Chapter 37
I slept in until noon the next day. The wedding wasn't until four o'clock. After having brunch, I spent the next few hours in my hotel room with my bride's maids getting ready for the wedding. Ally and Kourtney had a talent for hair and make up so they did everyone's hair and make up. We had a hair straighter, curling iron, and hair products. We got everyone's hair and make up done within a couple hours. Then we were sitting around and waiting for another hour.
At 3:45 PM, my bride's maids and I made our way down-stairs and to the ballroom. My dress did not have a train so I wasn't dragging my dress a long the floor. When we got outside the ballroom, my dad and the groom's men were all outside waiting for us.
"And there's the beautiful bride," Dad said.
I smiled. He had been hanging out with John, John Sr., and the groom's men the last hour.
"Hi Daddy," I said. He walked up to me and gave me a kiss.
"You look beautiful, honey," He said.
"Thank you."
"Melissa and Chris, you look beautiful as well."
"Thanks, Dad," Christie said.
"Yes, thank you," Melissa said.
"They all look beautiful," Steve said.
"Not as beautiful as Trish, though," Amy said.
"Now who is the most beautiful out of all the bride's maids?" I asked.
"Amy," Phil said.
"Torrie," Randy said.
"Melissa," Boog said.
"Chelsea," Steve said.
"Ally," Dan said.
"Kourtney," Matt said.
"Christie," I said.
"Thank you, Trish," Christie said.
"Always welcome."
My mom walked out of the ballroom. "They are all ready in here if you want to get this thing started," She said.
"Yes, let's get it started, Mom," I said.
"Okay," She replied.
The groom's men and bride's maids all lined up together. I lined up with my dad behind them. The processional music was to Canon in D, a classic choice for a wedding processional.
Since I was such an awesome person, I let my bride's maids walked with their boyfriends, fiancé, or husband who were groom's men. Melissa walked with Boog. Kourtney walked with Matt. Ally walked with Dan. Chelsea and Christie traded jobs. Christie would be carrying Little Johnny instead of walking with a groom's men. So Chelsea walked with Steve. Torrie walked in with Phil. Amy (the maid of honor) walked in with Randy (the best man). Christie then walked in with Little Johnny. He was a few weeks away from being ten months old.
My dad and I then made our way into the room. All the wedding guests sat at the tables. There was a stage and that was where John and I would stand with his father, our ordained minister.
As I made my way over to John, he already stood up on the stage with his dad. He smiled brightly at me. He looked very handsome in his suit. Actually, he looked more than handsome. He looked super hot. He looked super hot like the first time I met him and saw him lifting weights.
My dad and I got to the stage. John walked over to the stairs. He reached out his hand to me and helped me up the stairs. We both then walked over to his dad. He stood on the left of his dad and I stood on the right. The bride's maids and groom's men were up on the stage with us. I handed my bouquet over to Amy. I then had my full attention on John.
"We gathered here today to join this man, my son, John Felix Anthony Cena II, and this woman, my future daughter-in-law, Patricia Anne Stratigias, in matrimony. Before John and Trish say their vows to one another we will hear from a few select friends and family members of the couple," John Sr. said.
Christie was the first to speak. She gave Little Johnny over to Torrie to hold. Amy's hands were full with her own bouquet and mine.
"Trish and John, the relationship you two have is very special. You two are definitely soul mates and have found true love. John, you are an excellent man to see past Trish's dark past and promise to love and protect her forever. I already call you brother, because you are so much already an older brother to me," Christie said.
Everyone clapped.
Steve walked forward.
"Trish, you have made my little brother's life fuller and richer. You are the one girlfriend he truly loves and would truly do anything for. You are his true love and soul mate. He fell in love with you only after three weeks, because you are truly an amazing woman. I am proud to call you my little sister, because you bring join to my life and everyone else in my family," Steve said.
Everyone clapped.
Torrie stepped forward. Little Johnny was back in Christie's arms.
"There was a girl named Trish who got a job as a paralegal at a law firm in Boston, Massachusetts. After getting settled into her apartment with her roommate and best friend, Amy since middle school, Trish went to the gym with that Amy and met four great people named Phil, Torrie, Randy, and John. The moment Trish saw John lifting weights at the gym; she was very impressed by him.
"It was more than a friendship from the beginning. John was not shy at all when it came to Trish. He flirted with her nonstop and was completely forward with her in everything said. The two ended up hitting off on their first date and having many more after. The two were in love after three weeks of dating. They were not scared in telling the other they were in love with the other either.
"Fast forward eight months later and Trish told John she was pregnant with his child. He was very excited to be a dad. A month later the two moved in together and then another month later, John proposed. Trish said yes, of course. Five months later, John and Trish welcomed their first child together, John Felix Anthony Cena III. Fast forward to today and John and Trish are getting married.
"I got to witness the whole development of their relationship. I am not only Trish's best friend, but John's as well. I am also engaged to John's best friend and best man, Randy. I will be around forever to witness the course of their family," Torrie said.
Everyone clapped.
"Thank you, Christie, Steve, and Torrie for all that," John Sr. said. "Now it is time for the bride and groom to say their vows. Ladies, first."
I smiled. "Johnny, when I first came to Boston two years ago, I only came here to start a new job and to hang out with my best friend in the whole world. I did not think about starting a new relationship off right away. But the first time we met, I knew I wanted to get to know you better and I am glad we did. The last two years have been the greatest years of my life so far. You are the reason why I am a mother and after you, that is one of the things I have wanted all my life. I can't wait to have more babies with you."
John smiled. "Patricia, from the moment I met you, I was smitten by you. The first time we met, I too wanted to get to know you better. It didn't take me long to fall in love with you. And today, right now, I love you more than ever and can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together. I do not care what comes our way, because you and I are going to beat those odds. Through the little marital arguments to the biggest marital arguments, we are going to make it through."
I smiled brightly and John Sr. continued with the ceremony. We said our "I dos" and exchanged rings.
"Now by the power vested in me I now pronounce you, husband and wife," John Sr. said. "Kiss your bride, Johnny."
John and I smiled. We both leaned forward and kissed. Everyone clapped and cheered.
John and I got a few minutes of private time with our immediate families (parents, siblings, and grandparents) and our wedding party. Of course, mostly his groom's men were his brothers and my bride's maids were their significant others and my sisters. All John and I really wanted was to be alone with each other and our little boy.
After our few minutes alone, it was picture time with the whole group. The whole wedding party got back on the stage for the wedding photography to take the pictures. All the wedding guests were in the room, but they were all enjoying themselves with appetizers: chicken wings, chips and salsa, Mozzarella sticks, and little hot dogs wrapped in bacon. We had a buffet dinner that was being set up and ready, but the appetizers were also there for those hungry people. I was one of them.
"Okay, let's get a picture with the bride and groom with their baby," The photography said.
"Yay, my baby," I said.
The last pictures that had been taken were the ones with the whole wedding party. Little Johnny was part of it, because Aunt Christie had been given the task of walking with him. He had been in her arms, but he was handed over to me. Amy took my bouquet as I got hold of my special little guy.
Little Johnny was a happy baby. He had had a nap before the wedding, so he wasn't cranky at all. He was as happy as ever and had enjoyed seeing all the wedding guests as we stood on stage during the wedding and while taking pictures.
"You think we're ready for one more?" I asked John.
"I know we are," John said. "We'll get started of making baby number two tonight."
I smiled.