Author's Note: A Break from the flashbacks for this chapter. This hopefully helps fill in who the girls married, some family moments, and other headcanons I have. I have a break down of who goes with who in the end notes.
The wedding rehearsal was semi-formal. Kristy had called all the members of the BSC to be there. Since Charlotte never fully got over her stage fright, Kristy figured a small audience was a good start to work up to the bigger one on Friday. Since it was Wednesday now, so two days to get used to it.
The steady crowd filed in and Charlotte felt her stomach lurch.
"Why didn't we just go to the courthouse?" she asked looking at her fiancé. "Why did we let Kristy talk us into this? I feel like throwing up and it's not even the wedding day."
"So, when the actual day comes you don't throw up," he said teasingly and pulled her into a hug. Charlotte hugged him back and smiled into his favorite striped polo shirt. It felt good to be in his arms and in two days they would be married.
Finally, they heard their names being called and gathered around Kristy. She had a clipboard in her hand and next to her Kylie was doing the same with a clipboard of her own. Amused everyone looked at her for a minute and wondered who would be barking out orders first.
"Alright so here's what we're going to do," said Kristy. "The wedding party to the back of the church, that means Jordan, Nicky, Tom, Jeff, Vanessa, Isabelle, Nancy, and Becca. Charlotte, I need you back there too of course and Byron at the front."
She said that all in one breath and just smiled at everyone before putting her arm around Kylie to continue. The eleven-year-old smiled at Charlotte and Byron assuredly and nodded. She cleared her own throat and looked around at everyone.
"Family take their places," she said perkily. "Mrs. and Mr. Pike and Johanssen in the pews, Mallory and Margo at the back door to pass out programs, finally Claire and her friends walk around for where you think you need to be."
Kristy cleared her throat and finally nodded at them. Claire had two of her friends from NYU to help with the wedding video.
"Now Mary Anne, Stacey, and Claudia please take your family to the bride's side. My family, Dawn, and when the time comes Mallory and co join the groom side, baby-sitters with them. Now we break."
Pretty pleased with herself Kristy watched as everyone listened to her. Charlotte had to be calmed down a little before they could properly start. This was good practice then, imagine the actual audience on Friday. The flower girl had walked out first, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and finally she had done it. Three times to be exact and she was doing great.
From her spot in the balcony Kristy watched satisfied that Claudia, Claire and her friends had all found the right places for the video and photos. Not to crash the rehearsal dinner, Kristy had everyone that wasn't going to that to Watson's house. She had a bit a surprise to show her friends and there was a barbeque going on.
Which had taken off with a few minor hiccups. It didn't rain but they bought too little hot dogs and the buffet style for the burger toppings had to be set up in the dining room because bugs would attack the food.
"This is going to be so much fun," said Kylie piping up on the way home. "I can see why you like being in charge, it's fun."
"You are a future boss in the making," said Kristy messing up her hair a little. The eleven-year-old nodded and looked a little red. "Would you like to help with the barbeque before everyone gets here?"
She just gave her the best why would I say no look and nodded. "So, we have the chairs and tables set up. Plus, you wanted things set up in the top floors, right?"
"Right!"
With that they were off to get everything finished off together. Then the cars with everyone's family in them stopped in front of their house and up and down the street. Mallory had texted Stacey that she would try to also stop by for Kristy's little surprise. The Pike family also invited after their rehearsal dinner for an extra party portion.
First was Mary Anne of course then Stacey, Dawn, Claudia, and finally Mallory had showed up well after an hour and a half. Kristy and Kylie attached at the hip for a good hour before she found her friends that she invited.
"Hey guys," called Kristy to her friends. "I had something that I wanted to show you."
"This is a good surprise, right?" asked Claudia a bit suspiciously.
"Of course."
With that she led them inside Watson's house and up to the door that lead up to the attic. That was when Stacey and Mary Anne looked like they were going to book it. Kristy had opened the door with it being unlocked and lead them up the steps.
That as when they noticed that the walls weren't dark or anything. In fact… Kristy threw open the door at the top of the steps and jaws dropped.
"We fixed the third floor and fourth floor up," said Kristy proudly.
"Kristy, whoa when you said your family fixed up the third floor, they meant it. How many extra rooms did you gain?" asked Stacey looking around at everything brighter and clean and fresh.
"Well there was nine room between the first and second floor. Five rooms were on the third and two on the fourth. So about seven new rooms total. Yea it was work but worth it for everyone. Now we can celebrate Christmas together with the entire family together. I rather like it that's why I'm hosting our meeting up here," said Kristy proudly.
It was nice to see the third floor all finished, thought Stacey, as she glanced around the room that used to be crazy old Ben Brewer's. The door burst open and she saw Kylie standing there holding a plate of cookies.
