Shane stood with her walker watching Heather, Rita, and Alex close the last few boxes to take to Oliver's. Most of her belongings would stay until after their honeymoon, but Shane knew she would want some things right away.
Shane glanced at her phone and then out the window. Quarter to ten. She smiled to herself.
Alex noticed, "Any O'Toole sightings yet today, Shane?"
Shane laughed and then went with it, "Not yet, but I'm hoping for one soon."
"Well," said Heather, "boxes are all ready to go! We can help you pack for your honeymoon later this afternoon. Tomorrow will be much too busy."
Shane nodded. "Thanks so much, all of you." She was literally getting married in two days. Part of her still couldn't believe it.
Rita gave her a side hug. "What did you finally decide to do for your honeymoon?"
Switching the wedding had worked out beautifully, but switching the honeymoon had not. That, along with Shane's unpredictable health and many therapy appointments, had caused them to make arrangements closer to home, with a larger trip sometime in fall or winter.
"Oh, Oliver said he'd take care of the details, but something local-ish." Shane smiled.
"And you're okay with that?" asked Alex, surprised.
"I am." she said sincerely. "We'll plan a bigger trip later on, hopefully when I am feeling a bit stronger."
"Oh, that sounds nice! Like having two honeymoons!" exclaimed Rita.
"Yeah, I hadn't thought of it that way!" smiled Shane, Rita's optimism rubbing off on her once again.
"So, Shane," ventured Rita with a smile, "I know tomorrow is quite busy, but if my memory serves me right, it's also a very special day…"
"Yes," said Heather, "I could never forget April 30th. 18 hours of labor, full head of blonde hair, exactly 7lbs..."
"The day I was replaced as the favorite child," said Alex dramatically.
Shane laughed. "I already told Oliver not to do anything. That goes for all of you as well. You've all helped so much with wedding plans. That is enough of a gift."
Rita sighed, "Okay…" Heather caught her eye and winked at her, letting her know there were already plans in the works.
"Mr. O'Toole just pulled up." said Alex.
"Quick!" gasped Shane, "Someone grab my chair!" Heather and Alex looked at her perplexed, but Rita sprang into action. She wheeled it up right next to her and Shane lowered herself down just as Oliver's footsteps could be heard on the porch.
"He skipped two steps!" Alex whispered loudly as she threw a wink Shane's direction. "Must be in a good mood for some reason."
Heather laughed as Oliver knocked on the door. She looked at Shane for permission to open it. Shane adjusted her seat slightly and nodded.
Oliver stepped in, "Good morning, ladies. I trust you are all well this morning?" He said politely while glancing around at each of them, his eyes always stopping on Shane.
"We are," smiled Shane.
"Would you like some coffee or a bagel?" asked Heather.
"Oh, no thank you." said Oliver. "I already had breakfast. Are those the boxes?" he gestured toward the stack near the door. "I can load them. We meet with the pastor at 10:30."
"Oh, we can help you carry these out." said Rita.
"No heavy boxes for you, Rita. Alex and I can do it." said Heather.
Everyone pitched in and they were on their way. Heather, Alex, and Rita walked back to the house.
"Why in the world did Shane not want Oliver to see her standing up this morning?" speculated Heather.
Rita was suddenly not looking anyone in the eye.
"Rita?" probed Alex.
"Well…I really should get to work." Rita said as she let out an awkward chuckle.
Heather and Alex both looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"She is supposed to be resting her leg this week, but she really wants to walk down the aisle, even though Oliver doesn't want her to! So she's been practicing anyways!" blurted Rita.
Heather looked concerned. "She was only up on her feet for a few minutes this morning and I noticed her breathing faster. I assumed she would sit if she was in pain, but clearly not! Shane Eileen!" said Heather exasperatedly as she covered her eyes with her hand and rubbed her temples.
"Mom?" ventured Alex. "You know Shane won't be happy with herself unless she tries. But she also knows where to draw her own lines. It will be okay."
Heather sighed, "It probably will, but don't you think she should let Oliver know her plan?"
"She really doesn't want to worry him." said Rita.
"So she's trying to give him a heart attack when she begins walking down the aisle?" asked Heather.
Alex laughed, "If he is not used to her personality at this point, there is little hope for him now."
