Chapter Seventeen - La Isla Bonita
The days went by so quickly it was the second to last day before they even had a chance for their feet to touch the ground. Abby was having such a good time, she felt like she could live there forever, with no cares and no trouble, just simply where the boy loves the girl, and the girl loves the boy. She wanted them to stay like that forever, but she knew, sooner or later, the week would end, and back to the cold Chicago they would go, and back to those troubles she left so far behind.
Some nights they had slept in the main bedroom, 'christening' it as their own room in their new holiday home, and some nights they slept on the beach. Curled up together, their legs wrapped round each other, with Carter's face in Abby's hair as they soundly slept and the sea slowly moving up and down beneath them. It was like paradise, no interruptions, and no nosey ER staff asking questions all the time. The only interruptions they had were of Alehandro Bino Tinti, the Welsh Priest and Derek who insisted on cooking a BBQ on the last night.
As the days went on, and the more she saw how much Carter loved her, she realised that now, all she wanted was to get married. A few months ago, if you'd have told her she was intent on marrying John Carter by the end of the week, she would have laughed and told you to get out of town. But now, it seemed almost normal. She was sure it as what she wanted, in fact she was more than sure, but did he feel the same? There was only one way to find out.
"John?"
There was no answer as she continued to search around upstairs for him. She heard singing coming from the en suite, so she crept in and saw Carter singing in the shower to 'Sexual Healing'. Out of tune as well.
'Baaaaaby, I need some loviiiing! Baaaaaaby, I can't hold it much looonger, it's getting stronger and stronger.and when I get that feeling , I want sexual heeeeeealing!'
"Well well. I never thought I'd see the day that John Carter was singing in the shower when he told me off just two days before for doing it!"
He turned around and looked a little more than embarrassed.
"I was just practicing for the wedding!" He joked.
"If that's what you're proposing to sing you can forget the whole thing!" She joked back.
He gave her a puppy dog look and she smirked.
"You're not getting me with that again."
"Come on in it's great in here."
"No I'm good thanks!" She laughed as she folded up his clothes he had thrown across the floor.
"Come on Abby! What, are you gonna stand there and watch instead?!"
"I might have to."
"Oh well. Your loss."
"Is it?!"
"Indeed."
He turned around and carried on scrubbing, singing along to the next song playing on his CD. 'Let's Get it On'. He does love his Marvin Gaye. As she watched, she became more and more excited by his casual movements scrubbing his back, trying to reach places he couldn't, and struggling to keep his balance on the slippery shower surface. She decided she couldn't resist anymore, she quickly removed her tie around skirt and strappy top and jumped in behind him before he realised a thing. She put her hands around over his eyes and he jumped suddenly.
"Guess who?" She asked trying not to laugh.
"Uh..Derek?!"
"No not this time!"
"Why..could it be..the infamous Abigail Lockhart?!"
"How did you know?!" She laughed and he turned around to see her laughing her head off.
He laughed along with her, but inside he was just watching her, taking in all her happiness. The smiles, the laughs, the cute looks she gave him. He was in love with everything about her, if only this little set up was complete. He just wanted to get married. Was it that hard to broach the subject? Well, there was only one way to find out.
The kissing in the shower began, but all Carter could think about was how to ask when she wanted to get married. The thing was, that's all she could think about too.
"Abby?" "Carter?" They said together when the kiss ended.
They laughed a little and then they began to apologise.
"Sorry. You go." Said Carter.
"No, it's alright you."
"No you. I insist."
"You no. Really."
"No you. It's fine."
"Honestly you go."
"When do you wanna get married?" They both blurted out at the same time.
There was a silence, he turned off the shower and the CD player, and they stared at one another, waiting for the other to speak.
"So.."
"So." She repeated.
"So I guess, we both wanna get married?!" He smiled as he said it.
Huge smiles had spread across both of their faces, and they couldn't help but show it.
"Yeah. I mean, only if you want to." Abby replied.
"Of course I do! That's why I asked."
"That's why I asked too."
"So we both asked."
"We did."
There was another silence as they continued their staring match. But they weren't waiting for the other to blink, they were waiting for the next step. When to get married."
"You know.." Began Abby. "There is a priest on the island."
"Are you implying what I think you're implying Miss Lockhart?!"
"I could be. Only.."
"Only what?"
"What do you want to do?"
"Abby, I would marry you if we were in prison. I would have married you six months ago if you'd asked. I've just been waiting for you."
"I've just been waiting for you!"
"Well why are we wasting time standing here then?!"
"I don't know, why are we?!"
"I don't know either."
He smiled at her, and she smiled back. It was the perfect moment. The sun was setting soon, it would be just right. He kissed her, and then they both clambered out the shower and decided, they wanted to get married.
