Chapter Three: Now and Again
Sara could feel the warmth of Nick's hand on the small of her back as they entered the small, unpretentious chapel. True to his word, Nick had found one just off the strip, with no cheesy theme or obnoxious street hawkers. In her hand, she clutched a small bouquet of red roses, similar to the corsage he'd given her earlier that night.
"Every bride should have a bouquet," he'd explained after they'd stopped at an all-night florist. While he was inside getting the flowers, she'd dug her phone out of her small handbag.
After a few rings, Catherine answered. "Sara, what's up?"
"Oh, not much…." Sara twisted the material of her skirt in one hand. "Busy night?"
Catherine laughed. "You're calling on your night off, the night Nick's taking you on that mystery date, to find out if we're busy?"
"Well, no…but are you?"
"Actually, yeah, we kind of are. It's been steady. Nothing overwhelming, just a lot of details."
"I see." Sara smoothed her skirt back down over her knees. "Any chance you could get away for half an hour?"
"Oh, sorry, Sara, I don't think I can. I'm waiting for results on three different tests. Why? Something go wrong tonight?"
"Oh, no, everything's fine." Sara looked up to see Nick returning to the taxi, flowers in hand. "I'll see you tomorrow night…well, tonight, technically, I guess."
"Okay, see you then, Sara."
Sara closed her phone and stashed it back in her bag before Nick could see. What she didn't know is that while Nick had been in the florist, he'd made a call of his own.
"Hey, 'Rick," Nick said into his phone as he glanced over the flowers in the cooler.
"Nick. What's up, man? Don't tell me you crapped out on your date with Sara."
Nick chuckled. "Nah, nothing like that. You guys busy tonight?"
"Swamped. Lots of little things, full of details. Nothing worth calling you two in on your night off, though."
"Too swamped to get an hour off?"
Warrick groaned. "Yeah, probably. I still have two more bags of clothes from one scene to process, and I'm waiting on trace results from another case still. Why, what's up?"
"Ah, it's nothing, man. I'll tell you about it next time I see you."
Nick heard a beep on Warrick's end and a groan. "Hey, I gotta go, Nick. Hodges may have something for me, and if I know him, he's going to make me jump through hoops to get it."
Nick chuckled again. "I'll see you next shift. Later, man." He snapped his phone closed and picked up a bouquet from the cooler.
Sara glanced around the small chapel, trying to take in every detail: the ivory-on-white wallpaper, the polished hardwood floors, the soft, unobtrusive classical music playing faintly in the background.
The receptionist glanced up from her desk. "Good morning, welcome to the chapel."
Nick turned his smile on the receptionist. "Good morning."
"Are you here as guests or celebrants?"
Nick produced the license from his jacket pocket. "Celebrants." He squeezed Sara's hand.
The receptionist smiled. "A sunrise wedding. How romantic. Have a seat; the chapel will be open in about fifteen minutes. Another couple is just wrapping up."
Sara perched on the soft loveseat, feeling it sink a little as Nick sat next to her. She rested her flowers in her lap as Nick reached over to take her hand.
"Hey." He leaned in, rested his forehead on hers. "Still good with this?"
She smiled. "I am."
"No second thoughts?"
She shook her head minutely. "No. A few butterflies, but no second thoughts." She offered him a teasing grin. "What about you?"
"No way." He scooted closer, voice dropping lower. "Just imagining the honeymoon."
Sara's grin grew. "We do still have a few of those products to try…."
Nick's response was cut short by the chapel doors opening and the newly-wed couple emerging to the strains of Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Sara eyed the buxom blonde bride and her slightly-intoxicated groom with an air of cynicism. Then again, she thought, watching the way they were kissing each other in the lobby, maybe they'll come back here for their fiftieth anniversary.
After the couple had left, Nick stood, offering Sara his hand. She took it, and they entered the chapel.
Afterwards, Sara wasn't sure she could remember the specifics, what the justice of the peace looked like, the flowers in the chapel, but she knew she'd always remember the look of love on Nick's face as he recited the vows and slid the ring on her finger. She knew she'd remember the slight tremor in her voice as she promised to love, cherish and honor Nick, until death. The feeling of sureness as she met his eyes and placed the simple band on his left hand. And their first kiss as man and wife would be etched on her brain for all time.