Heather sighed again. "Well, his life will never be boring. That is certain." She paused shaking her head. "Let's go finish birthday preparations."
"Well, that was interesting." said Shane as Oliver climbed in the car after their meeting with the pastor.
"How so?" asked Oliver.
"He spent a lot of time talking about divorce to a couple about to get married." said Shane.
"I believe he was trying to emphasize the seriousness of the marriage contract. There have been many couples separating in our congregation this year, which has probably been very unsettling to him." speculated Oliver.
"He did say he felt more than comfortable performing our marriage ceremony." said Oliver, squeezing Shane's hand.
Shane sat there thinking about all of the relationships she'd watched crumble, her parents, her own, others around her. She then thought of Norman and Rita and smiled. No risk of that happening to them.
"What do you think makes a relationship resilient, like Norman and Rita?" Shane asked curiously.
Oliver pondered for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Well, they are both genuinely more concerned about the other person's well-being than they are their own ."
"That's true." said Shane, thoughtfully. "And they are both such good people."
"Mmmhmm." agreed Oliver. "I suppose it is because no matter what comes their way, they will never stop choosing each other."
"Like us." smiled Shane, squeezing his hand.
Oliver smiled warmly and glanced her direction. "Like us."
They soon arrived at Oliver's home.
"Hmm, sorry I won't be much help with the boxes." said Shane.
"I'm happy to do it," said Oliver, "Let's get you inside first and then worry about unloading."
Oliver took Shane's chair in first and then came back to carry her inside. He gently lowered her down and quickly stepped in front of her.
"I have something to show you!" he said excitedly. Shane smiled at how animated he suddenly became.
"My dad and I discovered a few weeks back that the doorways here would not be wide enough for your chair. We asked Bill for help and we finished just this morning. Would you like to test it out?"
Shane stared at him with raised eyebrows, "You widened every doorway?"
"Yes, but only on the main floor." said Oliver. Shane was still staring at him with a surprised look so he added, "This will very shortly be your home too, Shane." He paused and smiled at her, "It will be ours, together. You look around and I will go grab the boxes before it starts to rain." With that, Oliver slipped out the front door.
Shane slowly began wheeling herself down the hallway. He hadn't just widened doorways, the furniture was all arranged differently as well, making it easier for her to move from room to room.
She entered Oliver's office, the doorway had a perfect amount of space. She got to the bedroom door and paused. This room was new to her. She easily maneuvered through the doorway. She smiled as she looked around. It was such an Oliver room. Everything was neat and tidy, and old fashioned, but also high quality. He had a framed picture of them on his nightstand next to a stack of books and an old fashioned telephone.
She tested the bathroom doorway next. She smiled as she smelled his cologne. The room was slightly smaller than Shane's bathroom, but big enough. Oliver had installed stability bars for her as well. This wasn't just a little bit of work, it was a lot. She felt emotional.
She wheeled herself out just as Oliver brought in the last box.
"Thank you." she said quietly. "Everything is perfect."
Oliver smiled, "That is a true statement. Let's have some lunch before we unpack."
He wheeled Shane into the dining room area, exposing a large pile of gifts in the living room.
"Whoa! Are all of those for us?!" asked Shane.
"Mmmhmm," said Oliver. "Once we sent out the updated invitations, packages began arriving daily. We know some very generous people. I actually have a wedding gift for you. I'd like to give it to you before things get busy tomorrow, if that's alright?"
Shane grinned, "Sure! I have something for you as well. May I go first?"
"Of course." said Oliver as he pulled a dining chair over next to Shane.
She pulled a small package out of her purse and handed it to Oliver.
He unwrapped it carefully and grinned. "A new letter opener. Thank you." he said sincerely.
Shane smiled excitedly, "Turn it over!"
Oliver flipped it over. "Our wedding date. I have a feeling this will be my new favorite letter opener." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
He then stood to retrieve a carefully wrapped package off the table. "I hope you like it," he said a little nervously.
"I'm sure I will." said Shane as she opened the box.
She pulled out a large photo album with 'O & S' etched into the cover. She glanced at Oliver and smiled as she opened the front cover. The first page had a handwritten dedication. 'To my Shane, May our adventures together continue always. With all my love, Oliver.'
