Sorry for the cliffhanger, but hope this chapter makes up for it. I'm also working on an epilogue.
Chapter Twelve
"Well, at least we don't need to worry about Dad," Bessie said after Joey filled her in on the call with their father. They stood outside Alexander's room where the boy had just fallen asleep along with his own dad. "That's something."
According to Mike, they had just left the restaurant en route to the Potter B&B, driving down Ferry Avenue when John Witter swerved to avoid a falling oak and their vehicle ended up buried in a muddy ditch. If John's reaction time had been a split second later, Mike thought that they wouldn't have been so lucky.
After realizing that Mike had forgotten his cell at the Icehouse and John had no cell service, the men knew that their best bet was to brave Hurricane Hilda and head back to the restaurant on foot. Unfortunately, John discovered he had searing back pain whenever he moved, leaving Mike to make the small trek on his own.
"But we don't know about everyone else," Joey said, her stomach continuing to clench into a hard ball of unease. "No one's answering their phone." She started to walk back toward the living room. "I've got to go see what's happening."
"Where are you going, Jo?" Bessie asked, following her into the now empty room. The guests seemed to have scattered throughout the B&B. "You going out there isn't going to help the situation, you know."
Joey turned and faced her sister. "I'm supposed to be getting married the day after tomorrow and my fiancé's out there dealing with God-knows-what with our friends and family." Her hand rubbed the tension building in the middle of her forehead and she sighed deeply. "I, I just can't keep sitting here wait—."
Her cell buzzed.
Joey jumped at the sound. Her heart thumped she looked down at her phone.
"Who is it?" Bessie asked expectantly.
Joey looked at her sister as she answered the call. "Dawson?"
"Hey, Joey," Dawson said, sounding a bit apprehensive, "Pacey wanted me to call you."
"Pacey wanted you to call?" Joey echoed. "Why? What happened?"
"First I just want to put your mind at ease and say he's, uh, conscious now."
"If he's conscious now, that would mean Pacey was, uh, unconscious at one point, Dawson," she replied, unable to keep her voice from steady. "What happened?" she asked again a bit harshly.
"Joey, Pacey's gonna be okay." Dawson tried to reassure her before saying, "We were just helping Pacey's dad out of his truck when a, um, a branch snapped off of an overhead tree and hit him on the side of his head"
Joey gasped.
"God, no," she whispered more to herself than to Dawson.
"He's gonna be okay," her friend repeated again. "We just arrived at the ER—Thank God it's far enough inland not to be closed—and they're checking out Pacey and his dad now."
"Okay, okay, "Joey replied sort of absently as she rushed to the front door. "Dawson, please just tell him I'm on my way if he likes it or not."
"Pacey already knows you would say that, you know," he said lightly, "but I'll tell him."
Once Joey ended the call, she turned around and saw Bessie putting on her coat. "What are you doing?"
"What do you think? I'm going with you to the hospital."
A sense of relief came over Joey and she hugged her sister. "Thanks, Bess."
….
Pacey opened his eyelids and glanced around the white-walled, sterilized room. The corners of his mouth perked up into a soft smile as he took in the sight of Joey asleep next to his hospital bed. She sat sideways in the cushioned high-backed chair. Her body curled into a fetal position, her head awkwardly resting on her knees. A fleece blanket was draped around her shoulders.
His chest tightened.
It had been some night, he thought. He was lucky only to sustain a bump on the noggin that resulted in a minor concussion. Thankfully, he just broke the fall of a medium sized branch and not the whole tree. His father, on the other hand, had to have more tests, but all indicators pointed to a herniated disc in his lower back, and he would eventually need surgery. Pacey could just imagine the grumbling happening in room down the hall. According to Doug, their father would most likely have to stay a day or so more in the hospital, meaning that he would miss the wedding.
"Hmmm," Joey muttered as she slowly raised her head and stretched out her legs. She rolled her neck around as she rubbed her nape, her face contorting into a painful grimace.
