A/N: Tissue alert!
Chapter 4
The rehearsal group walked into the Hilton Gardens Hotel for the rehearsal dinner as the Barkley family members started filtering out of the ballroom. Uncle Nick made a beeline towards Cait and Aaron like an old time locomotive full of steam. "Boogey at six o'clock," Aaron whispered.
"I know how to shoot down that boogey," Cait whispered back.
"This should be fun," Jack snarked. Aaron thumped his shoulder.
"God damnit Caitie, you and Aaron didn't have to feed us," Nick bellowed. Maggie looked at Jarrod and rolled her eyes.
Cait smiled. "Hi Uncle Nick. Welcome to the east coast. Thanks for coming," she said. Nick's wife Janet just shook her head at Aaron with a smile. They shared a hug as Nick pulled Cait off her feet with his massive hug. "And you all feed us when we come west."
"It was our turn to buy Nick," Aaron smiled.
"I loved the open bar," Heath smiled, pulling Cait into a hug as Nick let her go, shared pleasantries with Aaron and grabbed Jack to give him a hug.
"Hi Uncle Nick," Jack smiled.
"That was on your brother," Cait smiled at Heath.
"Damn," Adam winked at Luke and then Cait. "Maybe we should sneak back in and get one more on mom and dad."
"Don't you dare Adam," Cait smiled. "The rehearsal group is dry."
It took fifteen minutes to make the introductions of all the family members gathered around the entry way of the ballroom. Just as that was finally finishing, Mike looked around and saw a lone figure moving to join the group. Cait noticed him and Andi both shaking their heads.
"Mike," Cait asked, walking up to the couple, rubbing Mike's back. Mike smiled at his mother and nodded his head at the person joining the group. "Michael; it's Uncle Dave. When have you not known his timing to be impeccable," Cait smiled.
"And be the last here to get all the introductions alone," Andi whispered.
Cait laughed. "I love you Andi. You always nail it. David Rossi gets his ego stroked again." She looked at the two of them. "But he deserves it tonight."
"Mom?" Mike questioned.
Cait smiled. "Dad and I paid for the buffet for the family. Grandpa and grandma paid for the open bar." She looked at the two of them. "Dave is paying for the rehearsal dinner. It's his gift to Matt and Lauren."
Mike looked at Cait. "I say we raid the bar often," he smiled.
Cait laughed. "Get Uncle Jake on board to be the sober cab for your dad and me and we're in."
-00CM00-
Wyatt looked around the Hotchner family home kitchen the next morning. "This reminds me of Thanksgiving day Aunt Cait," he smiled as he climbed into one of the nook counter chairs with Cait setting a bowl of cereal in front of him and a cut up banana. Leslie put Ethan in the next chair with Sean giving him the same breakfast. Maggie added a glass of apple juice for the both of them. Jarrod, already having his breakfast, joined them in the third chair, having another cup of coffee.
Jake came into the kitchen. Maggie looked at him and just shook her head. Aaron smiled and poured him a cup of coffee, handing it to him. "Thank bro," Jake smiled. "How's your headache?"
"I'm good," Aaron smiled. "I'm just glad dad drove us all home last night." Cait raised her hand on that comment, pulling two pieces of bread out of the toaster, buttering them.
Jake laughed. "It was good to see you relax last night sis."
"Dave and his sentimental speeches plus champagne get me every time," Cait smiled. She looked at the boys at the counter. "Raspberry or grape jelly guys."
"Raspberry," Wyatt said.
"Grape," Ethan said. Cait looked at them. Leslie smiled, grabbing the raspberry jar.
"I got it Cait," Leslie smiled. "It was good to see you relax last night. Please just don't tell me you're having the whole famdamily here for dinner."
Cait shook her head. "That's why I partied last night. They are all on their own." Leslie looked at her. "Nick, Janet, Heath and Gretchen are booked on the all-day oldsters Grey Line bus tour of DC. Adam, Jenny, Luke and Abbey are going to do the monuments on their own using the Metro. Tom, Patty and the kids are doing the Zoo to see the pandas."
Sean looked at Cait. "I know you're going to have them all here."
Cait smiled. "That's my pre-wedding mom doesn't stress out Saturday morning before the wedding exercise." Sean looked intently at her. "You, Leslie and mom help me prep my egg bake for brunch Sunday morning and gift opening party with all of them here."
Jarrod looked at Cait with his Cheshire cat smile. "Does that include Lauren's parents?"
Cait looked at him. "That depends on how the wedding reception goes."
"Cait?" Jarrod asked. Aaron shook his head.
"They approached Dave last night and brought up the Burnham family. Dave, being the gentleman that he is brushed it off. But he told Aaron and me they were like a dog with a bone. If they bring it up to him again…."
"Dave has our approval," Aaron said, "to lower the boom on them."
Jarrod smiled. "I'd like to witness that."
"Right behind you," Maggie growled. Sean and Leslie's boys finished their breakfasts and run off to the gaming room upstairs as their parents took care of their breakfast dishes.
Jake pulled Cait into hug. "You're my big sister. I love you. But that Cait is why I'm proud to be your little brother. You took it to that damn family and walked away with your dignity and your sons to raise the way you and Aaron wanted."
"And sixteen million couldn't buy the fine sons you have," Sean added.
