We Are The Tide

Today was the day. Finally.

The big day was finally here. John and Lucy were getting married. The alarm went off at 8am, and Lucy bounced out of bed, excited to start the day.

"Guess what Sam, I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!" Sam rolled over in bed with a groan, laughing at her friend as Lucy shut herself in the bathroom to get ready for the day.

The girls were getting ready at the apartment while the boys were getting ready at the house. Sam crawled out of bed and made her way into the kitchen. Tessa, Emily, and Marge were in the kitchen enjoying homemade waffles in the shape of various circus animals. Lucy had gotten the circus animal waffle press for Christmas a few years ago, and it was a regular fixture in their kitchen. A frown spread across Sam's face as she realized it would no longer be here after the weekend.

"Today's the big day!" Marge said excitedly as she took a bite of her elephant waffle.

"Finally, now they'll be married and they can have sex in their own house and I won't have to find excuses to not be here the weekends that John comes to town. They'll have their own house all to themselves." The girls all laughed at Sam's comment as she shrugged and poked her head in the fridge. "What? It's true. I don't wanna hear the live show. It was bad enough I accidentally walked in on them one time back when they first got together. I vowed never again, it would be too soon."

"Oh you poor thing." Marge snickered, receiving the finger from Sam as she poured herself a glass of juice.

"Hopefully it won't be so bad living with Gary, although I guess I technically set him up with Mel, so we'll see what happens there. He deserves a nice girl.”

The girls nodded in agreement. Garrett had decided to move up with John for a fresh start, hoping he'd find a new adventure in Portland. Arizona had too many memories of old girlfriends, the band, and he was ready for something new.



The sun shone brightly in his eyes, creeping in through a gap in the curtain. He groaned and rolled over, eyeing the clock. 9:45 blinked on the screen and Garrett furrowed his brow, shaking his head to wake himself up. There was a bang on the door followed by Eric pushing the door open and yelling, "Yo, guys, we slept in late. Get up. Everyone needs a shower, that means you Pat. If we go to this wedding hungover or disgusting, the girls are gonna kill us. Get your asses moving. We've got two hours before we have to start heading over." The door shut abruptly, and Garrett laughed as he sat up.

"What's gotten into him?" Pat mumbled from his side of the bed. Half of the guys had crashed in Garrett's room the night before. Pat had passed out in the bed, leaving Garrett no choice but to share, while Jared and Kennedy slept on air mattresses on the floor. They hadn't gotten much sleep that night, the amount of alcohol consumed hardly enough to drown out Jared's snores. While the snoring had kept them up, it was just like old times, which brought a comfort to the group.

"This whole Best Man thing has him on a responsibility kick. Personally, I think it's all going to his head, but hey, someone's gotta be the adult around here." Garrett swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching his arms and legs before shuffling out into the hallway toward the bathroom. He passed John's room, noticing his door was wide open and poked his head in. The lanai door was open and John stood alone, looking out at the city. As Garrett approached him, he noticed John clutched the railing, hunched over taking deep breaths.

"You alright man? It's your big day. How ya feelin'?"

John turned to face him, the bags under his eyes indicating he hadn't slept well if even at all last night.

"Just a little anxiety. I couldn't sleep last night, I've been up since five. I guess I'm just nervous, I mean, what if Lucy changes her mind? I texted her this morning and she hasn't responded. I'm going crazy man, and I don't know why. I just love her so much."

Garrett smiled at his friend, pulling him into a hug. "Everything's gonna be perfect. Lucy loves you more than you and I could ever understand. She's stuck by you, even after all the shit you put her through with the band and after it ended, and surviving a long distance relationship on top of all that for what, almost three years now? I've seen the way she looks at you. If what you two have isn't real love, then, well I dunno what is. You've got nothing to worry about."

John took a deep breath and hugged him back. "Thanks man, I needed to hear that. Today's gonna be a great day."

"And hey, if that didn't get you excited about today, YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED! To the love of your life! Which means you're most definitely getting laid tonight, Champ." John's eyes lit up as a small grin grew on his face.

