I own none of the characters of October Road or the song Someone Else's Star by Bryan White
Alone again tonight
Without someone to love
The stars are shining bright
So one more wish goes up
Oh, I wish I may
And I wish with all my might
For the love I'm dreaming of
And missing in my life
You'd think that I could find
A true love of my own
It happens all the time
To people that I know
Their wishes all come true
So I've got to believe
There's still someone out there who
Is meant for only me
I guess I must be wishing on
Someone else's star
It seems like someone else keeps getting
What I'm wishing for
Why can't I be as lucky
As those other people are
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else's star
I sit here in the dark
And stare up at the sky
But I can't give my heart
One good reason why
Everywhere I look
It's lovers that I see
It seems like everyone's in love
With everyone but me
I guess I must be wishing on
Someone else's star
It seems like someone else keeps getting
What I'm wishing for
Why can't I be as lucky
As those other people are
Oh, I guess I must be wishing
On someone else's star
Why can't I be as lucky
As those other people are
Oh, I guess I must be wishing
On someone else's star
"This is Janet." Janet Meadows answered the phone at work.
"Hey girl. Do you have a minute?" Hannah Daniels asked her best friend.
"Just. What's going on?"
"Nick proposed last night." If Janet wasn't at work she would have squealed.
"Even though my voice may not portray it I am so happy for you." And Janet truly was ecstatic for her best friend in the world.
"I know that it's a given but I want to make it official. Janet would you please be my Maid Of Honor?"
"Yes of course. Yes. Yes. Yes."
"Thank you. One more thing, we are having an engagement party two weeks from today. Will you be off?"
"I will make sure I am."
"I know you are at work so will you call me when you get home so we can talk details?"
"You know I will. Congratulations Hannah."
When she got home from work, Janet knew her conversation with Hannah would be a long one so she showered, grabbed a quick dinner and crawled into bed and called her best friend. The conversation lasted two hours. Since high school, Hannah had been planning her wedding to Nick so the phone conversation was primarily Hannah telling Janet those plans again and as the Maid Of Honor Janet sat back and listened intently. When the conversation was finally over, Janet hung up and snuggled up under the covers because she was exhausted but sleep wouldn't come. Her mind wouldn't shut down so she got out of bed, poured a glass of wine, went and sat on her porch staring at the stars in the sky.
In her adult life between her college friends and work friends Hannah and Nick's wedding will be Janet's sixth and third as Maid of Honor. She is living proof that the saying "Always a Bridesmaid; Never a Bride" is true. For every wedding that Janet has been invited to participate in she had been honored to be thought of so highly by her friends but every time she slipped on the chosen dress and had her curls pulled on top of her head she wondered why she was always a bridesmaid and never the bride.
Like every little girl, she dreamed of her wedding and now being only a couple of years away from thirty she was beginning to wonder if it was going to happen. Over the years, she had had some boyfriends but it never amounted to anything really serious. She simply hadn't found her "one" but she yearned for him and seeing all of her friends getting married and starting their own families made her yearn more and attending weddings did nothing to ease the desire. The bouquet toss was the worst. During the first couple of weddings when she was young, she enjoyed the toss but the older she got the more embarrassing it became to be one of the oldest women out on the dance floor trying to catch a wedding bouquet. Eventually she tried to be in the bathroom during the toss but that plan wasn't foolproof. There were people who knew what she had planned who drug her out to the dance floor and when that happened Janet stood in the back and let the younger girls have a chance. She had already caught two bouquets and the myth about being the next one to get married never came true so she didn't need another bouquet.
Janet stood and walked off the porch and into her yard so she could have a look at the sky. Over the past few years, usually after a wedding she found herself outside gazing up into the night sky. She found that looking up at the sky so full of stars comforting. Seeing a shooting star, Janet couldn't help make a wish on it.
Star Light Star Bright
First Star I see tonight
I wish I may I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight
"My wish tonight is the same as it always is. I am wishing for a true love of my own. I am wishing for my very own special someone to love me."
Janet knew it was childish to make the wishes but she couldn't help herself even though it didn't seem to work. Every day of her life she sees other people; friends and strangers falling in love every day so she figured that she was doing something wrong since those people were getting what she was wishing for. As far as she knew, the wish making process was simple; find the star, close your eyes and wish from your heart and she followed all of those rules but apparently she was wishing on someone else's star. It did irritate her that other people were benefiting from her wishes; getting what her desired the most so she vowed to herself to keep making those wishes until it finally came true.
