He Shoots, She Scores

With Nate
He was sitting on the couch quietly waiting for Carrie to finish getting ready, tonight was their 40th anniversary and they were going out to dinner. In his lap was a perfectly wrapped box the present he had been working on for months finally ready for her to see
“I’m coming, I’m coming I know you said 5, I couldn’t find my other shoe” she says coming down the stairs flats in her hand.
She turns into the living room and Nate smiles at her she long ago started dying her hair brown again instead of red and at 60 she didn’t look a moment over 45, he at 65 was almost entirely gray but Carrie never minded she always told him it made me look more sophisticated.
“It’s ok baby, we’ve got plenty of time I said 5 so you could open your present” a slow smile spreads across her face
“I thought we said no presents”
“I had to” She rolls her eyes at him and sits down next to him on the couch he slides the box over to her and she carefully unties the bow and opens the wrapping paper. Inside was a box and lifting the lid she smiles
“These are so old school I love it” she says staring at the scrap book
On the cover was a picture of them 40 years ago at their wedding and in Nate’s neatest cursive across the front were the words “And I thought I loved you then”
“Well are you going to open it?” he asks and she gives him a small smile
“It’s gonna make me cry”
“Probably” she lets out a laugh and opens the book slowly
On the inside cover she read the words he wrote carefully
Carrie,
40 years ago today I wanted to make you feel wanted, and at the time I let Hunter Hayes help me show you that. Through the years I have learned a lot about myself and about you and I realized that maybe Hunter Hayes wasn’t exactly clear enough, so this time I chose an old Brad Paisley song “Then” because in reality 40 years ago is a lifetime away I no longer feel the need to make you feel wanted, you know you are, but I feel the need to show you just how much has changed since then.
Love Always,
Nate

She turns the page quietly and see’s the lyrics strewn across the page
“I remember trying not to stare the night that I first met you, you had me mesmerized”
In the middle was a picture, probably taken by her mom or dad from a suite or 2 away in the arena, her 20 Nate 25. Both of them looked so nervous but the smiles on their faces were evident. The next 2 pages were a series of pictures and lyrics. She read the words first
“Then 3 weeks later in the front porch light taking 45 minutes to kiss goodnight, I hadn’t told you yet, but I thought I loved you then”
She looked through the pictures to see one of them standing on her parents porch, a sunset behind them both looking awkwardly nervous, the next must have been only minutes after when he’d finally got the courage to kiss her. The next was of Carrie laughing bright eyes and red hair taken probably 2 weeks after they’d met, the last was of them making funny faces with Lacey and Tyler next to them at most likely a post game party from the other former sabres she recognized.
“When were these even taken, I don’t remember any of them” she says and he smiles
“I found a good amount of them when we cleaned out your and my parents houses”
She turns the pages gasping when she see’s the lyrics
“I remember, taking you back to right where I first met you, you were so surprised. There were people around but I didn’t care I got down on one knee right there and once again I thought I loved you then” The only picture on the page was from the game the year after they met, when he’d proposed to her even though they were married she smiled
“Lacey took that didn’t she” she say and Nate nods
She kept turning pages tears pricking her eyes every once in awhile as she made her way through the song’s lyrics and the 40 years of memories on the pages. She stops for a moment at the 2 pages that make her heart melt slightly more than it already had
“And I can just see you, with a baby on the way, and I can just see you, when your hair is turning gray”
On one page there was a picture from each of her 4 pregnancies with each of the kids names written on them, next to that was the top to a box of hair dye and a picture he’d -unknowingly to Carrie snapped- of Lacey dying her hair, she laughed and playfully slapped him, turning the page made her heart stop, picture after picture of Kodak moments of the 2 of them over the years were all over the pages written across it was “What I can’t see is how I’m ever gonna love you more”. She studied it for a moment trying to remember when they were taken and baffled by how much they and their kids as well as their friends and family had changed over the years. Taking a moment to compose herself she finally turns the page to find only words
“But I’ve said that before….”
She looks up at him with watery eyes as he closes the book carefully
“But I’m not done” she says and he smiles
“I know, you can finish it later, come on”
“But Nate, it’s only a few more pages, please?”
