I'm really sorry that this took so long. My life got kinda bad and it took me a long time to crawl out of the hole I had curled up in. It was also very hard for me to write this chapter, for some reason, and I'm still not completely happy with it. The song used is 'No Matter What' by Boyzone, which I believe is originally from an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. I also borrowed a line from 'Thank Goodness', from the musical Wicked. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
"Because happy is what happens when all your dreams come true…" Bernadette sang softly, adjusting the skirt on Marietta's gown.
Marietta stared at herself in the mirror. Before her eyes was someone completely different. There was a woman there, a woman whose gaze was long and steady. A woman who seemed ready for anything that could possibly happen. Marietta didn't know who that woman was. She certainly didn't feel like that woman. She felt like…well, like eighteen-year-old who was getting married before she was ready. Perhaps people in her family married young, but that seemed to be a cause of problems. True, it wasn't arranged, and she believed that Benvolio loved her. But she was young, young and pregnant and maybe rushing headfirst into something that, as right as it felt, might not really be right at all.
What was she thinking? This was crazy! She wanted this, she wanted Benvolio, she wanted a life with him. But that idiotic fear was still there. That fear that right around the corner was Death himself, ready to tear them apart just as they had their cousins. Maybe it wasn't so idiotic, after what had happened two nights ago. That had scared her out of her wits. The thought of losing him…was unfathomable. She still felt silly, though.
She took a deep breath and stood up straight. Today was a happy day, a day that should not have any bad thoughts or feelings floating around. …Then again, her mother wasn't even bothering to show up. She sighed, deflating. Bad thoughts and feeling were inescapable.
Bernadette hugged her around the shoulders. "Hey you, why the solemn face?"
Marietta frowned slightly. "Nothing, just…wedding jitters, I guess." She looked down at her dress. "I'm still a little shook up from what happened. I mean…" She looked back up at herself in the mirror. The woman was still there. Where was the scared girl she felt like? "What if everything goes wrong?"
"What's everything?" Bern asked, moving to fix Marietta's hair.
"What if Abra crashes the wedding?" She turned to face her friend. "What if we fell in love too fast and we hate each other in a year? What if something happens to the baby? What if…" she shrugged, feeling helpless. "What if love really isn't enough?"
Bernadette gave her a look of sympathy. "Marietta, what if this wedding is fabulous? What if you and Benvolio have an amazing child and live happily ever after?" She turned Marietta back around. "Now stop with the negativity. You're getting married!"
"I feel like I belong in Four Weddings and a Funeral." Marietta muttered.
"Well, we already had the funeral. That just leaves the weddings. And you're number one, so forget about all the 'what ifs' and lighten up!" Bernadette exclaimed. "Honestly, Marietta, you love this man. And he loves you. There's no what ifs about it."
Marietta smiled. "I suppose you're right."
There was a knock on the door. The two girls exchanged glances. They had no idea who it could be. The entire wedding party had come to the Montague mansion earlier this morning. It had been strategically arranged so that, barring any accidents, Benvolio and Marietta wouldn't see each other until the wedding. The men were busy taking care of that and getting themselves ready. And the women had left the bride and maid of honor alone about fifteen minutes ago, and had said they wouldn't return for at least three-quarters of an hour. So they girls had no idea who it could be.
"Uh…Ma? You in there?" It was Sampson.
Bernadette froze and a strange look passed over her face. Then she straightened up and discreetly checked herself in the mirror. Marietta raised her eyebrows and wondered for a moment what was going on.
"She's not in here." Marietta called.
"Oh. Damn." Sampson sounded slightly dejected. "I need her help."
"With what?" Bern asked, her cheeks visibly brightening.
"I can't do my tie." He replied.
"Oh, I can do that for you." Bern said. She turned to Marietta. "Zip me up!" she hissed.
Marietta instantly complied, beginning to get an inkling of why Bern might be acting the way she was. Bern checked herself in the mirror again, then opened the door.
Sampson walked in, looking very sharp except for his tie, which was hanging in a sad knot around his neck. His eyes scanned Bernadette and—was he blushing too? Bern made a clucking sound and quickly undid his tie. She wasn't looking at him.
Marietta decided to test her theory. "Hey Sampson."
He didn't even glance at her. "Hey." He was staring intently at Bernadette, who was now tying the tie.
Marietta grinned to herself. She was right. Something was definitely going on between those two.
Bernadette gave a nod. "There." Her arms dropped to her sides and she shyly looked down at her feet.
He looked at himself in the mirror and grinned. "Thanks!" He turned to Bernadette. "You're a lifesaver."
