Stay Still
The Wedding
The doorbell started ringing at exactly 11am. I put Mike in charge of letting people in and showing them where to sit. Matt and Eric were helping Jared get ready while Heather, Brittany and I worked on Acacia. Well, Heather and I did, Brittany just kind of stood there awkwardly looking like she was going to cry any minute. As maid of honor I had to go make sure everything was set up right and in place. I left Acacia with Heather and Brittany and went downstairs. Mike was standing by the door. He looked exhausted already. I went over to him.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I asked, looking around.
“Good. Everything’s ready. Jared’s upstairs with his mom, Matt, Eric and Jack are getting dressed, everyone is seated, including your mom. Jared‘s dad is in place.” he reported.
“OK, great. Thanks Mike.” I stretched up on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek. He waved me away and blushed slightly. “Go get ready Mikey. Remember, start playing at exactly 12.” I glanced at the clock, “Which is in exactly 10 minutes.“ I reminded him as I sprinted back up the stairs.
I stopped in the doorway of the bathroom. “Wow, you look amazing!” I exclaimed as Acacia stood looking at herself in the mirror. I went over and hugged her quickly. “Are you ready?” I whispered.
“As ready as I’m gonna get.” she answered nervously.
“Heather, you’re going right after Jared and his mom with Jared’s brother Jack. Start going down the stairs when they get to the bottom.” I told her. She nodded and went out into the hall. “Britt, you go next with Eric.” I turned to Acacia only to find her bent over, hyperventilating. I kneeled down on the floor in front of her. “Hey, It’s going to be okay. Just keep picturing Jared’s face. You’ll make it through this.” I assured her. She nodded and stood up right.
“Jared, Jared, Jared.” she mumbled to herself as I pulled her into the hallway. Papa Shawn was right there waiting for her. I gave him a big hug and a kiss. He returned them and then took Acacia's arm. I gave her one last reassuring smile and then looped my arm through Matt’s and waited for Brittany and Eric to reach the bottom of the stairs.
“You look beautiful.” Matt whispered in my ear.
“Thanks. You look pretty nice yourself.” I whispered back. I loved how Acacia had all of us dress. We each got to wear our favorite colors. Matt was wearing blue, Eric red, Mike all black, Jared, who of course was wearing a tux, had on a white shirt with a green and silver bow tie. He and Acacia matched with her white and green gown, which she had picked for him. Her favorite color was orange. Heather was wearing purple and black and Brittany had on red and black. I was wearing a bright turquoise dress. We probably looked like a rainbow walking down the stairs, but it was okay, I liked thinking of us like that. Like parts of a rainbow. We all had different personalities but still we all fit together. Once we had successfully gotten through walking down the aisle I went and stood with Heather and Brittany.
“Are you crying?” I whispered to Britt, who was wiping her eyes.
“No, I have something in my eye. Leave me alone.” she sniffed. Smiling I turned to watch Acacia walk towards us. Her eyes were locked on Jared’s and she looked much calmer than she had been a few minutes ago. Jared’s Dad, who happens to be the mayor of our town, cleared his throat a couple times, most likely holding back tears, and everyone sat. As he talked I watched Jared and Acacia stare into each others eyes and wondered what my wedding would be like. That thought made me glance over at Eric and Matt. Eric was grinning at me and Matt was staring off into space. I could tell he was trying to hide the fact that he was crying. I looked over to where Mike was sitting and saw that he was crying too. That was what did it for me. Big tears started spilling over my cheeks and I looked back to Jared and Acacia who were now saying their vows. Acacia had had Harry change the wording a bit so instead of “till death do us part” they said, “forever and always.” It was just less morbid that way. As they leaned in for their first kiss as husband and wife I suddenly realized just how perfect they really were. These really were the two people I wanted raising my baby. My hand fluttered protectively to my stomach as I watched Jared take my sister's hand and turn towards the crowd. I had never seen two people so happy in all my life. “That’s what true love really is.” I thought as they walked out of the room and Matt and I followed.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I asked, looking around.
“Good. Everything’s ready. Jared’s upstairs with his mom, Matt, Eric and Jack are getting dressed, everyone is seated, including your mom. Jared‘s dad is in place.” he reported.
“OK, great. Thanks Mike.” I stretched up on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek. He waved me away and blushed slightly. “Go get ready Mikey. Remember, start playing at exactly 12.” I glanced at the clock, “Which is in exactly 10 minutes.“ I reminded him as I sprinted back up the stairs.
I stopped in the doorway of the bathroom. “Wow, you look amazing!” I exclaimed as Acacia stood looking at herself in the mirror. I went over and hugged her quickly. “Are you ready?” I whispered.
“As ready as I’m gonna get.” she answered nervously.
“Heather, you’re going right after Jared and his mom with Jared’s brother Jack. Start going down the stairs when they get to the bottom.” I told her. She nodded and went out into the hall. “Britt, you go next with Eric.” I turned to Acacia only to find her bent over, hyperventilating. I kneeled down on the floor in front of her. “Hey, It’s going to be okay. Just keep picturing Jared’s face. You’ll make it through this.” I assured her. She nodded and stood up right.
“Jared, Jared, Jared.” she mumbled to herself as I pulled her into the hallway. Papa Shawn was right there waiting for her. I gave him a big hug and a kiss. He returned them and then took Acacia's arm. I gave her one last reassuring smile and then looped my arm through Matt’s and waited for Brittany and Eric to reach the bottom of the stairs.
“You look beautiful.” Matt whispered in my ear.
“Thanks. You look pretty nice yourself.” I whispered back. I loved how Acacia had all of us dress. We each got to wear our favorite colors. Matt was wearing blue, Eric red, Mike all black, Jared, who of course was wearing a tux, had on a white shirt with a green and silver bow tie. He and Acacia matched with her white and green gown, which she had picked for him. Her favorite color was orange. Heather was wearing purple and black and Brittany had on red and black. I was wearing a bright turquoise dress. We probably looked like a rainbow walking down the stairs, but it was okay, I liked thinking of us like that. Like parts of a rainbow. We all had different personalities but still we all fit together. Once we had successfully gotten through walking down the aisle I went and stood with Heather and Brittany.
“Are you crying?” I whispered to Britt, who was wiping her eyes.
“No, I have something in my eye. Leave me alone.” she sniffed. Smiling I turned to watch Acacia walk towards us. Her eyes were locked on Jared’s and she looked much calmer than she had been a few minutes ago. Jared’s Dad, who happens to be the mayor of our town, cleared his throat a couple times, most likely holding back tears, and everyone sat. As he talked I watched Jared and Acacia stare into each others eyes and wondered what my wedding would be like. That thought made me glance over at Eric and Matt. Eric was grinning at me and Matt was staring off into space. I could tell he was trying to hide the fact that he was crying. I looked over to where Mike was sitting and saw that he was crying too. That was what did it for me. Big tears started spilling over my cheeks and I looked back to Jared and Acacia who were now saying their vows. Acacia had had Harry change the wording a bit so instead of “till death do us part” they said, “forever and always.” It was just less morbid that way. As they leaned in for their first kiss as husband and wife I suddenly realized just how perfect they really were. These really were the two people I wanted raising my baby. My hand fluttered protectively to my stomach as I watched Jared take my sister's hand and turn towards the crowd. I had never seen two people so happy in all my life. “That’s what true love really is.” I thought as they walked out of the room and Matt and I followed.