Chapter 2
Rick woke up to his brother's soothing voice.
"RICK, WAKE UP!"
"Don't have to, it's Saturday."
"Ok, I'll tell Laurie you don't want to get up."
He shot up in bed, and groaned.
"What did I ever do to deserve this headache, A.J.?"
His little brother laughed, holding out a cup of coffee.
"I don't know, five shots of tequila, a Hurricane, it could have been worse, Laurie was hysterical with laughter when she saw your face."
His older brother took the cup with thanks, then grinned in spite of himself. "That was pretty funny, Laurie coming out of that cake. She sure is cute as a blond, good thing I remembered that from Hawaii! By the way, you have the ring, right?"
A.J. nodded, "Safe in my vest pocket. I'm not taking any chances. I also put your wedding license in Mom's bible. Speaking of which, I'm kinda of sorry that Oscar can't come, even if he makes me nervous".
Rick snorted. "Makes you nervous? I still feel like jumping to attention every time he fixes me with that stare of his. At least Rudy's here to give her away. By the way, where did she end up staying last night?"
"With Mom and the kids, you put her in a cab and I called to make sure she got home ok, remember?"
He shook his head, "I don't remember anything past, oh, yeah, Laurie had a margarita and I didn't want her driving so I called a taxi. What happened after that?"
"Towne and I brought you home, you said we were drunk, so you had to see us home."
"I did?", Rick pulled on his pants and tucking in his shirt, looked at his brother. "I sure don't recall that part, yeesh, I guess I am getting married!"
Later on the beach, Rick was glad he did go home early, as Cecilia came to him with his button flower, and hugging him, said "I am so proud of you. A.J. told me you went home early and didn't stay out all night. You'll make Laurie very happy."
Moved, her son kissed her on the cheek and said, "Mom, if I'm a good husband, its because of you and Dad."
Wiping her eyes, she turned to fix A.J.'s flower, then went to help Laurie. A.J. cleared his throat. "That was a good idea to use motor homes as changing rooms and rest rooms, I had forgotten the cove didn't have any in the parking area."
"Couldn't have Laurie trying to change in the truck, could I?", Rick joked, starting to get emotional. He put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Thanks for everything, little brother. You've been the best friend I've ever had, and I want you to know I wouldn't have made it this far without you."
A.J. hugged him, afraid to speak beyond a muffled "you're welcome".
Seeing all of his friends, co-workers, and relatives, Rick swelled with happiness at being able to share this day with them. Realizing the the bride's side of the seating was sparse, A.J. and Steve had sat the guests on both sides, something that wasn't lost on Robert.
"Pop, you sure have a lot of friends," he whispered, getting in line with the other ushers. Rick put an arm around him, "They're your friends now, son." The teen straightened up proudly and made room for A.J. to stand next to his brother. Steve seated Cecilia, then took his place next to Towne, as Rick stared down the row of seats to the opening of the Cove, where Laurie stood with Rudy. He couldn't take his eyes off her in her simple white gown, she looked like a princess. One of his aunts struck up the Wedding March from the Sound of Music, which drew smiles from the guests, as first Robin came solemnly down the aisle, then Linda, Rudy's lab assistant, and finally Jaime, as Matron of Honor. Then Rick noticed a figure come thru the entrance.
Oscar Goldman took his place on the other side of Laurie, and the trio came down the aisle to stand in front of Rick and Father Nick, the celebrant.
Rick couldn't remember feeling happier in his life, between Rudy and Oscar handing Laurie over to him, repeating "Til death do us part", seeing the love shining from her face as he slipped the wedding ring on her finger. When Father smiled at them and said, "Ok," he didn't wait for the rest, but took her in his arms and kissed her, then lifted her up and swung her around, to her delighted laughter. Father threw up his hands and said, "They're married!", then stood back for the stampede of children and relatives and friends.
They had barely finished taking pictures and were getting ready to leave for the reception when a man in a suit came and said "excuse me, Mr. Simon, but someone hit your car, can you come check it out?" Rick frowned, then told A.J., "I'll be right back," and followed the stranger to the parking lot. Just as they passed the second of the motor homes, he felt a gun in his back. A voice said, "Inside here, Mr. Simon, and no one gets hurt." He slowly turned and was prodded up the steps into the cabin, and heard the door close behind him. In front of him was a thin, dark-haired man with intense eyes, who motioned with his hand, and Rick found himself knocked to the floor. Trying to get up, he said "I don't know what this is about, but there are several policeman who'll start looking for me in a minute, so you'd better..ow!" He was punched in the stomach and driven back on his knees. The man in front of him smiled and said, "You can die fast, Mr. Simon, or slow, your choice, but first, we have to reunite you with a certain lady."
Rick tensed, then heard voices outside, the door opened behind him, Then "Rick?, No!" He turned, and saw Laurie being pushed in, a look of terror on her face. Suddenly the man behind her forced a cloth over her face, and Rick started to get up to stop him, only to have everything go black.