"I know, and fuck man I can hardly wait-"

"No horny details, please. I'd rather not picture that if I can at all avoid it." Garrett cut him off with a scrunched up expression that melted into a smile as he continued. "I'm happy for you man, you deserve the best. Now let's get you showered, shaved, and sexy for your future wife, you look like death."



Hair and makeup were done, and it was time to load up the car to head to the rose garden. The girls were busy running around the house gathering last minute items they'd need for the ceremony and reception. Marge noticed as she went into Lucy's room to the closet the dresses hung in, the bride was nowhere to be found. Her phone sat on the side table, still untouched from when she got up a few hours ago, blinking with a new message. She wasn't in her room, the bathroom, or the living room. Marge sat on the bed for a moment, looking around the room, thinking of where she could be before she alerted the media. Without a game plan, she headed for the front door, running into Tessa on her way out and mumbling she'd be back soon as she navigated her way down the hall, toward the elevator. Not too sure where she was going, she pressed the up arrow and quickly made her way to the rooftop.

The doors opened and she ran outside, quickly searching for her friend. She found Lucy sitting alone on the far bench off in the corner, staring out at the city skyline. Keeping the silence, Marge sat down beside her and looked up at the sky.

"How'd you know I was here?" Lucy whispered after a moment, opening her eyes and taking a breath.

"I didn't. But the rooftop of my building in Boston is where I like to go when I need some me time. I figured when you weren't in the apartment that's what you needed. The girls haven't let you out of their sight yet, I'd be going crazy by now."

"Yeah, I just wanted a few more me moments before the ceremony. This isn't cold feet or anything, I can hardly wait to walk down that aisle and marry John. I just wanted to be alone for a minute. It's a little overwhelming." She closed her eyes again, taking in a breath or two before Marge slipped her phone into her lap.

"You got a message from John. I figured you might want to read it before you go back downstairs."

Lucy opened her messages and a small smile grew across her lips as she read through them.



The men were almost ready to go, the responsibility of Best Man going straight to Eric's head making him get on everyone's case about wasting time. Rex and Max sat on the couch watching TV in their tuxedos while Eric helped John get ready. The rest of the guys had already been assigned a task, going ahead to check on various last minute details. Tim had called early to find a ride from the airport, having caught the first flight in from Phoenix with Trey. Pat had volunteered to pick up his brother from the airport, the only one not otherwise assigned a task. Pat was a last resort, but no one else was available and he was happy to feel needed.

There was a knock on the door before Jay stepped through, waving hello to the boys on the couch.

"John's still getting ready, you're just in time." Rex pointed toward the hallway. Jay excused himself, heading down the hall toward the master bedroom to check on John. He walked through the door to find his son in the bathroom. His bow tie lay untied and abandoned around his neck as he leaned against the sink with a big smile on his face, his phone in his hands.

"Need a hand with that, son?" Jay gestured toward the tie, pulling his son's attention back to reality.

"Oh, hey Pop. Yeah, that'd be great. I don't really know how to work these things. I always had mom tie my ties for me." He let out a nervous laugh as a sheepish smile replaced the previous grin.

"Yeah, she's really good at that." Jay fumbled with the fabric for a moment, adjusting it to perfection. "So, big day, huh son?"

"Yeah," John beamed at his dad, standing still while he tied the tie. "Just a little bit."

"Ya nervous? It's okay to be nervous son, everyone is on their big day."

"Nah. I was earlier, but not anymore." He smiled, his phone still gripped in his hand. He pocketed the device in his pants pocket before turning back to the mirror. "How was it for you and mom?"

"I was a nervous wreck, but somehow, once I saw her take that first step down the aisle, it all went away." Jay put his arm around his son and the two looked at each other in the mirror for a moment before he pulled John into a hug. "I'm proud of you, son."

John's smile faltered as he held onto his father's hug for another moment. "Thanks Pop, that really means a lot. I love you."

"I love you too, son."

"So what's got you all chipper before I came in and interrupted the moment?" His father's crooked grin appeared across his face as they pulled away, walking back toward the bedroom.

"Just, uhh, Luce." He said with a soft laugh. "She sent me a text and I can't wait to call her my wife." John pulled out his phone, tapping away at the screen to retrieve the message before placing the phone in his father's hands. Jay pulled out his glasses to read the message while John sat and put his shoes on.

