Chapter Three
Part Five
13 January 2006
Stephanie had never dared hope that her life would ever turn out this way – a loving husband by her side, an adoringly son who looked up to her, and her family back together again. It was a dream that she had always believed was out of reach, especially after Chris's death.
But all that – and even more 'romance-novel soppy drivel', as Jessica liked to call it – was within her grasp. All she had to do was answer 'yes'.
Hunter, down on bended knee, was looking up at her, his face a mixture of fear, hope, and anticipation. In his outstretched – and slightly shaky – hand lay a small, dark blue jewel box, and nestled inside was a sparkling diamond ring. An engagement ring.
'Stephanie Marie McMahon. Will you marry me?'
The first thing that came out of her mouth happened to be, 'Again?'
Hunter smiled nervously. 'No. Properly. While you're actually conscious…'
Stephanie smiled just as nervously. She had always wanted to get married in a beautiful, fairy tale-like wedding. Tiara, white silk dress with a long train. Flower girls tossing rose petals on the ground, an adorable little ring bearer, ten maids of honour and their accompanying partners. And her loving groom waiting for her at the end of a mile-long aisle, his face beaming with anticipation.
But she had ended up with cheap ring, cheap ceremony, no friends or family, no loving groom, and no remembrance of having said the all important 'I do'.
Now this man kneeling before her was giving her a chance to live out her childhood wish. Yet, a part of her was reluctant in saying 'yes'.
Hunter lowered the hand holding out the ring, his face falling as her silence stretched. He also lowered his eyes. 'I understand,' he said.
'Hunter,' Stephanie said, wanting to explain herself. 'It's not that I don't want to get married.'
'I'm not Jericho,' he said simply.
'It's not like that,' she countered forcefully, a little annoyed that he would bring him up. 'It's not about him.'
But they both knew she was lying. Just a little bit though.
With a deep breath, Hunter snapped the jewel box shut and stood up. 'Steph, you left me, the WWF, the country for him. Remember?'
'That may be, but it's beside the point. I'm with you now.'
Hunter looked her in the eye. 'If Jericho was still alive today, do you think you would have ever come back?'
The question was simple enough, and Stephanie knew that the answer would be just as simple. Either 'yes', or 'no'.
'No, don't answer that,' Hunter said after a beat. 'You're right, and I'm sorry.'
Stephanie softened. 'Listen to me, we are together now. We're already legally married. I don't need a second wedding. All that matters now is that you and I are happy.'
Hunter finally looked at her again. 'The thing is, I want us to truly start over again. That first time? It's a joke to even call it a wedding. If we're going to be a family-'
'But we already are,' she said.
He smiled gently at her. 'Honest answer, okay? Did you wish that you had gotten married in a proper church? With friends and family, and a white dress?'
Stephanie nodded.
'Did you want to get married in a church wedding, with family and friends, and a white dress?'
She bit her lower lip, and slowly nodded again. 'Yes.'
'Our first years together, it wasn't the best,' Hunter said. 'Marry me. Let me make up for all the mistakes I made. Let me be a proper husband to you. That's the very least that you deserve, Steph. Marry me?'
Stephanie stared at his hopeful face, deeply touched by his heartfelt words. She did love him. A lot more than she had ever realised. He had made her truly happy once, a lifetime ago. All he wanted was a second chance to do it again.
She smiled, nodding. 'Yes.'
*
06 February 2006
'Wow, you look beautiful,' Jessica breathed out.
Stephanie turned around to greet her friend. 'Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself.'
Jessica rolled her eyes. 'Pfft! Like anybody ever looks at the bridesmaid whenever the bride is around.'
She laughed. 'Then you're going to have to get married yourself one of these days, Jess.'
'My life is perfect just as it is, thank you very much. Besides, Raven's distrust of the whole institute of marriage is greater than mine. We're happily living out the Finkelstein way of life,' Jessica said, referring to Dharma's parents from the old TV show, Dharma and Greg. She made a face. 'Well, before they got married anyway.'
Stephanie took a deep breath, turning once more to look at herself in the mirror. The dress she was wearing wasn't an elaborate, grandiose design with a train, but it was still beautiful in it's simplicity and elegance. 'I'm ready.'
'I'm really happy for you, Steph,' Jessica said behind her. 'You look absolutely amazing. Hunter is going to faint when he sees you.'
She turned back, a wry smile on her face. 'The groom fainting at his own wedding doesn't sound very…comforting.'
Jessica laughed. 'Sorry, wrong thing to say! Anyway, let's get you out there. Everyone's waiting for you.'
Just then, the door behind Stephanie opened slowly, and Colby poked his head in. 'Mommy?'
She smiled at her son, noting how smart he looked in his miniature tuxedo. 'You really do look like Prince Charming today, don't you baby?'
