matthew down and we are all going to get some lunch."
The two women sat in the lobby and people watched as they waited for Erica's mom to come down. In the middle of their conversation about the latest arrival to the resort, an old woman sporting a unique blazer and hat combination, Hannah walked in with Margot in tow.
"Erica hey. It's almost like you were waiting for me." Hannah said as she walked up to the pair.
"Not exactly, we're waiting on my mom to come down. We're going to breakfast."
"Hi Erica, Granma said I could call you Aunt Erica since you're marrying Uncle Mark." Margot said after she broke free of Hannah's grasp.
"That's fine with me Margot." Erica smiled. "Where are your brothers and your parents?"
"They're getting the stuff out of the car. Who are you?" Margot asked turning to Beth.
"My name's Beth, and I'm married to Erica's brother, and you are?"
"My name is Margot, and this is my Aunt Hannah."
Beth stretched out her hand to shake Margot's smaller one. "Well, it's very nice to meet you Margot. And you too Hannah. I've heard so much about you"
Hannah smiled, "Thanks, I hope it was good."
"Hannah, I thought you were going to check us in." A voice called from the door.
Hannah rolled her eyes and went toward the desk, "Well I'll see you later, my evil sister in law wants me to do her bidding."
Erica smirked at the comment, and Beth looked confused.
"Aunt Hannah who's your evil sister-in-law?"
"No one sweetie. Why don't we keep that our little secret?" Hannah smiled as she bent down to the young girl's level.
"Okay."
Hannah and Margot made their way over to the check-in counter as Samantha walked over to Erica and Beth. "Erica, nice to see you again."
"Yeah, nice to see you too. How have you been?" Erica tried to feign interest in the woman's life.
"I've been okay. The kids are well, you know kids."
"Right."
"I thought Hannah was going to get us all squared away. It looks like she may need some help over there. I'll leave you to what ever it is you're doing." Sam gave a small wave and walked away.
"She did not seem too nice." Beth said.
"Nice observation. She is evil."
"She can't be that bad."
"Oh, trust me Beth she is. Are you as hungry as me?"
"No."
"Maybe it's just because I didn't really have breakfast. What is taking my mother so long?"
"Do you want me to go see?"
"No we can wait."
A few minuets later the elevator dinged and Nora Hahn pushed a stroller through the doors and toward her daughter and daughter-in-law. "Sorry it took so long girls. Matthew had a dirty diaper I had to change, and then his outfit was all smelly so I had to change that to but, we are here now."
"Yes you are here now. Let's go." Erica, Beth and Nora left the resort in search of food.
The next evening Erica awoke from her nap with a shadowy figure leaning over her. She opened her eyes to find Mark. "Hey, how was the surgery?"
"It went fine. How are you doing? My lovely relatives bother you much today?"
"No, Hannah's been entertaining them for the most part. Beth and I finished off the name tags for tonight." She said as she sat up and ran a hand through her hair.
"You seriously bought name tags for tonight?" Mark sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned his arm over her legs.
"Yes, I think it's important that they know each other."
"I know Erica, but name tags feel like it's over kill."
"You would think that."
"Am I picking up the LA crew tomorrow morning or do we have a taxi service or something for them?" Mark asked.
"I think Callie said she and Miguel are going to go but they may need another car. You could send Hannah. I think she would not mind getting away from Sam."
"Three cars will be enough?"
"Yes three cars should be enough. Now move so I can go freshen up for dinner."
"Fine. You don't want to be near me, I understand."
Erica rolled her eyes as she walked into the bathroom, "Sometimes I wonder how I got into this whole thing with you. You act like a child."
"It was a bet remember, and you lost."
She peeked out of the bathroom, "I think I'm regretting agreeing to the bet."
"No you're not. You love me." Mark said walking into the bathroom, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling at her neck.
"Well when you do that you're right. I don't regret it. As nice as that feels, we have your family and my family waiting for us downstairs in the conference room. Hannah can only do so much to keep your sister-in-law at bay."
"Did you have to remind me?"
"Yeah, I did. Let's go." Erica pulled Mark along and the couple made their way downstairs to the conference room they had reserved for the night.
Inside, both families were already mingling and entertaining pleasant conversations. Kevin and Aaron were discussing the finer points of college basketball while Denis and Alex discussed fly fishing. Beth and Hannah were having an animated discussion in the corner while Margot played with Matthew. Mark's two nephews were playing video games and Sam sat by herself watching everyone else.
When Erica and Mark walked in, Catherine and Nora both smiled and glided up to the couple. "Hi sweat heart. Erica told me you had a surgery today how'd it go?" Catherine asked.
"It went fine mom." Mark hugged his mother before turning to Nora and embracing her as well.
"I see you two are getting along well mom." Erica said.
"Yes dear, we both are wondering when exactly we can expect grandchildren from you two." Nora smiled.
"What you're not happy with Matthew?" Erica asked her mother.
"I love Matthew to death, but it'd be nice if I had more than one lovely grandchild."
"As much as I love Kevin's little ones Mark, I want to see you go through half the things you put me through." Catherine said.
"Mark and I have discussed children and we've more or less decided that,"
"It's not gonna' happen, mom."
Erica smiled. "Exactly, I'll babysit for Beth and Kevin's kids and maybe even Hannah's in the future, but no darling bundles for me."
"Way to crush an old woman's spirit, darling." Nora said. "Let's go Catherine; we have to mourn our grandchildren we'll never have."
Erica rolled her eyes as the older women walked away. "Well it looks like everyone is getting along fine."
"Did you have any doubt?" Mark asked.
"A little." Erica sighed. "In forty-eight hours we will be married."
"And this whole thing will be over with."
"Thank God." Erica said as she sat down.
"Do not act like you haven't had fun planning this." Mark accused.
"I have had a little bit of fun. But I will be glad when they go home and we go to Italy."
"We can't go now?"
"No Mark, we can't go now."
"Too bad, I guess."
AN: I know it's been a long time since I've updated. I had a bit of writer's block. Hopefully I'll get a couple more chapters out while I'm on fall break. I can't promise anything. As always, thanks for reading and please review.