Epilogue
Carter
I'm finally where I should have been years ago. I'm waiting on my girl, waiting for her to walk down this aisle and vow to be my wife forever. My Starfish, my life.
It's been a hell of a ride for us, but it brought us to here. It's where we were always meant to be, it just took us a little longer, that's all.
Our wedding is small, just the way we wanted it. Our closest friends and family are here to pay witness to the day she makes me hers forever officially, and her mine.
I'm just glad this aisle here at The Silent Night Chapel isn't long. I'm not a patient man when it comes to her. I already feel like I've been standing down here with Nick by my side for too damn long.
The doors to the back open. I see Chantal first in her baby blue short strapless dress walk down the aisle holding a bouquet of all my girl’s favorite lilies. She looks great with her hair pulled up, she’s already lost the weight from the twins. I know she was worried, but she is a stunner.
She walks up to meet me at the end before turning to stand on Andrea's side. She gives me a saucy little smirk, and then winks at Nick. This girl, I never know what she's doing.
The music starts, and everyone stands up. It isn't the typical bridal march I'm expecting and I should know by now that Andrea will always surprise me. Just as Etta James croons the words ‘At Last’, she steps into the doorway with her dad, Stephen, on her arm. The smile that lights her face as she sees me will forever be locked in my memory. Her white dress against her olive complexion, her baby blues lasering me in, her dark hair down and curled down her shoulders and back. I have no words or thoughts. She's absolutely breathtaking.
This short aisle wasn't as short as I expected, because I feel like time is standing still waiting for her to get to me. I just want her in front of me now, so I can look at her.
Chantal keeps looking at me and not at Andrea, I can see her out of the corner of my eye.
She's getting closer now, and as I see her right here in front of me I lose all thought. My eyes tear up at the beautiful bride in front of me. The song still plays as her dad puts her hand in mine and pats my arm. She looks up at me with awe and a single tear rolls down her face.
She reaches up to wipe the tear that has rolled down my face, as I reach to wipe hers. She laughs her small tiny laugh of when she's nervous. She doesn't need to be, it's just me, her Carter. The man that's always been hers from the moment I first ever saw her when she was born.
She mouths to me “I love you” and Chantal comes forward to hold her dress as she turns to the front of the ordained pastor. My dad. Handing her bouquet of flowers to Chantal, she faces me and holds both my hands in hers. Our eyes are locked and the rest of the world melts away.
Andrea
Today is the day I make Carter officially mine forever. I always knew this day would come eventually. There was a time I was afraid I would never have this day. But I should have known better, Carter will always be my heart.
As I'm finishing getting ready, Chantal comes behind me and puts her face down next to mine in the mirror. “You look stunning,” she whispers next to my ear as we look at our reflections together.
“Look at you, skinny mini, all that baby weight gone and some incredible boobs.” I laugh. She has some pretty big nursing boobs from the girls and her trim waist makes her look even more top heavy.
She pulls again at her strapless dress, and checks again to make sure her nursing pads are in place.
“Your dress is fine,” I tell her as she fusses with it.
“I'm so afraid it's going to slide down,” she says looking back up to me.
“I love the playfully fun dress, the way it flares at your waist with the darker blue tulle. With the pearls around your neck, you look like a 1950’s housewife just stepping out.” I get up from the mirror in my robe and turn to hug her.
“Thank you, Chantal, for being part of my special day. I'm so thankful for you,” I say as I feel my face heat up and the tears swim in my eyes.
“None of that shit, girl, you'll ruin the goddamn makeup I worked so hard on.” She blows on my face to stop the impending tears. It just makes me laugh instead.
“I have something for you.” She walks over to her bag and pulls out a small black velvet box about the same size as her hand and walks over to me.
“I wanted to give you something to wear, something borrowed. I know you have a necklace to wear, but this would mean so much to me if you did.” She pulls a sparkling crystal necklace from the box and holds it up. “This was my mother's. I wore it on my wedding day too. It would make you shine even brighter, and she would have loved you as much as me.”
I don't know what to say as my wide eyes look down at the sparkles the light creates off of it.
I just nod my head, as words choke in my throat. “It's so beautiful,” I say bringing my hand to my chest. I reach behind my neck and take the little pearls I had on that match Chantal's. Setting them in front of me on the vanity, I lift my long dark hair up as Chantal comes around to clasp it on my neck.
