Chapter Sixteen: Wedding Bells Are Ringing and Breaking
Lydia and Nick sat driving through Nevada. Lydia was very bored as she glanced over at Nick who was head banging to some Godsmack song. Lydia burst out laughing.
"What?" Nick asked.
"You make me laugh," Lydia said with a smile. "I love you," she said reaching for his hand.
"I love you, too," he said with a smile and a slight squeeze of her hand.
"Can I change the CD?"
"Sure."
Lydia slid a CD in the player.
:"What are we listening to?" He asked.
"Give me half a second," she said with a smile.
"Okay."
She pressed the seek button until she reached her destination: song number 4. She smiled as the simplicity of the piano tune permeated her ears. "When I hear this song, it makes me think of you and us," she said as she looked to his face for his reaction.
"I agree," he said and kissed her hand.
She smiled as the lyrics rushed through her head.
"I don't want to sleep. I just want to keep on lovin' you," Nick sang along although he was a bit off-key.
Lydia smiled at Nick and let out a content sigh and looked back out the window.
Lydia's parents and Mia were shocked when she introduced them to Nick late on Friday night. Nick and Lydia decided that it would be best to tell Lydia's family their news on Sunday when their was to be a brunch at her parent's to continue the festivities of the weekend, or in other words, continue to celebrate Mia. Lydia was excited. She planned on just announcing their engagement, and to avoid more shocking Lydia's parents more by telling them they were to be grandparents. It would be too much news for one visit.
Mia's ceremony was very beautiful. Lydia wore a light purple dress. Her hair was up and curled everywhere. The make-up was caked on heavy, but Lydia still managed to put on a happy face for the reception.
The reception was fun and Lydia thanked God that she had Nick there to share her jokes with, remind her not to drink the champagne, and above all, she was able to dance with him.
Lydia got a good laugh when Nick attempted to do the Electric Slide.
"You're from Texas, right Nick?" She asked him with a laugh.
"Yeah," he said as they walked to the table.
"What did they teach you about the Electric Slide?"
"Obviously nothing" was his response.
No sooner had they sit down and taken a sip of water did Lydia drag Nick back on the dance floor. This time, though, for a good cause. Their song was on.
As Nick and Lydia were slowdancing, Nick couldn't help but notice how Mia- how Mrs. Jimmy Meyers-was giving Lydia a dirty glance.
"Hey, honey," Nick whispered.
"Hmm?" Lydia said as she lifted her head off Nick's chest.
"Look at your sister," Nick said initiating to his left.
Lydia looked over and saw Mia, who looked like she was having a bad time. She kept focusing on Nick. Lydia knew Mia was back to her old schemes and to make matters worse, on her wedding day, no less.
"She's jealous," Lydia finally responded.
"Of what?"
"You."
"Huh?" Nick looked really confused.
"Look at her husband and then yourself."
"I need a mirror," he joked.
She smiled and finally said, "her husband is short, bald, and fat." She tired not to be too loud and not to die laughing. "And you, Mr. Stokes, are . . ." she touched his face, " . . . tall, dark, and handsome. A real cutie pie."
He smiled and Lydia melted.
"Let's make her really jealous," Nick said.
"Okay."
He touched her face gently and then kissed her, Nick and Lydia laughed and fled the reception.
The next morning, Lydia and Nick arrived at the brunch.
"You're late Lydia," Mia said smugly as they waked through the door.
"Nice to see you too, my dear sister," Lydia responded.
Nick and Lydia walked to the kitchen to find her parents.
"Hi, sweetheart," Lydia's mom, Carol, said.
"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Lydia said.
Lydia's dad, Thomas, looked at her, shook his head, and left the kitchen.
"What's his problem?" Lydia asked.
Mia stormed into the kitchen and started screaming and yelling. "His problem? His problem? Oh, Lydia, you poor dear!"
"Don't start with me, Mia," Lydia snapped.
"He's mad at you along with Mom and me."
"Wow, no surprise there. What did I do this time?" Lydia said and looked at Nick, who was watching the sister's feud.
"Well, you show up late to my brunch, ruin my wedding-"
"Sob, sob. I'm so sorry Mia! I know what this is really about. Oh, by the way, I didn't ruin your first six weddings, so I guess seventh is the charm."