"Good morning, darlin.'"
Using her fingers as a comb, Joey swept her hair back away from her face, then she smirked at Pacey. "You're way too chipper this morning for being the one in the hospital bed."
"I'm also not the one with a stiff neck from sleeping in an uncomfortable chair all night." His gaze stared her down.
"No, you're just the one with a concussion," she countered dryly before her voice softened. "How are you feeling?"
Pacey shrugged. "I'm all right, but I'd feel better if you didn't risk it to come here last night. All it got you was a restless night."
Joey scoffed. "What it got me was peace of mind of knowing that you were alive. As for a restless night, well, think of it as making us even." She glanced down and then met his eyes again. "Uh, you were there for me, day in and day out, after my surgery. One restless night is the least I can do."
"It's not a competition, Jo." He sighed. "I was there for you because I wanted to be there for you. You needed me."
She leaned forward and laced her fingers with his. "Well, I like to believe you needed me here. Isn't a relationship supposed to have a give and take? Especially a relationship that is on the brink of matrimony?"
Pacey grinned. "Point taken, Miss Potter."
Joey gave a lopsided smile as she leaned in closer to him, meeting his lips with her own. He brought his hands up to cup her face. This was all he required to remedy his concussion, he thought, deepening the kiss, wanting to prolong the moment for as long as possible.
A light tapping sounded at the door before it opened.
Pacey and Joey looked toward the door in unison. Joey stood up, but she did not let go of his hand.
"Hello, sorry to interrupt." Dr. Susan Stevenson gave a slight smile coming into the room. She was the neurologist who had been one of the unfortunate doctors on call during the storm last night. "How are you doing this morning, Pacey?"
"Can't complain," he said casually. "I feel all right."
"No headaches, dizziness?" the doctor asked as she pulled out a penlight from the pocket of her white coat. She flashed the light into his' eyes. "Any nausea?"
"Not since last night," Pacey said, his pupils following the moving bright dot.
After Dr. Stevenson was finished with her brief exam, she picked up Pacey's medical chart and read it for a moment. Then, she gave her assessment. "It seems things look okay for you to go home, Pacey, but I have to caution you if you have major bouts of dizziness or any other trouble, don't hesitate to call my emergency number, okay? I want you to take it easy the next couple days."
"Well, that will be difficult since our wedding's tomorrow," Pacey put in, looking at Joey to gain her reaction. She was biting down on her lower lip. "What's wrong?" he asked her, refusing to let that pesky drop of dread settle in his gut.
"Uh, by earlier reports, Hurricane Hilda is almost out of here, and has been downgraded to a tropical storm," Joey replied.
"What's the bad news, Jo?"
"It's just that we don't know how much damage the Icehouse sustained during the worst of the storm," she explained. "The brunt of Hilda missed us, but we could still have minor damage and flooding, Pacey. It's not an ideal setting for a wedding ceremony."
"We could always elope like you suggested," Pacey said with a joking tone even though he was dead serious. He knew that he wasn't being practical. He knew that it wouldn't be the perfect day if they had to deal with major damage and repairs. Then, there was the possibility of his father not being able to attend tomorrow— and that also would be counted as something that would make the day less than perfect, he admitted to himself.
Still.
He just didn't want to wait a day longer to marry his bride. Simple as that.
Joey rolled her eyes and smiled. "Eloping is certainly an option, but like you pointed out, Pace, we'd have to bear the wrath of our family and friends."
"Oh boy." Dr. Stevenson laughed and interjected. "I'd just say whatever you guys decide, I'd recommend you stick to slow dancing for the foreseeable future, okay?"
"We will," Joey replied, looking at Pacey with an unyielding expression.
"What she said." He replied, his mouth slightly upturned.
The doctor smiled in return. "Good to hear. I'll go get your discharge papers in order." She was almost to the door when she turned around and said, "Congratulations, by the way."
