We sat the wedding date for January 23rd. The invitation list wasn't real
big. We had sent invitations to people in my family and people in Rich's
family. Of course, we all the Cobras and their immediate families. Chris
had approached me and asked if it was ok if he invited his friends Gordie
and Teddy.
"Yeah, but Chris what about Vern?" I asked him. He smiled.
"Vern's already coming, remember?" he said.
I had forgot that Vern would be with the Tessio's. That just goes to show you how nervous I was. Rich and I had decided that Ace would best his best man and Chris and Nick his groomsmen. Paris was going to be my Maid of Honor, and Ace's girlfriend Shannon would be the Brides maid, and Shelly was going to the flower girl. Everything was falling in to place. Mrs. Chambers and Aunt Polly were in charge of putting the reception together. The one thing I needed was a dress. But Aunt Polly took care of that. She called me into her room one night.
"Marti, you know we don't have the money to buy you a new wedding dress, or the time to make one." I nodded. I knew all of this.
"So" she continued "I was wondering if you'd like to have my old wedding dress. It was always my dream for my daughter to wear my dress, but since I never had a daughter, I want you to wear it." She handed me the beautiful white dress.
"Oh, Aunt Polly, it's beautiful. Of course I'll wear it!" She smiled.
"It can also go down for your something old."
"What do ya mean?" I asked her. She laughed.
"Don't you know? Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue." She told me.
"Oh yeah! Well let's see, the wedding dress is something old, I'm borrowing Paris's diamond earrings, my garter has blue on it. Now for something new."
"How about this." Said a voice from behind me. It was Ace. And he was holding a gold chain necklace.
"Ace, is that for me!?" he nodded and I started to cry. I couldn't help it. He hugged me and when I looked up at him, he said
"My baby cousin is all grown up."
In the days that followed, there was no time for tears. The wedding was a week away. I was scared out of my mind. Everyone we had invited was coming, I had my dress, the bridesmaids had their dresses, and Rich and I had our rings. Thank goodness Mr. Duncan was a jeweler; he gave us the rings for half the original price.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful. Snow covered the ground and everything was perfect. I lay in bed for a few minutes, and then there was a knock on my door. Ace came in, already dressed in his best suit, carrying a tray of food.
"Breakfast in bed for the blushing bride." He said. I managed a weak smile
"I'm too nervous to eat anything." I told him. He shook his head.
"Come on now, you've got to eat a little bit. We don't want you passing out from hunger half way through the ceremony." That thought was enough to make me clean the plate. After I ate, I got up, and showered. By the time I got out of the shower Paris was there to help me with my dress, hair and make- up. All too soon, it was time to go to the Church. When we got there, everyone else was there. The bridesmaids, Shelly and groomsmen were standing in the back corridor, waiting for the cue so they could start up the isle. I guess someone had told Chris to tell the organist when I arrived, because when I walk through the door he waved at him and said
"She's here!"
They paired up and formed a line, Paris and Chris, Shannon and Nick, then little Shelly with her basket of rose petals. I held my breath and clutched my bouquet. I could see Rich, Ace, and the minister up at the front of the church. They started the music and Paris and Chris linked arms and started down the isle. Then Shannon and Nick went, followed by Shelly, who was dropping handfuls of flowers as she went. The they reached the front; boys went to the right and girls to the left. When Shelly reached the front, the organist started playing the Wedding March and the entire congregation stood up as I made my way down the isle. I could see the Cobras and Vern, Teddy, and Gordie all dressed in their best suits, sitting in a pew about half way up. As I passed them. I smiled. After what seemed to be hours, though I'm sure it was only minutes; I reached the front and stood next to Rich. The minister went though his little speech and then the vows and rings. As Rich slipped the ring on my finger, I had tears in my eyes. I looked at him and seen he did to.
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The minister said.
Rich and me kissed and the guest clapped and whistled. I even heard a few "Oh-la-la's" which I'm sure came from the Cobras. Surprise, surprise.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alexander Chambers!" The minister continued. The guest clapped again, them made their way to congratulate us. I don't think I've ever gotten so many hugs.
Later on, at the reception, we danced and danced. I danced with all the Cobras, Nick, Chris, Chris's three friends, and even Mr. Chambers, who told me
"Welcome to the family Marti." I was surprised, seeing as how much he had been against the idea.
"Thank you Mr. Chambers." I told him. He laughed.
"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me and call me Dad or at least Fred?" he said.
"Of course I forgive you..dad." I smiled at him. He hugged me and then the song ended and our dance was over. Later on I saw him slip an envelope in with the pile of gifts. Later when Rich opened it, we found a hundred dollar bill inside and a note. Rich read it out loud.
"Dear Richard, Please put this money towards something for the baby. I want my first grand child to have the best life we can give him or her. I also wanted to say I'm sorry for being so against you and Marti's love for one another. The truth is, I was jealous. Jealous that your lives are beginning and praying you don't make the same mistakes I've made in mine. I know I haven't been a good father to you kids or a good husband to Diane. I hope you can find it to forgive me and to be the best husband and father you can. I love you both, Dad"
"Wow" Rich said We were spending our first night in our new house. The Cobras and their families had all chipped in and surprised us with it. It wasn't very big and it was old, but it was still nice and it was ours. I couldn't help feeling my life was perfect.
