The Moment I Met You

A month into the engagement, and most of the wedding details were figured out. A nice July wedding, not too hot with a cool breeze. The colours were white and gold, and Arianne had to plead Jordan not to do black and vegas gold - too tacky!

The engagement party was happening in a few hours, and Arianne sat at her desk while Brittany did her makeup and hair. Jordan was in his room, with Max and Kris.

“So, excited?” Brittany asked, applying blush.

“Yeah, I can’t believe I’m getting married,” Arianne said, looking admiringly at her ring on her finger.

“Those were my thoughts at first too, but then it kicked in. We’re both getting married, hun!” The two girls squealed like 12 year olds, and got back to work. Her makeup wasn’t gonna do itself. And Brittany the expert was more than glad to help.

*~*~*~*

The hotel ballroom looked fantastic. The buffet was lined up at the side, and the giant dancefloor was near the stage where the band was going to play. Some of the Penguins, had came to help out. The white tables looked amazing with the gold lining.

“Place looks nice!” Eric Staal said, walking into the room. Tanya was with him, and a tired Parker was holding her hand.

“Took ya long enough, captain!” Jordan said, giving him a hug. Eric exchanged greetings with the guys, and Max walked over to Parker.

“Who’s this champ?” Max asked, as Parker rubbed his eyes.

“Tell him your name, son,” Tanya said, letting go of his hand and sitting down. Herself, exhausted too.

“I’m Parker,” he said, smiling shyly.

“Well, Parker. Do you like hockey?” Max asked, chuckling.

“Yeah, I like the Maypul Leaths,”

“Maple Leafs?!” Max exclaimed, standing up straight, “Hey Staal, how you raisin’ this kid?”

The gang laughed, as Eric blushed.

“Did you just fly in?” Jordan asked, sipping his drink.

“Yeah, just two hours ago. We got settled in at the hotel, and then we’re heading back tomorrow.”

“You could’ve just stayed with Annie and I, you know,” Jordan said.

“Yeah but we didn’t want Parker to walk in on you guys gettin’ it on,” Eric laughed as Jordan smacked him.

“They haven’t even gotten it on yet!” Fleury said, laughing.

Eric’s eyes opened wide, and he looked over to Jordan, “Seriously?”

Eric’s question was cut short as more Staals rolled in. Jared walked in with parents, Henrik and Linda. Marc was walking behind him.

“Hey guys!” Jordan exclaimed, as Linda pulled him into a hug.

“My little baby’s getting married!” she exclaimed, a couple of tears rolling down her face and her hand patting the back of his head.

“She call him ‘baby,’” Geno whispered to Crosby, “My mom never call me baby.”

Sidney snickered as Jordan shot Geno a dirty look.

“Mom, you cried once already..” Jordan said, petting her head.

Linda and Henry went to go admire the hotel, while admiring the decorations.

“Wait so you never got it on?” Max asked, returning to the original debate.

“No. We decided to wait,” Jordan said, blushing.

“That’s cool,” Sidney said, drinking a beer.

“Yeah, that is. It’ll make it more special,” Eric said, smiling.

“How do you know?” Jordan asked, grinning back at Eric.

Eric waited until the rest of the guys cleared off, before saying, “Cause that’s what I did.”

Jordan grinned at his big brother, and his big brother put his arm around him.

*~*~*~*

Arianne arrived at the hotel with Brittany and her high school friends Emma and Chantelle, who were bridesmaids along with Brittany.

She walked into the room, all smiles, as her family and friends from Pittsburgh and Thunder Bay.

“Arianne!” she heard a voice call out, a man’s voice.

She looked over to find her father running over to her. She backed away, and fled to the bathroom.

*~*~*~*

“Arianne, open the door,” Brittany’s voice said, outside of Arianne’s stall.

“No, not until he leaves,” she said, muttering.
“Look, Arianne. Just talk to him.”

Brittany coaxed Arianne out of the stall, and Arianne smoothed out her dress and dried her eyes. Her dark purple strapless dress was crinkly and her shadowy eye makeup looked runny. Brittany whipped out her makeup bag and fixed her up, before walking outside back to the banquet with Arianne.

“Dad?” Arianne said, walking towards her father. He was standing, talking with Jordan.

“Honey,” her dad said, turning around.

“I’ll see you later, Steve,” Jordan said, smiling.

Steve waved goodbye to Jordan hastily before walking off with his daughter.

Arianne sat with her dad on the couch in the lobby.

“Honey, that night. It was awful. I didn’t mean it, it never happened again. I haven’t drank again, I quit cold turkey after I hurt my daughter.”

Arianne smiled and hugged her dad, grateful to have her dad back into her life.

“How did you know I was getting married, or that I was having the party today?” she asked, wiping tears away.

“Your mom told me obviously, and she said to say sorry she couldn’t come. And Jordan called me.. Two days ago. Said that he knew things couldn’t just end this way. You’re lucky to have him, Arianne. He cares about you, and his head’s screwed on straight.”

“I know, I love him.”

“I can see that, he loves you too you know,” Steve said, smile.

*~*~*~*

“You little shit,” Arianne said, smacking Jordan in the head as she walked inside. Everybody had started eating, and Jordan was waiting for Arianne to come back.

“I fixed it, didn’t I?” asked Jordan, giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

“Yes, you did. Thank you, babe,” Arianne said, kissing him on the lips.

The rest of the party went smoothly, especially the dancing.

The band was playing “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt, and Arianne finally got to dance with Jordan. After being hustled between Kris, Max, her father Steve, Henry, Eric, Jared and Marc, Jordan finally got his turn.

“Why this song, ‘I’ll never be with you,’ but we’ll always be together,” Jordan said, Arianne’s chin on his shoulder.

“It’s a nice song, though.”

“But he’s got one part right though,” Jordan said, “Well, more than one part.”

“Really, that is?” Arianne asked, still swaying to the beat with Jordan.

“I saw your face in a crowd of people, and you stood out. Your hair was beautifully messed up down your shirt. I remember you weren’t wearing earphones, but you were looking around. Then I met you on the plane, you were sitting next to me. And I thought you were beautiful.”

Arianne stopped swaying, and looked up. Her eyes brimming with freshly new tears.

“Stop crying, Brittany’s done your makeup over how many times?” Jordan said, chuckling. He wiped her tears away with his thumb.

Arianne smiled through her ears, and kissed Jordan.

Jordan sang along with the singer, looking directly at Arianne’s eyes, “You’re beautiful, it’s true.”