"Have you started? I have snacks," said Kylie proudly. Kristy helped her put the snacks on a table and hung around for a minute. "You guys look like you're having a lot of fun. Is this the kind of stuff that you'd do when you were younger?"
"Oh yes lots of parties," said Kristy and Stacey just grinned at her. They had a pretty cute and unique dynamic. Stacey just watched them banter for a minute before Kylie found her friends. She couldn't wait until her son was old enough to do those things.
"She's really cute, you're fostering Kylie, right?" asked Mary Anne.
"Yea for a couple of months, although her situation is pretty bad where Lucas and I are considering adopting her like we did with Molly and Conner," she said feeling bad for her.
"Curious to know is she part Indian?" asked Mallory. "My friend Smita from Riverbend is Indian too and I recognize that pattern on her dress."
Kristy just nodded, "Yep she's not too in touch with her culture since her mom died but I hope that if we adopt her to do some more research to help her connect more." Kristy pointed to a room on the right. "That's her room if we stay the night here. None of my children had the pleasure of thinking that this part of the house was haunted."
"I still think it's haunted thanks to Karen," said Mary Anne and shivered.
"Okay topic switch to something else," she said leading them to a room that that was the playroom for all the kids. It was big and airy that sometimes acted as a family room for the upper floors. Sam and Charlie's kids loved being up here.
"I have a question if you don't mind Kristy," said Claudia. "How did you and Lucas meet? He's pretty cute."
Kristy just shrugged and looked up as if she remembered that way. "Believe or not Shannon Kilbourne, because he went to Stoneybrook Day. He's two years older than me but he was in astronomy club with her."
"Really?" said Dawn slightly impressed. "Is he crazy into sports like you?"
"Sort of," she said grinning. "His grandpa played for the Cincinnati reds so he really likes baseball. We started dating sophomore year of college. I'm probably going to regret asking but how did everyone else meet their spouses?"
Nobody spoke for a moment before Mary Anne finally said something.
"I didn't know that I would marry him, but the surprise tour of William and Mary my dad planned. My dad's work friend's son introduced us. Ryan asked me out like three weeks later," she said flushing remembering just how perfect of a day it was.
"I'm not married yet," said Dawn. "Maybe one day, I mean I'm only 29."
"My studio nearly burned down it was a small fire," said Claudia almost dreamily. "Zach had insisted on carrying me to safety. About a month later he swung by to check up on me. I painted him something and I asked him out a date. Turns out he was coming to do the same and we got married two years later. I really miss him…"
Her voice grew quiet and everyone close to her hugged her tightly. She held in her tears and let Mary Anne squeeze her. She mumbled a small thank you into her ear before wiping her eyes. It's been almost a year since he passed, and Claudia kept his picture close.
"I met my husband at a charity dinner," said Stacey trying to avoid the heaviness in the air. "My dad invited the whole family. Alex was at the next table over and we were both bidding on a house in the Virgin Islands to rent for a month. I was going to win it for my dad, Samantha, and Jade just to get away from the city. Alex ended up asking me if I wouldn't mind splitting the time up. He wanted to spend time with his family especially his sister before she left for college. Then asked me out."
"My wife and I met in Boston at show, she was the director and I was friends with the screen writer, and I wanted to congratulate her," started Mallory and turned a little red. "Well we met, um, in Boston… you know that I came out right?"
She didn't know if anyone knew or not about that. It was silent before everyone nodded and had knowing looks on their faces.
"It's okay Mal, we kind of already knew," said Mary Anne wrapping an arm around her. "Well Stacey and I did on the last trip to Sea City with your family before college."
"And they filled us in," said Dawn hugging her too. "I think it's great that you found someone Mal, you deserve to be happy. I saw that Penelope is starting to walk though, she's going to drive you and Addison up the wall."
Her wife Addison had the baby about six months ago and now she was walking. Mallory just nodded and tossed her red-brown hair over her shoulder and threw herself back pretending to be exhausted.
"Ugh can Addison, Penelope, and I just stay with you Kristy?" asked Mallory looking tired. "Everyone in my decided to return home for the wedding. So, my family sleeping in my old room, Jordan and Stephanie are in his old room, Vanessa came by herself and in the rec room, and Claire has her room of course. Margo and Byron are lucky to have their own houses in Stoneybrook."
"I'd let you, but I think you'd want to be with your family," said Kristy.
With that everyone got up and ready to find everyone else after hearing some yelling to come back down. They were going to start fireworks for the end of night for about a half hour or so. They practically flew down the steps looking for their families.
Claudia was the first to find her three-year-old daughter, Reina, and one year old, Brett, being watched carefully by Lucy Newton. She grinned at Lucy and found a place to sit down with them and catch up. Cuddling her son close, she talked to Lucy about what Stoneybrook High was like now and how Jamie was.