Most of the book had blank pages, but the first section had pictures from when they first met, all the way up to their engagement, and even from the last few months since the accident. Oliver had written a description under each photo and some pages contained his feelings about the events in the photos. Shane began reading and her eyes filled with tears. Oliver couldn't always find the words to say what he was feeling, but he had been able to find them in written form. He had given her the gift of words, his words, straight from the heart.
Shane closed the book and hugged it to her chest. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Are those tears the happy kind?" asked Oliver.
Shane nodded with a tearful smile.
"So, you like it?" he asked.
Shane laughed, "Yes, I absolutely love it!" She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief Oliver handed her.
He smiled with a satisfied expression, "Good. I look forward to adding memories over time."
Shane opened the album up again to keep reading.
Oliver sat there for a moment, not saying anything, just watching her. "I'll make us lunch. You read."
"Okay." she said, not taking her eyes from the page.
Oliver smiled as he prepared their meal. Shane would randomly sniff or laugh out loud as she turned pages. This felt so normal, eating lunch together in the home they would soon share. He let the happiness wash over him as he carried two plates to the table.
"Rise and shine! It's your birthday!" Heather and Alex shouted and then blew party blowers right over Shane's head.
Shane blinked and propped herself up on her elbows. "What in the world…?"
"Hey, it's 7:30! Mom made me wait to wake you up, so you should be grateful!" exclaimed Alex.
"But I thought our salon appointment wasn't until 10?" Shane asked as she yawned.
"It's not," replied Heather, "but we've added a birthday massage beforehand and a birthday lunch afterwards! Hurry and get ready! Rita and Becky are meeting us there!"
"Okay." said Shane, still not making any attempt to get up.
Alex glanced over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, "Seriously Shane, if you don't get moving I'm eating your birthday macaroons!"
"Happy birthday, baby." Heather said with a tight hug.
"Thanks, Mom." Shane smiled.
"I better go check on breakfast." said Heather as she stood to leave.
"Hey, Mom?" said Shane.
"Yes?" Heather said as she turned back to face her.
Shane's face split into a grin, "I'm getting married tomorrow."
Heather smiled with shining eyes. "I know."
"Thank you." added Shane.
"For what?" asked Heather.
"For being here." said Shane.
Heather nodded slightly and smiled as she left the room. "There is no where else I'd rather be."
"Don't let Alex touch my macaroons!" Shane yelled as she sat up fully.
The morning went by quickly. They ended up at the Mailbox Grille for lunch. They had all ignored her "no gifts" request. There were cards and chocolates and Rita had even given her a friendship bracelet with an owl charm to match her own.
Shane had enjoyed every minute of it, but her thoughts kept drifting to Oliver. The excitement was a constant, but a nervousness had begun to grow alongside it. She partially wanted to pinch herself, just to make sure this was all real.
She was lost in thought when a voice spoke to her from the side.
"Hello, Shane. Is this seat taken?" said Oliver.
Shane jumped slightly, surprised, to the delight of everyone present. There Oliver stood, Norman had already slipped in next to Rita.
"What are you doing here?!" she asked. He was dressed casually, but neatly and Shane could tell he'd gotten a hair cut that morning. He looked pleased that he had surprised her.
"Is this not a birthday celebration for my bride-to-be?" Oliver asked with a smile.
Shane grinned. She slid over to make room.
Oliver sat down and immediately reached for her hand underneath the table. She squeezed his hand back and looked at him, beaming.
Everyone was laughing and chatting so he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Happy birthday. I have a surprise for you."
He handed her an envelope. Everyone stopped talking to watch Shane open it. They were all just as curious as she was.
She released Oliver's hand and opened it carefully. Plane tickets. To Sweden. She quickly looked at him with a shocked expression.
He grinned, "Would you like to ride in a balloon over Stockholm with me?"
Shane nodded, still shocked. Everyone else was cheering and clapping.
"Shane, that is on your bucket list!' exclaimed Rita.
"Way to go, Mr. O'Toole." said Alex as she held her hand up to give Oliver a high-five. He high-fived her back, awkwardly.
Heather was smiling, "I think we need to re-pack your suitcase."
Shane turned to throw her arms around Oliver's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed. "I'm so excited!"
