I'm not entirely sure how this chapter turned out. I will be skipping over their honeymoon. It will be a few chapters before this one overlaps with Hart of a Kinsella. I am in the process of trying to find a way to write how Jesse and Calla met and things inbetween that moment and the proposal. With that being said it will be a bit before I have the next chapter up. Enjoy!
He could count on one hand, only needing one finger to count the best day of his life. He could easily say having memories with his brother, the day he met his wife to be, were some of the best days of his life, he wouldn't be lying when he said so. Looking past those days, only one day mattered to him, and he was in the middle of living that day. Sure he was nervous something could go horribly wrong, anxious to see his beautiful wife to be. With all of that to the side, today would remain one of the biggest, most important days of his life, a day he would never forget.
Everything around him faded away the second his eyes locked on hers. His smile grew into a grin with every step closer she took to him. Her wedding dress clinging to her. The sweetheart halter top, crossing on the way down, extenuating her beauty, the skirt of the dress falling down in waves around her, flowing with every step she took, a crystal belt around her waist gave it the little Calla flair. Her hair was done in a very intricate updo, her makeup giving off a natural look.
"Hi," she smiled, letting her dad place her hand in her groom's hand when told to do so.
"Hi," he whispered back, his smile going nowhere. She was even more stunning up close, his words failing him, lucky enough he didn't need them right now.
He lost himself in the beauty that radiated from his bride, his mouth becoming dry when it was his turn to say his vows, deciding they wanted to write their own, second guessing himself in that very moment. Licking his lips and clearing his throat, his nerves rushing through him as he started to speak.
"Calla, from the start we have been pushed together. I don't regret being your friend before we dated. You easily became my best friend in those years; it killed me to see you with someone else, not brave enough to step up and tell you I was right there. I want to think that if we ended up together before we did, that we wouldn't be standing here, promising a life of forever to each other. I've come to learn that I need you in my life more than I need oxygen. You are my life. There will never be a day that I don't love you. I need nothing else from you, Calla. This is my promise to be the guy whom you need, the one to pick you up when you need it, to make you laugh over nothing, the one to start a fight because making up is the fun part," he paused, letting everyone laugh at that. "I can promise to give you everything your heart desires. I can promise I will always be by your side. I love you and know this I will love you more everyday we have together; you are engraved upon my heart; you are my soul. I do promise to love you until the end of time," he finished up, reaching up to wipe the tear from his brides' eye.
"Loving you has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Regardless of that I would never change it. Every sappy cliche in the book could be used to describe my love to you, Jesse. Deep down, we both know I don't need to do that. I show you everyday how much I love, how much you mean to me. You are everything to me, my home, my safe place, my heart. You are the best, and I am sorry for not seeing that sooner. But I do agree; it is all about the timing, and we might not have been here if we tried this any sooner than we did. We needed time to learn how to love each other, to be patient with one another and for that I love you. It goes without saying that I fell in love with you all over again everyday, a bit deeper in love with you. Life without you is unimaginable; it is by far a life I don't want to live. Life is brighter with you next to me. I promise you that I will take care of you while you are sick, I will chase your demons away every night. I will do everything to make you happy. And this fighting business, let's keep it to a minimum, please?" She asked, with a shaky laugh, watching him shrug his shoulders. "I promise I will love you with every breath I take. I do promise you are all I need to be happy, Jesse," she finished, a watery smile on display.
The next two words they spoke happened to be Jesse's favorite two words not only to say but to hear as well. I do, making them husband and wife, linked together with a simple delicate bond that can break if they aren't careful. His mission was to make the delicate bond so strong nothing could break it.
Kissing his newly crowned wife for the first time, he couldn't describe the rush, the pride that swelled in his heart for her. After everything, they have been through in the past here they are married ready to embark on what married life had to offer them. He came to realize he was a greedy man wanting it all with his beautiful newly minted wife. Positive that she wanted as much as he did.
"I love you," he whispered against her ear, twirling around the dance floor, holding her close as humanly possible.
"I love you. You're the greatest hardship I have faced," she sighed happily resting her head on his chest, her shoes lying on the floor, next to her chair.
"As you are mine," he echoed, kissing her temple. "My brother looks happy," he commented, watching Wade laughing at something Zoe said.
"I don't think I have ever seen him quite so happy," she responded, drifting her gaze over to the two of them. "I always thought those two would click; I didn't push because she had a boyfriend and Wade, well he was Wade, not caring about a relationship and that would be a deal breaker for Zoe," she said.
"And now?" Jesse prodded, knowing there was more she wasn't telling him.
"Now?" She asked with a soft sigh. "I think Wade is ready for that relationship if he can find the right person. And Zoe?" She asked biting her lip, looking over at her long-time friend. To her, they would be friends; time and distance doesn't change that. There were still things Zoe strictly knew about her and things she only knew about Zoe. "She's changed and I don't know her like I once did. Even now I still firmly believe she is a relationship girl; everyone wants a lifetime of love, whether they admit it or not," she responded. "And if they happen to find it with each other, great, if not that's great as well, as long as they are happy," she finished her thoughts on Wade and Zoe.
