Author's note: As usual, I had decided to skip the usual disclaimers (refer to earlier chapters). It now looks like this story's about to end-whew! Fourteen chapters! Any ideas for a sequel aren't in the short term due to the fact that classes in this part of the world are starting and also because I'm tired! However, you just wait. Oh, yeah, surprises await here too!
Rugrats Midlife: Reunion
Chapter Fourteen: Hitched!
A sour week had ended in a rebounding comeback for both Kimi and me. I had only expected to be forgiven and see the whole thing over. Instead, a new lease of life was given on our relationship, and this time, we determined that we won't ruin it this time.
But first, the friends and family. I managed to patch up things with the Finsters, though the old lady was the more forgiving, much to my surprise. Chuckie was a harder case to crack, though, but by the end of the day, I had restored the amity that existed between us. (To prove it, Mrs, Finster just told me to call her Kira.)
Almost the same thing happened with Lilian and the Joneses, and in two days time, I got from all the Rugrats and their families their good blessings. And now that things had gone back to where they were, one final idea.
Saturday. We were at Chuckie's place, celebrating (finally!) Chuckie's acceptance of the position of President and CEO of Eaglecom. As in the reunion, it was nighttime, and from the 'palace yard' you could here the din of chattering ("Angelica? Engaged? Calvin Gottwald?" laughed Susie, the target of her sarcasm muttering, "Ah, so that's the way you are, you ingrate!") and arguing ["You just can't believe a superior intellect beat you in Battlefield Commander (a war strategy game), Philip!" Lil boasted, to be met by a "No, no, my dear sister Lilian, it's just sheer luck!"] that was mercifully low enough for Kimi and me to talk in normal voices, albeit farther from the front porch, where we originally confessed we love each other, and would have preferred to spend the night.
"So," Kimi said, her long, loose hair, freed from that gel that kept her in that ridiculous hairdo, "why're we back here?" She knew I was hiding something, though I couldn't tell whether she knew what it is. I broke out in a cold sweat, yet again, as I tried to explain again.
I led her into the hedges near the gate, and it was there I spoke up. "Uhh, umm, oh Kimi, I...I-I, aagh, Kimi, you know very well that we now love each other, and, since it has been two days since things have been patched up. Kimi, you lost me once, due to the fact that I was careless enough to have lost you myself. Please, I..." I could tell she knew what was coming as I knelt and fumbled in my suit pocket, as she broke into a cold sweat herself. "I don't want to lose you again." I brought out a satin box, and inside... "Kimi Watanabe-Finster, will you..."...was a gold ring with four diamonds set in the center. "...marry me?"
Her breathing stopped. I could tell-mine stopped too. We surprised-no, shocked-ourselves when I said that, even though we knew what was coming. It seemed, at least for me, that things back in the yard had toned down. Her eyes showed longing, surprise, relief, a feeling of vindication, certainty.
"Yes, Thomas Louis Pickles, I will marry you." That was enough for both of us. We embraced each other, glad we got what we wanted from each other-each other. We shared a long kiss yet again. And then we heard something.
"WOOHOO!" came a victory shout from the bushes, following by a thud and muttering along the lines of "Will you shut up!" I handled this.
"All right people, show's over," I shouted from the bushes, followed by a click, and as I said so, Dil, Chuckie, Phil, Fred, Lil, Angelica, Dad, Uncle Drew, Betty, Kira, Rupert, Susie, Malcolm and Javier all sprouted out of the bushes, hands in the air. In short, virtually all the guests. Dil got many evil glares from the others.
"Geez, I was in the moment," he explained.
"Excuse me, Dillon, that in-the-moment reaction nearly cost us our lives," Dad replied. "Fortunately he doesn't have the guts to shoot any of us."
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The wedding was on Kimi's birthday (September 17), so as to make sure we had only one date to remember for an anniversary. Besides, it was a fortnight away, and we had enough time to deal with everything. We were to hold it at the Lutheran Church just across our old middle school (Philip was adamant about not marrying two non-Catholic persons, so instead we had Pastor Carson to preside over our nuptials instead), while the reception was to be held at the Westin's Grand Pavillion downtown. Other than this, things were supposed to go their own course.
On the very wedding day I was having trouble what to wear-dress whites or dress blues? It was fall and I didn't want to screw this one up.
"Why're you so concerned with what you'll wear?" Dil asked me. "Other than the color, those uniforms of yours have all the same design to me."
"Come on, it's her birthday," I replied, looking all flustered. "Packaging's all important for a, umm, 'birthday present', you know."
"Heck, what's the use? She's gonna rip off the wrapping tonight."
"Shut up, you green-minded mook, and help me here. Do you think I should wear the blue trousers or the white?"
