Page 90 of Holiday Wedding
“You look beautiful.” Seth takes my left hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.
“You really do,” my mom agrees. She adjusts my veil, straightening it, and then loops her arm through mine. “I’m so proud of you, Gwen. I couldn’t ask for a better daughter. You’re everything your father and I dreamed of. If he could be here today, he would say the same thing.”
Her words make my chest swell, like my heart has grown too big for it. “Thanks.”
The wedding march sounds from the orchestra. All the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, and ring dog take their positions. I attempt to calm my racing nerves as they walk out in pairs. Jenny goes with Dean, her hand tucked into his elbow. Alvina leaves with Nick, Caleb’s partner in his restaurant business. The twins, Maddie and Megan, exit with nervous giggles. Pip trots along behind them on her leash. Each time the door swings open, the music swells louder.
Eventually it’s only me, Mom, and Seth.
“Are you ready?” asks Seth. I release a shaky breath and nod. He says, “Caleb loves you, like I’ve never seen him love before. He’ll be a good husband.”
“I know,” I tell him, thinking of how Caleb’s always supported me. How we’ve overcome so many hurdles. “He’s already proven he’s prepared for this.”
Seth gives me a last squeeze, and the doors open.
The music rises louder. The wedding guests rise too. They all stand and stare at me, but I don’t notice them. There’s only one person I see. He’s standing at the end of the aisle, up on the stage, looking more handsome than I’ve ever seen.
Caleb.
In his gray tux, with his hair perfectly styled, he’s giving me my special smile, small and tender. It’s so sweet, so charming, that I almost trip over my feet.
Alvina had coached me to walk slowly down the aisle. “Draw it out, be demure,” she had instructed. I don’t do any of that. I practically run to Caleb, my shoes barely touching the ground. All I want is to be with him. To feel his hand in mine.
At the end of the aisle, Mom and Seth give me over to Caleb. He takes both of my hands in his. Wayne says a more detailed version of what he said before at the airport. I don’t hear him. I’m too focused on the man I’m marrying.
My husband.
The time comes to recite our vows. The ones we wrote for each other.
“Caleb,” I say into the microphone that Wayne holds. I brace myself for feedback, like I got at my mom and Seth’s wedding when I first met Caleb, but it doesn’t happen. My voice rings out true and clear. “Caleb, I love you. You’ve shown me pieces of myself that I thought were gone, buried under grief over losing my dad. You’ve shown me pieces of myself that I thought would never exist. Brave parts of me that demand the best from myself and from those around me. You’ve taught me to speak up and not be afraid. You’ve shown me pieces of yourself that you don’t allow most others to see, and I’m eternally honored to have that privilege. To get to know you, love you, build a life with you. I’ll never take that for granted. Today, I choose you. For the rest of my life, it’s going to be me and you.”
The guests clap, the sound loud. Teddy sits in front, with Helen two rows behind him. He whoops, his fist in the air. “Go, Sissy,” he cries out, and the crowd laughs.
When everyone settles down, Dean hands me Caleb’s ring, which he got from a sleeping Pip. The tiny dog barely opened one eye when the ribbon was untied from her collar. Taking my time, I push the band onto Caleb’s left hand. It fits perfectly.
It’s Caleb’s turn. He addresses the theater. “When I need to express my emotions, I find I do it best with music, so that’s what I’m going to do now.” He directs his aqua blue gaze my way. “Gwen, this is for you.”
My heart is too full to speak. With unshed tears in my eyes, I nod, wondering what kind of song he’s crafted for me. Whatever it is, I’ll love it, just like I love him.
Caleb pulls a wooden stool and a microphone on a stand from behind the curtain, where he must have hidden it earlier. He sits with one leg outstretched and the other bent with his acoustic guitar, my dad’s old guitar, resting on it.
“This song is calledAngelbecause that’s what Gwen is to me.” There’s a pause as he closes his eyes. Even though he’s a successful Broadway and radio singer, he still gets stage fright. I know that’s what he’s overcoming at this moment. He pushes through and sings, his voice husky and deep and beautiful. It resonates through my body like he’s a tuning fork set to my frequency.
He sings,
Angel
Can I borrow your wings?
I’m made of broken things.
A puzzle you put back together.
You picked out the best pieces.
In you I see happily ever after.
So, give me your finger and I’ll put on a band.