When they were alone once again, Pacey had to set his mind at ease. "You really don't want to postpone the wedding, do you?" he asked Joey.
She shook her head. "At this point, I'd marry you in a pile of rubble if it came down to it. You should know that by now," she said softly.
Pacey chuckled. "It's still nice to hear, ya know."
"Yeah, but having said that, the rational part of me knows that nothing is that simple," she solemnly said. "I know you, Pace. You'll regret it if your father isn't well enough to be there, not to mention making sure the restaurant doesn't need major repairs. Tell me I'm wrong?"
He sighed. "Sometimes I hate that you know me so well, but you're right." He rested his head back against the pillow and thought about it a moment. "Maybe we could postpone the inevitable until next Saturday. I hope all our guests can make it, but let's not forget that the day's supposed to be about us."
Her lips corked up. "I can handle one more week."
"Yeah, it's not that bad."
…..
The postponement of the wedding turned out to be unavoidable even if they hadn't had the foresight to reschedule before seeing the damage firsthand. Even though the majority of Hilda's reckoning centered around the state of New Hampshire, she had left a bit of an impression on Capeside, Mass as well. The town had withstood the three to five feet storm surge, but unfortunately there had been major flooding in parts due to the torrential rain.
And the Icehouse had gotten a taste of it.
When Pacey had stepped foot into the new renovated kitchen, there was about two feet of water flowing along the cabinets and creeping up around the walk-in refrigerator. However, the abundance of sandbags that Mike and John had almost killed themselves for had left the rest of the restaurant virtually untouched
For that, Pacey would be eternally grateful.
He was also eternally grateful due to the fact that he was not supposed to take part in strenuous work if there had been major damage. He was able to do what the doctor ordered without complaint, and spent the next couple days lounging around the Potter B&B and basking in the feigned irritation of his fiancée.
"Is this how you're gonna spend all your time?" Joey asked one evening when everyone was out enjoying the first clear night after the storm. She put her hands on her hips as she leaned against the doorframe of the bedroom. "You're watching the Back to the Future trilogy for the thousandth time?"
"Hey, you can't go wrong with McFly and the Doc."
Joey laughed as she snatched the remote from his lap and laid down next to him.
"Hey, I'm the one trying to recover here." He put his hand over his heart and then tried grabbing the remote back by stretching his body over hers.
"Well, marriage's about compromise, Pace, and I think we should test out the concept." She smiled meaningfully as she held the object out of his reach. "Besides, there are other enticing things we could be doing other than watching TV."
He froze and his brow arched. "For instance?"
"This," she whispered before her head lifted up and her lips caught his in a long, fervent kiss, making him agree to forget all about the classic trilogy for a couple hours. Before long, clothes were peeled away as they gave new meaning to the phrase rest and relaxation, turning a quiet night alone into a rigorous around of exercise that did wonders for his recovery and had him begging for more…
…
Unfortunately, a couple days later his well-spent recovery period had to come to an end and Pacey's first stop was to go visit his father. The old man had just gotten released to go home after a three-day hospital stay due to numbness in his legs. According to John, his doctor didn't think the car accident had caused the herniated disc, but it had exacerbated the symptoms. So, of course, the former-sheriff was under strict orders to remain on bed rest for the next few weeks. Naturally, John hadn't liked to hear it, especially after learning that Pacey and Joey postponed their wedding partly because of him.
"This is ridiculous." John threw back the covers and started getting out of bed. "I'm more than capable of helping with the cleanup and preparations. There was no reason to postpone, anyway. A little backache isn't gonna make me a damn helpless invalid."
"Pop, get back in that bed," Pacey ordered. "We have enough help. It's just a minor flood and the wedding preparations are almost done. But the only way you'll be allowed to attend the nuptials is if you listen to doctor orders."
"I'm not a child, Pacey!"
"Nobody said that, Pop, but being stubborn will only land you back in the hospital.
John scoffed, but he moved back under the covers.
