Fighting Destiny 8

Chapter 7 Wedding

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Tara was sitting on Donna and Opie's bed at their house. Donna used her professional hairdressing skills to fix Tara's long dark hair into a messy updo. She tucked in baby pale pink roses into her hair since Tara wasn't wearing a veil. Tara turned around and stared at her reflection.

This was Tara at her most beautiful. She had a happy bridal glow. She wore soft pink blush with a little highlighter on the tops of her cheeks, some mascara and some light pink lipstick. She didn't need anything else. Happiness was better than make up.

"It's exactly as I dreamed my hair would look," Tara said to Donna.

"When are you telling Gemma?"

"That's Jax's problem. I figured when she sees the backyard with the arch all decorated, she'll figure out something's up. Honestly, I'm so sick of living my life wondering how Gemma is going to handle things. I can't get out of this town fast enough."

"I don't blame you. It seems almost like a dream getting the guys out of here and in a new place for a fresh start for all of us."

Tara slipped into her simple white dress with a softly gathered skirt. She was self-conscious that she hadn't lost the baby weight from Baby Nate. Jax assured her that she looked sexier than ever, but she didn't feel it.

"You look nice. That dress is perfect," Tara said.

Donna wore a light blue bride's maid's dress that she'd worn once before in a wedding. It was a plain dress perfect for a wedding since the bride was the star.

"I always liked this dress. Glad I get to wear it again."

Tara's cell phone rang. It was Jax calling her to let her know they were ready for the bride.

"OK. We're on our way. How did she take it?"

"I gave her a bullet and told her to bite on it that way the wedding wouldn't hurt as much," Jax said chuckling.

"What really happened?"

"She was pissed because we didn't tell her about it in advance but this is the beginning of Gemma losing all control over my life, over your life and over the lives of our kids. I'll see you in the backyard wearing the fancy clothes. I'll be the one looking hot as hell."

Tara laughed.

"I love you, Tara."

"I love you, Jax."

They ended the call. Donna drove Tara the few blocks to Jax and Tara's house.

Ellie was waiting in the family room. She wore a flowered dress and carried a small basket with pink rose petals. She was bursting with excitement. This was the first wedding she had ever been in.

While Tara got her small bouquet of pink roses from the refrigerator, Ellie ran out to tell everyone that they were ready finally.

Ellie walked out first sprinkling the rose petals on the grass as she walked down the small aisle. Donna followed her. Tara took a step down onto the patio from the patio and paused. She wanted to take a picture of that moment in her mind.

It was exactly as she dreamed. Jax was standing under the arch smiling at her. He was dressed as formally as it got for him in black pants, a long sleeved white shirt and his cut. Opie and Abel were dressed exactly the same way only Abel had no cut to wear. Baby Nate matched in a black pair of pants and a long sleeved white T-shirt. He was sitting on Gemma's lap.

Tara couldn't stop smiling when she saw her family waiting for her. Nothing including Gemma was going to spoil the day she'd wanted for so long.

Piney had gone through an online program to become ordained so he could legally marry Jax and Tara. He stood under the arch eager to marry Jax who was like a son to him to Tara who he'd grown to love like a daughter.

Clay and Kenny were the only other wedding guests. There was another guy there in his late teens who was recording their wedding on his phone. He owed Jax for some work he'd done on his car, so he was paying him back by shooting the video and taking pictures of the wedding.

Piney went through the standard wedding ceremony reading the words on index cards so he would say all the right words to make the marriage legal. He pronounced them husband and wife and they kissed.

Tara had never wanted a big wedding with so many guests you barely knew. She wanted the people that were the most important to her and Jax.

They discussed whether or not to include the MC, but they would never have been able to keep the wedding a secret from Gemma if they had invited them. They also decided the guys wouldn't care about missing a wedding.

There was another consideration. Jax's SAMCRO brothers weren't going to be his brothers much longer. It was time for him to start distancing himself from them.

Before the ceremony, Jax had lit the grill so the charcoal would be ready to grill the steaks.

After the ceremony, the young man took pictures and showed them the video of their ceremony. He'd done an excellent job. He left promising to give drop off the video and pictures on a thumb drive at TM tomorrow.

"Well, that was quite the surprise ceremony," Gemma said in too sweet a voice after the guy left.

Tara heard the anger in Gemma's voice despite the fake nice tone. Gemma's act wasn't fooling her.

"You could have given me some notice," Gemma said. This time her façade slipped. She was furious.

"Later," Tara said.

She picked up Baby Nate from Piney and took him inside to change his diaper. Gemma followed her inside and back to the baby's room. Donna, doing her duty as matron of honor, followed the women.

"Here, let me do the diaper change," Donna said.

She quickly and efficiently completed Nate's diaper change. She missed the baby phase. Maybe once she and Opie were settled into their lives in Louisiana, they would decide to add to their family.

Gemma left the baby's room in a huff.

"Best matron of honor ever," Tara whispered.

Donna laughed. Running interference between Gemma and Tara was the least she could do.

"You're the best baby ever," Donna said.

Nate smiled and cooed at her. He was a roly-poly, sweet tempered little guy.

Tara picked up Nate and put him into his crib for a nap. He usually took his nap in the bassinette in the family room, but there was so much going on with all the people she didn't want his sleep to be disturbed.

Gemma was sitting outside at the table. Normally, she would be in the middle of the kitchen telling everyone what to do. If she thought Tara missed her help; she was wrong.

Tara grabbed all the wedding food from the refrigerator and left it out on the counter, so it could come to room temperature. She took the steaks fresh from their lemon and garlic marinade out to Jax.

Gemma was a thundercloud trying her best to ruin this moment, but Jax and Tara just ignored her and focused on celebrating their special day. For his part, Clay pretended not to notice that Gemma was upset with her son.

Jax and Opie stood at the grill, beers in hand, and tended the meat. When it was done and resting on a platter, Tara and Donna brought out the rest of the meal. Donna got the iced teas for everyone while Tara took a piece off a steak and cut it up for Abel. He was at the stage where he could feed himself.

"So, you feel any different being married?" Gemma asked.

She'd practically snarled the question, but Tara was fiercely determined not to let anything spoil the day she'd dreamed about for most of her life.

"I'm even happier," Jax said leaning over and kissing Tara.

After they finished eating, Tara and Jax served the cheesecake wedding cake. Jax opened a bottle of champagne and filled the glasses Tara had gotten for the special occasion. She'd even gotten some apple juice for Abel and put it in his sippy cup so he could toast with them.

Opie made a toast to the happiness of their marriage. Gemma rolled her eyes making her feelings known. Opie and Donna left shortly after they finished the cheesecake. Ellie and Kenny were getting antsy.

Tara got Baby Nate up from his nap, changed him and was feeding him his bottle outside. He wrapped in a blanket against the evening cold. Abel was inside watching SpongeBob.

"We've got one more surprise," Jax began.

"Don't know how you can top that one unless . . . " Gemma looked at Tara wondering if she could be pregnant again. Maybe that explained the wedding. She didn't want to have two kids without being married.

"I'm not pregnant," Tara said.

"We're leaving Charming," Jax said.

Baby Nate looked at Gemma and gurgled.