"Lydia Marie."
"Don't start mother."
"Is this anyway to behave in front of your friend?" Mia started.
"Oh, gee. Wow, you must really underestimate me. Nick isn't just my 'friend,'" she paused and looked at Nick, who was very embarrassed by her behavior.
"Really, Lydia? What is he?"
"Well, you wouldn't really have guessed it but you know how you kind of stole Jimmy Meyers? Speaking of which, where is your husband, Mia? Did he split like all you other hubbies?"
"Lydia, don't go there."
"Well, guess what Mom, Dad, Mia, Nick and I are engaged. We're getting married June 26th." Lydia smiled and Nick walked over and put his hands on her waist.
"Oh my God! You're such a slut, Lydia."
Nick had just about enough of Lydia being insulted, so he jumped to her defense. "Oh, Mia, by the way, you're going to be an aunt. Lydia's pregnant."
"Jesus, Lydia. You always have to be the center of attention."
"Oh, well, if I remember correctly, you were the center of attention when we were growing up. Dance recitals, music concerts, you name it."
"Whatever," Mia said bitterly.
Lydia looked at her parents who were shocked by Lydia's news.
"Well, the wedding's June 26th. I hope you'll be there." Lydia looked at a really pissed off Mia.
Mia broke the silence. "More spotlight for the slut."
"Well, I didn't have seven husbands, you freaking whore."
Nick joined in. "All right, Lydia, let's go." He dragged Lydia out of the house.
The ride home was quiet for the first hour, but Nick broke the silence. "You know, Lydia, I love you a lot, but you can be really embarrassing sometimes." He looked over to see a weeping Lydia. "I'm sorry, honey."
"No, Nick, I'm sorry. I hate my family."
"Let's change the subject," he said noticing how upset she was getting. He placed his hand on her knee. "Look on the bright side, we can plan our wedding parent-free." He smiled.
She let out a slight laugh and looked at Nick. "I love you, Nick, corny and all."
"And I love you, Lydia, the number one loud mouth and embarrassment."
They laughed and drove home.
Lydia and Nick sat driving through Nevada. Lydia was very bored as she glanced over at Nick who was head banging to some Godsmack song. Lydia burst out laughing.
"What?" Nick asked.
"You make me laugh," Lydia said with a smile. "I love you," she said reaching for his hand.
"I love you, too," he said with a smile and a slight squeeze of her hand.
"Can I change the CD?"
"Sure."
Lydia slid a CD in the player.
:"What are we listening to?" He asked.
"Give me half a second," she said with a smile.
"Okay."
She pressed the seek button until she reached her destination: song number 4. She smiled as the simplicity of the piano tune permeated her ears. "When I hear this song, it makes me think of you and us," she said as she looked to his face for his reaction.
"I agree," he said and kissed her hand.
She smiled as the lyrics rushed through her head.
"I don't want to sleep. I just want to keep on lovin' you," Nick sang along although he was a bit off-key.
Lydia smiled at Nick and let out a content sigh and looked back out the window.
Lydia's parents and Mia were shocked when she introduced them to Nick late on Friday night. Nick and Lydia decided that it would be best to tell Lydia's family their news on Sunday when their was to be a brunch at her parent's to continue the festivities of the weekend, or in other words, continue to celebrate Mia. Lydia was excited. She planned on just announcing their engagement, and to avoid more shocking Lydia's parents more by telling them they were to be grandparents. It would be too much news for one visit.
Mia's ceremony was very beautiful. Lydia wore a light purple dress. Her hair was up and curled everywhere. The make-up was caked on heavy, but Lydia still managed to put on a happy face for the reception.
The reception was fun and Lydia thanked God that she had Nick there to share her jokes with, remind her not to drink the champagne, and above all, she was able to dance with him.
Lydia got a good laugh when Nick attempted to do the Electric Slide.
"You're from Texas, right Nick?" She asked him with a laugh.
"Yeah," he said as they walked to the table.
"What did they teach you about the Electric Slide?"
"Obviously nothing" was his response.
No sooner had they sit down and taken a sip of water did Lydia drag Nick back on the dance floor. This time, though, for a good cause. Their song was on.