I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner, but I love you so much. I wish I could have been there when you couldn't sleep, and from now on, you'll never have to worry about a bad night's sleep. I can't wait to curl up safe in your arms tonight. 151 minutes until you are mine forever. I love you xoxo <3

"What a cheese ball." Jay laughed after finishing the message, handing the phone back to him.

"Yeahhh, but honestly, she's my cheese ball. This is why I keep her around. I love her." Jay smiled at his son's honesty.



The buzzer rang from downstairs and Garrett was waiting for them, having been assigned carpool duty for the bridal party. Sam let him in with a quick mention they were still getting dressed and he should just come up rather than wait on the street. As she opened the door for him, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her hair swept perfectly across her shoulder when she normally kept it tied back in various fashions. Her makeup perfectly accented the green in her eyes, something Garrett hadn't noticed before.

"Wow Sami, you look beautiful." He let out a low whistle while as she stepped back to let him in.

"I hate dresses, and I hate yellow." She grumbled with a small smile. "The only redeeming quality of this ensemble are the pockets." Garrett smiled at his best friend's distaste for her knock out outfit, shaking his head in disagreement. "You look pretty dapper yourself there, kid. I'm a fan of your outfit though. Can we switch?" He laughed.

“I think I’d look a little funny in a dress?” He said with a smirk. Garrett was wearing black jeans with a white button up. The sleeves of his suit jacket were rolled up to his elbows. The black skinny tie completed his outfit, making him dressed up while still being Garrett.

Garrett's phone started to ring and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Gary, I'm lost." Pat said frantically on the other end.

"You're lost? What? Pat, what are you talking about? Who are you with?" Sam had walked away, leaving Garrett alone. He stepped out into the hallway to avoid anyone overhearing and overreacting.

"Well, uhh, I'm kinda by myself. I was supposed to pick up Tim and Trey at the airport, but I think I made a wrong turn somewhere." Garrett silently hit his head against the wall, shutting his eyes and letting out a sigh.

"Okay, um, you have a smart phone. Use your GPS?" He didn't want to have to rescue his friend, but he was short on ideas.

“Okay, I’ll call you back if I can’t figure it out. Can you call Trey and tell ‘em I’m on my way?” Garrett mumbled a “sure” before they hung up, and he sighed, leaning against the wall. He dialed his brother’s phone number and it went straight to voicemail. Garrett left him a quick message, saying Pat was on his way to pick them up, and hopefully he’d be there by the time their plane landed. He pocketed his phone after ending the call and walked into the apartment.

The girls were all dressed and ready for the ceremony, minus Lucy who intended to putting her dress on at the rose garden. Garrett made himself comfortable on the love seat, looking around the room and taking in the apartment that would soon be his place of residence. He pulled his phone out and browsed the internet, waiting for Sam to tell him they were ready to leave. The ceremony was in two hours, but they were only a ten minute drive from the garden, so Garrett found ways to entertain himself, knowing they would be a while. The girls assembled in the small living room after about ten minutes, everyone putting their shoes on and grabbing their purses. Sam carried the big plastic bag that held Lucy’s dress into the living room, handing it over to Gary to carry out to the car. After everyone was ready, they headed toward the elevator and out the lobby doors, the excitement buzzing through the group. Garrett laughed quietly at their excited conversation, keeping to himself for the short drive over.

John’s truck and The Maine’s signature van were in the parking lot when they arrived signaling the men were already there. They found an open spot next to the van, and piled out into the lot. Garrett held the dress while the girls grabbed their bags from the trunk, waiting for Sam to lead the way. He’d only been to the garden once before for the rehearsal, and he didn’t remember exactly which way to go. The group took off down the pathway that weaved through oversized, perfectly trimmed hedges, rounding a few corners and separating rows upon rows of various roses. They rounded a final corner before arriving at a large, enclosed pop up gazebo. Garrett handed the dress over to Sam as the girls headed inside, realizing he wasn’t allowed in.