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Finally, we arrived at the church at nine. As services were to start, I scanned the area checking the folks. Dad, Dil, Uncle Drew, Aunt Charlotte, Angelica, Gen. Patterson, Steve (a first lieutenant in the reserve and my company's executive officer), Sanjiv (a captain in the active Marine Corps and commanding officer of my old company), some of my men, Howard, and an awkward-looking Phil sat to the right of the aisle, facing the altar, while Kira, Chuckie, Madie, Susie, Malcolm, Rupert, (Madie's father) Carl, Jamal, Betty, Fred, Lil, Jave, Sara and Clara, Fernando, Celia (Fred's parents), Chuckie's Aunt Nancy and cousins Barry, Silvia and Kenneth were there too. As Chas had passed away, and unfortunately, so had her real father (4 months after the bitter divorce, in a car crash), Edmund was the one who would lead Kimi up to the altar.
And then the birthday bride came. The car stopped right at the church door, and the wedding procession began, with the pastor first, followed by two flower girls (Sara and Clara), ringbearer (Kenneth's son Mark), bridesmaid (Lil), and finally, Edmund and Kimi, the latter dressed in a beautiful strapless white satin gown, gloves, and beautiful veil. I, meanwhile, was dressed in my formal dress uniform (white trousers chosen, visor cap to the side). Canon by Pachelbel was playing as she came along.
As soon as the formalities were over, the pastor spoke. "Brethren, we have come here today to witness the solemn union of two loving souls, Thomas Louis Pickles and Kimi Watanabe-Finster. But before we begin, those among you who may want to raise your voices in protest, speak now, or forever hold your peace." Silence. "Well then let's begin." At that point, Chuckie, ever the religious vounteer (albeit the nervous one) stood up and delivered the Bible reading-1 Corinthians 13:4-13.
After a hymn and another bible reading from Steve, the vows were ready. Pastor Carson took a moment to clear his throat and spoke about how our relationship showed the message of the first reading, how it went along in the best and worst of times, and how it all ended up to this beautiful day. And now come the vows.
"Thomas, Kimi, do you come here on your own free will and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"
"I do," we answered separately.
"Do you accept the responsibilities and challenges that lie ahead in married life?"
"I do."
"Will you accept children lovingly from God and raise them according to His will?"
"I will," we said separately, keeping in touch with grammatical correctness. Carson looked satisfied.
"Now then, you have shown your sincere intention to enter into marriage,tso hold hold your right hands together and declare your consent before this church." At Phil's suggestion, we would make the vows ourselves. Here goes, I thought to myself as I went and faced her shining eyes.
"I, Thomas, take you, Kimi, to be my lawfully-wedded wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and comfort, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." And now her turn.
"I, Kimi, take you, Thomas, to be my lawfully-wedded husband, to have and to hold, to cherish and comfort, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." I could see my future mother-in-law, holding a tissue and weeping silently-what loving mother wouldn't? At least Mom was spared this agony, but then Kira would have needed a kindred spirit for comfort.
The minister then looked around. "You have then declared your consent before this congregation. May Almighty God, through His Son Jesus strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings through His Holy Spirit." We heard a resounding "Amen" from the folks.
After we gave the rings, another hymn and an invocation came. And finally, the moment came. Carson looked around, cleared his throat, and stood tall. Won't be long now.
"By the powers invested in me by this Church and the state of California, I now pronounce you man and wife." He turned to us and whispered, "Psst, go kiss." I looked at her as I parted the veil on her face, and as in the Saturday party and our first date, our lips met yet again. The Wedding march began to play.
Heck, I'm going to spare you the agony of listening to sentimental descriptions, so in short order, the kiss was finished after a minute, the contracts were signed, the photos were taken, et voila!-we were hitched. She was now Mrs. Kimi Watanabe-Finster Pickles. (She's going to refer to her middle initials as W.F., while our children will have Finster as a middle name, to spare the agony.)
As we made our way out, I heard gunshots from the left, and instincts told me to drop on the ground, Kimi below me. Turns out those were the 21-gun salutes, as I saw a line of 5 Marines firing in the air, and surprise...
"Gunny!" I shouted. Fred, who I then discovered was also in the reserve, albeit in a different unit, had brought along some of his boys for the wedding. My knee-jerk reaction made me a-yes, a jerk. He just shrugged his shoulders as the fire continued.
And when that excruciatingly humiliating moment was over, Kim tossed her bouquet and saw it land on...
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"Eh, shaddap, Lillian," Phil muttered, refusing to look at that hilarious Polaroid shot where the bouquet landed first on him. Another knee-jerk reaction sent it flying (mercifully) to Angelica.
"Gee, Philip, I didn't know that you had a ghost of a chance. A good one at that, hahahahaha!" his ever cocky twin sister replied.
