Story: A Wedding Diary
Chapter 10
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Previously: The music started, but the bride missed her cue
Summary: Jed's insecurities take over
The music stopped and the guests began to whisper. Kate looked over at her mother who shrugged in disbelief. She shook her head and shrugged back before turning to Jed.
"I'm sure she's fine," she told the nervous groom.
Jed immediately remembered the Steve's words from moments earlier. Without a second though, he stormed towards Ron's seat. "What the hell did you say to her?"
Ron stood up and met his gaze. "Nothing."
"Don't tell me nothing! She's not here!"
Rick kept one hand on Jed's arm and tried to pull him back. "Jed, don't."
Kate ran out, heading directly towards Abbey's room to check on her sister. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found her coming out of the bathroom. "What happened?"
"Everything's okay now. Abigail is sick," James told his younger daughter.
"Sick?"
"I've been nauseous all day. It's just nerves. It's nothing to worry about."
"Should I get a doctor?" Kate asked.
"No!" Abbey insisted. "I haven't eaten at all today and I just got a little light-headed."
"I tried to give her a few crackers and some water, but she didn't keep it down." James added. "Abbey, maybe we should get a doctor."
"Right now, I just want to get married. Daddy, please. I'm fine now. Really."
James nodded and stroked his daughter's hand, but just as Kate left to return to the chapel to inform everyone they were ready to continue, Jed's voice came bellowing down the hall.
"Abbey!"
Abbey frantically ran back into the bride's room. "He can't see me before the ceremony."
"Abbey, what's going on?" he shouted as he approached James and Kate.
"Jed, what are you doing?" Abbey asked from behind the closed door.
"What am I doing? What are you doing? What were you doing with Ron earlier?"
"How did you know..."
He tried to turn the knob, but Abbey had locked it. "That's not important. Open the door." James put a hand on Jed's shoulder to try to keep him calm, but was unsuccessful. "Abbey, you missed your cue. Did he say something to you?"
Abbey closed her eyes and hoped she had the patience to deal with his outburst. She had learned by now that if there was anyone who could provoke Jed's insecurities, it was Ron. "For crying out loud, stop being such a jackass!"
All of Jed's energy and rage seeped out of him with her sharp words.
"Abigail..." her father called out to her. "Look, Jed, the delay had nothing at all to do with Ron. Now Abbey is ready to walk down the aisle, so please go take your place."
Kate took Jed's hand and began to lead him back inside. Behind the door of the bride's room, Abbey felt a twinge of guilt. How could she blame him for being suspicious when she really had missed her cue? How could she blame him for feeling the way she did about Ron when she knew it was the result of her own mistake early in their relationship?
"Jed!" Abbey stopped him before he left. "I want to marry you and nothing anyone could say would ever make me change my mind. I love you."
"I love you too," he whispered loud enough for her to hear before he took Kate's hand and continued walking towards the chapel.
Once he was gone, Abbey came out of the bride's room and took her father's arm as they waited for the music to start.
This time, Jed held his breath until he saw her framed in the doorway. He imagined that she would look gorgeous, but he wasn't prepared for the sight before him. She was more beautiful than he could have ever envisioned. Her glossy auburn hair cascaded down her face, gently scraping the top of her shoulders, with just a few strands from the sides gathered at the top of her head to ensure her pearl and crystal tiara was nestled securely in place.
Her gleaming white ballgown was the most exquisite wedding dress he had ever seen. His eyes followed the sweetheart neckline on the white velvet bodice which exposed just enough of her cleavage to give her a sexy, yet sophisticated look. The skirt was made entirely of silk with tiny flecks of velvet petals, trimmed in silver sparkle and miniature clear crystals.
As father and daughter took smooth, calculated steps towards Jed, Abbey couldn't tear her eyes from the handsome man waiting to greet her. He was always attractive, but today was different. His eyes were bluer, his hair was shinier, there was an incandescent glow radiating from him.
James kissed his daughter on the cheek and placed her hands gently into Jed's. Abbey fought back the tears, but she lost her battle when saw a single drop lingering just outside Jed's eye, stubbornly staying put instead of trailing down his face.
Jed hoped the priest would keep talking for as long as possible because he knew once he stopped, it would be time to recite the vows he and Abbey had written for one another. And right now, he couldn't form the syllables to express his thoughts.
"Jed?" Abbey called out. "It's time for the vows. Go ahead."
He nervously looked around the room, unable to admit he had forgotten his vows. He was so overwhelmed by emotion that he couldn't remember the words he had rehearsed a dozen times. He looked at Abbey and suddenly realized he didn't need scripted words. He spoke from his heart instead.
He leaned in to whisper something only she could hear. "I love you."
He had said that phrase countless times, but never did it have as much meaning and as much depth as it did in that very moment.
"My sweet Abigail. I'm making a commitment to you right now, in front of God and everyone we know and love. You're incredible, Abbey. You're the precious gift that until recently, I only dreamed about. I never imagined that another human being could ever touch my soul the way that you do with every smile, every sound, every single emotion. There just aren't enough words in the English language for me to adequately express how I feel about you. To even try would be a fruitless effort because I'd never succeed."
He stroked her hand and tightened his hold. "What I can do is take your hand and promise you, right here, right now, that I will be the best husband I can to you. My life's mission is to bring you all the joy that you've brought into my life. I promise to always be faithful and true to you as we begin and end this journey together. I'll be your confidante, your lover, and your best friend. I want to share your hopes and your dreams and I want to face every day with you by my side. I love you so much."
Abbey's eyes were rapidly clouding with tears. She repositioned her hand around his to get a firm hold on him before she started to speak.
"Jed, I never believed in love at first sight until I saw you at that New Year's Eve party almost two years ago - the tall, dark, handsome stranger that made me forget everything and everyone else. You awakened feelings in me that I never even knew existed. You opened my eyes to things that I had only read about, made me believe in things I never would have otherwise, and you did it with the charm and the grace I fell in love with. And all of that was on our very first date," she smiled at him warmly.
"Since then, it's been a whirlwind of laughs and tears - and even fights - that I'll never forget. It's brought us to where we are today. In front of all our friends and relatives, in front of God as our witness, I pledge my love to you, Josiah Bartlet. I'll be your faithful companion, your partner, and your best friend, in good times and in bad. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you, to laugh and to cry with you as we move ahead and face the future together. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. I don't think I ever will. I love you, Jed."
Jed wiped a tear that trickled down Abbey's face. They both turned back towards the priest, ready to exchange rings.
"Repeat after me," he said to Jed.
Jed began to slip the ring on to Abbey's finger while he stared deep into her eyes.
"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love," the priest began.
"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love,"
"And with it, I give you my body, my soul, and my heart."
"And with it, I give you my body, my soul, and my heart," Jed repeated.
"I promise to love, honor, and cherish you, in sickness and in health, for richer, or for poorer, for as long as we both shall live," the priest and Jed completed in unison.
The priest turned to Abbey. "Abigail, repeat after me."
Abbey continued to hold Jed's gaze as she placed the ring at the tip of his finger. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love."
The priest continued, "And with it, I give you my body, my soul, and my heart."
With a hitch in her voice and a renewed struggle to fight back the tears that threatened to make her lose her composure, she echoed the words. "And with it, I give you my body, my soul, and my heart."
"I promise to love, honor, and obey you, in sickness..."
An unexpected burst of energy forced Abbey to pull the ring off Jed's finger and jerk her head to the side to face the priest, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I don't think so." She turned back to Jed. "When did you slip that in?"
Jed grinned mischievously. "Just trying to keep you on your toes, Babe."
Abbey shook her head at him then took his hand and began again. "I promise to love, honor, and CHERISH you, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for as long as we both shall live," she concluded as she pushed the ring to the base of his finger.
Jed grabbed hold of the trim on her veil and lifted it up over the glittering tiara and the silver barrette he hadn't noticed until now. It was the one he had given her at the Fourth of July picnic a year earlier.
With the veil out of the way, he stared at her porcelain skin, lightly tracing over her right cheekbone with the tip of his index finger. He leaned his head to the side and began to kiss her.
"I haven't told you to that yet, Josiah," the priest jokingly scolded.
Jed straightened himself back up and he and Abbey exchanged a coy glance.
"By the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Before he had finished the official announcement, Jed wrapped his arms around Abbey's waist and pulled her up for a passionate kiss, one so long that the snickers from the crowd forced them apart. The guests rose to their feet and applauded as the couple headed towards the door, hand-in-hand.
When they hit the hall, Abbey turned to her new husband.
"About Ron, I'm so..."
Jed refused to let anything ruin the perfect moment, so he didn't allow her to finish. He simply picked her up, kissed her again, and twirled her around. Abbey put a hand over her forehead as she felt a bolt of nausea.
"Jed, don't!"
Jed abruptly stopped spinning and put her down. "What's wrong?"
"I just feel light-headed."
"Here, sit down," he said, walking her over to a chair.
Abbey didn't make it to her seat. Her legs buckled and she collapsed in her spot as Jed rushed to grab her before she hit the ground.
TBC