Chapter 25: No Letting Go
as told by: Roger and Mark (and it will be marked witch ones right under the breaks)
Saturday 14 October
a.k.a- Mark and Ella's wedding.
(Roger)
This is either the smartest or stupidest thing I've ever seen Mark do. Stupid in that he's going to kill himself worrying about everything. Smart in that if he makes it through Ella can control his worry.
Benny and Scott goes to see if the girls are ready, taking Noah and Roman with them, and leaving me and the pacing Mark in the small back room of the tiny church, the only place they were able to find on short notice.
I laugh as I watch him mess with his hands. Cade kidnapped it during the middle of the night so that he'd actually end up getting married.
I could hear him mumbling.
"Come on, Mark,...Mark, look at me. I am Roger, your best friend, your roommate, andthe bestman would I really let you do something stupid?"
He glares at me.
Okay, maybe not the best question.
"You're the one who asked her. Your fault."
"Not helping, Roger."
"You weren't letting me. Could you slow down you going back and forth is making me dizzy."
He suddenly stops, concerned, shit...
"Not like that...I just meant you need to calm down."
"What if she changes her mind? What if she has to throw up? What if I faint? What if you faint?"
I really can't believe he dragged me into that.
"What if the boys trip..."
This is one of the moments I wish I had my guitar to knock some sense into him...well, as much sense as I'd be willing to offer.
Benny comes in and nods.
"Mark."
He's not listening.
"Mark David Cohen."
"What?"
Finally.
"Breathe. You're getting married. Now. Deal with it."
I grab him by the arm and drag him out.
(Mark)
Okay, here goes nothing. Who am I kidding? Here goes everything.
I stand next to the old priest who doing the ceremony, Ella's father's one request.
The only people in the pews are my parents, Lizzy, two of Ella's mother's sisters dressed in traditional garb who were able to come from India to see this, and two people from the studio. Everyone else is in the wedding. Kind of funny how only two people are actually saying the vows, actually getting married, but the ceremony involves everybody and their brother.
I breathe as it all begins. I can't believe we pulled it off.
Aurora and Roman are first. Aurora refusing to distribute her small amount of flowers, and slapping Roman's hand every time he tries to do it for her. I see Cade in the corner filming, before my dad gets up and takes his turn so she can get to where every one else is.
Kenna and Noah are next. Kenna proudly tosses the petals out of the basket, her happiness dampened when she finishes the basket in the middle. Noah has that cocky grin of Roger's on his face.
Scott and Joanne.
Benny and Maureen.
Roger and Ella's friend Kelly.
Mr. Kirson and Ella.
Oh, god Ella.
I lose complete awareness of the fact that I'm grinning stupidly or of any one else.
Her mother's sari that over lays her dress hides the four month bump.
Here goes...
"We are gathered here..."
I zone out. She's here. This is real. She's not running.
I do what I'm supposed to when prompted.
"I do."
Then her turn...she smiles, watching me the entire time...
"I do."
She said it. Okay, Cohen, breathe.
Before he announces us...one more thing...well, two...
"Kenna..."
She comes forward, unusually shy as I put the necklace around her neck...and though she protested, Cade gets one too. It was Ella's ideal to make sure to include them in on this. I catch Cade's eye...she shrugs and mouths 'thanks' as I hear...
"..Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cohen."
We kiss and there is a sudden
"Eewww."
"Noah, shh."
We get through the motions and eventually wind up at the studio...where one of the classrooms has been turned into a small reception area.
The food came from Ella's aunts so there are several items I don't recognize.
The music is being roughly Deejayed by one of the guys from studio.
"Come here."
Ella grabs my hands and pull me up.
"Dance with me."
Roger laughs as I'm pulled to the middle of the room. However, Cade sees this and pulls him up and forces him to dance with her. Revenge.
Three of the kids are out sleeping.
Noah, however, is showing no signs of stopping his "dance" which is just alot of jumping, oddly looking similar to Benny's dancing.
"We're married." She whispers into my chest. I've never felt tall before Ella cam.
"You said yes."
We laugh. Ella straightens up, "I need to sit for a minute."
I begin walking back too, but a hand on my shoulder stops me,
"Roger escape. Dance with me."
A slower song comes on.
"When does the papers for Kenna become official?"
"Wednesday."
I signed paper to officially adopt Kenna. McKenney Hope Cohen now.
"You know Ella suits you. You two fit." She says as we slowly revolve around the floor.
"Thanks."
"I mean it."
She stops leans in, gives me a small peck on the cheek, and whispers,
"Congrats, Dad."
And she walks away, looking back once to smile, before engaging in a conversation with Joanne.
I walk back to where Ella and most of the rest of us are at.
"What?"
"She called me, Dad."
Ella understands. I didn't think Cade would, not after the birthday card, it feels odd yet still good. Like when Roger doesn't play his guitar and the loft is silent.
A good kind of odd.
I feel Ella's hand wrap into mine and she leans on the bench into be and I wrap my arms around her.
I kiss the top of her head.
"I love you."
"Love you, too."
"Forever."
No letting go.
Author's Notes:
Okay, so I worked really hard on this one and I hope it shows. There a few bits I'm sure I'm missing. But I'm sure there's a certain secretary out there who is holding a draft version of this chapter and then filing it under "Weird shit that woman has handed to me over the years"...Anyhow, moving on.
Okay, so I know I've been relatively vague about Ella, as to description and back story. Mainly because there has been no real space to put it...so indulge me for a moment as I just go ahead and tell you and save us all the trouble.
Mr. Kirson (of Irish descent) is a business man who went to India met Ella's mom, who moved to the states after a bit. They got married and had Ella in North Carolina. Ella is roughly six or eight years younger than Mark. When Ella was in her freshmen year, her mom went back to India to visit family and was killed in a church bombing, as her mom was one of the Christian minority, having converted when she married Mr. Kirson. In Ella's last year of college she met a dude named Nathan (Who Kenna gets her lighter hair from) dated for a bit and when Kenna was born Nathan ran. A few chapters back when Ella went to fix thing Nate gave up his parental rights, hence Mark adopting her...Ella was hoping for the proposal.
Any more questions on Ella just let me know.
Lils: Yes. Hopefully he continues that way. Thanks
BwayDiva: There was more but Rog got too wordy...
L.M.Ward: Thanks...I don't know what to say, thanks...
Kelby: Thanks...and yeah I get the idea...
carsonsheir: more my fault for not being clear...I feel so stupid for not thinking of that and ch. 6 of Dtts is coming soon, I promise...lack of time bumped this and 'All We're Left With Are The memories' up
ShatteredTruth: Wow, thank you so much, update soon, okay? Gypsy, huh?
Oh, heads up Scott will probably be bowing out soon...he needs to go so I can get to Cade's someone and Mark/Maureen/everyone else getting overprotective...
Until next time, this is me...signing out