“The ceremony takes place just around the corner, I’m sure the guys are probably over there. They should have a place just like this set up to get ready in somewhere farther down the path. Thanks for your help, Gary, now get outta here. It’s girls only.” They parted ways and Sam stepped through the door, carrying the dress and looking for a place to store it until it was time to put it on. The girls sat around the small table excited to finish getting ready, scattering their items around the small space and enjoying some snacks John’s mom had brought for them. Lucy’s phone buzzed and she pulled it out, a slight blush accompanying the smile that spread across her face as she checked the message.
“Aww, you guys. John just tweeted about the wedding.”

“He’s still doing that? What’d he say? Money’s on it’s something cryptic. Ha.” Sam said as she hung up the dress.

“You ready for this one? ‘Wedding Bells and Garter Belts.’ He would.” She giggled at his creativity, smiling at the tradition he kept up after all these years. “He still has like 180 something thousand followers, it’s insane. He used to do it all the time back with the band, and he decided to keep doing it after they broke up. Blows my mind how many at replies and retweets he still gets when he says the weirdest things. I’m sure you could track a good chunk of our relationship hidden in these tweets and blog posts over the years.”

“I wonder how many responses he’ll get from this today. How many people you think know you guys are getting married?” Marge asked, her mouth full of chips and salsa. Lucy shrugged with a laugh.

“I dunno, ‘cause I mean I’ll give him props for his ability to keep his private life private when we first got together. We all know how insane crazy ass Maine fans can be when it came to the guys. When Gary and Kenny had their relationships public, it drove them and their exes apart. Jared and Tessa were smart and kept their private life private, and look at them now. John and I had this conversation when we first got together and agreed if we wanted to last, we would have to be okay with keeping it private. He still tweeted about us all the time and blogged about things we did, but he did it in his textbook John way, cryptic and secretive, which I loved. It made it more fun.”

Sam nodded in agreement, remembering back when Garrett and his last serious ex-girlfriend broke up.

“Aww, he just instagram’d a rose. He must be wandering around outside.” Lucy smiled, tapping away at her phone for a moment before taking a picture of the girls in the room. Marge leaned forward and grabbed Lucy’s phone from her hands, gesturing for Lucy to smile. Lucy smiled really big, making the shape of a heart with her hands and holding it up to her face.

“You are too cute sometimes. I’m sending this to him, what’s his name in your phone? Scratch that, I don’t even wanna know.” Lucy laughed with a roll of her eyes and took the phone from Marge, tapping away at the screen to type in the number before writing a little message.
”Remember the day when we started this, and I made the shape of your heart with my hands.”

It was then that Sam got a text.

I spy Sam.

-Rex

Sam bit her lip as she read over the four simple words a few more times. She mumbled an “I’ll be back in a few minutes, I forgot something in the car.” and headed out the door. She made her way down the garden pathway away from the rest of the group, unsure exactly where she was going but she knew he couldn’t be far. She was suddenly pulled into a kiss and it took her a second to react. She couldn’t help herself when she relaxed and pulled Rex closer to her, the feeling of his lips on hers was exactly what she needed. They stood there in the deserted rose patch, his arms looped around her frame, and her fingers at the base of his neck slowly creeping into his hair as they kissed for another moment or two, neither wanting to pull away and ruin the moment. His hands slid toward her waist, pulling her closer to him at the small of her back, and she giggled into his lips, not thinking just kissing. She pulled away sheepishly after another few moments, the blush rushing to her cheeks.

“Peekaboo.” He said with a smile.

“Hi.” She said returning the smile. They were still connected at the waist and he still held her close at the small of her back.

“I just wanted to tell you how fantastic you look.” Rex said, lightly letting his eyes scan over her with a smirk. Sam bit her lip as she eyed the bow tie and suspenders that adorned his frame, looping her fingers around one of the suspender straps, pulling him closer and kissing him again.

“You’re looking pretty good yourself there, mister. I have a thing for bow ties and suspenders. They make me go weak at the knees.”

“Oh really now? I’ll keep that in mind.” Rex lowered his voice with a chuckle as he pecked her lips, and Sam blushed again.

Sam looked at her phone, checking the time. “Rex, I, uh, have to go help Luce with her dress.”

