Savor the Rewrite: Chapter 18 Better Off Wed pt 2
"I can't believe they are eloping! What are they thinking?" asked Samantha as they were headed down the darkened road.
"Samantha…" started Hank as Samantha kept talking.
"She's still in college! Her first semester! Al just started getting successful with his shop!" she yelled.
"Sam…" he tried again.
"While they are a cute couple, surprisingly, they just started going out! They will ruin their lives if they…" she rambled as Hank interrupted.
"Sam!" he shouted.
"What?" she asked as she finally looked over at him.
"Where are we going? You left the address at the house…" he said.
"Oh no! Okay think… okay pull over at the next gas station and I'll ask for directions. It's the Little… Little Chapel of Love!" she said. About ten minutes later, Hank found a gas station. Samantha got out and asked for directions plus a map. She jumped back in the car and headed off towards the interstate.
"We get on the interstate and it's about ahh… about forty miles to the chapel" said Samantha. She cuddled into his side as they headed to try and stop them.
"They're gone!" said Angela as she and Tony headed into the kitchen.
"Yeah… and so is Hank's car…" said Tony as he looked out the back door. He shut the door and came back over to Angela at the table. Just then, Jonathan walked in through the back door.
"Oh Mom… here's your car keys…" he said as he handed Angela the keys.
"What are you doing with them?" she asked.
"Well Sam asked me to move the car so they could get out…" he said.
"Wait a minute! You saw Sam and Hank?" asked Tony.
"Yeah…" said Jonathan as he looked at them both in confusion.
"What did they say?" he pleaded as he grabbed a hold of Jonathan's sweater.
"Move the car creep…" he said sarcastically.
"That's all they said? They didn't tell you where they were going? What they were planning on doing?" shouted Angela.
"No… Sam was writing down something quick after she got off the phone. She sounded really upset and then dragged Hank out the door…" he said.
"Great! Great! They went to get married!" shouted Tony.
"She couldn't be doing that! There's no way!" shouted Angela as Mona walked in the back door. Tony grabbed their jackets and took Angela by the hand as he led them towards the back door.
"Hold it, Hold it! Where are you two going?" asked Mona.
"Sam is getting married! We need to try and stop her!" said Angela as she went to go get her purse.
"Oh, oh poor Tony! First you pass out from that needle in the hospital, then your lips blow up like a blow fish, and now your only daughter runs off with the puppeteer…" said Mona straight faced until she burst out laughing. "God you amuse me!" she continued to laugh.
"Can we go now?" he asked Angela as she walked back in with her belongings. She grabbed some drinks and snacks for her in the car as they headed out.
"We are coming too!" said Jonathan as he dragged Mona out the door.
"Just remember… no fighting, no blaming, no name calling… we all have to present a united front…" said Angela. Just then, Mrs. Rossini walked through the back door with a large pot full of mussels.
"Not now Mrs. Rossini! C'mon move it, move it!" he yelled.
"What? Where's everybody going? I've got fifty pounds of mussels here!" she said as she looked down at the pot.
"You call that muscle?" quipped Mona as Tony ran back in the door.
"Alright I'm sorry Mrs. R! Look… here's the deal. Sam is eloping! Okay… we are going after her, trying to make her stop. If you want, come with us now otherwise stay here in case they call…" he said as he ran back outside.
"Well I'm not going to miss out on Tony having a nervous breakdown! My money is on the puppeteer if it comes to blows!" laughed Mona as she headed out the door. Mrs. Rossini and Jonathan just shrugged as they followed behind her as they all piled in the car.
Tony was able to pull out a map and figured out the best route to the chapel. He helped Angela with the map so she could give Tony directions.
"Alright, alright here! The way I figure it, we're ten, fifteen minutes behind them. We keep up this pace, we'll intercept them at the Unionville exit…" said Tony as he accelerated down the road.
"Maybe we can slow down a little bit so we're alive when intercept them…" said Angela as she watched the speedometer increase.
"If we slow down, we could be there in time to kiss the bride!" he said as Angela just rolled her eyes. Tony was starting to swerve in and out of traffic.
"This swerving is making me carsick!" shouted Jonathan.
"Oh the swerving is making you carsick? The thought of my daughter marrying a puppeteer is making me carsick!" he yelled.
"I may throw up!" he yelled from the backseat. Angela turned around to make sure he was okay.
"Tony slow down and drive straight! I really don't want to have to clean up vomit in the backseat!" she yelled as he finally slowed down a bit.
"Put down the window for him Mother!" she shouted as Jonathan continued to moan from the backseat. Despite an eye roll, Mona did as she was told, allowing the fresh air into the car.
"Better sweetheart?" asked Angela. She couldn't turn around any further with her stomach getting in the way but she could see Jonathan nod his head in the back.
Sam and Hank pulled up to the quaint little church, pulling into an empty spot. They ran into the church just as the pastor was finishing the service of a couple who looked just like Bonnie and Al.
"This is a sacred union of man and woman. So what we have brought together, let no man tear us under. If there's anyone here who objects to this union, let them speak now or forever hold their peace" said the pastor.
"Hold everything! I object! I object! This is wrong! It's a mistake!" shouted Samantha. The couple turned around and gave Samantha an angry look.
"I'm sorry! I thought you were my best friend! Carry on!" she said as she slowly backed away, allowing them to continue the ceremony. Samantha and Hank turned back to the entrance as Bonnie and Al were coming around the corner.
"Bonnie! Al!" she shouted.
"Glad you could make it! At least someone we know will be here!" said Bonnie.
"Bonnie… what are you doing? You guys are way too young to get married! Are you married yet?" she asked.
"No…" said Al.
"Thank god! C'mon let's go home!" she said as she tried to pull them both out of the church.
