Your Voice Was The Soundtrack Of My Summer

I wanted to see Indigo first thing in the morning. It was my second nature impulse, naturally.
However, my mother decided against it, wanting to go with the traditional wedding, and I wasn’t allowed to see the bride until she was walking down the aisle with her mom.

“Paul, you ready for your big day?” my mom was holding two coffee mugs in her hand, still in a bathrobe, her hair bundled up in an Arabian turban of towels.

Grabbing my coffee mug, I didn’t say anything. I just shook my head sipping the burning hot liquid, feeling it burn up my throat and esophagus.
“Well, you got an hour, until this is all going into action, so you should get started,” my mom reminded me, leaning against the doorpost and smiling at me.

I merely nodded.

I changed out of my clothes slowly, and grabbed my towel and my black suit placing it on the counter as I got into the hot shower waiting for me.

As the hot water drained my body, I replayed various scenes of a happy wedding in my head, only happy because I was too scared about what else might happen if it wasn’t happy.

Putting on my clothes I stared into the mirror and saw my dressed up self in the mirror. I looked like that guy in those old wedding photos my mom had; my dad. I sighed as I fixed the bow tie laughing to myself how ridiculous I looked so clean shaven.

I ran down the stairs, looking for my shoes that made me officially the groom of Minnie Mouse what with the big sized round looking shoes.

“Wow, it’s like looking at a mirror of my past,” I heard a low voice form the dining room.

I looked up to see my dad, and needless to say he was right. Only, I was looking into the mirror of my future.

“Look Paul, I know at first I was skeptical about all of this, but I just want to let you know, how proud I am of you now,” my dad said, saying those words like they were painful daggers spitting out of his mouth. But I know as he said it, he made it seem like he was relieved to say it.

I nodded a smile that eventually turned into a heartfelt, cheesy hug.

God. This day is so full of miracles.

-

The colors were lavender and white. The first person I saw at the wedding, other than the 10 or so strangers was Lacey. She was running up to me in a lilac colored dress and high heels. She was a living wonder. Her golden hair was intricately curled, every thing in place and her eyes were outlined beautifully in a dark purple shade.

“Paul! I’m so excited! I saw Indigo and she’s absolutely stunning,” Lacey ran to me and hugged my torso burying her face into my jacket.

“Lacey! You’re going to ruin your makeup!” I heard a strange feminine voice call.

I let her go and saw a woman around her 50s, that attempted to look like she was 30, with a blonde bob cut and exceedingly too much makeup.

“Mom, this is the groom, Paul DiGiovanni, Paul, my mom,” Lacey introduced us, brushing a small tear that was falling from her chestnut eyes.

“Hi, nice to meet you, darling, oh Lace! I knew we should’ve gotten you waterproof makeup, come on, we need to do some touch ups,” her mother scolded.

Lacey turned to me and made a face, while begrudgingly following her mom.

“I’ll see you at the altar,” Lacey winked.

“Paul! C’mon you’re up at the altar!” Beef yanked my arm and lead me down inside the cathedral.

People were inside chatting up a storm, occasionally a couple of my relatives and Indigo’s relatives came to greet me.

“Ah, Paul, nice to meet you,” the priest came to me and shook hands.

“Hello father,” I smiled.

“Well, I heard about the unfortunate events that eventually lead to this marriage, and I’m glad you made this decision and I’m terribly sorry about your situation,” the priest smiled heart warming-ly.

“Thank you father,” I nodded.

“Of course, as is occasion, is there any alterations you would like to make?” he asked.

“No father,” I answered, feeling as if I were in the army answering him with ‘father’ after all my sentences.

“Well, then, best of luck and congratulations in advance,” the priest winked at me.

“Thanks,” I smiled.

Beef nudged me.

“Father,” I added.

The priest chuckled and just smiled humming a tune as he grabbed his book.
We chose Blackbird as our wedding song, as expected. We were undecided between Iris and Boston, but Blackbird eventually won, since it was the song that started everything.

Our first encounter of each other (first kiss). When she told me that she loved me (first real kiss).

It just seemed appropriate and it blew the other songs out of the water.

The pianist starting warming up, as she played the piano arranged Blackbird on the piano quietly.

“No cold feet I hope,” Beef asked, straightening his bow tie, looking just as goofy as I did in a tuxedo, since I usually saw him in a cap and worn jeans paired with a hand me down t shirt.

“Nah, I really want this to happen,” I nodded.

My mom came up to the altar and smiled at me with her bulging eyes.

“I”m so proud of you honey, it’s starting in a couple of minutes so you stay here and your friend John will stand here,” my mom pulled Beef slightly by the shoulder.

“Now where’s that blonde, oh, what’s her name,” my mom thought long and hard standing on the opposite side of Beef.

“I’m here!” Lacey rushed to the altar and miraculously unscathed stood next to my mom while regaining her posture.

“I’m Lacey Donahue,” she smiled exuberantly holding out a hand for my mom.

“Oh, wow aren’t you gorgeous,” my mom smiled, shaking her hand.

“Not as much as the bride,” Lacey smiled winking at me.

“I’ll bet, you stand here and Indigo will stand just opposite of Paul, okay?” my mom squeezed her shoulders before joining my dad in the first row.