It had been true that the flood and wedding preparations were taken care of by others. The water was pumped out and the kitchen was sterilized and wiped clean of the lingering smell of mildew that had been left behind. The wedding party— including Dawson, Doug, Jack, Gretchen, Andie, and even Drue and Audrey— came and aided Pacey and Joey by doing their part in the cleanup. They swept up leaves, branches, and other trash and debris that was strewn about outside of the restaurant. They also unpacked the equipment that had been put in storage before the storm.
With the help of the two best men, the father of the bride also did his part by putting a fresh coat of varnish on the extended deck where the ceremony would actually take place. Once the varnish had dried, lavender fabric draped chairs were set out in rows surrounding the waterfront deck for the modest crowd expected. A matching runner was placed down the aisle between the two sections of rows. Purple orchid flower string lights were then hung above the partial roofed deck, providing a sort of A Midsummer Night's Dream aura.
Everything was set.
And then, the day finally arrived.
Pacey leisurely walked into his restaurant wearing a fitted black tux and matching skinny tie. He glanced around as the late afternoon sun shimmered off the water outside and bathed the dining room in brilliant, golden light.
Nobody else was here yet. Joey was still at the B&B getting ready with Bessie and her bridesmaids. His own entourage should be coming any minute now. He should be shaking in his shoes, Pacey knew, but instead he was relaxed and calmly anticipating the next phase of his life with Joey by his side. After the murky tribulation in the last year, they had come out the other end stronger and better as individuals and as a united front. There was no doubt in his mind that they would be able to pass future tests with flying colors.
"Hey, man," Drue strolled through the opened door in a tailored blue suit. "Am I the first one to arrive for this party?" he asked, looking around the room.
"Afraid so. Why are you here so early?"
The other man smiled. "Cheryl's supposed to be meeting me."
Pacey's eyes widened. "So, you two worked things out?"
Drue shrugged. "We shall see." He swallowed and then said, "Listen, Pacey, I know I was a jackass at the hurricane party. Joey probably filled you in."
"She said that you were a drunken jackass, but yeah."
"Yeah, well, I just wanted to clear the air. I, uh, can't blame my shitty behavior entirely on my relationship problems. I was also kind of pissed that Scully wanted you as co-owner when I've been working with him longer than you."
Drue was not telling him anything that he hadn't already presumed, Pacey sighed. "I had an inkling. Look, Drue, I don't want to talk about business now, but I was never planning to leave you high and dry. I've been thinking of promoting you to manager, but only if you can tolerate me being your boss." Back in high school, Pacey had never thought he'd be offering Drue Valentine of all people a promotion, but there had been a lot of things he'd never fathomed in his youth. Marrying Josephine Potter was número uno on the unfathomable list, but look how that was turning out.
Drue grinned and nodded. "That's a start, I guess."
There was a rustle by the entrance. Both men turned to see Cheryl give a small smile and wave.
"That's my cue," Drue said before he shook Pacey's hand and then walked over to his girlfriend.
As the couple was leaving, Doug and John Witter entered the room in their tuxes. Pacey's eyes went straight to his father. The man moved with a slight limp, but he didn't appear to be in pain. His face looked stress-free and even content.
"You clean up nice, little brother." Doug smirked, slapping Pacey on the back.
"Where's your better half?"
"Jack's chasing Amy around the deck with the help of Mom trying to calm her for her flower girl duties," Doug grinned and then he sobered, "How are you holding up?"
"I'm more than okay. this is just supernumerary, ya know," He shrugged. "It already feels like Joey and I are married."
"She's a lucky girl, Pace." John said, breaking his silence.
Pacey regarded his father with a bit of surprise. Even after the recent shift in their relationship, compliments still felt alien coming from John Witter. Pacey didn't think that would ever change, no matter how much time passed.
"What?" John looked from one son to the other. "I mean it," he said to Pacey, "You became an honorable man, no thanks to me, I know, but I'm proud to call you my son. You did well for yourself."
