Chapter 19
I thought the next day was going to be a very long day, but it wasn't. Time went by really fast that day. Christie, me and the rest of her bride's maids went and got our hair done. We had appointments for first thing in the morning when the hair salon opened up. Ashley, Holly, and Jenna got their hair done in up-dos. Amy and I got our hair curled and then put half-way up. Christie got her hair done in a French bun. Melissa got her hair done in a fancy ponytail.
The wedding was taking place at 200 Peachtree Grand Atrium, which was right across the street from the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta. The Ritz was where the reception was going to be. Jake's parents were wealthy and were the main ones that paid for his and Christie's wedding. My parents helped out with paying for flowers and other stuff like that.
Anyway, I with Christie and the rest of her bride's maids went to the Ritz where we got ready for the wedding. The wedding was scheduled for 4 o'clock. John and Phil were hanging out with Jake and his groom's men until the wedding. Jake invited them to hang out with him and his groom's men so they were with guys and not us girls. John and Phil were kind of uncomfortable without me or Amy around them.
"Christie is getting married," Jenna said. "And Trish is pregnant. Where is the excitement for Melissa?"
"I'm also moving in with my baby daddy," I said.
"Like Jenna said, 'Where is the excitement for Melissa?'" Amy said.
We all looked over at Melissa. She smiled at us. "My excitement is coming in December when I graduate college.
"Hurray, another sister graduating," I said.
"Amen to that," Christie said.
Melissa was getting the same degree Amy and I had gotten. Melissa wanted to go to law school, though and be a lawyer. Melissa was taking after her favorite older sister, me. That was my story and I was sticking to it.
At 4:05 PM, I made my way down the aisle as a bride's maid. I walked with one of Jake's groom's men. In front of us was Amy with another groom's man. Then I knew behind us was Melissa. Melissa had been the maid of honor. Jake's best man was standing next to him. I had not cared that Melissa was the maid of honor for Christie. I was a bride's maid, which was what was important to me.
As my escort and I walked past the first few rows of seats, I spotted John and Phil sitting next to my mom. I caught John's eye and he smirked at me. I smiled back.
I took my spot next to Amy as my escort joined Jake and the rest of the groom's men. Melissa came up and stood next to me. Everyone stood and turned. In came Christie with our dad. I smiled brightly as I watched my sister walk down the aisle. She had her eyes on Jake. I looked over at him. His eyes were on her too. He smiled brightly at her. I felt tears come to my eyes already. It was going to be a long ceremony if I was crying already.
Once Christie and my dad reached the front, my dad kissed Christie on the cheek. He then took his seat next to my mom. Christie and Jake smiled at each other as they were face-to-face. All eyes were on them as the preacher began the ceremony.
I couldn't hold back the tears as I looked at my sister and Jake the whole time. I listened as the preacher performed the ceremony. I looked over at Amy. She too was in tears already. We both smiled at each other. My attention then turned back to the ceremony. I wiped away the tears with the tissues I had in hand. When Christie and Jake said their vows to each other, my eyes wondered over to John. He was looking at me with a smile. I smiled brightly at him.
"I love you," He mouthed.
"I love you too," I mouthed back.
Christie and Jake said their I do's and then exchanged their wedding rings.
"Now by the power vested in me by the state of Georgia, I now pronounce you, husband and wife," The preacher said.
Christie and Jake were then kissing. Everyone was applauding. Melissa and Amy looked at me. We were all crying. We all laughed.
A half an hour later, after taking wedding pictures with the whole wedding party and families, I was sitting in the reception eating. I was happy to be sitting with John, Phil, and Amy. Christie and Jake had had their first dance as husband and wife before dinner was served.
"I'm not going to make it through Steve and Chelsea's wedding in June," I said. "I'll end up crying."
"Well, it was your little sister getting married," John said. "You were just very happy for her."
"Correction: I am very happy for her."
There was a clinging of silverware to a glass then. I looked around to see where it was coming from. It was from Jake's best man. He was ready to make his toast.
"Now all my younger brothers and I get to make a big toast at Steve and Chelsea's reception," John said.
"That'll be fun," Phil said.
Steve and Chelsea had invited Phil, Amy, Randy and Torrie to their wedding. The four of them, plus me had all become part of John's family. Steve and Chelsea considered all of us their friends and part of their family. They said that John's family was their surrogate family since their families were in Chicago, Boise, St. Louis, and Atlanta.
The toast from Jake's best man was really nice. He said a lot of nice things about Christie and he said she was perfect for Jake. That made me smile. He wasn't going to say anything stupid about his best friend's new wife. A smart person wouldn't do that.
Melissa was quick to get everyone's attention after the best man's toast.
"I was much honored when Christie made me her maid of honor," Melissa began. "When Trish moved to Boston this past August, we were both very sad, but it gave a chance for Christie and me to spend time without our other sister there…" Melissa was crying. "…I'm not going to say I like Christie better than Trish or I like Trish better than Christie. I love both my sisters very much and each of them has been there for me when I needed them. But Christie, you mean just as much to me as Trish does and I love you. I always have loved you and I always will, because you are my sister and one of my best friends."
I smiled as everyone clapped. Christie was out of her seat and hugging Melissa. Christie needed to hear that. Sometimes Melissa catered to me more than she did Christie and Christie thought Melissa liked me better. That was not the case. I was the oldest child of our parents. I was the one who was to set an example for her sisters and be the hero, idol and role model to my sisters. I was that to Melissa, but it seemed like Christie was not like that to her. That hurt Christie a lot and Melissa had wanted Christie to know that she meant just as much to her as I did.