5pm - On the Beach
It was a small ceremony. It wasn't like they could invite everybody at such short notice, and being that it was in a completely different place it would have been difficult. The Welsh priest, Derek, and of course, Alehandro Bino Tinti was there. Derek was best man, and Abby didn't have the heart to ask Alehandro to be maid of honour. She was wearing a white wrap around skirt and a stringy top with a white bra underneath. John wore cream shorts, and a cream shirt, both wearing sandals. The sun was setting, and the sea silently moved up and down the shore as they said those all important vows.
"Okay John. Repeat after me. I John Truman Carter."
"I John Truman Carter."
"Take thee, Abigail Lockhart, to be my lawful wedded wife."
"Take thee, Abigail Lockhart, to be my lawful wedded wife."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward."
"For better, for worse."
"For better, for worse."
"For richer, for poorer."
"For richer, for poorer."
"In sickness and in health."
"In sickness and in health."
"To love and to cherish 'till death do us part."
"To love and to cherish 'till death do us part."
"Okay, Abby, repeat after me."
"I Abigail Lockhart..."
The priest then led Abby along with the vows, and once they completed them, it was the exchange of the rings.
"Now, I understand you have written your own vows for the exchange of rings?"
"Yes that's right." Answered Carter, not taking his eyes off Abby.
"Abby. I've never fully understood why people got married. I've been to enough of them, but I didn't appreciate their reasons for doing it. But when I met you, I knew then I loved you, and when I finally got the chance to show it, I fell in love with you all over again. This ring, although a little..different, stands for that love, and I hope it reminds you that I love you more than life itself."
He placed the bamboo made ring onto her wedding finger and kissed it.
"John, a year ago, I didn't believe in love. When I was married before, it meant nothing to what we have. I now understand what love is, and I can't believe I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with you. This ring stands for that love I never believed in, until I met you."
She took the ring from Derek and slid it onto John's finger.
"If there is anyone here who has an objection to this marriage, please, speak now, or forever hold your peace." He looked at Alehandro, then at Derek, no answer. "I now pronounce you man, and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Carter smiled at the priest, and then looked at Abby. She really was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And with that, they kissed as the sun set. Their first kiss as a married couple, and it was like it was the first.
Midnight - In the House
"I'd like to propose a toast, to Dr Carter, and his new beautiful wife Abby. I hope you're very happy together, and you continue coming back here for those future family holidays with the little ones!" Carter looked at Abby guiltily, as if would make her feel bad, but she just smiled and nodded slightly at him. It was okay, it was gonna be okay.
"Cheers!" They all said in unison as they clinked their glasses of sparkling cider together.
The days went by so quickly it was the second to last day before they even had a chance for their feet to touch the ground. Abby was having such a good time, she felt like she could live there forever, with no cares and no trouble, just simply where the boy loves the girl, and the girl loves the boy. She wanted them to stay like that forever, but she knew, sooner or later, the week would end, and back to the cold Chicago they would go, and back to those troubles she left so far behind.
Some nights they had slept in the main bedroom, 'christening' it as their own room in their new holiday home, and some nights they slept on the beach. Curled up together, their legs wrapped round each other, with Carter's face in Abby's hair as they soundly slept and the sea slowly moving up and down beneath them. It was like paradise, no interruptions, and no nosey ER staff asking questions all the time. The only interruptions they had were of Alehandro Bino Tinti, the Welsh Priest and Derek who insisted on cooking a BBQ on the last night.
As the days went on, and the more she saw how much Carter loved her, she realised that now, all she wanted was to get married. A few months ago, if you'd have told her she was intent on marrying John Carter by the end of the week, she would have laughed and told you to get out of town. But now, it seemed almost normal. She was sure it as what she wanted, in fact she was more than sure, but did he feel the same? There was only one way to find out.
"John?"
There was no answer as she continued to search around upstairs for him. She heard singing coming from the en suite, so she crept in and saw Carter singing in the shower to 'Sexual Healing'. Out of tune as well.
'Baaaaaby, I need some loviiiing! Baaaaaaby, I can't hold it much looonger, it's getting stronger and stronger.and when I get that feeling , I want sexual heeeeeealing!'
"Well well. I never thought I'd see the day that John Carter was singing in the shower when he told me off just two days before for doing it!"
He turned around and looked a little more than embarrassed.
"I was just practicing for the wedding!" He joked.
"If that's what you're proposing to sing you can forget the whole thing!" She joked back.
He gave her a puppy dog look and she smirked.
"You're not getting me with that again."
"Come on in it's great in here."
"No I'm good thanks!" She laughed as she folded up his clothes he had thrown across the floor.
"Come on Abby! What, are you gonna stand there and watch instead?!"
"I might have to."
"Oh well. Your loss."
"Is it?!"
"Indeed."
He turned around and carried on scrubbing, singing along to the next song playing on his CD. 'Let's Get it On'. He does love his Marvin Gaye. As she watched, she became more and more excited by his casual movements scrubbing his back, trying to reach places he couldn't, and struggling to keep his balance on the slippery shower surface. She decided she couldn't resist anymore, she quickly removed her tie around skirt and strappy top and jumped in behind him before he realised a thing. She put her hands around over his eyes and he jumped suddenly.