2 Weeks Later
"Nice of you to finally show up." Nick commented to his best man who finally showed up to the engagement party an hour and a half after it started.
"What's the big deal?" Eddie Latekka asked. He wasn't really into all of this what he considered to be wedding nonsense. As far as he was concerned his job as best man was to plan the best bachelor party that included beer and half naked woman and then put on a monkey suit, stand next to his best friend when he said his vows and then finally celebrate with free booze.
"You know I wouldn't have cared if you had not shown up but my fiancé does and I am not going to upset the apple cart."
"Great. You aren't even married yet and you are giving in to the little woman already." Eddie told his friend with a grin and Nick shrugged.
"One day, you will be in my shoes and when I show up late to your engagement party I'm just going to laugh at you."
"Nope. Not happening."
"You don't want to get married?"
"And ruin the perfectly good social life I have? Sleep with just one woman for the rest of my life?" Eddie laughed and shook his head. "Nope. Not happening."
"You don't know what you are missing."
"So are there any of the girls in wedding that are single that I can hook up with at the reception?"
"Wow. You are unbelievable." Nick said with a laugh. "I think all them except the maid of honor are spoken for."
"And which lucky lady is the maid of honor?" Eddie asked as his eyes scanned the back yard.
"That would be me." Eddie turned around and found himself looking into the bluest eyes he has ever seen and not only were they blue but they were beautiful. Once he pulled his eyes away from hers he looked at her face he found himself looking at a familiar face.
"Oh my…Meadows? Is that you?" Eddie asked.
"It's me Latekka." Janet's eyes travel over him. "You've hardly changed a bit."
"I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing."
"I'm not sure either." The two of them laughed.
"Well you sure have changed."
"I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing." Janet repeated Eddie's words to him.
"It's a good thing. It's a very good thing."
"Thank you."
"Geez. How long has it been? I think the last time I saw you was at graduation."
"That sounds about right."
"Can I buy you a drink?"
"The drinks are free Eddie." Janet said rolling her eyes.
"I'm a cheap guy." Eddie held out his hand. "Come on. Let's find the bar."
"The bar is back by the fence." Janet informed him, not taking his hand.
"Lead the way." The two of them weaved their way through the crowd to the bar where they each got a beer. "So Ms. Meadows, what on earth have you been up to these last ten years?"
"After high school, I went to BU and graduated with my nursing degree. I had every intention of coming home and working here when I was done but during my clinicals I got offered a position on the burn unit when I was done with school and it was an offer that I couldn't turn down."
"You take care of people who are burnt?" Eddie asked in amazement.
"I do."
"Wow Janet. That's…that's really amazing."
"It's hard work and most of the time heartbreaking cause unfortunately most of the patients that come onto my floor don't make it off but the ones that do and the relationships I have formed make my job worth doing and loving."
"I am in awe of you right now Meadows."
"You should be Latekka." She responded with a wink. "Now what have you been up to?"
"A little of this and a little of that. Nick and I just started up a window installation business about a year ago."
"And how is that working out for you?"
"We are still operating and keeping our heads above water."
"Well it's better than drowning isn't it?"
"Yes Ma'am it is." Janet saw Hannah waving her over and she waved back.
"Latekka, it was nice to see you again. I'll you at the wedding or rehearsal dinner." With a grin Janet turned away from him.
"Janet." He called and she turned back towards him. "It was really good to see you again. You seem really happy."
"I am oh and Eddie?"
"Yeah?"
"You will not be hooking up with the maid of honor at the reception."
Eddie laughed as Janet walked away from him. She was definitely a different woman than she was in high school. The Janet Meadows from high school he remembered was a sweet chubby girl with glasses and long untamed curly hair who was in most of his classes. He tried to charm her into letting him copy her homework and she was the only girl who had ever refused him. The woman he saw today was downright gorgeous. Her untamed curls were tamed, not frizzy and perfectly placed. The glasses were gone which is probably why he noticed her beautiful blue eyes. The childhood chubbiness had been replaced by sexy womanly curves and Eddie realized that he attracted to her.
