Stay With Me

“Wake up, Sydney! We have a whole morning and afternoon to get you made up for Danny!” Katie’s voice penetrated my dreams.

At the sound of Danny’s name, I smiled, stretched, and cuddled into my pillows.

“If you get up and let us dress you up, you’ll get to see him before you know it. You can cuddle with him like that, too.”

I groaned and stretched again.

Suddenly my covers were pulled off of me and my mother’s voice replaced Katie’s.

“Come on! Get up or we’ll drag you out of bed in your underwear!” she threatened.

“But I’m in pjs,” I pointed out sleepily.

“That doesn’t matter. Get up and get a shower now,” my mom demanded.

“Fine. I’m up, I’m up.”

Mumbling under my breath, I crawled out of bed and stumbled to the shower with a towel.

The first task on our list was to oversee the set-up of the reception and wedding.

I personally didn’t care about how things were set up. I wanted to be with Danny instead, but that wasn’t happening.

“Mom?” I piped up. “Can’t I do something else, like sleep because the set-up is the least of my worries?”

“You need to be here though,” Katie replied quickly. “What if something isn’t how you want it? We’ll end up with an unhappy bride.”

“Not if I’m with Danny,” I mumbled.

Kayla heard me.

“You know we can’t let him see you before the wedding. It’s bad luck,” she explained.

“Exactly,” Julie added. “Now get over it because after tonight, Danny will be yours in more ways than one.”

“Again,” Katie stated with a mischievous grin.

My face turned pink, “Whatever. I still don’t want to be doing this. It’s not helping me and my anxiety.”

“Oh look! It’s Cathy!” my mom interrupted, pushing me towards the florist in the distance. “Go see if she needs help with anything.”

With a shrug, I jogged barefoot through the sand to the most amazing florist I lived next door to.

“Hey Miss Sydney!” she greeted, pulling me in a hug. “How’s the set-up going?”

“It’s going,” I smiled. “I’m so glad you made it. How are you doing?”

“I’m great! I’m really enjoying myself here.”

“I’m glad. So is there anything you need help with?”

“Don’t worry about helping me. I got all the flowers in a cool place and I’ll squirt some water on them in a few. Is there anything you want me to do in the meantime?”

“Take me to Danny,” I pouted.

Cathy pat my shoulder, “Aw. I know how you feel, but keep your mind busy so the day will fly by.”

“It’s hard when everything reminds me of him. I just want to see him… hear his voice.”

My mom join in suddenly. “Just wait, a few years from now and you’ll be thinking the opposite.”

“Not likely,” I muttered, deciding to flop down on the sand in annoyance.

Next on the list was make-up.

I was never one for make-up, so having it on my face was uncomfortable. I felt like a doll being dressed up.

“Couldn’t we do this after we eat rather than during?” I questioned, staring at the snack foods on my plate.

Kayla popped a grape into her mouth and smiled. “We have everything planned so you’ll be ready on time. Quit complaining and eat, love.”

I frowned.

“What?”

“Danny calls me that… when he’s around me…”

Julie rolled her eyes, “Again, you’ll be next to him before you know it.”

“But it’s only eleven-thirty. The wedding starts at six-thirty. That’s seven hours until then.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Grumbling, I shoved some cantaloupe in my mouth and closed my eyes to let eye shadow be placed on my lids.

I really wanted to see Danny.

After make-up came hair and that took too long for my taste. I couldn’t stand sitting still much longer after getting my face “painted.”

When our hair was done, we had to check up on everything to see that it was going according the plan.

It was thankfully going great.

The last thing we had left to do was get in our dresses, get our flowers from Cathy, and then wait.

“What time is it?” I asked, looking out the window to see the sun was getting lower in the sky.

“Time for you to cool down,” Julie answered. “We have almost twenty minutes and then you’ll get to see your Danny. We told you the day would fly by if you let it.”

I sighed and sat in a chair carefully, avoiding any possibility of ruining my dress.

There was a small voice outside our tent and Katie instantly poked her head out since I was too distracted to hear the voice.

“Nathan! You look so handsome!” Katie exclaimed.

My ears perked up at my son’s name and I looked towards the tent’s entrance.

“Where’s Mommy?” his small voice questioned.

“In here, honey!” I called out to him.

Soon my baby was on my lap with his arms around my neck.

“You look pretty, Mommy,” Nate said to me.

“And you look handsome,” I smiled. “How’s Daddy?”

“He misses you, Mommy. He’s scared, too.”

My face turned pink just because and I hugged Nathan to me, wishing Danny was nearby so I could hug him, too.

“Daddy says he loves you and misses you. Do you miss Daddy, Mommy?”

I nodded, “Very much and I love him, too.”

Nathan grinned at me and then touched my face gently. “Your eyes look funny.”

“Why do you say that?”

“They're dark and shiny.”

I giggled, “That’s my make-up, honey. I’ll take it off as soon as I can.”

“I like it,” he smiled. “It’s pretty.”

“Thanks, sweetheart,” I smiled back, kissing his forehead softly.

I heard Kayla’s camera in the background, but I ignored it and studied my son lovingly.

He looked so much like Danny.

“Mommy?”

“Huh?”

“Daddy told me not to stay long. I love you, Mommy,” Nathan announced as he hugged me and pecked my cheek.

He climbed off my lap and dashed out of the tent as I said my ‘goodbye’ and ‘I love you.’

Not long after he left, my mother, the boys’ mothers and the boys themselves came to see me and the girls.

Tom pulled me away from the others at one point, his face telling me that it was important and needed privacy.

“What’s going on, Tom?” I questioned.

“I wanted to tell you, though I’m a bit jealous, that I’m glad we broke up because Danny is the happiest, and luckiest, guy I know,” Tom smiled sweetly.

For some reason, my eyes began to water and I pulled Tom in a tight hug.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice shaking.

He pulled away and frowned at my silent tears. “What are you crying? You should be happy.”

“I am happy, Tom.” I let my forehead rest against his chest, “You helped me become happy and I’m crying happy tears for it.”

Tom chuckled, “Well then, I’m glad I could help… I’m still jealous though.”

“Why? I thought you were interested in Kayla?”

“I am, but I keep wondering if we would be here instead if I would have been selfish.”

“Oh, Tom…”

“Don’t pity me. I’m glad it’s not me in Danny’s shoes because I know I couldn’t – can’t – make you as happy as he has and does.”

A smile crept onto my face and I gave Tom a short peck on the lips like old friends do.

“Thank you, Tom.”

“You’re welcome.”

Dougie suddenly pulled me into a hug, taking me from Tom and twirling me around.

I laughed and then Dougie and I began our own conversation with Harry joining in.

Too quickly our conversations were interrupted when it was time to get in our places for the wedding.

My nerves went ballistic.

Everyone lined up (out of sight of everyone), arms linked together, and I stood at the very end where my dad joined me.

“Nervous?” he asked me.

I nodded, “Extremely… Who’s taking the photos right now?”

“Kayla found one of your photographer friends to take over.”

“Oh.”

The first couple, Katie and Tom, walked out into everyone’s view and the rest of us took one step up.

“You’re not going to run, are you?” my dad questioned, noticing my nervousness.

“No way. I’m glad this is finally happening.”

Julie and Dougie were out next.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, reminding myself that Danny was a few yards away.

Before I knew it, I was up next, Harry and Kayla having gone down the aisle, followed by the ring-bearer and flower girl.

“Ready?” my dad probed with a smile.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

His smile widened and then we walked out from behind our “hiding” place.