Part Twenty-Two

            Gia sat in the bridal room, alone and full of nerves.  She hadn't expected to be left alone…but Carly and Sarah were busy getting last minute details together.  She didn't like the idea of being left alone…with her thoughts.  She could already feel the doubts welling up in her.

            Her hand fell to her belly.  "Hi precious, Mommy is a little confused right now.  She is very sorry for any vibrations she is giving you right now." Great, she was sounding like Nikolas' Aunt Kristina. 

            She jumped a little when a knock came on the door.  Opening it she saw Father Coates, the man who would marry her and Jason later that day.  Unsure of what to say to the priest, she simply stepped out of the doorway so he could come in. 

            "Ms. Campbell, your guests are starting to arrive." The young priest informed her.

            She nodded.  Guests…she couldn't just bolt on the guests.  But it was her life she was playing with here.  She ran her hand across the back of her neck, a trait she picked up from Jason.  

            "You're nervous?" He asked.

            "That's an understatement." Gia confirmed.  "I am contemplating whether or not I am making the hugest mistake of my life."

            "If you have any doubts then it isn't a good idea to marry Mr. Morgan." Father Coates pointed out. 

            "I know, I know." Gia sighed.  "But I can't pin down why I don't want to marry him.  He has been nothing back supportive since the day I told him I was carrying his child.  And he is a very nice man…a lot different than what people told me."

            Father Coates already knew what she was thinking.  "What about love?"

            "Love." Gia closed her eyes.  "I lied to my friends the other day.  I told them that I didn't know if I could love Jason the way a wife is supposed to love her husband.  I told them that I didn't think I could fall in love with Jason the way I fell for Nikolas, but the truth is, I already love him.  It's not like the love I have for Nikolas…it's stronger and I already know that I will probably love him for the rest of my life.  I don't know when it happened, when I fell in love with him.  But over the months, as our child has grown, so has my love for him."

            "Then why are you so sad?" Father Coates pushed.  "If you love him, then you should be happy to marry him."

            "The thing is…he doesn't love me." Gia told him.  "Not the way I love him.  He already told me.  And Jason doesn't lie.  He told me that he could fall in love with me…the way I want to be loved.  But what if it doesn't happen, Father?  What if he falls in love with someone else?"

            "I don't think Mr. Morgan would marry you if he didn't love you…"

            "He loves me, alright.  But because of this." She touched her belly.  "And I don't want him marrying me out of some kind of responsibility or to keep me safe."  She felt tears begin to build in her eyes.  "I love him too much to trap him in a marriage because of a baby."

            "You should tell him this." Father Coates advised.

            "If I tell him I love him, he'll tell me that he loves me…and he doesn't mean it like that.  He probably won't understand." Gia wiped her tear away.  "You must think I'm silly."

            He just shook his head.  "This is one of the most important decisions in your life.  You shouldn't make it lightly.  Being someone's wife is one of the most important roles you can play.  To give yourself to someone completely isn't something to be done if you have doubts.  Gia, you love Jason.  If you really don't think that this marriage will work, then I advise you not to marry him.  If you think that it may, then marry him and let God show you what he has planned.  Do you need a few moments to think about it?"
            Gia nodded.  She reached out her hand and shook the kind priest's.  "I really want to thank you for listening.  I know you won't tell anyone."

            He smiled, and left her alone in the room.

            Gia realized how easy it had been to tell him that she was in love with Jason. She could even tell her friends, but she could tell someone that was a total stranger.  Maybe it was because she knew that what was said would be kept between them.

            She sank back down in her chair and looked at the mirror.  Some of her makeup had smudged from her little cry.  She carefully wiped her face, and reapplied what was needed.  She was about to fasten in her earrings when she heard another knock on the door.  "Who is it?"

            "It's Emily."

            Emily?! Gia rose quickly to her feet and put her hand to her mouth.  She hadn't known that Emily would come.  She had sent an invitation to the members of the Quartermaine family who cared to come but she hadn't thought that Emily would be one of them.

            She crossed the room, and opened the door, not knowing what she would see.  Emily Quartermaine stood there, dressed in a simple pant suit.  The two women looked at each other for a moment before Gia spoke up.  "Emily, you're walking again…it's so good to see."

