Paula pounded her fist against the steering wheel. What is wrong with me? she thought tersely. She knew it was stupid question, but it didn't stop her mind from railing at her incongruent behavior. Rick owed her big for taking care of everything this week. Well, that and for the other thing as well, but he'd never find out about her blood donation visit to the hospital. She grimaced as she remembered the doctor's warning that there were medicinal side effects, such as 'some achiness', 'possible insomnia' or 'slight nausea'.
Paula closed her eyes against the wave that hit her again. Slight nausea? She'd felt like puking her guts out since she took the first dose. She had been able to hold it in with a few deep breaths and a little concentration, except the morning that Martha had taunted her about Rick ditching her to spend the day with his future wife.
She glanced at her reflection in her rearview mirror. She looked like hell, too. Apparently, the 'possible insomnia' meant not being able to sleep more than an hour a night. She spent the rest of the time feeling her aching bones and listening to her mind race. She glanced at the clock on her dash and realized it was time to go. She exited the car and stood a moment staring at the hospital entrance. She silently gave thanks that Sunday had finally arrived, even though this procedure made her nervous. Fleetingly, she wished someone had come with her. She growled at her own insecurities, slamming her palm against the window of her car. She closed her eyes and shook her head as she entered the hospital lab. She needed to get this over with quickly if she wanted to make it to Rick's wedding.
Rick grabbed Martha's arm as she passed by.
"Mother, have you seen Paula?"
"I'm sorry kiddo."
He glanced at his watch, and then over to gauge the audience that consisted of Jim, Lanie, Javier, Ryan, and the children. "The natives are getting restless. I'll give Paula ten more minutes before we get started."
Rick wandered over to speak to the officiant, pausing briefly to kiss the top of Mackenzie's head from her makeshift bed on the sofa. She grinned at him, holding up her basket of rose petals, indicating she was ready to do her job.
Ten minutes had passed and Rick gave the signal to begin. Everyone sat down as Martha nodded to the pianist to play the wedding march. Paula slipped through the front door then and quietly took a seat.
Rick smiled at her, relieved. He considered Paula his friend. In a way, he saw her attendance today as a form of approval. He knew it was silly, but since Paula had been Kyra's best friend since childhood, her acceptance of his marriage felt like getting Kyra's approval.
He smiled at her, turning his attention to the staircase. He watched with fatherly pride as his daughter made her way down, followed by his future wife. His wife. He liked the sound of that.
As Kate drew near, Mackenzie tossed a few rose petals across her path. Kate smiled at her daughter. The impact of what she was about to do hit her, taking her breath away. She was getting married! She looked into his eyes and smiled, wondering again if she were dreaming. If so, she hoped she'd never wake up.
Rick couldn't believe how beautiful she looked walking towards him and in just a few short minutes they would officially be husband and wife. A feeling of tranquility washed over him as Kate stepped next to him and the officiant began speaking.
"Family and friends, we welcome you today to witness the marriage of Richard and Katherine. You have shared and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, Katherine and Richard ask you to share in their future.
Marriage is a promise, made in the hearts of two people who love each other, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's lover, teacher, listener, critic, and best friend.
It is into this state that Katherine and Richard wish to enter.
Who gives their blessings to this union?"
"We do," Martha and Jim announced.
"If anyone present can show just cause as to why this couple may not be legally joined together, you should now declare it, or hereafter hold your peace." Martha stole a glance at Paula and was met with silence.
"Richard, do you take Katherine to be your wife? Will you take Katherine into your family, and take her family as your own. Do you promise to love her, honor her, and treasure her. Do you promise to trust her, and to trust in your marriage. Do you promise to savor your good times, and to have faith that the bad times will pass. Do you promise to value your differences as much as your common ground. Do you promise to give Katherine your help and support, and to accept help and support from her. Do you promise to keep your promises, and not to make promises you can't keep. Do you promise Katherine always."
"I do," Richard smiled looking at Kate.
"Katherine, do you take Richard to be your husband? Will you take Richard into your family, and take his family as your own. Do you promise to love him, honor him, and treasure him. Do you promise to trust him, and to trust in your marriage. Do you promise to savor your good times, and to have faith that the bad times will pass. Do you promise to value your differences as much as your common ground. Do you promise to give Richard your help and support, and to accept help and support from him. Do you promise to keep your promises, and not to make promises you can't keep. Do you promise Richard always."
"I do," Kate smiled through her tears.
"Katherine and Richard, please face each other and hold hands. Richard, as you look at Katherine, repeat these words after me: I, Richard, take you Katherine, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forth, to love, honor, and cherish, to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy, in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live."
The officiant then turned to Kate. "Katherine, as you look at Richard, repeat these words after me: I. Katherine, take you Richard, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forth, to love, honor, and cherish, to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy, in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live.
"The ring is a symbol of unity into which your two lives are now joined in an unbroken circle; in which, wherever you go, you will return to one another."
Rick took her hand in his and repeated the phrase he had learned earlier in the week as he slipped her wedding band over her knuckle. "Kate, I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion. Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."