"That's all anyone can ever ask for, love and happiness," he responded. "Luckily enough I found that with my best friend in the whole world," he smiled, spinning them around. Her giggles softly caressing his skin.
With her words failing her when they came to a stop, she pressed hers lips against his for a small intimate kiss shared between husband and wife. Their kiss turned out to be a more heated kiss, their surroundings fading away to nothing more than static in their ears.
"You do have a room for that," Wade laughed, standing next to him, a drunk Zoe curled against his side.
"You think they would miss the bride and groom?" Jesse teased, kissing his bride's forehead.
"If they did they would know what it is you are doing," Zoe giggled.
"And what exactly are you two doing?" Calla questioned, resting her head against her husbands' chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
"Heading out. This one," Wade said, pulling Zoe closer. "Drank a bit much and needs a bed to sleep in before she knocks herself out by falling over," he commented in a teasing tone. "Congratulations on the wedding, on finding the best love of your life," he smiled.
"Thanks for coming, both of you," Calla replied.
"Thanks for letting me attend, considering," Zoe shrugged.
"We are friends, Zo. Don't forget that. I would never kick you out of my wedding. Do me a favor and remember to talk to someone," she pleaded with her. Zoe smiled, giving a nod.
"I will. It was nice to meet you Jesse. Please take care of my friend."
"I will. Keep an eye on my brother for me will ya?" Jesse asked. Zoe giggled nodding her head. "It was a pleasure to meet you Zoe, thank you for coming," he said.
With that they were once again left alone to sway with the music a bit longer, basking in the bliss that wrapped around them. When a new song came on, they headed off the dance floor, getting another flute of champagne sitting at the head table wrapped up in each other the best they could with their chairs.
"I didn't know if your dad would show up for the ceremony," she commented, a lazy smile on her face, watching their guests have fun to the music.
"I figured he would. I love him, but I am happy that he didn't come to the reception. It would have been nothing but a big spectacle for him. The last thing I want to do on my wedding night is take care of my drunk father," he told her.
"You need to be taking care of your wife," she giggled, looking up at him.
"I think you have that wrong as my wife needs to be taking care of her husband," he smirked, rubbing his nose against hers.
"We'll take care of each other," she compromised with a wicked grin.
"Deal," he chuckled, kissing the tip of her nose. "Why don't we bid our guests a goodnight, thank them for coming and get started on taking care of each other," he suggested whispering in her ear, nipping at her earlobe.
"Deal," she giggled, standing up, glass in hand getting the attention of the guests who still remained.
Two days after their wedding, they went to see Earl, to thank him for coming to the wedding and remaining sober for it. They were leaving in the morning for their honeymoon, Jesse surprising her and not telling her where they were going until they were at the airport.
"You here on your brother's behalf?" Earl asked, sitting at his kitchen table, eating breakfast and a mix of rum and orange juice half gone before him.
"What are you talking about? I figured Wade would come see you, didn't know if he did or not," Jesse shrugged sitting at the small kitchen table. "We stopped by to thank you for coming to the wedding," his oldest son told him.
"What does Wade want you to do?" Calla asked. They once teamed up on him to get him some help, that royally backfired on them. She figured it couldn't be that.
"Thinks it would help if I moved to that funny little town with him and that pretty doctor, he's shacking up with," he huffed, getting his son and daughter-in-law to laugh.
"Honestly, they are not shacking up," Jesse stated. "I might agree with Wade on this one dad," he told him. "Start fresh, where the demons of mom can't haunt you, it might be nice to change things. He's doing what he thinks is best for you because he loves you, and he wants you to be happy and not waste away in this place," Jesse easily explained.
"And your opinion, Calla?" Earl asked, upset his eldest son was ready to ship him off, like he was nothing to them.
"I think it would be good for you Earl. Living here the way you do that isn't living. Go see if you like Bluebell, you never know what could happen if you open your mind to it. Even if you go for a few days and see if you are able to breathe easy. It won't hurt to try it," she told him.
"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll let your brother know," he told them, going back to his food.
"Alright dad," Jesse told him.
"It was a lovely ceremony," he told them with a smile. "You looked beautiful Calla. Jesse, your mom would be proud of you," he told them.
"Thanks dad," he smiled, blinking back the tears. "Why do you think Wade and Zoe are shacking up for?" He questioned curiously.
"You do have eyes, don't you?" Earl asked sarcastically. "They act way more than friends should act."
"They were so admit about being friends and the most they did even couply that night happened to be when Zoe had more than she could handle, and Wade was left to practically carry her out of the place," he chuckled. "Time will tell," he nodded.
"Friend or more, they're good for each other," Calla tossed out there.
They stayed a bit longer talking and enjoying the company Earl offered before he drank too much more. Leaving Earl's place they headed back home to finish packing for their honeymoon.