            Emily's eyes were on Gia's swollen belly.  "Wow, Gia, things have changed a lot since we last stood face to face." She gently ushered the bride to be back into the room.  "Jason's around somewhere, and we don't want the groom to see the bride before the wedding now do we."

            "When did you get back?" Gia asked.

            "I'm not really back." Emily explained.  "I just came to town for a few days.  It's a special occasion you know.  Plus, it's about time some people in Port Charles saw me in my full glory again."

            "I guess all of this must be really shocking to you." Gia pointed out.

            "Not really." Emily shrugged.  "Mom and Dad kept me filled in.  I can say it was a surprise at first.  I never expected that Nikolas and Elizabeth would…"

            Gia lowered her head.  "I know."

            "And after how we started, I never really saw you as the mother of my niece or nephew." Emily confessed.

            "If it makes you feel any better, I never saw myself as the mother of Jason Morgan's child either." Gia laughed a little.  "It's funny how things change."

            "You are so right." Emily agreed.  "I just wanted to see you and tell you that despite what happened between us in the past, I am really happy for you and Jason.  And I'll definitely come back in town when the baby is born.  I wouldn't want to miss out on a chance to see what a beautiful child the two of you will have."

            "You really don't know how much that means to me." Gia told her.  They were unsure of what to do next but finally, the two fell into a hug.  "I guess I'll see you in a little while."

            Before Emily could answer, another knock came to the door.  "I think you're the most popular girl here today." She joked pulling away to open the door.  "Hi Carly."

            "Emily!" Carly cried.  She took the younger woman in and her reaction was the same as Gia's.  "Wow.  Have you seen Jason yet?"

            "I did.  I just thought I would give my best wishes to the bride." Emily glanced back at Gia.  "And now I'm going to find my seat."  She disappeared.

            Carly pulled Sarah into the room.  "Alright…one quick thing and then your mother and brother want to talk to you."

            "Mom and Marcus!" Gia cried.
            "Come on, don't act so surprised.  You knew they were coming." Sarah said. 

            "But I thought they would just sit in the church.  I really hope they aren't here to try and talk me out of it.  I almost did that on my own." Gia admitted.

            "You're going through with this, right?" Carly asked.  She knew that Gia still had reservations about the marriage but Carly was sure once the two were married, things would work themselves out.  She based this on the fact that she and Sonny were married before they realized that they loved one another.  It had taken them awhile but they knew it was love now.  She knew that it would be less complicated for her friends.

            Gia nodded.  "I'm going to marry Jason." And hope for the best, she added her in mind.  "He's right.  I need to worry about the baby's safety.  And I need to let my baby know that mommy and daddy will always be there."

            "Great!" Carly cried.  She reached into her handbag.  "Because I never really got the traditional wedding, I want yours to be perfect.  So, something old…"

            "Her shoes are at least over a year old, I mean look at the style." Sarah joked, laughing at the face that Gia made.

            "We'll have to work on that." Carly sighed.  "Something new…I got that."  She handed Gia the little box in her hand.

            "Carly…"

            "Think of it as a wedding gift from me." Carly pointed out.

            "But I already have one from you waiting to be unwrapped at my house." Gia cried.

            "That's from me and Sonny…this one is from me." Carly pushed the box towards Gia.  "Open it."

            Gia complied and found a pair of pearl earrings.  "Oh!  Carly, they are beautiful." She exclaimed.  "You shouldn't have."

            "I'm married to a rich man who doesn't care how I spend his money, just as long as I'm happy.  Of course I should have!" Carly laughed.

            Gia popped out the earrings she had chosen to wear and smiled at the sight of the earrings.  "Nice little touch."

            Carly moved on.  "Something borrowed?"

            "I got this one!" Sarah said.  She produced another box.  "I wore this the day I married my husband.  I couldn't bear to part with it but I thought you should wear it too.  He gave it to me, and told me it was good luck." She pulled out a silver hair clip. 

            "God, Sarah.  You really want me to wear this?" Gia asked, knowing how much it hurt Sarah to talk about her husband, even thought she was deliriously happy with Lucky.

            Sarah just nodded.  She sat Gia down and pulled her hair into a simple ponytail, fastening with the clip.  She brushed away a few tears.  "Just don't lose it, okay."  She had meant it has a joke but it fell flat.