“Save me a dance?” Rex said with a blush.

“Well, you asked so nicely. Sure.” Sam said with a smile. He leaned in for a quick kiss, and Sam ran her fingers through his hair again, extending the kiss before pulling away with a blush and making her way back to the girls.

“Okay ladies,” Sam made her way back into the room, gaining their attention. “We’ve got about an hour until the ceremony, so y’know what that means… it’s dress time. Lucy, now’s your last time to use the bathroom before we strap you in, so get going or hold it.” Lucy jumped up from her chair, nodding her head as she headed toward the door. She noticed the blush across Sam’s face and gave her a knowing look, one Sam was sure meant she wouldn’t get out of it when Lucy got back. Sam quickly headed for the mirror, running a quick damage control to her makeup and hair before Lucy returned. She noticed she had a missed call from Tim accompanied by a voicemail, and a sinking feeling creeped in as she checked it.

Hey Sam, it’s uhh, Tim here. We’re at the airport but no one is here to pick us up. I heard a rumor that Pat was on his way, but he hasn’t shown up yet. You might want to call and find out what’s up ‘cause I called him and he said he was lost. We’ll get there when we get there, but I can’t promise that we won’t be late. I’m about to call a cab, but let me know what’s up before we do.”

Sam let out a heavy sigh as she quickly dialed Pat’s number. He picked up on the third ring, and without a hello, Sam went off. “Pat, where the hell are you? Why did Tim call me saying that you weren’t there. Why aren’t you here at the gardens yet? The wedding is in one hour, Pat. ONE. HOUR. If you’re not on your way with the boys in the car, I swear Pat, I can’t trust you with anything-“

“Sam, it’s okay. I got everything under control. We’re on our way, Tim’s driving us using a GPS so we don’t get lost. I just got a little lost on the way to the airport, but it’s okay now. Everything’s cool.”

”Everything’s fine Sam, we’ll be there in about ten minutes or so. I got this, we’re on our way.” Tim’s voice was heard in the background and Sam let out a sigh of relief.

“Okay, I’m counting on you. Is the surprise still a-go?”

”Yes Sam, it’s still on. This is gonna be great!” Another voice shouted from the background and Sam smiled. Lucy walked back into the tent and Sam quickly said goodbye to the boys, hanging up her phone.

“Alright, I’m back. Let’s get this party started.” Lucy stripped down to her undergarments, and the girls collectively helped her climb into the dress. Lucy’s mother tied up the back of the dress, and her sister helped fluff out the bottom. After the dress was ready, Lucy’s cousin touched up her makeup and Lucy’s mother placed the veil on her head. Marge pulled the pumps from her bag, climbing under the dress to help put them on, Lucy standing still and leaning against Tessa and Emily for support. Lucy’s sister pulled out a bottle of champagne and a stack of small plastic cups from her bag, popping the cork and pouring each girl a small glass. They toasted and took a sip, the bubbly liquid sliding easily down their throats and getting them even more excited as the minutes passed. Lucy’s aunt arrived with the flowers, passing out the bouquets and making sure everything was perfect before she escorted the girls in the room not apart of the bridal party out to be seated. The ceremony was about to begin and it was time for the mothers to be seated. Lucy’s mother gave her a big hug and a kiss, telling her one last time how gorgeous she was with tears in her eyes. Jenny gave her a quick hug as well before the two left together. Lucy’s father poked his head inside after the mothers were gone, his smile faltering as he started to tear up when he saw his daughter.

“You are gorgeous, sweety-cakes. I’m so happy for you.” Lucy pulled him into a hug, holding back her own tears at seeing her father tear up. He kissed her on the head and held her for a moment, just the two of them. “John’s a good guy,” he said after a moment. “I know he’ll take care of you. He and I just had a talk.” Lucy laughed into his chest, mumbling an “I love you,” to her father.

“I love you too, sweetheart. You ready for this?”