She has it fastened and I drop my hair back down, just staring at the sparkles that light the room up around me. It's cascading a glow similar to a mirror ball off of every surface. “You'll blind them all,” she says over my shoulder in the mirror on a wink.
“Time to get you dressed, lady. You know Carter will stomp his way in here and caveman you down that aisle if you wait too damn long,” she says walking over to my dress hanging on the hanger across the room.
My dress is strapless too, a simple A-line white dress. The material at my hips bunches slightly and slides along my stomach to add a little something without too many appliqués or overlays. Simplistic elegance is what I wanted and that's what I found.
Chantal is holding my dress in her hands and I walk over to her and undo my silk robe, dropping it in the chair by the door. She lets out a hooting and a whistle. “Meow, pussy cat! Look at that little baby blue lace get up you got going on. Carter is going to swallow his tongue before he traces your body with it,” she says on a nod while appreciating the laced baby blue negligee.
I step forward and she holds my white garter in her hand. I lean down to put it at my foot and drag it up. I get a little dizzy from leaning down and try to stand up quickly. Staggering back a little, Chantal catches my arm.
“Andrea? You okay?”
“Yes, yes I'm fine. I’m a little dehydrated I think. I must just need some water,” I say as I wave her off.
“Mmmmmhmmmm, I'm not buying that load of shit,” she says as she folds her arms across her chest.
I just laugh at the look on her face, her one eyebrow up pointing close to her hairline. I don't look at her. “I'm fine,” I say, pulling my garter in place and stepping up to my dress.
“Fine, you don't have to tell me anything. But just know I'm on to you,” she points two fingers to her eyes and then back at me.
I snort at that. She's such a beautiful hardass sometimes. I just give her a wink as she pulls the dress down and I step into it. Turning around, I pull my hair over my shoulder as she zips me starting at my butt and up to mid back.
There's a knock on the door and my mom peeks her head in. She comes to stand in front of me and the tears glisten her eyes as she holds my face in her hands and kisses me on the nose. “You look picture-perfect, my sweet girl.”
“Thank you, Mom. I'm ready,” I say as I toe my slip on shoes and pull my bouquet from the vase by the door.
Chantal grabs her bouquet and reaches down to grab the bottom of my dress as it drags down the hall to the chapel. Carter's mom, Nina, stands waiting to be escorted down, and I hear her large intake of breath. She holds her hands to her heart as she walks to me quickly. Grabbing my face in hers she kisses each of my cheeks. “Bellissimo, Bella. My son is a lucky man.” She kisses my forehead and joins her husband John to escort her down to her seat before he ordains our ceremony.
“Canon in D” by Pachelbel starts to play, and with one last sassy little blow of a kiss, Chantal makes her way down the aisle. My dad comes to me then, and takes my hand. He looks down at me with proud written all over his face. He nods his head and pats my hand, we both fear if we speak we will crack and the sobs will take over. I wrap my arm in his, and we walk to our place at the open doors as the music changes over to Etta James. At last, that's exactly what this day feels like to me.
Walking down to meet my handsome groom at the end of the aisle, I give him the biggest smile at seeing his eyes widen and face redden. It's rare moments I'm able to catch a reaction like this from my serious man. He makes my heart stop with this look of adoration and love beaming from his honey brown eyes directed right at me. As we get up to him, my silent father once again doesn't trust his voice as he places my hand in Carter's.
It's then I see the tear on each cheek track down his face as he looks into my own watery eyes. We made it. This is finally our moment we always wanted. I reach up to wipe the tears from his eyes as he places his hand against my cheek, doing the same to my rogue tear that's escaped. I lean my cheek into his touch for a moment before turning to hand my bouquet off to Chantal and turn to face my soon to be husband.
We just stare into each other's eyes as our hands are joined and we begin to listen to Carter’s father, John Avery, begin our ceremony.
**********
Carter took ‘kiss the bride’ to a whole new level by picking me up into his arms and looking into my eyes first. I wrap my arms around his neck and look to his smiling little smirk, waiting for him to kiss me and seal me as his wife forever.