Janet was not the kind of woman he was usually attracted to and that confused him. The women he usually found attractive were tall; actually being tall wasn't even a requirement; they were thin, big busted and were just looking for a good time. He was able to sleep with them and not have to worry about commitment and for the majority of his adult years that had worked well for him but today, seeing Janet laughing and smiling those other women weren't attractive to him. It was Janet he couldn't take his eyes off of and that fascinated him. He has never felt this kind of instant attraction before and he wanted to explore it.
Eddie had every intention of asking Janet for her phone number before the end of the engagement party but he was unable to do so. She left before he had a chance. He considered going to Hannah for Janet's number but he decided that he didn't want Hannah in the middle of his business so that left him no choice but to wait and Eddie Latekka was never good with waiting.
Janet didn't return to Knights Ridge for a few months following the engagement and it was driving Eddie crazy. He couldn't that girl out of his mind which led to him not dating. He went on a couple of dates after the party but he found his mind wondering; imagining what it would be like to be out with Janet so he just gave up which shocked the town, especially the single gals.
Closer to the wedding Janet came to town at least once a month to help Hannah with wedding details. When Nick would inadvertently mention that Janet would be in town Eddie would show up at the couple's house or at Sully's where they were having dinner; uninvited; and hang out with him. Janet's face was priceless the first time he slid in the booth beside her at Sully's without asking and it was that first weekend that Janet returned to town that he asked her for her phone number and she didn't think much of it when he asked because he had mentioned needed to talk to her about wedding details. Little did either of them, how much their lives would change with the exchange of numbers.
"You're still here?" Janet asked in surprise as she came down the stairs of Hannah's house.
"I'm still here." Eddie answered. "I just wanted to make sure you ladies were okay."
Eddie was thrilled when Janet called him a couple of weeks ago and asked him a favor. For Hannah's bachelorette party the girls planned to go to a few wineries. The bridesmaids pitched in to rent a Denali for the night which was a lot cheaper than a limo. Once they had the car Janet called an arranged for drivers also known as Eddie and Owen. Janet wanted them to have a nice, fun and exciting night where they were free to drink as much as they wanted and not have to worry about driving. Eddie quickly agreed for him and Owen to be the chauffeurs of the night.
Like Janet requested Owen and Eddie showed up with the Denali in black suits and chauffer hats and Hannah was thrilled. The boys opened the doors, helped the girls in and out of the car. At first it was just a simple hand that was helping but as the night went on and the girls drank more they needed a little more help. While the girls were in the Winery Eddie and Owen were nearby keeping a watchful eye on the girls or Owen was doing that while Eddie was watching Janet.
By the time they were on their way to the third Winery most of the girls, especially Hannah were three sheets to the wind. Janet was in between having a strong buzz and being drunk so she was the least intoxicated of the group. The journey to the Winery took them on a few winding roads and Hannah didn't last long on those roads. Five minutes into the journey Hannah turned her head and puked on Janet. Eddie was prepared for this. He had brought trash bags and so once the first puke was complete Janet stuck Hannah's head inside of a trash bag so nothing would get on the car. Eddie had to give her credit; Janet handled the puke down her shirt like a champ. Since Hannah was no longer in the partying mood, Eddie pulled off into a gas station so Janet could really clean Hannah up and then the boys, slowly took the girls back to Hannah's.
"Everyone is passed out." Janet answered with a grin.
"You smell better."
"Getting rid of a puke covered shirt and washing down will help with that." Eddie couldn't help himself. He allowed his eyes to roam over her body.
"You handled getting puked on pretty well."
"I think my buzz has something to do with that. I definitely earned my Maid Of Honor badge tonight." The two of them laughed. "Do you want something to drink?"
"I would love something to drink. You girls got to have all the fun with the alcohol tonight." Janet went and grabbed Eddie a beer and herself a bottle of water from Hannah's fridge. "Do you want to sit outside?" She asked, handing Eddie the beer.
"Sure why not? It's a nice night." The two of them walked out onto the porch. Eddie took a seat on the porch swing and Janet sat sideways on the steps. For a few minutes, they sat in silence with Janet staring out at the sky and Eddie staring at her.
"Thanks for everything tonight Eddie, especially putting up with a bunch of drunk chicks."
"It was no problem. It was no different than a Saturday night at Sully's."