"Why I oughtta-" he replied, only to be stopped by Betty.
"Now now, pups, don't spoil this shindig. Hah, I'm sure Cal Gottwald will be a good hubby for Ange over there. Heck, we'd better get eatin', I'm starving!"
"You're mother's right," Howard said. "Those canapes sure are tasty."
And so off they went to the table, me in my white mess uniform (for formal dinners; made up of short jacket, inner shirt w/ bowtie and black pants) following. Second time I dressed up.
#####
The Grand Pavillion was a bit less crowded than expected, but who cares? Chuckie, who came in with Madie and my newly-born niece Melinda, as well as Carl, was picking up food from the buffet table. Dil, meanwhile, was chatting with Mr. Lebedenko, chairman of Eaglecom, promoting Pickles Tech with considerable success. Uncle Drew and Aunt Charlotte, meanwhile, have picked up a good chat with Cal's parents, with Cal himself talking to Angie, Susie and Dil. Edmund was now taking care of his grandkids and grandnephew and grandniece (?), while Rupert, Dad and Kira were discussing grandkids they had now and upcoming grandkids on our part. Yeech, must be frightening.
"I'd wish Philip would stop singing and let Susie take over," Kimi said in a worried manner.
"But then, Suze can't sing Sinatra that well," I replied.
"For one thing, I didn't choose Sinatra or Buble-you did, hon," she answered back, and we both laughed. "He, as opposed to that damn song, is making us feel so old." More laughs.
"So, 'sup there, Kim?"
"Nothing much Z. And thanks for being our minister today." Zediniel Fairbanks Carson was his full name. We only knew this a week ago. Hooligan-like gloom yesterday, Lutheran preacher today. And we thought Electronics for Phonics was enough for him. Nah, we've seen odder things within the group.
"Well, get yourself doing something useful then after the honeymoon," he said, and then turned to me. "And take car of her, jarhead."
"Take care yourself, Z," I replied before we exchanged salutes and laughed yet again. Later, the mike changed hands to Susie.
"Ahh, fellas, before both of us begin singing, at Father Philip's behest here, I shoud warn that this is a bit sentimental, so get a dance partner and let's hit the floor. Especially birthday bride Kimi Pickles and her hubby Tommy." Looks like birthday girl gets chance to enjoy a part of her present today, but no wrapping will come off yet, fortunately.
The folks each got their dance partners (us adults and the, erm, grown-ups, have their dancing partners, and looks like Rupert would be left alone had Dad not refused to join Kira in the dancing) and David Pomeranz's King and Queen of Hearts began to play.
We're the king and queen of hearts
Hold me when the music starts
All my dreams come true
When I dance with you
Promise me you're mine tonight
I won't wait in line tonight
While the lights are low
I'll never let you go
Did I dream that we danced forever
In a wish that we made together
On a night that I prayed would never end?
No it's not my imagination
Or a part of the orchestration
Love was here at the coronation
I'm the King and you're the Queen of Hearts
"Didn't know you were a sucker for such sentimental music, Pickles," Chuckie said as he and Madie passed by the both of us.
"There are still some things you don't know about me, Finster," I replied candidly. "Besides, Phil and Susie are singing."
Time will pass and tears will fall
But someday we'll both recall
Moments made of these
Golden memories
Did I dream that we danced forever
In a wish that we made together
On a night that I prayed would never end?
No it's not my imagination
Or a part of the orchestration
Love was here at the coronation
I'm the King and you're the Queen
In a once and future dream
Where the dancers never seem to stop
Did I dream that we danced forever
In a wish that we made together
On a night that I prayed would never end?
No it's not my imagination
Or a part of the orchestration
Love was here at the coronation
I'm the King and you're the Queen of Hearts
And so we danced on. Fortunately, no idiot came hurling cake at another guy, but otherwise, I just gave Kimi the best birthday present ever. That would be the love of a certain Tommy Pickles.
So much for getting hitched.
But wait! It ain't over yet! Look out for the conclusion of this story: Rugrats Midlife: Reunion Chapter Fifteen: Parade Ground, coming soon!
P.S. Many thanks to my reviewers, whom I will mention by name in the next chapter, for giving me the impetus to go on, besides the fact that I'm on prepaid. Thanks also, to ex-designz.net for the lyrics of "King and Queen of Hearts," and to some movie script and fanfic writers, whose story elements I have taken, modified and fit to this story. (Sorry if you think you were ripped off.)
P.P.S. I received suggestions that I do another type of pairing. Hmmm... maybe next time...
P.P.P.S: I'm not Lutheran, I'm Catholic, so sorry about any liturgical errors in the wedding part. And sorry for making Z a minister (I just have the knack of making church leaders out of unlikely people.)