“Come on, or you’ll ruin it”
She carefully wipes her eyes and takes the hand he extended to her standing next to him she wraps her arms around his neck
“I love you, you know”
“And I love you too, come on” he says and pulls her towards the door
In the car on the way to the restaurant Carrie stares anxiously at the book tucked into Nate’s side. This dinner wasn’t just a romantic it’s our 40th anniversary dinner for the 2 of them, it was a surprise party planned by Carrie for their anniversary and Nate’s 65th birthday. The romantic moment of them sitting on the couch together was lost and Carrie was disappointed that she didn’t get to finish the book.
They make their way into the restaurant, greeted by their kids and friends including Lacey and Tyler and all of their kids and grandkids. They smile and laugh and enjoy the company of all of them being together
“Happy anniversary and happy birthday handsome”
“Happy anniversary baby and thank you for the birthday party”
They have cake and everyone quiets down when Nate stands at the head of the table
“40 years ago, I married a girl a barely knew and now she is my best friend, mother of my children, and the love of my life. She is also terrible at keeping secrets. I actually knew about this party, but she didn’t know that I knew. With the help of my kids I have also planned a surprise. Baby you can finish the book now”
Her jaw drops as Emerson’s 3 year old daughter Ella hands her the book again
“Thank you honey” she says kissing the little girl and she opens the book to where she left off. She looks at a couple of pages of pictures and lyrics before having the last page in her hand.
Leaning over her shoulder Nate sticks an old school Polaroid picture Lacey had taken of them when they walked in to the page as she reads the lyrics and looks at the other pictures there
“We’ll look back some day, at this moment that we’re in” she turns the page to see just words again
“And I’ll look at you and say, and I thought I loved you then”
She looked up smiling with one tear rolling down her cheek; she closes the book and gasps at Nate down on one knee in front of her, a small velvet box in his hand
“Carolyn Michelle Gerbe, will you marry me, again?” Carrie could only nod as he slid the beautiful anniversary ring onto her finger next to her wedding band and engagement ring.
“Mom, you’re gonna have to come with us” Abby says and Carrie looks up at her 3 daughters and best friend confused
“We have to get you ready for your wedding” Madison says and Carrie nods numbly following them
“So dad had us pick out a dress for you, and we’ve been just dying to see what you thought of it for weeks!”
“Where’s Izzy?” she asks enquiring about her missing daughter in law
“With your dress” Lacey says like it was the most obvious thing in the world
They get in the car and head towards the church the line of cars that were at the party following behind. They get there within a few minutes and head to the room Carrie and Lacey spent time in 40 years ago
“Oh my God, it’s beautiful” she says eying the simple cream colored gown hung in front of her “Thank you girls and Lacey, after the 40 plus years o have known you, you chose now to be able to keep a secret?”
Her friend only smiles and urges her to get dressed. All the girls change too into simple pale orange dresses and Carrie starts to cry
“What’s wrong mom?” Emerson’s asks and Carrie shakes her head
“Girls, why don’t you give us a minute ok?” the 4 girls nod and step outside of the door
“This is too much” Carrie says looking up at her best friend
“Married for 40 years and I still have to give you a pep talk?”
“It would certainly help”
“Ok well, at 20 I walked down the same isle with you and look at where you are now. My words to you then were it was too late to run because I couldn’t run in heels. Today I’m saying it’s too late to run because one you’re already married to him and two we’re 60 if we run now we may break something”
“Oh Lacey, 4 kids and what 6 grand kids for you now?” Lacey nods “Hasn’t changed you a bit. Thank God” she wraps her friend in a tight hug as a soft knock comes at the door
“Are you ready mom” Jeremiah asks
“Yeah honey” she says and he opens the door revealing her 3 daughters, her daughter in law, and Jeremiah
“Wow, mom” he says and Carrie smiles
“Thanks honey” she says hugging him
“Everything ok?” Izzy asks and Carrie and Lacey nod and smile
“Too late to run right Lace?”
“40 years too late to run” she says with a laugh