"Yeah. I can see that. " They both laughed. "Really. You have no idea how much I appreciate that you kept us safe. Hannah really wanted a limo and since it was ridiculously expensive you and Owen were the best I could do and as the maid of honor, I am required to do everything I can to make Hannah's day and every party exactly what she wants."
"Wow Janet. You are really good at this whole wedding thing. "
"I should be. It is my sixth wedding I have been in."
"Holy Crap. Six? I am going crazy with the fittings and planning and it's only the second time that I have done it. How is it that you have done six?" Janet shrugged.
"I do what needs to be done for my friends."
"Your friends must think a lot of you if you have been in six weddings. "
"Or they were just desperate." Janet said with a laugh. Eddie got up and went over and sat next to her.
"No Janet I don't believe that. Even though we have only recently gotten to know the adult versions of each other, I can see what a phenomenal person you are and your friends see that. That's why you have been in so many weddings."
"Thanks." She whispered softly.
"With all of your wedding experience I bet you have some plans of your own."
"Hmmm." She mumbled. She wasn't ready to admit to Eddie that she didn't see a wedding in her future. She turned her face away from him and looked to the sky and saw a shooting star. Without thinking she closed her eyes and made her wish.
"What are you doing?" Eddie asked her curiously.
"Making a wish." She answered honestly.
"Really?" He thought it was adorable. "What did you wish for?"
"My lips are sealed."
"You can trust me. I won't tell anyone."
"I can't tell anyone because if I do, my wish won't come true."
"Is it an important wish or is it a fun wish?"
"An an important wish. It's something that I have been waiting my whole life for."
"In that case, don't tell me because I want your wish to come true. You deserve for all of your wishes to come true."
"I don't think that is going to happen."
"Why not? Don't you believe in the magical powers of wishes?"
"I used to."
"Used to?"
"It seems that everyone is benefiting from my wishes." Eddie gave her a questioning look and Janet knew she had to explain. "Everyone around me is getting what I am wishing for."
"I've always thought that wishes or desires came true when the timing was right. Maybe your wish hasn't come true because the timing isn't right."
"I never thought of that. Who would have thought that you were capable of such insight Latekka?" Janet joked.
"I am full of surprises."
"I'm sensing that."
"Play your cards right, I just may reveal some of my surprises."
"I look forward to seeing the real Eddie." Eddie had to fight the strong desire he had to kiss her at that moment. He knew he had to leave.
"I'm going to take off Janet." The two of them stood.
"Thanks again for everything."
"You are very welcome." Suddenly Eddie leaned forward and kissed Janet's cheek.
"Goodnight Janet."
"Goodnight Eddie."
2 weeks later – Hannah & Nick's wedding
"Okay folks. We are going to end this evening with one final slow song. Nick grab your beautiful bride and guys grab a girl, preferably the one you came with and end this night with your arms wrapped around each other."
Janet was at the bridal table gathering up Hannah and Nick's things when the DJ made the announcement. She didn't even glance up as the couples made their way to the dance floor so she was surprised when someone grabbed her hand.
"Dance with me." Eddie requested when Janet turned around.
"Eddie I've got…"
"You have to dance with me. I have seen you dance with every other man in this place so now, it's my turn."
"We danced earlier."
"That doesn't count."
"Why not?"
"Because it was part of the reception. Now, this one will happen because we want to dance with each other."
"What makes you think that I want to dance with you? I don't recall you asking. In fact you told me that I was dancing with you." Janet argued as Eddie pulled her to the dance floor.
"You want to dance with me. It's all over your face."
"Why you arrogant bastard." She accused with a smile but didn't deny that she wanted to dance with him.
"I have a knack for knowing when woman want me." He whispered as she wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Sure you do." Janet tentively wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Can you tell when a guy has feelings for you?" Eddie softly asked as they swayed to the music.
"Sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends on each situation."
"What about this situation?"
"Huh?"
"Can you tell that I have feelings for you?" Janet was momentarily shocked.
"Shut up Latekka. The only feelings you have for me are obligatory because your best friend is now married to mine."
"I don't think so." Next thing Janet knew, Eddie was pressing his lips to hers and she couldn't help but respond to the kiss. "Now can you tell?" He whispered when they broke apart. Janet didn't have time to respond because the song ended. "Janet wait…"
"I…I need to help Hannah."
"We aren't done." Janet had to get out of Eddie's arms. Just being in his presence after that amazing kiss had left her confused.