"We fly out Saturday morning. It's a two and a half week trip. Oh, and Dr. Noom said it wouldn't set you back on your recovery as long as you do your stretches," explained Oliver.
Shane just shook her head and smiled, staring at the tickets in her hand. She squeezed Oliver's hand tightly. Yep, this was real.
Oliver went to get Shane a drink and glanced around the room. The rehearsal dinner had gone perfectly. There were toasts and laughter and a few tears. All of the most important people in their lives were able to be there. His dad, Heather, Alex, Norman, Rita, Bill, Becky, even Ramon. The room was alive with energy and love. Dinner was delicious and now they were mingling.
He glanced at his watch. Just after 8:00 PM. He smiled. They'd be wrapping up soon and in less than 24 hours, he would be marrying Shane McInerney. He looked over as she was talking with his father. She sensed his gaze and glanced over at him as she had been doing all evening. Oliver smiled softly and just looked at her. Sometimes dreams really do come true.
"You going to get some punch, Oliver, or can we go first?" asked Alex, teasingly.
Oliver turned to face Alex and Ramon. He realized he was holding the ladle in midair as he stood lost in thought.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Please excuse me." He quickly filled up a cup for Shane and stepped to the side.
"Ovilear is quite taken with his bride, no?" Ramon added, stating the obvious. Alex laughed.
Oliver chuckled, surprised to be agreeing with Ramon, "That is true. And she happens to be thirsty. Excuse me, please."
Oliver made his way back to Shane.
"I would be honored to. As long as your mom is really okay with it." said Joe.
Oliver handed Shane her drink and then placed his hand on her shoulder. She reached up and held it with her free hand. "What are we discussing?" he asked.
"Oh, after rehearsing tonight, Mom let me know she'd prefer to watch me walk down the aisle, instead of walking with me. So I asked Joe if he would do the honors." explained Shane.
"And I said yes." added Joe.
Oliver smiled. "Wonderful."
"I'm so happy for you kids." said Joe. "I love ya."
"We love you too, Dad." said Oliver as Shane nodded in agreement.
He hugged them both. "Well, this party needs to wind down if there is going to be a wedding tomorrow. I'm going to head out. See you two in the morning."
Norman and Rita walked up just then. "We're going to head out too." said Norman.
"But remember," said Rita seriously, "Shane is to arrive at 8:30AM and you are not to arrive until 9:00AM. It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding! Especially in her dress!"
Oliver grinned at Rita's seriousness, "I promise to arrive at the appointed time and to avert my eyes if we happen to run into each other, regardless of how difficult that may be." He smiled down at Shane.
"Good!" said Rita, as she smiled and hugged them both.
They all smiled at one another for a moment.
Norman got a reflective look on his face. "A lot has changed in three years, hasn't it? I'm glad you came when you did, Shane. And that even as things continue to change, we're still the Postables."
"Yes, Norman," said Shane with conviction, "we will always be the Postables."
Rita sniffed and took a handkerchief from Norman. "I just love us so much!"
Oliver smiled, "I concur, Rita."
"Well, we'll see you guys in the morning." said Norman, as he and Rita turned to leave. Others started to leave as well.
Oliver pulled up a chair and sat down next to Shane, he grabbed her hand in both of his. "How are you?"
"Tired. But so happy I think I may burst." said Shane with an intent look at Oliver. She still tired more easily than she would have before the accident. "Think of all of the people that came today. We have so much support, Oliver. It's incredible."
That is because of you, thought Oliver. He felt overwhelmed with his feelings. He blinked rapidly and once again just looked at her for a moment.
She half smiled, "What are you contemplating, Mr. O'Toole?"
"Norman mentioned you walked into the DLO 3 years ago. You could have walked away so many times, but you didn't." Oliver sighed, "It's not lost on me, Shane, that you could have easily picked someone else."
Shane reached up and touched his cheek and looked into his eyes, "But, I don't want anyone else. I just want you."
"I know." said Oliver, slightly shaking his head in disbelief. "I know." He wiped his eyes. "Let's get you home. We have a wedding in the morning."
"Yes, we do. And after that, we go home together." Shane paused feeling emotional as well. "I love you, Mr. O'Toole. So, very much." Shane kissed him, not caring if anyone was watching.