            "Never." Gia said pulling the blonde into her arms.  "Now, let's stop all this crying.  I just reapplied my makeup."  Everyone laughed a little, letting some of the nervousness and sadness leave the room.

            "Something blue?" Carly asked. 

            "I thought you two might be up to something, so I got that covered." She pulled her dress up a little revealing a blue garter belt.

            "Yeah baby!" Carly cried, causing everyone to burst into laughter.  She looked at her watch.  "Twenty minutes to go, and I know your family wants to talk to you." She gave Gia a quick hug.  "See you out there!"

            Gia nodded, watched as they left the room, and braced herself for her family's arrival.  She couldn't help but be nervous.  Would they attempt one last time to convince her not to marry Jason?

            "Oh my baby girl." Florence's voice was barely above a whisper when she saw her daughter sitting in her gown.  "You're a vision."

            "Mom…"

            "She's right." Marcus said from behind her.  He closed the door.  "You do clean up good."

            "Same to you!" Gia laughed, looking at him in his tuxedo.  "All you need is a date."

            "Thank you, Gia." Florence turned to her son.  "Finally, someone else agrees with me."

            "This is Gia's day." Marcus said eager to get the attention off him. 

            "That is true." Florence turned back to her daughter.  "Stand up, let me get a good look at you."

            Gia obeyed, twirled a little.  When she looked back, her mother was crying.  "What is it with everyone and crying today?" She asked, trying to put off her own tears.

            "It's just…you're more beautiful than I could ever picture you to be on your wedding day." Florence told her.  "You look radiant, and most of all, you look happy."

            "I am." Gia admitted.  "Despite a few things, I am really happy Mom."

            "Then, I'm happy too." Florence told her.

            "Mom?" Gia asked.  Was this the same woman who had said that marrying Jason would be a huge mistake?

            "I know haven't been the kindest woman to the father of your child.  But I think I am starting to realize something.  You're all grown up, Gia.  I can't make your decisions for you.  If Jason Morgan makes you happy, then who am I to say that you shouldn't marry him." Florence took her daughter's hands.  "And I am going to try to make an effort to get to know your husband much better.  He is, after all, going to be family."  She glanced back at Marcus.

            "What she said."  He mumbled.

            "Marcus!" Florence cried.

            "Alright." Marcus moved closer to his sister.  "I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye.  In fact, I don't think we have had.  But Mom is right, if you're happy then I guess I can't do nothing else but be happy for you.  I'm your big brother, Gia, and you can't expect me to stop looking out for you.  I can't promise that Morgan and I will ever become fishing buddies but you might just help us learn how to get along. I make no promises though."

            Gia's smile was wide.  "I never asked you to."  She said pulling her brother into a hug.  "I love you Marcus."

            "I love you too, Gia." He said kissing her forehead.

            A knock came on the door. Gia groaned a little.  "This room is the most popular place in the church!"

            Sonny poked his head in.  He looked at her family and then at her.  "Ten minutes."

            "Alright!" Gia again had to wipe the tears off her face.  "We're almost ready." She looked at Marcus.  "Ready to walk me down the aisle?"

            Marcus looked surprised.

            "Who else was I supposed to ask?" Gia gave him a playful shove.

            "Gia, I love your earrings." Florence said suddenly catching sight of the pearls Carly had given her.

            "Aren't they perfect?" Gia gushed.

            "They really are." Florence admitted, pulling out another box.  She opened it to reveal a string of pearls.  "I wore them when I married your father.  I know you're marriage will turn out better than ours did because you're a fighter Gia.  I really don't know who you got that from." She fastened them around her daughter's neck.  "Let's go!"

            ****

            Gia knew as she repeated the words Father Coates told her that she was doing the right thing.  She was unsure as she and Marcus had walked up the aisle.  She was a little less nervous when she took Jason's hands and they had faced the priest.  But as she said the vows she began to realize that this was the right thing.  Everything would work out…it just had to.

            The rings were slipped on to the fingers, and Gia looked down at the silver band nestled next to the engagement ring Jason insisted on getting her.  She looked back into his deep blue eyes and smiled.  He broke out into a smile as well.

            "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Father Coates looked at Jason.  "You may kiss your bride."

            For a moment, neither knew what to do.  Then Jason leaned down and placed a simple kiss on Gia's lips. 

            "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Jason Morgan."