Bern shrugged, seeming noncommittal, but her face got a bit redder. "No problem. Just a tie."
"Well…" Sampson glanced around awkwardly. "I…guess I should be going. I'm the best man and all."
"See ya at the church." Bern replied, about to close the door as he walked out. Their eyes locked for a moment and then—Bern looked down and shut the door. She turned around and leaned against the door.
Marietta tried to stop smiling, but it was impossible. "You like him!"
Bernadette sighed. "Yeah…" She went over to the vanity and started to apply some make up.
"Bern!" Marietta fought hard to control the squealing teenage girl inside her. "Tell me everything! When did you realize you liked him? Have you done anything?"
Bernadette laughed and motioned for her friend to come over. "Sit down and let me fix your hair." After Marietta complied, Bern started brushing it. "When Benvolio asked us to play at the Halloween party, we had to go and audition for his mom. And Sampson was there."
"Go on…" Marietta nodded.
"Well--I dunno, he just sat there with his mom and Lady Montague and watched us." Bern shook her head, chuckling. "He's adorable, Mari. A-dor-a-ble."
"His nose is a little too pointy." Marietta commented.
"His nose is perfect!" Bernadette said, spritzing Marietta's hair with some hair spray for emphasis. "Anyway, after we auditioned he came over and started talking to us. He said we sounded good, and that he was glad Ben had found us."
"I found you too!" Marietta added.
"I told him that." Bern continued. "And so then at the party he helped us set up, and break down, and he was so much fun to hang out with…He's funny, in an odd way. We talked a lot at the party. I guess that's when I fell for him."
"Ah, Bern, that's so exciting!" Marietta exclaimed.
"I think you're a bit too excited about this." Bern commented, looking slightly uncomfortable.
Marietta shrugged. "You're the only friend I've ever had, besides Juliet. And Juliet was too young to talk about boys." She looked down at her hands. "If she had told me about Romeo, I would've been this excited for her, too."
"There's nothing really to be excited about. We've only interacted a couple times…and anyway, I don't think he likes me." Bernadette sighed again. "Your hair's done."
"Doesn't like you?!" Marietta whirled around, her hair nearly falling out of the bun Bern had arranged it in. "Did you see how he was looking at you?! He's crazy about you!"
Bern frowned. "If you say so." She shooed Marietta out of the chair. "I need to do my hair."
Marietta moved, sighing. Maybe Bern didn't believe her, but she knew she was right. Sampson looked at Bern the same way Benvolio looked at Marietta. Maybe to a lesser degree, but that love was there. And if she had to make Ben push his brother into asking their friend out, then she would. There was a chance for a future there, and Marietta would be damned if that window of opportunity closed.
The door opened and the woman returned. The room was a flurry of activity as Anna and her sister-in-law raced around, putting the finishing touches on everyone. Within moments, Marietta and Bern were hustled out of the room, out of the house, and into the waiting car.
"The boys are already on their way." Anna told them, as they began the drive to the church. She grabbed Marietta's hand. "You ready?"
Marietta smiled shakily. "As ready as I'll ever be."
"I was so nervous on my wedding day." Anna stared out the window, remembering. "I was a nobody before Christopher met me. Just a law student, and then suddenly the younger brother of Lord Montague took an interest in me and I was headline news. The press covered the wedding, I was so afraid I would trip walking down the aisle or something."
"Well, the press is covering this wedding too." Lady Montague mentioned. "Being that it is a union between Montagues and Capulets. A large step in the right direction."
Marietta's eyes widened. She hadn't even thought about the press. Bernadette frowned, knowing what was running through her head. "Don't pay any attention to the press." She told her friend, squeezing her hand.
They arrived at the church. As Lady Montague had said, there were cameramen lining the steps into the cathedral, waiting for her to arrive. It was a regular red-carpet affair. Marietta took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then opened the door and stepped out.
Immediately flashes began going off. She froze, worry flooding her mind once again. Anna took her arm and guided her up the steps and into the church. Marietta found she could breath again as she entered the peaceful silence inside the chapel walls.
Her father was waiting for her. He smiled at the sight of her. "Oh, sweetheart, you look beautiful."
She blushed and smiled shyly. "Thank you."
"Alright, the ceremony's about to begin. Don't worry about a thing." Anna hugged Marietta and whispered into her ear. "You are the daughter I never had. I am so glad to have you in our family."
Marietta blinked back tears as Anna pulled away. "And you're the mother I wish I had." She told the woman.