His mouth descends on mine as he holds my eye contact. When he deepens the kiss, I close my eyes on the moan that escapes me. There are hoots and hollers all around us, as Carter pulls back for one last small peck of his pouty lips to mine and places me on my feet.
He grabs my hand and starts to pull me down the aisle, as his dad proudly pronounces us.
“Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Carter Avery!”
He pulls me quickly through the doors and out to the awaiting horse and carriage just waiting at the sidewalk. “We’ll see you at the reception!” he yells. “I need some time with my wife.” He looks down to me and helps me get into the carriage.
His wife, I can get used to hearing that. I'm Carter's wife. At last.
As the carriage pulls away, Carter puts his arm around me and holds me close. I lay my head against his chest as we just watch the beautiful day shine through the little Bavarian town of Frankenmuth.
“I have a gift for you,” I say to him as I look up to his face. I stretch my hand across his stomach and hug him tighter to me.
“Do you now?” he says with a tip of his lip and a mischievous look in his eyes.
I just nod.
“Well, what is it?”
“You'll see later,” I tease with a wink.
“We've been married 5 minutes and you're already showing me all your evil ways,” he says as he throws his head back on a laugh.
“Better believe it, mister,” I say laughing back.
The ride is nice as we circle the town a few times and then stop at the covered bridge that crosses over the little pond to take us to The Bavarian Inn where our reception is and we will be staying for the night. The photographer, Emma, waits for us along with both our parents and Nick and Chantal.
This is the most perfect place to take such beautiful pictures to remember our special day.
**********
The reception is going off without a hitch and the food is amazing. I must have been really hungry, because I couldn't get enough of the chicken and salad. After cutting our small three-tiered cake, we fed it to each other. We didn't get sloppy, but we shared a special frosting filled kiss after that was captured by flashes surrounding us.
Our dance is next. As the sound of Florida Georgia Line fills the room with their angelic voices to “God, Your Mama and Me” we make our way to the dance floor and for once decide not to show off our dancing skills together. He just holds me in his arms as I look into his eyes and get lost. This man has shown me my entire life that he will always catch me ...unconditionally.
It's time for me to toss the bouquet, but being that none of my friends here are single I invite every woman here to catch it. I don't care what tradition says, it's my wedding.
I turn my back to everyone and playfully dance the bouquet from side to side. It's when I hear Chantal yell out, “Throw it already, hooch!” that I throw my head back on a laugh and toss it backward.
I turn to see who has my bouquet and see it's Holly. She's standing there with her tiny little bump showing through her long silk champagne colored dress. She looks amazing and I'm so glad she and Bobbie are here with us.
It's Carter's turn for the garter toss. A chair is placed in the center of the dance floor as I'm helped into it. The music starts up to Genuine’s “Pony” and I know I'm in for a show. Carter comes to stand before me and starts to give me a little lap dance. Removing his jacket, he tosses it to Nick and grabs my hands to run along his chest and stomach.
My head is thrown back in laughter, this is so him. The fun and playful Carter away from the everyday drag. He drops down to his knees down by my feet and pulls my dress up, taking a deep breath as if he's going under water. I laugh as I feel him kiss up my legs on his path under my dress to my garter. The hooting gets louder the longer he takes under there and I look to Chantal with a wink. She smiles big and puts her hands to her mouth as she waits for the surprise I have for him.
He stops when he gets to my garter and I feel him remove the stick that it was holding, before sliding the garter down. He comes out quickly and leans over my legs to my face, grabbing it in his big hands.
“Starfish?” he questions. “Really?”
I just nod my head and bite my lip, waiting for his reaction to the two pink lines on the test that was stuck in my garter.
He stands up and pulls me into his arms kissing me hard as my feet dangle off the floor. Setting me down, he holds his hands up, the garter in one and the test in the other.
“I'm going to be a dad!” he yells to everyone around us.
The group is silent a moment. I hear the sniffles of my mom and Nina before the cheers erupt around us. He just walks up to me and holds me to him tenderly. “You've given me the world. I love you so fucking much,” he tells me as he leans down and kisses my lips.
“Surprise,” I whisper against his. He just laughs and pulls me to his side.
“Sorry guys, I'm keeping this. This was the best present I could ever receive,” he says on a small choke. My big, rough and tough Carter brought to teddy bear status at the news of our baby.
THE END……….for now.