Kate imitated his actions as she blinked back her tears. "Rick, I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion. Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."
"Katherine and Richard, may your home be a haven of peace and your relationship be one of truth and understanding. May you enjoy length of days, fulfillment of hopes, and peace and content of mind as you, day by day, live and fulfill the terms of this covenant you have made with one another. And now, for as much as you have made your vows, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving your rings, I pronounce that you are wife and husband, husband and wife. Richard, you may kiss your bride!"
Paula stifled a yawn, wondering if they would notice her sneaking out. She decided to wait until they cut the cake. However, judging from the looks they gave each other while dancing, she might take root before they finished.
She stood to retrieve a drink of water and fought the dizziness again. She wanted something harder, whiskey maybe, but the idea brought the queasiness back. The doctor had promised that the side effects would wear off by tomorrow. A soft sigh escaped her lips. She hoped so. She was so tired, and her headache made her want to curl into the fetal position and cry like a baby.
She glanced again at the happy couple. They danced with their children now, Rick with Mackenzie and Alexis and Kate with Aiden. She looked at Mackenzie again, an unexpected rush of affection taking her by surprise. She deserved a chance to grow up, especially since she was so loved.
A feeling of regret arose within her as she considered her own bleak childhood. She could remember a time before she met Kyra; she had actually wished to die. She shook her head at the thought and winced at the pain throbbing behind her eyes. She swayed slightly, catching herself on the back of a chair.
"What's wrong? Drunk already?"
Still caught in her melancholy thought, she ignored the comment. She tipped her head slightly in Mackenzie's direction. "Do you think she'll make it?"
Martha squinted at her. From the dark circles under her eyes and the vein throbbing in her temple, she could tell she had a massive headache, but Paula Haas getting sentimental over a child? That would be a first.
"All right, how many of those have you had?"
Paula looked down at the empty glass in her hand. She smiled, responding with a mysterious air. "Not as many as you think."
Martha watched as she placed a hand to her head, her eyes unfocused, as she started to sway. "Martha?" she asked, her voice distant and faint behind the buzzing in her ears. As darkness started to close in, she saw Martha rush to her side to catch her.
Rick kicked his bedroom door opened and carried his bride into the room. Setting her down carefully on the bed, he sat next to her and gave her a long, unhurried kiss. Pulling away, he stroked her cheek with his knuckles, and smiled excitedly.
"Wait right here."
He hopped up and shut the door, then removed his jacket and tie. Tossing them over the armchair, he retrieved a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket and poured some of the golden liquid into two waiting glasses.
"To you," He sat down next to her and handed one of the glasses to her. "Inside and out, you are the most extraordinary woman I've ever met."
Kate wrapped her glass around his arm and gently tapped, making both ring out in crystallized tones. "To us."
They drank, never breaking eye contact. Rick took her glass and set it down. He took her hands and stared into her eyes for a moment before grinning apprehensively.
"You know, I've wanted to have you here for so long that it doesn't feel real."
She smiled at his confession. Looking down, she anxiously played with his new wedding band. "I know what you mean. I've had this idea about marriage since I was a little girl. I keep repeating to myself that "we're married", but now I'm not sure what that means."
He tilted his head and considered her a moment. Leaning in, he gave her another soft kiss and whispered, "It means that I'll love you and stand beside only you for the rest of my days."
She closed her eyes against the tidal wave of emotion that hit her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with everything she felt inside her. As their breaths quickened, Kate ran her fingers up through Rick's hair, deepening their kiss with increasing passion, and pulling him toward her.
In a sudden movement, she pushed him away and stood up, facing him. She gave him a sexy smile and started to tug off one of her long white gloves. He sat up, mesmerized by her movements, as she playfully discarded the other, along with her veil. In his frenzied haze, even the simple toss of her head added to his need for her.
She kicked off her shoes and raised her leg to place it on the bed next to him. She pulled up the hem of her dress to slide off her stockings, when she felt his hands join hers to help. Her breath caught as his fingers brushed the inside of her thigh, pulling the stocking down. Switching legs, she let him take over, while she reached for his buttons.
She pushed her palms along his collarbone, dropping the shirt from his shoulders. At the feel of her hands on his bare skin, he stood and took her mouth in a deep kiss, pulling her close and running his hands down her back in search of her zipper. Kate joined him in his movements, tugging aggressively at his belt. Her dress and his pants fell away almost simultaneously, followed closely by their underwear.
He stepped back and took in the vision of his nude wife, while she did the same with him. He grabbed her hand again and pulled her back into a tight embrace, starting a slow, sensual exploration of her skin. As he reveled in her perfect body, enjoying her response to his touch, he slowed down even further.
Although she loved that he wanted to take his time with her, Kate felt her remaining patience with his delicious torture slipping away. Finally unable to stand it any longer, she roughly pushed him onto his back and attacked him with frantic movements of her own.
At this point, Rick forgot his promise to be slow and deliberate, and joined her with his own passionate and fiery motions, pausing only briefly to whisper her name and his love before driving them both over the edge together.