“Alright, see you in a bit!” Lacey waved as she hurried down the aisle.

The music started to play softly, and everyone quieted down, settling in the chairs, and that’s when the butterflies started to flutter in my stomach.
Only when everyone was completely quiet did the song start up, only much louder this time.

Lacey was smiling, holding a bouquet of purple flowers in her hands, going slow as camera flashes glittered like a million stars as she walked down the aisle in a revered manner.

A porcelain doll with dark brown hair that was almost black decorated in a creamy white strapless dress walked down the aisle Her face covered in a sheer gossamer white veil, but you could see her pink pale lips, formed into a radiant smile. Her clear blue eyes looking shyly up at the altar and her hair done intricately in a mass of loose waves.

She was being escorted by an older lady, in a light shade of purple dress, hugging her curves as if saying, ‘I may be the mother of the bride but I’m still young at heart’ and it worked.

She walked down the aisle with her mother, with a different presence than Lacey. People were gushing over Indigo’s grace and sublime beauty, flashing the cameras like a million shooting stars.

The music started to die down as Indigo reached me at the altar.

“Oh you look amazing,” I breathed, she blushed faltering a shaky thank you.

As the priest droned on and on I couldn’t help but thinking that we would only enjoy all this whatever he’s saying in a couple days. And my mind was always sidetracking, since I stared on at my beautiful bride stunning and flawless in her perfect silk cream dress.

Not to be too specific or anything.

“Do you Paul Charles DiGiovanni take Indigo Rae Saunders as your lawfully wedded wife to care for in sick and in health for eternity?” the priest looked at me with sparkling hopefuly eyes.

I looked out in the crowd and saw people snapping pictures and my parents holding each other, smiling at me.

I stared into the eyes of Indigo, her veil finally lifted to reveal her flawless porcelain skin, her eyes brimming with tears.

Looking down at Beef who smiled his approval, and Lacey seemingly excited for the event and at Bryan and Martin giving me a thumbs up from the pews.

This was it. The moment I was waiting for. It would happen with two words. Looking straight into Indigo’s eyes I held my breath, and waited for my voice to betray my feelings.

“I do.”

“And do you Indigo Rae Saunders, take Paul Charles DiGiovanni as your lawfully wedded husband?” the priest asked.

Indigo looked at me, nowhere else wiping away the tears from her eyes.

“I love you,” I whispered.

She smiled at me and took a deep breath.
“I do.”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride,” the priest jubilantly said and there was a cheering from the crowd as I delicately touched Indigo’s face, pulling it close to mine.

We walked down the aisle, escorting her as grains of rice pelted in our path with lilac flowers scattering everywhere.
As we got down the steps Indigo threw her bouquet, landing in the arms of her surprised mother, shaking her head as Indigo embraced her.

“We couldn’t be more proud!” my parents gathered me into a group hug.

“Thanks mom, dad,” I acknowledged them.

“Sure, go get her,” my dad winked at me.

“Mr and Mrs. DiGiovanni!” Lacey had thrown her heels out and leapt to give Indigo and I both hugs at the same time.

“Congratulations,” Bryan and Beef exchanged kisses on the cheek with Indigo and slapped me on the back.

“Yay! Indigo DiGiovanni! I like it, it has a ring to it,” Martin swooped Indigo into his arms, romantically kissing her on the cheek. She laughed returning him the favor.

“Two beautiful girls in one day? I’m the luckiest man alive! Now, Jessica Alba, where are you?” Martin sighed.

We got into a car, the band, Lacey and us. It was a small Lexus, with streamers and a Just Married painted on the back windshield.

“The reception,” Lacey dreamily sighed.

“I’ve never been to a wedding before,” she added, leaning her head on Indigo’s shoulder.

“Dude, this is amazing, my parents would never let me marry my girlfriend,” Martin laughed.

“You have a girlfriend,” Bryan asked, as he backed up into the driveway.

“Well, no not at the moment, I’m just saying in general,” Martin winked at Lacey who giggled in response.
“Paul what did you do to my sister? Before you and Indigo’s wedding she was desperate to shove Martin down a toilet and now she’s giggling at every word that Martin says.

“Nothing, I don’t know,” I shrugged.

“It’s all an act, big bro. It’s the whole marriage hype. I need someone to pretend I’m in love with and Martin’s the only one,” Lacey admitted.

We all turned to Martin, wondering what sort of effect this confession would set Martin’s mood in.

“That’s still sweet!” Martin laughed.

We all sighed in relief as he embraced Lacey. Beef, in the front seat, cranked the volume up playing Spice Girls on the pumping stereo.

“If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends!” Beef crooned out of tune, doing heart signs with his hands and making up the motions as the song went on.

It hyped up Martin, who probably admittedly, sang the best out of all of us, singing in perfect pitch. It was almost scary. Bryan sang his heart out, Lacey finally gave in and Indigo was also contributing to the havoc in the car.

It wasn’t long before I joined in, matching Beef’s off pitch tone.

I guarantee you. Indigo’s sparkle was never short of a glimmer this whole day.

As we sang out together, in a seemingly childish way, friendship never ends!.