A mass formed in Pacey's throat, making it hard to speak. "Thanks, Pop," he finally replied as his father drew him into a hug.
…..
"Think of this is as your something new," Audrey said as she snapped the sapphire butterfly hair-clip into Joey's hair. The bride had already received a blue handkerchief and a borrowed ivory handbag from her bridesmaids. And of course, her dress counted as the something old. "How's that?" Audrey looked at Joey through the full-length mirror. Bessie and Andie stood behind Andrey with approving grins in their lavender, strapless dresses
"It's perfect." Joey smiled, tilting her head to the side to get a better look at the sparkling hair-clip. Her hair was swept up into a twisted chignon with the clip as the finishing touch. She couldn't complain about her appearance, no matter how much she scrutinized to find a flaw. Some divine alchemy must have been in play, she thought, because she truly liked what she saw in her reflection.
Joey took a step back to get a full view of the finished product. The floral, lace dress fit her body effortlessly. Her eyes didn't automatically gravitate to her chest, making her wonder if her physical changes were on display. This dress had a deeper meaning other than highlighting the superficial details of one's figure. This dress brought a piece of her mother back to Joey on this day of all days, making her feel closer to Lilian than she had in a long time.
And maybe she just didn't want to let any self-consciousness grab hold of her anymore. The hurricane was one last wakeup call to not take anything for granted, to not take Pacey for granted. Life was more than making the right choices and hoping for the best. Life was about not waiting to make your life happen, to just be happy in the now.
And now, she just wanted to be happy with Pacey.
There was a knock on the bedroom door and Gretchen peaked her head in. "Limo's here." She looked at Joey. "Oh, you look lovely, Jo. My brother will fall over himself when he sees you."
"You're beautiful, Sis!" Bessie sighed.
"You look truly gorgeous, Joey!" Andie giddily clapped her hands together.
"Yeah, yeah, she knows." Audrey waved them off and then asked the bride, "Are you ready to marry our man?"
Joey rolled her eyes and laughed. "More than ready."
…
The laughter faded as soon as Joey arrived at the Icehouse and stepped up to the archway near the improvised aisle that she would walk down. Her stomach filled with a flurry of butterflies as she took in the lavender and pink tinted sky as the vibrant sun gradually dipped below the skyline.
Joey watched as Gretchen helped Amy steady her little basket of flower petals before she positioned herself in line with Bessie, Andie, and Audrey for their walk down the aisle. Joey was so absorbed in observing that she jumped when a shadow suddenly eclipsed over her body. Her head turned to see her father beaming at her with such pride, bringing her heart rate back down.
"You are the spitting image of your mother," he said with an achingly poignant tone.
Joey smiled and slid her arm through the crook of his elbow. She slowly exhaled as the instrumental cover of A Thousand Years began to play and the procession began to move down the aisle.
The words of the song ran through her head as she followed their lead with her father by her side.
The day we met,
Frozen I held my breath
Right from the start
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart
Beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone?
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
Her eyes scanned the faces of their genial guests—Gail and Lily, Grams and Scully, Drue and Cheryl, Bodie and Alexander. Her gaze then fell to end of the deck, to the makeshift altar searching out his face.
One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
She saw the back of his head. He nodded at his two grinning best men before his head turned back toward the aisle. The amusement in his blue eyes changing to pure adoration as soon as his gaze locked with hers.
One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Then, she was with him, at the altar. Her father let go of her arm and kissed her cheek before taking his seat.
As a gentle breeze off the water caressed her face, her eyes found Pacey's again.
I love you, he mouthed, holding out his hand to her.
I love you, Joey silently echoed back, lacing her fingers between his as the jitters in her stomach eased. In the past decade, they overcame fear and self-doubt to find their way back together. In the past year, they overcame everything from a cancer scare to a natural disaster to arrive at this very moment.
Whatever the future threw at them now, Joey only knew that they would meet it head on together.
For better or for worse.
Always.