"Are you having a good time with Lucy?" she asked Reina who just nodded.
"She's my favorite baby-sitter!" said Reina happily spinning around dramatically and threw her arms around Claudia.
"What about Laura? Or Tara? Or…"
"I love all of you," said Reina hugging the teenager now. Claudia bouncing Brett on her knee and watched everyone and enjoyed her hot dog with all the fixings.
With Watson manning the grill everyone was able to get their food quickly. He was grilling fish for Dawn, Stacey and anyone who wanted it really. The kids had all stopped a game of red light, green light to join their parents to eat. Twilight stretched across the sky and fireflies coming out just in time for them to catch when they were done eating.
"Mommy!" cried Conner shouting and running to Kristy so fast he nearly passed her right up. "I have a new friend, Xander!"
"That's great sweetie," said Kristy picking him up.
"Kristy," said Lucas and she turned to look at her husband holding her a plate of food. He had gotten her favorite together and passed their son to him. "You raced off before you could get dinner."
"What can I say? I wanted to show the attic off before daylight was gone."
Lucas kissed her cheek and then threw Conner up on his shoulders and he tugged on his dark hair. Kristy just smiled at him and started to eat her chips first. He had remembered to pick up the good potato salad that everyone would eat.
"Alright you find a seat and I'll get the rest of the kids," said Lucas. "I think I left him with Tara or maybe it was Laura or maybe it was Hop…" He was kidding of course but Kristy gently punched his shoulder cutting him off.
"I did not spend fifteen hours of labor bringing our son into the world for you to lose him," she said laughing a little joking herself. "I'll find Jeremy okay."
Turns out her six-month-old son really was with Tara Gardella and Hope Felder. Happily, she collected him and joined her family at a picnic table. Kylie had placed herself to be with them and her friends. Molly and Conner sitting next to Lucas and talking her mother. It was hard to believe with all of Conner's energy he was blind the way he jumped around. Molly loudly talking about her favorite doll. Sliding up to them Kristy joined in the conversation.
Sharing the table with them was Dawn joining in Mary Anne's family. Mary Anne's twins Audrey and Olivia trying to eat their burgers neatly and failing, mustard and ketchup falling on their shirts. Dawn helped them clean up forgetting her grilled salmon and salad in front of her. Her brother in law, Ryan, also cleaning up the girls.
"It's okay Dawn I got it," said Mary Anne.
"Mary Anne it's fine," said Ryan rubbing her shoulder. "I'd worry more about Vivian."
Confused she looked at her two-year-old and laughed. She was wearing her food on her head and Mary Anne cleaned out food from her hair with some paper towels. Ryan passing her more paper towels until it was all out.
"The attic didn't get to you right?" he asked seriously but grinning a little.
Mary Anne just rolled her eyes. "I can't believe Karen got to me like that, but no it looks super nice up there. To think it could have been the club's headquarters for years."
"You guys had it really nice in Claudia's room though," said Ryan and turned his attention to his food. "I love coming back to visit your hometown, you really light up and I'm glad to see this side of your life. My life was rather impersonal sometimes."
"But think of all the traveling," said Mary Anne and nodded getting it. "I'm glad we found each other though."
"Oh, get a room," said Dawn leaving the entire side of the table laughing.
Stacey and Mallory were sitting next to each other at the end of the table near Mary Anne's side of the table. The two girls sharing the story of how they would put towels out to know how they would be walking to school that day.
Alex was cutting Xander's burger up for him since he didn't want to try eating it all at once. Stacey had her salmon and other fruits and veggies in front of her.
"Your family sounds like such a handful Mallory," said Alex digging into his own food. "Although it was probably way more entertaining then what my sister and I did."
"You don't know the half of it," said Mallory.
"It's a fun family though" said Addison. "Adam is fun, Jordan knows how to party, Byron is a fantastic cook, Vanessa is super talented, Nicky is so smart, Claire is hilarious, and Margo has a good taste in music. And in two days I can add that Charlotte has a great taste in books. Wait that means I have to say something Buddy, he's funny. I got all of them in one go."
Addison and Mallory high fived each other over Penelope's head who was slowly picking up a cheerio one by one. The five-month-old was very particular. Addison had shared her experiences with each sibling in a funny way.
Stacey had taken her husband's hands and smiled at each other. Xander telling them about how he made friends with Conner earlier that afternoon.
Well after today they felt fully prepared for the wedding.
Kristy and Lucas: Kylie (11-foster), Molly and Conner (4 - adopted), Jeremy (six months)
Claudia and Zach: Reina (3), Brett (1)
Mary Anne and Ryan: Audrey and Olivia (4), Vivian (2)
Stacey and Alex: Xander (4)
Mallory and Addison: Penelope (6 months)