Page 86 of Holiday Wedding
He tenderly cups my cheek. “Gwen, no one expects you to be an expert on this. I’ve been a celebrity my entire life, and I still have no idea what I’m doing. It’s not an easy path, to walk beside me. No one would blame you for bailing.”
I lock my eyes to his and say vehemently, “I’m not walking away from you.Never. I understand this will be hard and there will be days, weeks even, like the past couple of ones, where I’ll fail. I used to be terrified of that. Of letting people down, not having everything under control. I’m learning more and more how unpredictable the future is. Losing my dad, meeting you, Lola and Justin, so many things change the direction of life without warning. I’m ready to let go of needing to be perfect and strong. Instead, I’ll roll with the punches and adapt. I’ll ask for help when I need it. I promise. I can do this with you. Forever and always. Please don’t give up on me?”
“Give up?” He shakes his head, incredulous, like he can’t believe what he’s hearing. Caleb leans his forehead to mine. He closes his eyes and says fervently, “Don’t you know, don’t you understand that when I walk into a room, you’re the one I see? When I sleep at night, it’s you dancing through my dreams. You are my past and my future. You’re theonlyone for me.”
We stay like that for a minute, leaning against each other. Our foreheads pressed together. Our breath mingling between us.
Finally, Caleb pulls away. There’s still a hint of hesitation when he asks, “We’re still getting married?”
I nod, grinning up at him. “We’re getting married.”
Caleb whoops so loudly I swear the entire airport looks over. If all therandom tourists hadn’t noticed that Caleb Lawson was in their midst before, they certainly notice him now. He picks me up by the waist and spins me around until I’m dizzy. Then he places me on the ground and kisses me, quick and hard. He says, “Thank you. Thank you for giving me this life. It’s better than anything I ever dreamed. I wish I could marry you right now. Right here. No more waiting.”
“I can help with that,” says a rough voice next to us.
Surprised, Caleb and I jump apart. We were so consumed with each other that we didn’t notice Wayne has come up to us.
Wayne repeats, “I can help. If you want, I can marry you right now.”
38
December 24
Wedding Day
Gwen
That’s how I ended up marrying Caleb Freaking Lawson on Christmas Eve at Gate B-14 in LaGuardia Airport.
First, we tell everyone the plan. Caleb’s mom cries again but reassures us that they’re happy tears. Jenny runs to the nearby gift shop, where she swears they sell flowers even though Dean says they don’t. The two of them go off, holding hands and arguing. When they return, Jenny triumphantly holds out a dozen slightly wilted red roses. A “Welcome Home” balloon is tied to the bouquet. It floats behind her, bumping into the side of Dean’s head. He bats it away with an irritated scowl.
We assemble by the large windows that look over the runway. In the background, planes take off and land, the roar of their engines dampened by the thick glass. Wayne stands with his back to the window. Caleb and I move in front of him. Jenny and Alvina flank me as my bridesmaids. Dean takes his place next to Caleb. Our families form a loose semicircle around us.
Behind them, a crowd has formed. It grows bigger with every passing minute. Strangers hold up cameras. They take photos and videos, some even livestream. A month ago, all these fans would have intimidated me, but now I notice how happy they are for us, how they chatter excitedly with each other.
Disjointed comments float to me.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” asks a young woman to another.
“So romantic,” her friend replies.
“I remember when he was a child,” says a white-haired woman to her husband. “He was on that show—I can’t remember the name. You know, the one set in San Francisco.”
“I heard she’s done some great things for her hospital,” a man in a suit says to a woman who wears a pilot’s outfit. She nods in agreement, then adds, “Just think what they can do together. With his fame and her brains, they can raise all kinds of money.”
I tune the crowd out and step up to Caleb.
“Oh!” I press a hand to my cheek. “I was going to give you my dad’s cufflinks. The ones he wore to his wedding.”
“Give them to me,” says Caleb.
“I can’t. You’re not wearing that kind of shirt.” I gesture to the long-sleeved athletic T-shirt that he wears. Caleb brings his wrist to his mouth. There’s a loud tearing sound as he uses his teeth to rip a hole in his sleeve. He repeats the same process on the other side. “I’ve got room for them now.”
My fanny pack is still at my waist. I hand Jenny my bouquet of roses and dig out the cufflinks. I push them through the holes that Caleb’s torn in his sleeves. Their weight makes the fabric hang unevenly, but I don’t care. It makes me happy to see them here, sparkling, a physical reminder of my father.
I imagine what it would be like if Dad were here. He would walk me over to Caleb, with his hand on my elbow. He would brush his lips across my temple and wish me good luck. A whispered reminder that love is easy, but marriage is hard. He would say that it’s not just about saying “yes” to your partner on this day, but on every day after, even the times when “no” would be easier.
Wayne pulls himself tall, preening with his self-importance. “Quick version or the slow one?” he asks under his breath so only Caleb and I can hear. Caleb eyes the fans and says, “Let’s go quick this time. I still want the full wedding later.” He directs his gaze at me with a twinkle in his eyes. “I need to see Gwen in her dress.”