Colby grinned up at her. 'They all looking for you, Mommy.'
'So, what do you think of this dress?'
Colby looked thoughtfully at her, then shrugged. 'Um…okay.'
'Just okay, huh?' Stephanie bent down to his eye-level, and smiled at him. 'Come here and give your old Mom a hug.'
Colby willingly complied and gave her a big hug. 'I really like Hunter, Mom,' he said, letting her go.
'I'm glad you do, baby,' Stephanie replied, blinking back tears. 'I like him, too.' She stood up. 'Okay, I'm ready.'
*
Hunter hadn't planned on a big wedding, nor had he planned on word of the wedding spreading so fast. Nervous as hell, he tried to keep still but his gaze kept wandering over the full pews of the church, surprised at the smiling faces looking back at him. Jessica and Raven. Jeff and Trish Hardy. Claire and Matthew Hardy. Lyd and Christian. Taker and Sara. Good ol' JR. And there was Rocky, whispering with Teg and Edge.
Just then, Teg looked up and flashed him a bright smile, waving. Hunter smiled back, feeling more at ease. These people were here to support him and Stephanie, not to mock either of them. Behind her he noticed Darna, who gave him the thumbs up.
'Heads up,' Shawn whispered from beside him, just as the Wedding March started.
Hunter's eyes shot towards the back of the church, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Stephanie in a white gown, her hair styled atop her head. Beside her was a beaming, very proud Vince. In front of them a smiling Colby carefully balancing the rings on a small, satin pillow, and two steps ahead of him, a grinning Mechelle enthusiastically throwing rose petals in the air.
His eyes hurriedly returned to Stephanie's face, a happy smile on her lips. Hunter had always scoffed at the notion that someone – or something – could take one's breath away, but when her eyes locked onto his all air seemed to leave his body.
'You're not going to pass out on me, are you?' Shawn muttered, giving him a slight nudge. 'Take a deep breathe, okay?'
Hunter did as we was told, and felt a little calmer. 'Thanks,' he muttered back to his best man.
'She looks amazing,' Shawn whispered. 'Smile. This is your wedding day.'
Hunter smiled, standing even straighter. He raised his head high and pushed back his shoulders. This was his wedding day. His and Stephanie's. It was going to be a fairytale. It was going to be magical.
It was going to be…perfect.
Part Five
13 January 2006
Stephanie had never dared hope that her life would ever turn out this way – a loving husband by her side, an adoringly son who looked up to her, and her family back together again. It was a dream that she had always believed was out of reach, especially after Chris's death.
But all that – and even more 'romance-novel soppy drivel', as Jessica liked to call it – was within her grasp. All she had to do was answer 'yes'.
Hunter, down on bended knee, was looking up at her, his face a mixture of fear, hope, and anticipation. In his outstretched – and slightly shaky – hand lay a small, dark blue jewel box, and nestled inside was a sparkling diamond ring. An engagement ring.
'Stephanie Marie McMahon. Will you marry me?'
The first thing that came out of her mouth happened to be, 'Again?'
Hunter smiled nervously. 'No. Properly. While you're actually conscious…'
Stephanie smiled just as nervously. She had always wanted to get married in a beautiful, fairy tale-like wedding. Tiara, white silk dress with a long train. Flower girls tossing rose petals on the ground, an adorable little ring bearer, ten maids of honour and their accompanying partners. And her loving groom waiting for her at the end of a mile-long aisle, his face beaming with anticipation.
But she had ended up with cheap ring, cheap ceremony, no friends or family, no loving groom, and no remembrance of having said the all important 'I do'.
Now this man kneeling before her was giving her a chance to live out her childhood wish. Yet, a part of her was reluctant in saying 'yes'.
Hunter lowered the hand holding out the ring, his face falling as her silence stretched. He also lowered his eyes. 'I understand,' he said.
'Hunter,' Stephanie said, wanting to explain herself. 'It's not that I don't want to get married.'
'I'm not Jericho,' he said simply.
'It's not like that,' she countered forcefully, a little annoyed that he would bring him up. 'It's not about him.'
But they both knew she was lying. Just a little bit though.
With a deep breath, Hunter snapped the jewel box shut and stood up. 'Steph, you left me, the WWF, the country for him. Remember?'
'That may be, but it's beside the point. I'm with you now.'
Hunter looked her in the eye. 'If Jericho was still alive today, do you think you would have ever come back?'
The question was simple enough, and Stephanie knew that the answer would be just as simple. Either 'yes', or 'no'.
'No, don't answer that,' Hunter said after a beat. 'You're right, and I'm sorry.'
Stephanie softened. 'Listen to me, we are together now. We're already legally married. I don't need a second wedding. All that matters now is that you and I are happy.'