Fifteen minutes later Nick and Hannah were gone and Janet was trying to sneak out of the banquet room without Eddie seeing her but that didn't happen. The instant she left his arms his never left her. "Can I give you a lift?"Janet jumped at the sound of his voice.
"My room is on the third floor."
"Then I'll walk you."
"I don't have a choice do I?"
"Nope." He took her hand and led her to the elevator. "I think we have some things to talk about. Don't you?" Sighing, Janet stepped into the elevator bringing Eddie with her since his hand was linked with hers. They rode in silence to the third floor and then they walked in silence to her room. As soon as the door shut behind them, Eddie pulled Janet into his arms and kissed her to the bed, not breaking until they fell onto the bed.
"No." Janet said, pushing him away. "I thought I told you that you would not be hooking up with the maid of honor."
"I'm not trying to hook up with you; at least not tonight." He said with a wink.
"Then what in the hell do you want?"
"You Janet." She raised her eyebrows. "That's right. You heard me. I want you."
"What happened? Did you run out of eligible woman to sleep with? I may have been gone from The Ridge for ten years but I know the kind of women you so called date and I know that I am not that kind of woman so why are we even having this conversation."
"Not anymore. FYI – I haven't been on a date since about two weeks after the engagement party."
"Why in the hell not?"
"Because I couldn't get you out of my mind. I want to be with you. I want a relationship with you."
"Eddie you are not a relationship kind of guy. You don't stay with any girl for more than two weeks and I am not the kind of girl that can just "hook up."
"I don't want a booty call. I want a relationship." Eddie stretched out an arm and motioned Janet to it. She scooted across the bed and rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped the arm around her.
"Why?" She whispered so softly that he barely heard her.
"Why not? You are smart, funny and beautiful inside and out."
"Are you sure about this; about me?"
"Yes Janet. I am very sure that I want to be with you. Do you want to be with me?"
"Over these past few months, we have really gotten to know each other. I have come to treasure our phone calls. In my dreams I have wished that we could be together but I never thought it could happen but apparently I was wrong."
"Yes you were."
"I want to give us a try and maybe…" Janet found herself thinking of her unfulfilled wish.
"Maybe what?"
"Never mind. Will you kiss me again?"
"I would love to kiss you again." Eddie reached out, cupped her cheek and pressed his lips to hers in a long slow kiss. "And again." Another kiss. "And Again." Another kiss; each kiss longer and sweeter than the last.
Fifteen months later
"What are you doing out here Mrs. Latekka?" Eddie asked his wife as he came through the doors of the balcony attached to their honeymoon suite. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Janet sighed and leaned back into his embrace.
"I'm just looking at the stars."
"Making your daily wish?" He mumbled as he kissed her neck. During the seven months that they had dated he had become accustomed to her ritual of wishing on shooting stars.
"No."
"No? Really? Are the stars not shooting tonight?"
"They are shooting," She turned away from the sky and into his arms. "I have no need to make my wish anymore."
"So your wish came true?"
"It did." Janet whispered softly just before she kissed him.
"You told me that when it came true you would tell me what you wished for so what did you wish for?"
"You."
"You wished for me? I should have known."
"Not you exactly. I wished for this; for what we have now. I wished for a true love of my own. I wished to find that someone out there who was meant for me."
"Then I was right. Your wish coming true was all about timing. The reason it hadn't come true was because you hadn't re-met me."
"You are right. I just couldn't see it. The only thing I saw was everyone around me getting what I wished for; I was wishing on someone or everyone else's star because every where I looked I saw everyone in love with everyone but me and I wanted that so badly so I kept on wishing and when they time was right, you came into my life so I am so glad that my wish didn't come true on my timeline because if it had, I wouldn't have become Mrs. Eddie Latekka today."
"Timing is everything Mrs. Latekka. I made a wish once."
"You did?"
"After I saw you making a wish, I made one too, I wished for you."
"Well it looks like both of our wishes came true."
"They sure did. I love you so much baby." Eddie whispered tenderly.
"I love you too." Just as Janet was leaning in to kiss Eddie she saw another shooting star. "Make a wish Eddie. Let's make a wish about our future." The newlywed couples linked hands, closed their eyes and each of them made the wish that their future together would be bright and happy.
Star Light Star Bright
First Star I see tonight
I wish I may I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight