"Where is she?" Lily asked, rubbing her forehead.
"She'll be here…" Rick murmured, rubbing his hands together calmly, "….her plane is probably just late…or traffic is banked up…."
"Oh god!" Lily sighed, "…I hope it's not traffic…or else she'll never get here on time!"
Rick cleared his throat and silently cursed himself, "oh…well in that case…I'm positive traffic is just fine!"
Lily turned to him, "then where is she?"
Rick muttered something in coherent, and stood up from the seat by the breakfast table, walking to Lily who stood by the sink, anxiously ringing her shawl and rubbing her forehead.
"Don't panic please, Lil," he asked, calmly, nuzzling her neck with his lips.
"I'm not worried!" Lily snapped.
Rick tucked an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, "she will be here…she would never let Jessie down…"
"I know that!"
"So why are you so worried?"
"I'm not!"
Rick rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek again, "well good!"
"Yes…good….everything is good….great in fact!"
Just then, the front door opened, and slammed shut. A boisterous yell called out, "Where's my Bride to be!"
Lily and Rick shared a small smile, and made their way out to the front room, where Rick's mother stood, a small suitcase in hand, already dressed in a long flowing, baby blue dress and with a white rose in her hair.
"I'm ready to see my angel get married! Lets get this ceremony happening already!" she smiled.
Rick walked to her, enclosing his arms around his mother in a warm hug; "good to se you mum!" he murmured, and pulled away.
She looked to Lily, opened her arms to her in a gesture, "look at you! You get younger and younger every time I see you!" she smiled as Lily embraced her, "thank god you're here!" she murmured, and then pulled away, "Jessie wouldn't have gone through it without you sitting in the front row!" Lily smiled, relieved.
"Grandma!" Came a loud squeal from upstairs.
Jessie was still wearing her jeans and a too-big red t-shirt. Grace was halfway through pinning her hair up in an elegant bun, with a gardenia on the side.
"Don't wreck you're hair!" Grace called out from the bathroom, but Jessie was already racing down the stairs, half of her golden locks flopping about.
"Jessie!"
She and her grandmother collided in a sweet and frenzied hug. Jessie jumping up and down at the sight of her.
"I thought you wouldn't get here in time!" she squealed.
"I wouldn't miss this for the universe!" Grandma Sammler smiled, tucking the loose chunk of hair behind Jessie's ear.
"You look radiant!" she beamed.
Jessie rolled her eyes and looked down at herself, "I'm not even in my dress yet!"
"But still….you're glowing…." Her grandmother tut-tutted, "now….where on earth is you're big brother? I haven't seen him in a decade!"
"ELI!" Jessie screamed, looking up the stairs.
Zoe's bedroom door flung open, and Eli emerged in his black tux, hurriedly tying his tie. He walked past Grace, who was watching the commotion downstairs from the bathroom, they shared a momentary glance, and he kept walking.
"What? What?" he asked, annoyed, "what's with all the noise….?" When he got to the last step, he looked to Jessie, and then to his grandma, a broad smile crossing his lips.
"This is what all the noise is about!" Grandma Sammler said, pointing at herself.
"Oh….well that's ok then!" Eli smiled, embracing her in a long hug.
"You look good…" she said, examining him.
She reached up and ran a hand through his sensible, gelled hair; "I preferred the Mohawk!" she murmured.
"Oh well he wouldn't really fit in amongst all the suits at his office if he walked around looking like a punk-rocker!" Jessie smiled, punching him playfully in the arm.
Grandma gave a low murmur, "ah yes…you're a business man now….I forgot…." She said, the sound of disdain in her tone.
Eli gave a small nod, and looked her up and down, desperate to change the subject; "you look fantastic!" he smiled.
She ran a hand through her own hair, and gave a movie-star smile, "oh….this old thing? I just threw it on….you know!"
Jessie nodded and smiled, tucking an arm around her Grandmother's, "you have to come and see my dress!" she ordered, leading her up the stairs.
Lily and Rick watched them go, and then he leaned down and whispered in Lily's ear; "see…no problems….the day is going to go smoothly….you just see!"
"It's this great little dress that Katie just whipped up!" Jessie was rambling as she led her grandmother into Grace's room, where the dress was laid on the bed, ready for Jessie to slip into.
"Speaking of the other lovely bride…where is she?"
"Oh…we wanted to keep some tradition…so she's getting ready at my mum's house so that we don't see each other before the wedding!" Jessie smiled as she walked to the bed.
Her grandmother looked down at the fine silk, white backless dress; "oh Jessie…this is…."
"I know!" Jessie smiled, giddy with excitement. "We both designed it!" she added.
"This soon-to-be wife of your's is one talented lady…" grandma smiled, running her fingers along the dress lightly, "….you know I saw her little column in Teen Girl!"
"You read teen girl?" Jessie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well of course….I have to keep up with the times!…I even cut it out and stuck it in my photo album!"
There came a knock at the door, and both Jessie and Grandma turned to see Grace waiting patiently.
"And who is this?" Grandma asked, smiling sweetly.
"Oh Grandma….you know Grace! Lily's eldest! You've met her a dozen times!"
Grace stepped in, walking to the bed where Jessie and Grandma stood, "oh…..but you haven't seen me in a while" she murmured.
"No…no I most certainly have not…." Grandma Sammler smiled, taking Grace's hand and looking into her face, "….tell me darling….are you a model?"
Grace blushed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She was wearing her hideous brides-maid dress, and a black cardigan (to hide her chest)….she couldn't see how Grandma Sammler could come to the conclusion that she was a model in such a horrible outfit. She looked anything but!
"Ah….no….I'm a student….in Wilmington, North Carolina?"
"Oh….oh dear…well if you ever want to get started in the profession…I have a friend in Tokyo who could use you're face!"
Grace smiled and blushed, "I'll keep that in mind….thankyou…."
"Lily wants to know where the priest person is?" Eli said, walking towards his father, who was standing underneath the tent in the backyard, doing some last minute checks to make sure it was secure.
"Oh…..she's panicking that the ceremonial lady wont be here…..isn't she?"
"Big time! And the guests are starting to arrive….Aunt Susie says she feels like chocolate cake….."
Rick rolled his eyes, "she's had one too many if you ask go without one for a day!"
Eli laughed and stood beside his father, looking out at the rows of chairs and the raised platform where Jessie and Katie would soon be taking their vowels. Everything was pristine and beautiful. Just what is sister deserved…..
"I never thought I'd be going through a day like this…" Rick started.
"What? Seeing Jessie marry another woman?"
Rick cleared his throat, "well….no….they've been together so long….it feels like they're already married…."
Eli turned to his father.
"I meant…. I thought you'd be the first to get married…." Rick ended.
Eli looked to his feet, and stuck his hands in the pockets.
"It's a shame….what happened between you and that girl….Isabelle!" Rick started again, and Eli shifted his weight, "….such a nice young lady….you two looked good together…."
"Dad!" Eli cut in, and Rick turned to him.
"Oh…sorry son…" he said, patting his shoulder.
"It's ok…it's just…"
"They say time heals all wounds…" Rick cut in, and Eli turned to him.
"I think whoever thought that crap up has never had a woman break his heart…."
Eli turned away, "yeah" was all he could say.
Rick laid a hand on Eli's shoulder again, "someone else will come along…and you'll be glad that you waited for her….because she'll make all the pain you've gone through seem worth it….trust me….. I should know!"
There was a soft silence between them for a moment. Eli wallowed in his guilt, and then finally Rick cleared his throat "weddings starting in an hour…better go and make sure Lily hasn't lost her cool….", and he headed back inside.
ELI there aren't any words to explain how guilty I feel.
"Can I come in?" Grace asked, lightly tapping the door and opening it slowly.
"Yes" Jessie called.
