Sorry about the delay folks, was a little busy, work, being sick, it hasn't been easy. I also had a bit of a block since I don't have anything nearly as romantic as Derek and Casey and I had to find the inspiration to write it… so here it is, hope you enjoy
There was a lot of laughter in the background, causing Casey to wake up. She groaned as she rolled over and looked over to see her sisters and Emily sitting on the veranda.
"Casey," Emily exclaimed with a bright smile.
Then she noticed another two bright and smiling faces. Vicki and Kendra were sitting beside Emily.
Casey smiled. "When did you two get here?" she asked.
Kendra shrugged. "Oh sometime after midnight I think. Sam and I were in Vancouver when Derek called. It took a little time to get everything together and we caught a flight as soon as we could but got held up in Singapore in customs. Luckily the guy thought I was really pretty for a blonde and we somehow got going."
Casey hugged her and Vicki and sat down, beaming.
"We ended up on the same flight from Singapore," Vicki smiled. "We had been in France for a brief honeymoon when my mom called to tell me that you would be getting married in Bali and I convinced Kevin that we just had to come."
"Oh, this is turning out to be the best day ever. Everyone will be here to see us get married," Casey said, looking positively radiant.
"I'm just glad to see that you really are going to marry Derek," Marti said as she sipped something that looked like guava juice. "I had almost given up on the two of you but the moment I saw you look at Derek the other day…"
Lizzie frowned then nodded. "Yeah, I saw that too. But I think I always hoped that you two would make up except Max got in the way."
Kendra frowned. "How did you end up back together with Max anyway?"
Casey recounted the story that was Max and her, bumping into each other in New York and then suddenly fell into the pattern of dating to become a serious relationship.
There was a knock at the door and Marti jumped up. "That must be mom and mom," she said as she ran across the suite for the door.
Sure enough she returned with Nora and Abbey and they were all sitting on the lounge. Emily made sure breakfast was ordered while they all chatted away.
Eventually the buffet of food was brought to their suite and they all ate. Kendra took over doing makeup and her hair. Once she was done she turned Casey to look in the mirror.
She beamed at the sight of herself and hugged Kendra. "Thanks."
Abbey came over to her then alongside her mother. "This was my grandmother's," she said holding up a jewel flower hair pin. "She wore it on her wedding day and I know that she would have loved for you to wear it today."
Casey smiled. "Oh thanks Abbey."
She nodded then hugged Casey tightly. "I'm just so glad that Derek met you—I have never seen him happier than with you. I know you two will have a great life together."
Casey wiped away the wetness from her eyes. "Thanks Abbey, I really appreciate that."
Abbey put the hair pin above the curls brought together in the back since Kendra had taken the trouble of curling it and pulling a couple strands back to meet in the middle. It suited a gentler beach style wedding.
Her mother then took a deep breath as she took Casey's hands. "I have been saving these to give you on your wedding day," she said.
The others laughed.
"Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the signs, when I woke up that day; I couldn't find them anywhere even though I was sure that I put them on the dresser the night before. Today I have them for you to wear. They have been in the family a long time. Every woman has worn them on their wedding day. I was only able to wear one on the wedding day to your father… but I wore them when I married George. Today it is your turn to wear them."
Nora opened the small box to reveal ruby earrings inlaid in filigree gold.
Casey felt the tears come. "Oh Mom, they're beautiful."
She put the earrings in and hugged her mother tightly.
"Alright, let's get dressed," Lizzie grinned. "We've got a wedding to get to."
Casey smiled as Marti brought out her wedding dress. "I had a feeling that you weren't thinking of Max when you bought this dress," she said as she hung it up on the back of the door.
Emily had a look of deep thought. "You know, I think she's right. I remember this just being the dream dress you would describe when you were younger… and I do believe you were with Derek at the time."
Casey blushed. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Now, who is going to help me get into my dress?"
It was a flurry of enthusiastic activity and liveliness as they got Casey ready for the wedding and got themselves ready to attend the wedding.
"Oh oh, we have to make sure you have all your things… you know something blue, borrowed, old, so on…" her mother said.
"Earrings are the something old, same for the hair clip," Casey smiled.
"The dress something new," Lizzie laughed.
"I figured this was pretty shotgun, not that I'm suggesting anything," Kendra laughed. She handed her a blue garter. I have been saving it for my wedding, you know since Sam and I are getting married later in the summer. This can be your something borrowed and blue."
Casey hugged Kendra. "Thanks so much! That was so sweet."
"I think that covers about everything," Emily said, as she went through the flowers that had just been delivered to the room.
"Oh, you need a penny in your shoe," Vicky beamed. She went to her purse and dug through it and pulled out a shiny Canadian penny.
Then with some work they helped Casey get the garter on and taped the penny down in her shoe.
