Who Knew Then? (What We Know Now?)

Kassidy

“Wow, look at you,” Linda gushed as she entered the bridal suite at the church. Lindsay and Tanya had just finished helping me get ready, and my eyes began to water as I saw the tears in Linda’s.

“Thanks Linda… you like it?” I turned in a slow circle for her. She hadn’t been with me when I’d gone dress shopping – she’d volunteered to babysit Patrik for me because Jared and his brothers had a charity event. Jared had insisted he could take Patrik with him, but Linda had spoke up once we realized what kind of media would be there. For the most part if it was okay, but I wasn’t subjecting Patrik to that, and Jared didn’t like the idea of it either.

“Beautiful. Jared’s going to die when he sees you in this,” she sighed, pulling me in for a tight hug. It only took moments for Patrik to toddle into the room, his Aunty Lindsay hot on his heels.

“Mommy!” he crowed, his arms up so I would pick him up. I did so with a grin, pressing a kiss to his cheek. At a year and a half he was looking more and more like his dad every day – his strawberry blonde hair and big blue eyes, accompanied by a smattering of light freckles was nearly the spitting image of Jared.

“How’s my boy?” I asked, and he giggled, before gently reaching up and touching a curl.

“Petty,” he told me with a beaming smile, hugging my neck tightly.

“Thanks Patrik, you look very handsome too,” I replied, before putting him down. My dad knocked on the door before coming in, and immediately Patrik ran to his grandpa.

“Gampa!” dad swung him up effortlessly, making my son shriek happily and giggle. Dad then turned his attention to me, his eyes watering a bit as he pulled me in for a hug.

“You know, when you first talked about him all those years ago I never would’ve thought you’d marry him,” he told me, making Linda and Lindsay laugh.

“I had no idea,” I allowed, getting a grin from him.

“And I know things haven’t been perfect, but I think he’s perfect for you. I really do sweetheart, anybody who can make you as happy as he can is good in my books, regardless of what happened,” he said, making me cry a little bit as I hugged him tighter.

“Thanks daddy, I love you,” I whispered, and he nodded, softly rubbing my back.

“I love you too sweetheart. Your mom would be so proud of you right now,” he sniffed, pulling away slightly.

“We better get this show on the road; Jared’s freaking himself out that you’re going to change your mind on him,” he chuckled moments later, and Linda rolled her eyes.

“That boy is so paranoid, I don’t know how he’s managing with a baby,” she huffed, and Lindsay giggled.

“I know, I thought he’d have one of those bubbles for Patrik or something,” she agreed, making me and my dad laugh.

“I’d disown him if he ever did that,” I informed them, and there was more laughter as Tanya and Morgan came into the room. Morgan was Derek’s girlfriend, who I’d become really close to. Derek and I were still close, but we’d lost the intimacy of our friendship, which was a relief as well as a disappointment. It meant there was no longer any worry from Jared about there being anything more, and no more of us being awkward or thinking we were acting too couple-y. But at the same time it was disappointing to find I didn’t want to confide everything in him, and that he didn’t confide as much in me. It was a healthier relationship though, and Morgan was a wonderful girl.

“Ready?” she asked, and I nodded.

“Patrik, honey you go with Grandma, okay?” I asked, and he nodded, reaching out to Linda. She lifted him up and settled him on her hip, giving me one last kiss on the cheek before heading out to find her seat. I took a deep breath and looked around the room at my family; the girls in their Carolina red, knee-length bridesmaid dresses, my dad in his new suit and red tie, and then saw myself in the mirror. My dress was fairly simple – a halter-style dress with a little bit of embellishment at the bust and the hip, where the material flowed in a soft A-line to the ground. I looked at my hand, the beautiful engagement ring Jared had given me sitting there, and almost began to cry at the prospect of a wedding band next to it.

“I know sweetheart, it’s an amazing feeling,” Tanya nodded, hugging me before picking up her bouquet. Lindsay and Morgan followed suit, and before I knew it they were walking down the aisle. I hugged my dad one more time, kissing his cheek, before I picked up my bouquet and linked my arm through his. The song changed, and with a deep breath we stepped into the church, everybody standing up and looking at me. My eyes glanced over Linda and Henry, with all of the grandkids, Sutter’s, Ward’s, LaRose’s, and a few other teammates. I laughed when Brody waved wildly, trying to catch my attention before Brett cuffed him upside the head to try and make him behave. Then I saw Jordan, Eric and Marc lined up, their tuxedo’s looking wonderful and the Carolina red in their ties looking sharp.

Then I saw Jared, and he all but took my breath away.

He’d argued about the Carolina red for the ties and bridal party – insisting we didn’t need to bring hockey into the wedding. In his mind I was only doing it for him, but while that had been my original intention I really loved the color, and it looked good on all of my bridesmaids so we’d stayed with it. Then Linda had worried about how the red would look with his decidedly red hair, which had made him nervous all over again. Jared had been deeply involved in every step of planning the wedding, which had been a relief for me, because that wasn’t really my thing.

And now he stood at the altar, looking as handsome as ever, a soft, almost unbelieving
smile on his face as his eyes were glued to me. I felt myself blush and giggle a little, making my already wide smile grow as we approached him. I hugged my father and kissed his cheek, and he smiled at Jared, shook his hand, and then “handed me over” to him.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as we faced each other.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” I replied, making him grin as the minister began to speak. We’d opted for a fairly simple and short ceremony, partially because neither of us liked long and boring ones, and partially because Patrik would get antsy very quickly.

“Mommy! Daddy!” the whole church laughed as Patrik came hurdling towards us, and Linda’s face was red as she debated chasing after him or letting him be. She had her hands full with Parker and Levi at that particular moment, and Henry hadn’t managed to grab Patrik before he’d taken off.

“Yes honey?” I asked as I picked him up, and he looked between Jared and I.

“Hung’y,” he told us, getting more laughter from everybody. Marc stepped forward and carried Patrik back to his grandma, who had put some snacks in her purse for such an occasion, had he asked, and once Marc returned to his spot as Best Man the ceremony continued. Derek presented the rings for us – something Jared had asked him to do without my knowledge, and I was touched that he wanted to include Derek in our wedding after everything that had went on.

“You guys look incredible,” Derek whispered as he handed the box to Jared, who just grinned.

“Thanks Derek,”

With that we exchanged rings and said our vows, and I could feel Jared all but shaking in anticipation.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife – you may now kiss the bride,” the minister said with a wide smile. Jared caught me off guard when he pulled me to him, dipping me and pressing his lips to mine in a kiss probably a little too intense for a church, while everyone began laughing, clapping and cheering. He stood me back up, my cheeks feeling hot as I pecked his lips once more.

“This is the part I’ve been waiting for all day,” he grinned like a child at Christmas, looking to the minister expectantly.

“I now give you Mr. and Mrs. Jared Staal,” he exclaimed, and Jared kissed me once more as we began to walk down the aisle.

“And you wanna know something?” he whispered, leaning just slightly.

“What?”

“I’ve wanted to hear that since the day I almost kissed you watching Eric’s hockey game,” he whispered, bringing tears of joy to my eyes.

“I love you Mrs. Staal,” he told me as he kissed me once more, exciting butterflies in my stomach the way only he’d been able to.

“I love you too Mr. Staal.”