Chapter 16

The following day, Austin was up, barely getting any asleep. She had a game plan and was going to stick by it. She was going to take her parents out, alone, to breakfast and tell them about Randy. They would notice him, there was no doubt about it, and she couldn't let John find out her and Randy had a past.

Austin looked in the mirror, wearing a black jean skirt that had a studded belt with a black and blue tank top. Her hair was up in a high ponytail with a few tendrils framing her face, black thin eyeliner on her eyes with clear gloss on her lips, and black two inch knee high boots on her feet. She had to do this and, with one last deep breath, Austin walked out of her hotel room with purse in hand.

Randy was back at Carol's, helping John's brothers and friends plan the bachelor party. He wasn't actually doing any of the planning, just sitting back and listening. This way he could honestly claim he had no part at all in what these men were intending on doing. Randy could just imagine Austin's reaction if she ever found out, trying to envision John's face when a stripper by the moniker of Moaning Minnie was presented to him.

Austin greeted her parents at the airport, grunting as they nearly crushed her before walking out and headed to the nearest IHOP, telling them it was her treat.

"Sweetheart, what is this all about?" Elizabeth asked gently but firmly, sitting in the passenger seat while her husband took the back, knowing he was exhausted from their flight.

"There's something I have to tell you both before we go to Carol's." Austin knew that sounded cryptic, but she couldn't let her parents see Randy again without warning them ahead of time. "It's about the Best Man."

William popped his eyes open, raising an eyebrow at his wife through the rearview mirror, and sighed heavily. "Why do I have a feeling I won't like hearin' this baby girl?" He asked resignedly.

"You won't."

Elizabeth gently shook her head at her husband as she shifted in her seat to study their daughter thoughtfully, wondering just how bad this was going to be. That 'you won't' of Austin's sounded pretty ominous. A million and one thoughts shot through her mind, none of them very good and inhaled deeply, forcing a smile on her face. "Well it can't be all that bad." She finally reasoned dexterously.

Austin stared back at her mother with such heartache and raw emotion that it nearly startled Elizabeth. The rest of the drive to IHOP was made in silence, except the phone call from John, telling her how much he missed her already. She told him she missed him too and would see him tonight for the wedding rehearsal. Following that and the dinner, their parties would commence.

When John told her he loved her more than life itself and couldn't wait for her to be his wife, Austin felt the tears sting her eyes and she had to hang up, telling him she couldn't wait either. They arrived at IHOP a few minutes later after that phone call and Austin slid out, guiding her parents inside, telling them this was on her. She owed them that much because the bombshell that was about to be dropped on them would upset them to no avail.

Now William was really getting cranky as he settled himself in his seat. "Austin, how bout you stop dancing around the subject and just tell us what's going on?" He asked tiredly, glancing at his wife when she placed her hand on top of his, and flashed a half smile. Elizabeth just stared patiently at her daughter, seeing the emotions swirling in Austin's eyes, and frowned.

Deciding they weren't going to eat until she told them, Austin took a deep breath and waved the waiter away, telling him they needed a minute to decide. Once they were alone, Austin looked back at her parents and had to take a drink of water, her throat suddenly dry. "Do you both remember Randy Orton?" She asked bluntly, leaning back against the booth, crossing one leg over the other and folded her arms across her chest.

"Elaine and Bob's boy?" William smiled at the memory of him, nodding. "Of course we do. What bout him?"

"Well," Austin cracked a shaky smile, the turmoil in her eyes. "He's the Best Man."

"What?" Elizabeth had been reaching for the glass of water the waitress had set down for them right before Austin had told her they needed a moment. In her shock, she toppled the glass, not even bothering to reach for napkins to mop up the water that was now wetting the table. "Randy is the Best Man?" Had she really heard that one right?

"Yes." Austin took another deep breath, her heart pounding furiously in her chest, tears filling her eyes. "All John told me before I went on the road with him for those few weeks was his Best Man's name was Randy. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be Randy Orton." She lowered her head and closed her eyes, drying her tears up, knowing she had to be strong. "The reason why I'm telling you both this is because John doesn't know." Her eyes locked with her mother's, then her father's, chewing her bottom lip. "I don't ever want him finding out about me and Randy."

"Why not?" William asked gruffly, arching an eyebrow. "He's going to be your husband, Austin. Don't you think he has the right to know?"

"Sweetheart, if by chance, John was to find out...don't you think it would be even worse because you HADN'T told him?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly, still trying to get over her shock that Randy Orton was John's Best Man.

"I knew you wouldn't understand." Austin whispered, lowering her head. "Let me put it this way, if you tell John or give ANY indication that you know who Randy is, I will leave. I will not marry him because there will be no wedding because John's head is going to explode and take half of Massachusetts with him. He is going to call off the engagement, the wedding, everything." Maybe she was being a little overzealous, but she had to scare her parents into keeping their mouths shut somehow. "So for my sanity, as well as everyone else's, just please don't say anything. I don't want John finding out because it's my past and there are some things he doesn't need to know."

William instantly opened his mouth with every intention of telling his beloved daughter that what she was both doing and threatening were the actions of a frightened child, but his wife's warning look shut him up. Grunting, he looked down at his menu, not saying a word. Elizabeth studied Austin for a moment before sadly nodding her head, agreeing with her daughter's wishes.