Hunter finally looked at her again. 'The thing is, I want us to truly start over again. That first time? It's a joke to even call it a wedding. If we're going to be a family-'
'But we already are,' she said.
He smiled gently at her. 'Honest answer, okay? Did you wish that you had gotten married in a proper church? With friends and family, and a white dress?'
Stephanie nodded.
'Did you want to get married in a church wedding, with family and friends, and a white dress?'
She bit her lower lip, and slowly nodded again. 'Yes.'
'Our first years together, it wasn't the best,' Hunter said. 'Marry me. Let me make up for all the mistakes I made. Let me be a proper husband to you. That's the very least that you deserve, Steph. Marry me?'
Stephanie stared at his hopeful face, deeply touched by his heartfelt words. She did love him. A lot more than she had ever realised. He had made her truly happy once, a lifetime ago. All he wanted was a second chance to do it again.
She smiled, nodding. 'Yes.'
*
06 February 2006
'Wow, you look beautiful,' Jessica breathed out.
Stephanie turned around to greet her friend. 'Thank you. You don't look half bad yourself.'
Jessica rolled her eyes. 'Pfft! Like anybody ever looks at the bridesmaid whenever the bride is around.'
She laughed. 'Then you're going to have to get married yourself one of these days, Jess.'
'My life is perfect just as it is, thank you very much. Besides, Raven's distrust of the whole institute of marriage is greater than mine. We're happily living out the Finkelstein way of life,' Jessica said, referring to Dharma's parents from the old TV show, Dharma and Greg. She made a face. 'Well, before they got married anyway.'
Stephanie took a deep breath, turning once more to look at herself in the mirror. The dress she was wearing wasn't an elaborate, grandiose design with a train, but it was still beautiful in it's simplicity and elegance. 'I'm ready.'
'I'm really happy for you, Steph,' Jessica said behind her. 'You look absolutely amazing. Hunter is going to faint when he sees you.'
She turned back, a wry smile on her face. 'The groom fainting at his own wedding doesn't sound very…comforting.'
Jessica laughed. 'Sorry, wrong thing to say! Anyway, let's get you out there. Everyone's waiting for you.'
Just then, the door behind Stephanie opened slowly, and Colby poked his head in. 'Mommy?'
She smiled at her son, noting how smart he looked in his miniature tuxedo. 'You really do look like Prince Charming today, don't you baby?'
Colby grinned up at her. 'They all looking for you, Mommy.'
'So, what do you think of this dress?'
Colby looked thoughtfully at her, then shrugged. 'Um…okay.'
'Just okay, huh?' Stephanie bent down to his eye-level, and smiled at him. 'Come here and give your old Mom a hug.'
Colby willingly complied and gave her a big hug. 'I really like Hunter, Mom,' he said, letting her go.
'I'm glad you do, baby,' Stephanie replied, blinking back tears. 'I like him, too.' She stood up. 'Okay, I'm ready.'
*
Hunter hadn't planned on a big wedding, nor had he planned on word of the wedding spreading so fast. Nervous as hell, he tried to keep still but his gaze kept wandering over the full pews of the church, surprised at the smiling faces looking back at him. Jessica and Raven. Jeff and Trish Hardy. Claire and Matthew Hardy. Lyd and Christian. Taker and Sara. Good ol' JR. And there was Rocky, whispering with Teg and Edge.
Just then, Teg looked up and flashed him a bright smile, waving. Hunter smiled back, feeling more at ease. These people were here to support him and Stephanie, not to mock either of them. Behind her he noticed Darna, who gave him the thumbs up.
'Heads up,' Shawn whispered from beside him, just as the Wedding March started.
Hunter's eyes shot towards the back of the church, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Stephanie in a white gown, her hair styled atop her head. Beside her was a beaming, very proud Vince. In front of them a smiling Colby carefully balancing the rings on a small, satin pillow, and two steps ahead of him, a grinning Mechelle enthusiastically throwing rose petals in the air.
His eyes hurriedly returned to Stephanie's face, a happy smile on her lips. Hunter had always scoffed at the notion that someone – or something – could take one's breath away, but when her eyes locked onto his all air seemed to leave his body.
'You're not going to pass out on me, are you?' Shawn muttered, giving him a slight nudge. 'Take a deep breathe, okay?'
Hunter did as we was told, and felt a little calmer. 'Thanks,' he muttered back to his best man.
'She looks amazing,' Shawn whispered. 'Smile. This is your wedding day.'
Hunter smiled, standing even straighter. He raised his head high and pushed back his shoulders. This was his wedding day. His and Stephanie's. It was going to be a fairytale. It was going to be magical.
It was going to be…perfect.