"That was very nice," Phil said. "My sisters have the same problem at times. One thinks one likes another better than the other."
"Yeah, I've had that with my brothers," John said. "That is not the case, though. Everyone just might have a better relationship with a particular sibling compared to another."
"Yes, Christie and I fought a lot as kids and teenagers," I said. "I think it was because she thought Melissa liked me better than her. That was not true. I was just the oldest of all of us. A lot of people look to an older person to be their guide through life."
"I just did my own thing growing up," Phil said. "All of my siblings admired me for it."
"You all know I'm close with all my brothers," John said. "But my parents were the main people who inspired me to be who I am today."
"Amy is mine," I said. "She and I have been through so much, but she has been the one person other than my sisters and parents to stick around and get me through life."
"Then you met us," Phil said.
"Oh yes, John, you, Randy and Torrie are all awesome. You all are the greatest friends I've had other than Amy. And John is the best boyfriend I have ever had."
"That's what I like to hear," John said.
The real fun began then. The dance floor was open for everyone to party the night away. And yes, I dragged John out onto the dance floor. I didn't need to drag him out to dance. Dancing was one of our favorite things to do together.
We had both been wrong about ballroom dancing. Dirty Dancing was not ballroom dancing. We actually went to dance classes that taught the different types of dances: The Mumbo, Cha-Cha, Tango, etc. All these dances were the dances that they do on Dancing with the Stars. Ballroom dancing was a whole other different type of dance, slow dancing.
John and I were out on the dancing floor dancing the whole time. We did take little quick breaks here and there for when we got thirsty. I was drinking water the whole time. I couldn't drink, but that was no big deal, because my little baby was worth it. John was a good boy and didn't drink at all. I said he was trying to keep up with me. I had a lot of energy during the reception.
Christie and Jake had made their farewell at 10 o'clock. The two left the reception and went up to their hotel room for the wedding night. That was when the whole reception was over. All the guests said their good-byes to each other and left. My parents, Melissa, and I, along with Jake's parents and other family members cleaned up whatever we needed to and then headed home.
My parents, Melissa, John and I got home at 11:30 PM. My parents were so exhausted that they headed straight to bed when we got there. Melissa was tired too and decided to go to bed. John and I just ended up going into my room. We both slowly got ready for bed.
"Just think, in two months, we'll be having fun at your brother's wedding," I said.
"Yeah, that is going to be a lot more fun for me, because it'll be my brother getting married," John replied, lying on the bed.
I stood in front of the mirror of my dresser, removing my make up. "Oh, yes. I'll be having fun no matter what, because I love weddings."
"Yes, you did have a lot of fun tonight. I did as well."
I was done removing my makeup. I turned around to look at him. "So," I said.
"Yes?" John asked with a smile.
I smiled. I went and got on the bed. "We need to talk more about moving in together."
John nodded his head. "Yes, we do. We need to decide where we are going to live together."
"In an apartment with two bedrooms."
"Yeah, I get that. I have something to tell you, though," John said. "Randy and Torrie are moving in together."
"What the hell?"
John nodded his head. "It's true. Those two are ready for it too. They aren't pregnant like us, though."
"No, if Torrie was, I'd know."
"Well, anyway, you could move into my apartment with me."
"I love that idea. I like your apartment. It was where we spend a full weekend alone together without roommates. It was also where we first made love!"
John smiled. "Good. Then all we have to do is kick Randy out and move you in with me."
I laughed. "You are going to have to make some room for my stuff."
"Yes, I'll get right on that when we get home, along with kicking Randy out."
"That is so mean."
"Hey, he has his girlfriend to go live with."
"Amy is going to be disappointed," I said.
"She'll get over it," John said.
"Don't be mean! That is my best friend!"
"It's not like you're going to forget all about her, Trish! You two work together and you'll still hang out."
I nodded my head. That was an excellent point. "I know, but it'll be weird leaving her."
"She'll be okay. Phil will keep her company whenever he can."
I smiled. "Yes, he will. Oh, my God, I just got an idea."
"What?" John asked.
"Melissa is taking the summer off from school. She'll be back and ready for fall in August. She was talking about coming out to Boston and seeing me. She could stay the whole summer in Boston, actually. She could stay with Amy. They'd both like that."
"I don't know if that is a good idea."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Three words: my baby brother," John replied.
I chuckled. "Oh, come on, John. They're both adults and we had this conversation during Thanksgiving and Christmas."
"Well, they would have the whole summer to spend together and then when August comes, Melissa would leave. I think feelings would have developed by then. Melissa and Boog had a lot of fun together at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I really do not want to see anyone broken hearted."
"That is not something for us to decide. We have to let our younger siblings live their life. We are allowed to have an opinion, but we can't always protect our younger siblings. They need to learn certain lessons. I wouldn't call this a lesson for them, but we have to let them enjoy their life."
John nodded his head. "Boog is dating other girls, but he still has a soft spot for Melissa. I don't blame him, because her oldest sister is pretty awesome too."
I smiled.
"But you're right," John said. "We have to let them enjoy their life."
"And we need to enjoy our own life as well," I said.
John nodded his head. "I already am!"
I looked at him with a smile. He smiled back at me and leaned forward to kiss me.