"Thank you both." The relief in her tone was enough to make her mother smile sadly at her, squeezing her hand before cleaning up the water. 'I'm doing the right thing.' She reasoned in thought, hoping Randy played this cool when they were finally face to face.

Austin already had her outfit picked out for the dress rehearsal and hoped her father respected her wishes just as much as her mother did. They ordered breakfast and talked about the upcoming prenuptials, Austin describing her dress and smiled as her mother gushed over it. All in all, it was a nice breakfast with her parents.

If nice constituted threatening her parents with hysterics and all the rest, William was pleasant enough, but he wasn't so enthusiastic about the wedding as the women folk were. Not anymore. Austin was not getting her marriage off on the right foot. If Randy was John's best friend and was undoubtedly going to be in John's and, therefore, Austin's life somewhat, John had a right to know.

After breakfast was over with, Austin took her parents to the hotel so they could get settled in and whatnot before going to change for the dress rehearsal. She had to be dressed up and decided on a white, strapless tank dress that went two inches above the knee. Her hair was left down, curled at the ends to give it bounce. She left her makeup the way it was and had two inch open toed heels with a silver chain wrapped around her ankle, the angel necklace around her neck from Carol, and ruby studded earrings in her ears. It matched the necklace, the ankle bracelet plain. Her parents were waiting for her as she grabbed her black coat and took one last look in the mirror before heading out, pulling it on. She was nervous about this, knowing after tomorrow she would be a married woman, a soft smile on her face.


"So is this a dinner or a rehearsal?"

"Both, John." Randy shook his head, wondering if the poor guy was going to make it. He was getting pre-wedding jitters, badly. It was a wonder that John could tell his ass from a hole in the ground at the moment. Then again, maybe he couldn't. "John, that's a hat."

"Yeah?"

"It doesn't go on your foot and what's your name again?"

"It's- Hey, just because I'm nervous doesn't mean I've forgotten; my last name happens to be Cena." John retorted, groaning when Randy lit up. "Man, we are almost there and you're going to have me smelling like nasty cigarettes. Thank God Mom isn't riding with us."

'Amen!' Randy's mind roared.


Austin pulled up to the place where they were having their reception, the wedding being at Carol's house and seen they were somewhat early. She looked straight ahead, wondering if this was the right decision and felt her mother place her hand on hers, looking over at her.

"You're going to be fine sweetheart. Come on, everyone's waiting."

William didn't say a word, knowing if he did his wife would have his balls hanging from their Christmas tree.

Nodding, Austin cut the engine and slid out of the car, leading her parents inside with a smile plastered on her face. Austin walked in the dining hall and was instantly greeted by Carol and John SR, smiling as she hugged them before introducing her parents since the four hadn't met in person until this moment.

She looked behind her shoulder and felt her breath catch in her throat, coat off and hanging up already, at the sight of Randy. He was looking amazing in a crisp black suit with a white shirt underneath, just like John, their collars out, refusing to wear ties until tomorrow. She excused herself and headed in their direction.

"Aus!" John's face lit up in a brilliant smile when he seen her, moving forward to catch her by the waist and lift her in the air, gently spinning around. If he did have any doubts or nervousness before, just seeing her banished them in a heartbeat.

Randy was staring past them at her parents, arching an eyebrow when they both looked at him, and showed no sign of recognition. Who was responsible for that, he wondered dryly.

Her heart both exploded with feeling and ached because it wasn't John's lips she wanted to feel. She kissed him back though, running her fingers through his short brown hair and pulled back before letting him spin her around slowly. The white tank dress had silver embroidery on the top and bottom hems, causing her to shine even more. She looked like a woman who was ready to be married, though on the inside, Austin wanted to run in the opposite direction as she allowed John to lead her away, glancing back at Randy. Her eyes told him all he needed to know as far as her parents went and what she was feeling before leaning her head against John's, taking their rightful places at the table.

So she was wiping him out of the picture entirely. Maybe it was for the best. Randy kept a happy grin on his face, acting like he was thrilled for his friend and his lovely bride. Of course, inside he wanted nothing more than to snatch Austin up and shake some sense into her. That wasn't a thought to be having, considering he was at the dinner rehearsal for her wedding. But damn did it hurt; she had all but erased him from her life.

The dinner was incredible with roast beef and chicken, talk about the upcoming wedding, which made Austin's stomach turn almost violently. She didn't look at Randy, smiling at John and making conversation with her parents and soon-to-be in-laws, eating her food slowly. Austin was going to end up throwing it up later on from how nervous she was, though surprisingly she wasn't showing any of it. She smiled as John whispered sweet nothings into her ear, kissing her hand, green eyes staring back at him, but it wasn't John she was picturing. It was Randy.

Would this happen tomorrow when she walked down the aisle toward John?

"I love you." She whispered against John's lips, winking when he said it back, and sipped her water. The dinner lasted for three hours before it was time for everyone to leave.

William had been pleasant throughout the evening, though he had also observed the three young people closely. John was totally smitten with Austin, even a blind person would have been able to see that. Austin was putting on one hell of a show that had almost fooled him. And Randy, well...he wasn't sure about Randy. Randy had spoke politely to everyone and introduced himself to them -which had made William inwardly roll his eyes-, playing whatever role he had to perfection. One thing was for sure, he couldn't wait to see the wedding ceremony.