"Thank you my brothers," Cait smiled at Sean and Jake. "I love you too. Please just fill my coffee cup," Cait said, holding it out.
They group all laughed as Leslie smiled at Aaron. Aaron put his arm around her and pulled her to his shoulder. "Thanks sis," he smiled.
"I get it Aaron," Leslie said. "I've had the same battles with my family." She smiled. "Just on a smaller scale."
Jack came into the kitchen, yawning and stretching. "What does a guy need around here to get some breakfast?"
Jake reached into a cupboard and pulled out a bowl. Reaching into another cupboard, he pulled out a box of cereal. He put them on the lunch counter as Jack sat down next to Jarrod. Sean added a banana and muffin.
Cait added the milk container. Jack looked at Cait. "I'm on my own?"
"Are you a kid or a teenager?" Cait responded back.
Jack looked at Maggie. "Answer the question," Maggie said.
"Growing up sucks," Jack mumbled, getting his breakfast together. The group roared with laughter.
-00CM0-
Matt and Lauren's wedding was small and intimate. It was what they wanted.
Jack, wearing a suit tux like the rest of the males of the bridal party, came out of the church's right altar side door to light the altar candles as Thomas Barkley IV, aka Tommy, quietly sat John and Hannah Brooks into the second pew next to Jessica with a smile. They three of them, along with Dave, proudly smiled at Jack. Grandpa and Grandpa Barkley smiled from the back of the church, waiting to be seated.
Tommy got Sean and Leslie seated in the front pew on the groom's side of the church. Jake got Lauren's parents seated in the front pew on the bride's side of the church that included Aaron's team and most of his and Cait's church family.
As Tommy led Cait and Aaron down the aisle, Jack came out of the altar side room and joined them in the front pew. Tommy looked at Cait, leading her up the aisle with Aaron at her side. "You look beautiful Aunt Cait," he smiled.
Sean lightly slapped Jack's leg as he sat down. "Good job," he smiled. Jack beamed back at him as Cait and Aaron sat down. Jake seated Lauren's grandmother.
The bridal party was small. It was Wyatt and Ethan, in their suit tuxes that started the processional as the ring bearers. Mike and Matt came out the same door as Jack as Sami, Lauren's sister and the maid of honor, came up the aisle to Nadine's processional music. Mike, as the best man, escorted her to the altar area.
Aaron and Cait proudly stood to welcome their about to be daughter's entrance into the church on her grandfather's arm. Everyone softly laughed as Wyatt and Ethan, sitting on Cait and Aaron's laps, walked up to the altar area and Mike pulling the wedding rings out of each of their tux pockets. Andi, sitting next to Leslie, smiled at her.
-CM00-
The reception, like the wedding was intimate. Sami and Mike as the maid of honor and best man, in their toasts to the new couple, hit on the same theme. They regaled family and friends of the love and support they received from their older siblings, wishing them well in their new lives.
Lauren's thank you bridal speech was pointed. Aaron looked at Cait. "You didn't think she'd be a straight shooter?" Cait whispered as Lauren spoke. She and Sami's parents were never mentioned while her grandparents and Lupe received her high praise along with Cait and Aaron.
Matt's thank you speech brought down the house with many in tears. He started off by thanking Dave for his generosity and support through the years. "You mean the world to both of us Uncle Dave," Matt said, wiping a tear away.
"I am the son of a blended family. A very proud son of that family." Matt hung his head for second and then looked at the gathered guests. "Being a single mother isn't easy. But Mike and my mom just simply rocked it out. On the east coast, away from her California family. On her own." Matt told some stories of those times. And then shook his head. "For over sixteen years." He smiled. The guests all applauded at his heart felt salute to his mother. "And then she met someone," Matt smiled.
"My family," he said, looking at Lauren with a smile, "our family," he smiled, rubbing Lauren's shoulder, "isn't connected by DNA. It's connected solely by love. Part of it is the love a woman who had the courage to give up her life to protect her son. Because of Haley Brooks Hotchner, I have a second set of grandparents," he smiled at Hannah and John. "And a very special aunt," he smiled at Jessica.
"And Mike and I got a wonderful little brother who we love and cherish." Jack smiled at him.
"A single mother should be the biggest role model in your life," Matt said looking out at the guests. "Trust me; she is," he smiled. "But with mom finally moving on with her life, I got another role model." He looked at Aaron. "My dad," he said, wiping away another tear.
"Through their love, even after the tragedy of losing Haley, whom Lauren and I honor every day," Matt said. "Mike and I got a dad. First off, someone that made our mom so, so incredibly happy. But more importantly," Matt said looking at Aaron, "a man that didn't doubt for one second taking on that role for Mike and me while being the same for Jack. And you've never played favorites. Your love has been unconditional for all of your sons." Matt shook his head. Cait wiped a tear away. "Dad," he said, looking at Aaron, "Mom reared me to be a fine Barkley man," he said, looking at Maggie and Jarrod. "Your example brought that home. I love you dad. And I hope I'm half the man to Lauren that you've been to mom. And when I become a father, I will have finest example to follow."
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A/N: Like I said earlier, you weren't going to get the full blown wedding. But some things just worked from that first fully written wedding. ;)
Tommy is Thomas Barkley IV. Aka Thomas Barkley the fourth. His dad is Thomas II named after his grandfather. I know; it confused the heck out of me at first. But it's right.