As Nick and Lydia were slowdancing, Nick couldn't help but notice how Mia- how Mrs. Jimmy Meyers-was giving Lydia a dirty glance.
"Hey, honey," Nick whispered.
"Hmm?" Lydia said as she lifted her head off Nick's chest.
"Look at your sister," Nick said initiating to his left.
Lydia looked over and saw Mia, who looked like she was having a bad time. She kept focusing on Nick. Lydia knew Mia was back to her old schemes and to make matters worse, on her wedding day, no less.
"She's jealous," Lydia finally responded.
"Of what?"
"You."
"Huh?" Nick looked really confused.
"Look at her husband and then yourself."
"I need a mirror," he joked.
She smiled and finally said, "her husband is short, bald, and fat." She tired not to be too loud and not to die laughing. "And you, Mr. Stokes, are . . ." she touched his face, " . . . tall, dark, and handsome. A real cutie pie."
He smiled and Lydia melted.
"Let's make her really jealous," Nick said.
"Okay."
He touched her face gently and then kissed her, Nick and Lydia laughed and fled the reception.
The next morning, Lydia and Nick arrived at the brunch.
"You're late Lydia," Mia said smugly as they waked through the door.
"Nice to see you too, my dear sister," Lydia responded.
Nick and Lydia walked to the kitchen to find her parents.
"Hi, sweetheart," Lydia's mom, Carol, said.
"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Lydia said.
Lydia's dad, Thomas, looked at her, shook his head, and left the kitchen.
"What's his problem?" Lydia asked.
Mia stormed into the kitchen and started screaming and yelling. "His problem? His problem? Oh, Lydia, you poor dear!"
"Don't start with me, Mia," Lydia snapped.
"He's mad at you along with Mom and me."
"Wow, no surprise there. What did I do this time?" Lydia said and looked at Nick, who was watching the sister's feud.
"Well, you show up late to my brunch, ruin my wedding-"
"Sob, sob. I'm so sorry Mia! I know what this is really about. Oh, by the way, I didn't ruin your first six weddings, so I guess seventh is the charm."
"Lydia Marie."
"Don't start mother."
"Is this anyway to behave in front of your friend?" Mia started.
"Oh, gee. Wow, you must really underestimate me. Nick isn't just my 'friend,'" she paused and looked at Nick, who was very embarrassed by her behavior.
"Really, Lydia? What is he?"
"Well, you wouldn't really have guessed it but you know how you kind of stole Jimmy Meyers? Speaking of which, where is your husband, Mia? Did he split like all you other hubbies?"
"Lydia, don't go there."
"Well, guess what Mom, Dad, Mia, Nick and I are engaged. We're getting married June 26th." Lydia smiled and Nick walked over and put his hands on her waist.
"Oh my God! You're such a slut, Lydia."
Nick had just about enough of Lydia being insulted, so he jumped to her defense. "Oh, Mia, by the way, you're going to be an aunt. Lydia's pregnant."
"Jesus, Lydia. You always have to be the center of attention."
"Oh, well, if I remember correctly, you were the center of attention when we were growing up. Dance recitals, music concerts, you name it."
"Whatever," Mia said bitterly.
Lydia looked at her parents who were shocked by Lydia's news.
"Well, the wedding's June 26th. I hope you'll be there." Lydia looked at a really pissed off Mia.
Mia broke the silence. "More spotlight for the slut."
"Well, I didn't have seven husbands, you freaking whore."
Nick joined in. "All right, Lydia, let's go." He dragged Lydia out of the house.
The ride home was quiet for the first hour, but Nick broke the silence. "You know, Lydia, I love you a lot, but you can be really embarrassing sometimes." He looked over to see a weeping Lydia. "I'm sorry, honey."
"No, Nick, I'm sorry. I hate my family."
"Let's change the subject," he said noticing how upset she was getting. He placed his hand on her knee. "Look on the bright side, we can plan our wedding parent-free." He smiled.
She let out a slight laugh and looked at Nick. "I love you, Nick, corny and all."
"And I love you, Lydia, the number one loud mouth and embarrassment."
They laughed and drove home.