Finally they were ready and making their way through the hotel villa to the beach behind them that had been set up for their wedding.
Abbey handed Casey a card on their way down.
Casey opened the card and smiled. It was from Derek telling her he couldn't wait to see her coming towards him and he couldn't wait to marry her. It also told her that he had a gift for her that had been from his grandmother for the right girl when the time came but she would have to wait to find out what it was.
She looked at Abbey curiously.
She shook her head. "Sorry, I can't tell you—it's supposed to be a surprise."
Casey frowned but smiled as they waited for the sign that they could start the wedding.
Finally George and her dad came to walk her down the aisle and everyone else except Emily, Marti, and Lizzie went to go and join the others on the beach.
"You ready princess?" Dennis asked her.
She positively beamed in her radiant happiness.
"I've never seen you look more beautiful," he smiled as he kissed her on the cheek.
George gave her a smile. "Casey, I can say that I know I'm slow on these things," he laughed. "But the moment I knew you had run away with Derek, it sunk it, you would really become my daughter now. I know that Max would have never made you as happy and I'm just so glad that your mother and I will get to see you truly happy because you deserve it."
She hugged him.
"Well said George," her dad chuckled as he patted him on the back.
George smiled nervously. "I never know what to say at these things but I am glad that we will both have the chance to share in this day."
"It's time to start," Emily gushed as she hurried towards Casey. She gave her her flowers and the girls made sure that everything was good.
"Okay, I'm good," she smiled serenely. "Just go already."
All the girls gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Emily was the first to walk down the steps to the beach, followed by Marti, then Lizzie.
Once Lizzie had gone, Casey took a deep breath and smiled.
"Ready?" her father asked.
She nodded her head and together the three of them started walking. Once they had descended the steps, she knew she was only steps away from the love of her life. She looked down the beach to where there was an arch set up with billowing material as it gently swayed from the ocean breeze.
There she saw Derek in the black pants and the shirt from rented tux open at the top. He had his hair gelled and she thought he looked dashing. She smiled at the sight of him. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen and she felt so elated to know that they were to be married very very shortly. It was a dream come true. She just glowed in her happiness as she walked towards him.
Derek had been getting so nervous as he stood waiting.
"D, do you need to throw up," Sam teased in a whisper from behind him.
He shook his head then felt Sam nudge him.
He knew this was it. Casey was now coming down the stairs. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for when he would see her.
He kept himself even then he saw her and the world went still.
She looked beautiful in a creamy lace dress that hugged her dancer's body in a mermaid style. She had her hair down and in curls with a white flower tucked in by her ear. He knew he would never forget this moment. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in the entire world and she was about to become his.
Finally George and Dennis had brought her to him and he was taking a hold of her hand.
He gave her a smirking smile.
She winked at him then kissed both Dennis and George on the cheek and she stood up beside Derek to be married.
Casey had all she could to hear what the man was saying. She kept smiling and held onto Derek's hands, staring at him with all the love she felt for him and she saw it in his face as well. It felt so perfect.
They exchanged vows, promising eternal love. Casey and Derek stared into each other's eyes with their own look of promise.
Finally it came to the time to exchange rings. Casey had found a jewelry store on her own and found a platinum band that had a tribal design on it.
"With this ring," she smiled, "I thee wed."
He grinned at the ring. It would match with her Bali engagement ring that she knew she would never part with for all the diamonds in the world.
Finally Derek was sliding a ring on her finger and she felt her eyes grow moist. It was a platinum band inlaid with yellow gold in a criss cross pattern with three small diamonds across the top.
"This was my grandmother's," he whispered. "She wore it for her 60 year marriage with my grandfather and she hoped that I would find someone to share a lifetime with," he told her quietly.
She smiled with a happy tear escaping down her cheek.
"With this ring, I thee wed," he said, then lifted her hand and kissed the finger he had slid the ring onto.
"Then by the power vested in me on this beautiful day in Bali, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the…
There were claps and cheers, even laughter as Derek went ahead before he finished the words and grabbed Casey and clutched her to him, bowing her slightly to kiss her.
They all cheered as they kissed and were now finally together, married.
Finally they came up for air and held their hands up and smiled brightly at everyone.
Derek took her hand and they started up the aisle, kissing her every few steps, smiling and waving at everyone.
They were at the top of the stairs, in the private lobby that they had been waiting in before.
She smiled at him.
He smirked then lifted her off her feet. "Well, Mrs. Venturi, I do believe you're stuck with me forever and a day now."
She gave him the most radiant and love soaked smile she possessed. "and I couldn't be happier," she said and kissed him passionately.
Alright… so, I'm deciding whether I should just end it here… or do a little more, you know maybe an epilogue… let me know what you think. I'm not sure that I even like this chapter, so please let me know what you think… I am very tempted to scrap it and write it again… let me know what you think…