"Yeah, but Chris what about Vern?" I asked him. He smiled.
"Vern's already coming, remember?" he said.
I had forgot that Vern would be with the Tessio's. That just goes to show you how nervous I was. Rich and I had decided that Ace would best his best man and Chris and Nick his groomsmen. Paris was going to be my Maid of Honor, and Ace's girlfriend Shannon would be the Brides maid, and Shelly was going to the flower girl. Everything was falling in to place. Mrs. Chambers and Aunt Polly were in charge of putting the reception together. The one thing I needed was a dress. But Aunt Polly took care of that. She called me into her room one night.
"Marti, you know we don't have the money to buy you a new wedding dress, or the time to make one." I nodded. I knew all of this.
"So" she continued "I was wondering if you'd like to have my old wedding dress. It was always my dream for my daughter to wear my dress, but since I never had a daughter, I want you to wear it." She handed me the beautiful white dress.
"Oh, Aunt Polly, it's beautiful. Of course I'll wear it!" She smiled.
"It can also go down for your something old."
"What do ya mean?" I asked her. She laughed.
"Don't you know? Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue." She told me.
"Oh yeah! Well let's see, the wedding dress is something old, I'm borrowing Paris's diamond earrings, my garter has blue on it. Now for something new."
"How about this." Said a voice from behind me. It was Ace. And he was holding a gold chain necklace.
"Ace, is that for me!?" he nodded and I started to cry. I couldn't help it. He hugged me and when I looked up at him, he said
"My baby cousin is all grown up."
In the days that followed, there was no time for tears. The wedding was a week away. I was scared out of my mind. Everyone we had invited was coming, I had my dress, the bridesmaids had their dresses, and Rich and I had our rings. Thank goodness Mr. Duncan was a jeweler; he gave us the rings for half the original price.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful. Snow covered the ground and everything was perfect. I lay in bed for a few minutes, and then there was a knock on my door. Ace came in, already dressed in his best suit, carrying a tray of food.
"Breakfast in bed for the blushing bride." He said. I managed a weak smile
"I'm too nervous to eat anything." I told him. He shook his head.
"Come on now, you've got to eat a little bit. We don't want you passing out from hunger half way through the ceremony." That thought was enough to make me clean the plate. After I ate, I got up, and showered. By the time I got out of the shower Paris was there to help me with my dress, hair and make- up. All too soon, it was time to go to the Church. When we got there, everyone else was there. The bridesmaids, Shelly and groomsmen were standing in the back corridor, waiting for the cue so they could start up the isle. I guess someone had told Chris to tell the organist when I arrived, because when I walk through the door he waved at him and said
"She's here!"
They paired up and formed a line, Paris and Chris, Shannon and Nick, then little Shelly with her basket of rose petals. I held my breath and clutched my bouquet. I could see Rich, Ace, and the minister up at the front of the church. They started the music and Paris and Chris linked arms and started down the isle. Then Shannon and Nick went, followed by Shelly, who was dropping handfuls of flowers as she went. The they reached the front; boys went to the right and girls to the left. When Shelly reached the front, the organist started playing the Wedding March and the entire congregation stood up as I made my way down the isle. I could see the Cobras and Vern, Teddy, and Gordie all dressed in their best suits, sitting in a pew about half way up. As I passed them. I smiled. After what seemed to be hours, though I'm sure it was only minutes; I reached the front and stood next to Rich. The minister went though his little speech and then the vows and rings. As Rich slipped the ring on my finger, I had tears in my eyes. I looked at him and seen he did to.
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The minister said.
Rich and me kissed and the guest clapped and whistled. I even heard a few "Oh-la-la's" which I'm sure came from the Cobras. Surprise, surprise.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alexander Chambers!" The minister continued. The guest clapped again, them made their way to congratulate us. I don't think I've ever gotten so many hugs.
Later on, at the reception, we danced and danced. I danced with all the Cobras, Nick, Chris, Chris's three friends, and even Mr. Chambers, who told me
"Welcome to the family Marti." I was surprised, seeing as how much he had been against the idea.
"Thank you Mr. Chambers." I told him. He laughed.
"Can you find it in your heart to forgive me and call me Dad or at least Fred?" he said.
"Of course I forgive you..dad." I smiled at him. He hugged me and then the song ended and our dance was over. Later on I saw him slip an envelope in with the pile of gifts. Later when Rich opened it, we found a hundred dollar bill inside and a note. Rich read it out loud.
"Dear Richard, Please put this money towards something for the baby. I want my first grand child to have the best life we can give him or her. I also wanted to say I'm sorry for being so against you and Marti's love for one another. The truth is, I was jealous. Jealous that your lives are beginning and praying you don't make the same mistakes I've made in mine. I know I haven't been a good father to you kids or a good husband to Diane. I hope you can find it to forgive me and to be the best husband and father you can. I love you both, Dad"
"Wow" Rich said We were spending our first night in our new house. The Cobras and their families had all chipped in and surprised us with it. It wasn't very big and it was old, but it was still nice and it was ours. I couldn't help feeling my life was perfect.