Anna smiled, her eyes welling up as well. "Okay. Well…" she handed Marietta off to her father. "I'll go sit down now." She left, Lady Montague following her.
Marietta slipped her arm into her father's. He patted her hand. "You're going to be fine."
She looked up at him. Maybe her mother was too stubborn to be here, but her father was. Her father loved and cared for her. And she was glad to have him here with her. "I love you, Daddy." She said quietly.
"Oh, Mary…" He hugged her close. "I love you, too."
The organ began to play. "You ready?" her father whispered. She nodded. And with that, they walked out and began their way down the aisle.
Later that night, as Marietta tried to fall asleep in the airplane seat, her head resting on Benvolio's shoulder, she would play the whole day over in her mind. She would remember the moment they said 'I do' and that even though she was so nervous she could hardly stand, she couldn't stop smiling.
She would remember the speeches, but most importantly she would remember Sampson's, smiling. He had given a comical speech, making fun of his brother and, once again quoting 'The Lion King'. And then, at the end of it, he had taken a deep breath and said, "And, if I may now use this microphone for a small personal detail…" He turned towards the other end of the table, where Bernadette sat next to Marietta. "Bernadette O'Malley." She stared at him, shocked. "Would you please go out with me?"
She stared at him, then burst into a fit of giggles. "Yes!" she managed to choke out. "Yes, I will!"
Sampson grinned in relief and handed over the microphone to someone else, while everyone applauded.
"And you thought he didn't like you." Marietta told her friend.
Bern ducked her head shyly. "Well, everyone's wrong sometimes."
Benvolio leaned closer to Marietta. "You have no idea how long it took me to get him to do that."
The reception went on, with Bern and her sisters climbing onto the platform to play music for everyone to dance to. After about an hour of playing, she made an announcement.
"Now, if everyone would please clear the floor, the groom has a song he would like to sing." She handed to microphone over to Benvolio, who walked into the middle of the floor.
"The original plan was for me and my wonderful new wife to dance to something together, but…" He looked down at his arm in a sling. "I had a slight accident. So, I decided to sing instead. And since I'm not much of a singer, there are earplugs you can get from my brothers."
He grinned as the girls began to play music. Marietta stood on the edge of the dance floor, smiling at him. He started to sing.
"No matter what they tell us, no matter what they do, no matter what they teach us, what we believe is true. No matter what they call us, however they attack, no matter where they take us, we'll find our own way back."
Marietta slowly began to walk out onto the floor, swaying slightly in time with the music.
"I can't deny what I believe, I can't be what I'm not. I know our love's forever, I know no matter what."
He looked at her, and she knew that every word he sang was true. She smiled at him, and he continued on.
"If only tears were laughter, if only night was day, if only prayers were answered, then we would hear God say: No matter what they tell you, no matter what they do, no matter what they teach you, what you believe is true."
She reached him, and placed her hand gently on his arm in the sling. She smiled up at him as he stared into her eyes, singing only for her.
"And I will keep you safe and strong, and shelter from the storm. No matter where it's barren, a dream is being born. No matter who they follow, no matter where they lead, no matter how they judge us, I'll be everything you need."
He held the microphone out to her. "Would you like to add a few words?"
She shook her head. "No, but I'll sing with you."
He grinned and continued on, her voice now blending with his.
"No matter is the sun don't shine, or if the skies aren't blue. No matter what the ending, my life began with you. I can't deny what I believe, I can't be what I'm not. I know this love's forever…I know, no matter what."
The on-lookers applauded as the song ended and the couple shared a kiss.
The rest of the reception was wonderful. After it ended, the couple returned to his house, to change and then to get to the airport to catch their flight to Greece.
In the present, on the airplane, Benvolio was still humming their song. Marietta snuggled closer to him, sighing in content. "Thank you." She breathed.
"For what?" he kissed her forehead gently.
"For loving me. For letting me love you. For being my husband." She shivered at that word, she still could hardly believe they were actually married.
"You're very welcome, Mrs. Montague." He replied, lacing his fingers through hers.
"Hmm, only to you. The rest of the world shall know me as Lady Capulet." She murmured. It was true, she had to keep her family name since she needed to be the Lady.
"Well how about the little Montague then?"
"The little Capulet-Montague, you mean."
He shook his head. "You darn Capulets, ruining our good name."
She whapped him gently. "Your good name? What about mine?"
"Whatever the name--you are my wife, carrying our child." He rested his head against hers. "We're a family now."
"Hmm." She closed her eyes. "Will we be together forever?"
"Forever and day, my love." He sighed in content. "Forever and a day."