Grace stepped inside her room, and looked to Jessie, who sat perfectly still on a stool, wearing her backless, silk dress; looking at herself in a full-length mirror.
"Katie just arrived with her grandparents…" Grace murmured.
Jessie gave a small nod, and smoother out her soft dress.
"How do I look?" she asked, without lifting her head.
Grace walked slowly towards Jessie; she examined her in the mirror.
"Let me see you're face…." She whispered.
Jessie looked up, a smile playing across her lips, her cheeks glowing with happiness.
"You look happy….in love….and happy!" Grace smiled.
"Good….because that's how I feel!"
"Girls? Can I come in?"
They both turned, and saw Karen, standing by the door.
"I'll wait for you downstairs Jess…." Grace murmured, and walked out the door, past Karen, who slowly crept towards her daughter.
"Katie's here honey…" she murmured.
Jessie looked to her mother and smiled, "well we better get started….", and moved, about to stand, when Karen rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Mum…?" Jessie started, looking up to her mother, who was wearing a flowing, soft yellow dress, her hair out and curly. She looked as though she was about to cry.
"I wasn't so supportive of you when you and Katie first started dating…" Karen started, croakily, "….I thought it was just a phase you were going through…something you'd snap out of, like you're anorexia"
She rubbed Jessie's shoulder softly, "…a small part of me hoped that you would snap out of it, that one day you'd turn around and decide to love a boy."
JESSIE (wearing her wedding dress, looks sadly into camera)
Karen brought a hand to her face, rubbing away a freshly fallen tear.
"But you're here now…. about to marry this beautiful, sweet girl, who I know you love…. and who loves you back with all her heart…and you both want to spend you're life together, and start a family"
JESSIE (takes a deep breath)
"….And I couldn't imagine you being happier than you are right now….or when you're with Katie…and just seeing you at this place in you're life, when you're willing to give all you have to one person….a woman…." She took a deep breath, "…I have never felt so proud to be you're mother…."
JESSIE (gives a small smile into the camera)
Jessie gulped back tears. She tried to think of something deep and profound to say to her mother….something that they would both remember as long as they lived, as a special mother-daughter moment that would define their relationship.
And then Jessie thought of the perfect word to make this moment, one they would both remember forever.
"…Thankyou…"
Karen brushed away tears, "…come on….lets get you married!"
She took Jessie's hand, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, they leaned their heads together, and made their way down to the garden, where Katie awaited.
Katie held Rick's hand as he led her down the aisle. Behind them, Jessie held onto Katie's grandfather's hand.
They both met at the end, and looked to one another. Katie's dress was light, with a lace skirt she'd designed herself. Katie's was longer, silk, and backless. Both girls wore a gardenia in their hair.
They held hands and smiled, then turned to the female priest, who started the ceremony.
"We are here today, to see these two women declare their undying love for one another…."
Grace and Zoe stood to the side, holding their flowers, dressed in their horribly ugly bridesmaid dresses.
Grace felt tears trickle down her cheek, and she could have sworn that she saw Zoe quickly swipe at her own eyes….?
Eli was by Jessie's side, holing the girls wedding bands in his hand, feeling his eyes water as they turned to one another and started professing their love.
Rick and Karen sat in the front row, with Katie's grandparents; Lily, Judy and Henry sitting behind them. Lily and Judy blubbering, Henry constantly having to burrow into his jacket pocket for a fresh tissue.
Karen reached over and squeezed Rick's hand, they both smiled up at their daughter and her wife.
RICK & KAREN (sitting side by side) that's our little girl….
"…You are now united as one…from now until forever…." Were the last words, and then Katie and Jessie leaned in and kissed one another, short and sweet.
"….may we have the wedding bands?…."
Eli wiped at his tears, and handed both gold bands to Jessie and Katie, who slipped them on one another.
"I love you…" Jessie whispered, slipping Katie's on.
"…I love you more…." Katie replied, with a smile.
KATIE & JESSIE (you only see their holding hands)