"Guess who?" She asked trying not to laugh.
"Uh..Derek?!"
"No not this time!"
"Why..could it be..the infamous Abigail Lockhart?!"
"How did you know?!" She laughed and he turned around to see her laughing her head off.
He laughed along with her, but inside he was just watching her, taking in all her happiness. The smiles, the laughs, the cute looks she gave him. He was in love with everything about her, if only this little set up was complete. He just wanted to get married. Was it that hard to broach the subject? Well, there was only one way to find out.
The kissing in the shower began, but all Carter could think about was how to ask when she wanted to get married. The thing was, that's all she could think about too.
"Abby?" "Carter?" They said together when the kiss ended.
They laughed a little and then they began to apologise.
"Sorry. You go." Said Carter.
"No, it's alright you."
"No you. I insist."
"You no. Really."
"No you. It's fine."
"Honestly you go."
"When do you wanna get married?" They both blurted out at the same time.
There was a silence, he turned off the shower and the CD player, and they stared at one another, waiting for the other to speak.
"So.."
"So." She repeated.
"So I guess, we both wanna get married?!" He smiled as he said it.
Huge smiles had spread across both of their faces, and they couldn't help but show it.
"Yeah. I mean, only if you want to." Abby replied.
"Of course I do! That's why I asked."
"That's why I asked too."
"So we both asked."
"We did."
There was another silence as they continued their staring match. But they weren't waiting for the other to blink, they were waiting for the next step. When to get married."
"You know.." Began Abby. "There is a priest on the island."
"Are you implying what I think you're implying Miss Lockhart?!"
"I could be. Only.."
"Only what?"
"What do you want to do?"
"Abby, I would marry you if we were in prison. I would have married you six months ago if you'd asked. I've just been waiting for you."
"I've just been waiting for you!"
"Well why are we wasting time standing here then?!"
"I don't know, why are we?!"
"I don't know either."
He smiled at her, and she smiled back. It was the perfect moment. The sun was setting soon, it would be just right. He kissed her, and then they both clambered out the shower and decided, they wanted to get married.
5pm - On the Beach
It was a small ceremony. It wasn't like they could invite everybody at such short notice, and being that it was in a completely different place it would have been difficult. The Welsh priest, Derek, and of course, Alehandro Bino Tinti was there. Derek was best man, and Abby didn't have the heart to ask Alehandro to be maid of honour. She was wearing a white wrap around skirt and a stringy top with a white bra underneath. John wore cream shorts, and a cream shirt, both wearing sandals. The sun was setting, and the sea silently moved up and down the shore as they said those all important vows.
"Okay John. Repeat after me. I John Truman Carter."
"I John Truman Carter."
"Take thee, Abigail Lockhart, to be my lawful wedded wife."
"Take thee, Abigail Lockhart, to be my lawful wedded wife."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward."
"For better, for worse."
"For better, for worse."
"For richer, for poorer."
"For richer, for poorer."
"In sickness and in health."
"In sickness and in health."
"To love and to cherish 'till death do us part."
"To love and to cherish 'till death do us part."
"Okay, Abby, repeat after me."
"I Abigail Lockhart..."
The priest then led Abby along with the vows, and once they completed them, it was the exchange of the rings.
"Now, I understand you have written your own vows for the exchange of rings?"
"Yes that's right." Answered Carter, not taking his eyes off Abby.
"Abby. I've never fully understood why people got married. I've been to enough of them, but I didn't appreciate their reasons for doing it. But when I met you, I knew then I loved you, and when I finally got the chance to show it, I fell in love with you all over again. This ring, although a little..different, stands for that love, and I hope it reminds you that I love you more than life itself."
He placed the bamboo made ring onto her wedding finger and kissed it.
"John, a year ago, I didn't believe in love. When I was married before, it meant nothing to what we have. I now understand what love is, and I can't believe I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with you. This ring stands for that love I never believed in, until I met you."
She took the ring from Derek and slid it onto John's finger.
"If there is anyone here who has an objection to this marriage, please, speak now, or forever hold your peace." He looked at Alehandro, then at Derek, no answer. "I now pronounce you man, and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Carter smiled at the priest, and then looked at Abby. She really was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And with that, they kissed as the sun set. Their first kiss as a married couple, and it was like it was the first.
Midnight - In the House
"I'd like to propose a toast, to Dr Carter, and his new beautiful wife Abby. I hope you're very happy together, and you continue coming back here for those future family holidays with the little ones!" Carter looked at Abby guiltily, as if would make her feel bad, but she just smiled and nodded slightly at him. It was okay, it was gonna be okay.
"Cheers!" They all said in unison as they clinked their glasses of sparkling cider together.