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for today. Of course I’m ready, I can’t wait.” Her father smiled at the grin that spread across his daughter’s face as they pulled away, nodding and sharing in the excitement. Music came floating in from outside, and they knew it was time to go. The bridesmaids were out the door, walking down the aisle to “Marry You” by Bruno Mars, and Lucy and her father were close behind. The pathway to the altar curved around the corner through the perfectly trimmed hedges into the amphitheatre garden where the chairs were set up and everyone was waiting, and Lucy waited patiently just out of sight until the music changed to a violin cover of “Transatlanticism” by Death Cab For Cutie, signaling it was her turn to go.

Lucy smiled at her father before they took the first few steps, rounding the corner and everything came into view. Lucy looked up to see John beaming at the alter, the smile across his face wide and happy. Lucy squeezed her father’s hand as they walked, and the aisle felt like miles before she made it to the end. Everyone’s attention was on her, but everything around her was a blur with her focus solely on John. Lucy turned to look at her father one last time, finally taking her eyes off John. He smiled at her, pulling her into a hug and kissing her head. She gave him an extra squeeze before pulling away, a big smile across her face. John approached her, holding out his hand with his eyes still only on her, and Lucy’s father placed her hand in John’s before stepping aside. John squeezed Lucy’s hands with a beaming smile as they intertwined their fingers before turning toward the minister behind them. Everyone was seated, and the ceremony began.

"We are gathered here today on this beautiful spring afternoon to witness the joining together of two lives, two souls made for one another. John and Lucy have requested your presence here today to share with them the joy and love this day brings into their lives." The minister continued on with his opening remarks, mentioning a few sweet moments of their relationship for the audience, sparking laughter and nods all around as they collectively reminisced. John squeezed Lucy's hands, mouthing an "I love you" while the minister spoke, the butterflies exploding in Lucy as she mouthed it back to him.

Sam looked out into the crowd for a moment, smiling at everyone in attendance before turning back to the front. She caught Rex's stare and a blush crept across her cheeks as she looked away, biting her lip. She saw Garrett in the second row next to Mel, his hand on his knee hoping to reach across and hold Mel's hand but Sam knew he was too shy. Kennedy’s arm was around Emily sitting next to Mel, their hands laced in contrast. Tessa curled up against Jared, the two smiling and remembering their own wedding as the minister spoke.

After more stories and remarks, Jared stepped forward from his seat with two guitars in hand. John pulled his hands from Lucy, taking the acoustic from his friend, slinging the strap over his head and strumming a chord or two. Lucy's eyes grew wide with a surprised smile and a blush spread across John's face.

"I, uhh, this is for you." He took a deep breath and cleared his throat as he started strumming, Jared joining in a moment later. The familiar opening chords began to play, and Lucy was already on the verge of tears before John said the first word.

"My love for you is real.
It moves like the summer breeze.
My love for you is strong.
Lord, it brings me to my knees."

Lucy stood speechless as he sang to her, her heart melting at the song choice and the sincerity of his words as he looked only at her. He strummed the final few chords before pulling the strap back over his head and handing the guitar back to Jared.

"I uhh, I hope those are happy tears." He smiled sheepishly with a whisper and Lucy nodded her head repeatedly with a smile, drying her eyes as the minister led them onto the next thing. They joined hands again for the vows, squeezing them during the I Do's and only separating for the rings. Eric handed over Lucy's ring, giving John a nod with a smile. Sam handed hers and Lucy's bouquets to Marge so she could hand Lucy John's ring, giving her a big smile as she placed it in her waiting hand.

The rings slipped perfectly onto each hand, titanium for him and a three stone princess cut diamond for her. Lucy took her eyes off John for a moment to see their fingers joined together with the new additions. She looked back up to see John looking at her, the big grin reappearing across his face as he brushed his thumb over her hand.

All that was left was the kiss. The minister pronounced them man and wife, and John took no time in going in for the kiss. Their hands disconnected and immediately they were in each other's arms. The audience cheered and clapped and they broke apart, grins across both their faces. Sam handed Lucy back her bouquet and they turned to face the audience hand in hand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, for the first time, Mr. And Mrs. John O'Callaghan the fifth." John pulled Lucy into a hug and spun her around, setting her back down and they walked down the aisle hand in hand. Sam and Eric followed after the couple, Rex and Marge next, and Max and Lucy's sister finished off the wedding party as they walked back down the aisle.