"No Sam! We're getting married! I just tried calling my parents to see if we could make up and have them come but they didn't answer. Either way, this feels right…" she said.
"But no one but us is here! Your parents aren't even here!" she said as the volume of her voice began to rise.
"Then that's the way it has to be! C'mon Sam! I thought you'd be cool with it!" said Al.
"Cool with my best friend eloping?" she shouted.
"Your best friend finding her true love. Look… look… I know that we rushed up here and it wasn't planned but now that we are here it just feels right! Doesn't it Al?" she said as she looked up at him as he nodded his head.
"Let's tell the minister dude we're ready…" said Al.
"But you've hardly dated! You…" she started as Hank pulled her aside.
"Sam… Sam we have to talk for a second… come here" said Hank as he took her into the side area.
"But…" she pleaded.
"Stop! Stop and listen! This is what you're going to do! You're going to go to Bonnie and you're going to tell her that you made a terrible mistake…" he said.
"But…" she again pleaded.
"I said listen! You're going to apologize and you're going to admit that you overreacted just now. It's their lives Sam. If you don't support them now, you are running the risk of losing them as friends, which is something I don't think you want to do. You may not agree with what they are doing, but you still care about them…" he said.
"You're right Hank… it's their lives and they should be able to do what they want without me judging them so harshly. What would I do without you?" she said as she went over and gave him a hug. They walked back over hand in hand to Bonnie and Al.
"Bonnie, Al… I'm sorry. I overreacted… this is your life and I have no right to judge. You know what's best for you. If you want to get married today, I'd be honored to be here…" said Samantha.
"That means a lot to me, to us… thanks Sam!" said Bonnie as she hugged Samantha.
"Alright already! Let's get hitched!" shouted Al as they all walked over to the pastor.
Tony pulled up to the church and jumped out of the car. The rest of the family got out and headed behind him.
"Okay, okay! This is it!" said Tony as he opened the large green doors. He ran inside just in time to hear the pastor finish up the wedding ceremony. He saw Samantha standing up at the alter, holding a bouquet, totally missing Bonnie and Al at the front.
"I object! I object! This is a mistake!" yelled Tony. The pastor threw up his hands and closed the Bible in frustration.
"He's related to you isn't he?" asked the pastor to Samantha.
"Yes he's my father… Dad what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Stopping you from making a mistake! It might be legal but it doesn't make it right!" shouted Tony.
"Dad… stop before you say something you're going to regret" said Samantha.
"Samantha you're so young! You have so much time! So much to still do before getting married! You haven't even graduated yet!" he shouted. Angela was able to survey what was actually going on, seeing Bonnie and Al up at the altar.
"Tony…" she said as she tried pulling him back.
"Not now Angela…" he said.
"Tony… stop and look…" she said as she turned him to look up at the altar.
"Al? Bonnie? What are you doing here?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"Think about it Tony! It's not Sam getting married, it's Bonnie and Al!" she said.
"Bonnie? Al? Wait they're getting married? So I've stopped their wedding?" he asked as his face turned red.
"Yes Dad! It's not us getting married, it's them! Which if we don't get back to the ceremony, they won't be!" she said as she went to turn around. Just then, Bonnie's parents came into the church.
"Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?" she asked. Bonnie, Al and her parents headed over to the alcove to talk privately.
"You came all this way because you thought I'd get married without you all here? C'mon Dad! There's no way I'd ever do that!" said Samantha.
"I know that now! I just saw the chapel address and after our fight I thought… I thought you were going to elope. Not for nothing, it's in your DNA!" he chuckled.
"I know Dad but I know what I want to do and it's finish college before I even think about marriage. I know you are overprotective most of the time but you two raised me right! I can make decisions that I know are best for me without needing your permission" she said.
"Tony…" said Angela as she placed her hand over her stomach.
"Just a minute Angela… look I had no right to make demands of you. You're an adult now and you're right you can make the decisions on your own, even if I disagree with them. You have a good head on your shoulders and I trust you" he said.
"Tony… the baby…" she said as she tried to get his attention again.
"I know she's my baby! That's what makes this so hard!" said Tony as he finally looked over at Angela. She was smiling as her hands seemed to move over her belly.
"No Tony! This baby… he or she just kicked!" she said as she watched Tony slowly process what she was saying.
"Wait… the baby kicked? Our baby?" he said as he came to stand right next to Angela.
"Yes Tony! Our baby! Here give me your hand!" she said as he took his hand and placed it on her belly. Soon, a tiny kick was felt underneath their hands.
"Oh my gosh! That's the baby! Hi little one! I've been waiting so long to feel you move and kick!" he gushed as he ran his hands all over her belly, following the movements. The family all came over and took turns feeling the baby move.
"Excuse me… the bride and groom want to continue the ceremony…" said the pastor. Bonnie and Al were standing next to her parents and Mrs. Rossini as they looked over at the family.
"We better get back there… thanks again Dad…" she said.
"For what?" he asked as he momentarily took his attention away from the baby's kicks.
"For trusting me, for allowing me to feel like even though I'm still your baby, I'm an adult now and I know you respect me for it" she said as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Samantha, Hank, Mona and Jonathan headed back over to the ceremony as Tony and Angela found a bench to sit on. His hands were back on her belly as he started talking to the baby.
"Hi there little one! It's your Daddy again! What an afternoon and evening we've had! Finding out your sister isn't eloping was only surpassed by feeling you move for the first time! Just do your old man a favor… if your best friend decides to elope and you run off to try and to stop them, please make sure the note you leave behind states it's not you getting married okay? By then I don't think my heart will be able to take it!" he chuckled as all Angela could do was roll her eyes and laugh.