Rick woke up to his brother's soothing voice.
"RICK, WAKE UP!"
"Don't have to, it's Saturday."
"Ok, I'll tell Laurie you don't want to get up."
He shot up in bed, and groaned.
"What did I ever do to deserve this headache, A.J.?"
His little brother laughed, holding out a cup of coffee.
"I don't know, five shots of tequila, a Hurricane, it could have been worse, Laurie was hysterical with laughter when she saw your face."
His older brother took the cup with thanks, then grinned in spite of himself. "That was pretty funny, Laurie coming out of that cake. She sure is cute as a blond, good thing I remembered that from Hawaii! By the way, you have the ring, right?"
A.J. nodded, "Safe in my vest pocket. I'm not taking any chances. I also put your wedding license in Mom's bible. Speaking of which, I'm kinda of sorry that Oscar can't come, even if he makes me nervous".
Rick snorted. "Makes you nervous? I still feel like jumping to attention every time he fixes me with that stare of his. At least Rudy's here to give her away. By the way, where did she end up staying last night?"
"With Mom and the kids, you put her in a cab and I called to make sure she got home ok, remember?"
He shook his head, "I don't remember anything past, oh, yeah, Laurie had a margarita and I didn't want her driving so I called a taxi. What happened after that?"
"Towne and I brought you home, you said we were drunk, so you had to see us home."
"I did?", Rick pulled on his pants and tucking in his shirt, looked at his brother. "I sure don't recall that part, yeesh, I guess I am getting married!"
Later on the beach, Rick was glad he did go home early, as Cecilia came to him with his button flower, and hugging him, said "I am so proud of you. A.J. told me you went home early and didn't stay out all night. You'll make Laurie very happy."
Moved, her son kissed her on the cheek and said, "Mom, if I'm a good husband, its because of you and Dad."
Wiping her eyes, she turned to fix A.J.'s flower, then went to help Laurie. A.J. cleared his throat. "That was a good idea to use motor homes as changing rooms and rest rooms, I had forgotten the cove didn't have any in the parking area."
"Couldn't have Laurie trying to change in the truck, could I?", Rick joked, starting to get emotional. He put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Thanks for everything, little brother. You've been the best friend I've ever had, and I want you to know I wouldn't have made it this far without you."
A.J. hugged him, afraid to speak beyond a muffled "you're welcome".
Seeing all of his friends, co-workers, and relatives, Rick swelled with happiness at being able to share this day with them. Realizing the the bride's side of the seating was sparse, A.J. and Steve had sat the guests on both sides, something that wasn't lost on Robert.
"Pop, you sure have a lot of friends," he whispered, getting in line with the other ushers. Rick put an arm around him, "They're your friends now, son." The teen straightened up proudly and made room for A.J. to stand next to his brother. Steve seated Cecilia, then took his place next to Towne, as Rick stared down the row of seats to the opening of the Cove, where Laurie stood with Rudy. He couldn't take his eyes off her in her simple white gown, she looked like a princess. One of his aunts struck up the Wedding March from the Sound of Music, which drew smiles from the guests, as first Robin came solemnly down the aisle, then Linda, Rudy's lab assistant, and finally Jaime, as Matron of Honor. Then Rick noticed a figure come thru the entrance.
Oscar Goldman took his place on the other side of Laurie, and the trio came down the aisle to stand in front of Rick and Father Nick, the celebrant.
Rick couldn't remember feeling happier in his life, between Rudy and Oscar handing Laurie over to him, repeating "Til death do us part", seeing the love shining from her face as he slipped the wedding ring on her finger. When Father smiled at them and said, "Ok," he didn't wait for the rest, but took her in his arms and kissed her, then lifted her up and swung her around, to her delighted laughter. Father threw up his hands and said, "They're married!", then stood back for the stampede of children and relatives and friends.
They had barely finished taking pictures and were getting ready to leave for the reception when a man in a suit came and said "excuse me, Mr. Simon, but someone hit your car, can you come check it out?" Rick frowned, then told A.J., "I'll be right back," and followed the stranger to the parking lot. Just as they passed the second of the motor homes, he felt a gun in his back. A voice said, "Inside here, Mr. Simon, and no one gets hurt." He slowly turned and was prodded up the steps into the cabin, and heard the door close behind him. In front of him was a thin, dark-haired man with intense eyes, who motioned with his hand, and Rick found himself knocked to the floor. Trying to get up, he said "I don't know what this is about, but there are several policeman who'll start looking for me in a minute, so you'd better..ow!" He was punched in the stomach and driven back on his knees. The man in front of him smiled and said, "You can die fast, Mr. Simon, or slow, your choice, but first, we have to reunite you with a certain lady."
Rick tensed, then heard voices outside, the door opened behind him, Then "Rick?, No!" He turned, and saw Laurie being pushed in, a look of terror on her face. Suddenly the man behind her forced a cloth over her face, and Rick started to get up to stop him, only to have everything go black.