Savage Hearts

Lila sat at the kitchen of her childhood home eating a grapefruit. Marissa was sitting next to her painting her fingers nails an icy blue color. They’re mother was running around grabbing last minute things for the wedding.

“Mom, sit down and relax. Everything is in the box; we will be fine. Stop stressing it’s not even your wedding,” Lila rolled her but passing a plat of grapefruit to her mother.

“I just want this to be perfect, it’s not everyday my oldest daughter gets married. You know I-“

“Never though it would happen, I know. But since it is, let’s take it down a few notches.”

“Says the bride who was freaking out yesterday looking at the decorations!” Marissa laughed, “mama, she just wants to be the only drama queen.”

“You can’t blame me, it’s a crazy big day for me!”

“Yes but you should just be getting cold feet let the rest of us take care of the details,” her mom smiled.

“I know, mamere aligned my chakras this morning so I should stop obsessing and relax.”

“Good because you are a nightmare, I can’t wait to torture you at my wedding,” Marissa smiled, blowing on her nails and leaving.

“Can’t wait, remember to change for the rehearsal,” she called our after her sister.

The front door opened and Jon and Lila’s grandfather came into the house smiling and joking. Jon began to make his way up the stairs to Lila’s old room. Lila quickly stood up and followed him, kissing her grandpa as he passed.

She entered her room to see Jon peeling off his polo shirt, “oh my god what is that?” Lila yelled.

“A tan line?” Jon questioned, looking down.

“No on your face! You said you’d shave the rest off before the wedding?”

“I will your dad invited all the guys for a private nine holes on the golf course and so I went it was a good time.”

“You no what else will be a good, having all my wedding photos with a clean shaven husband and not the member of a stupid 90s band.”

“Okay calm down, everything is fine. I will shave it off now, it will take 10 minutes tops.” Jon rubbed her shoulders hoping she would calm down as he went to the bathroom to start shaving the remainder of the playoff beard he kept for laughs.

“Thank you, sorry for yelling that was dumb.”

“It’s okay I know you’ve worked hard to make this perfect,

Jon began to shave the remnants of his playoff beard when he stopped and turned to Lila, “are you feeling okay? You’ve just been a little moody lately.”

“I’m fine, just freaking out that we’re actually getting married!” She smiled and hugged him from behind.

Jon quickly finished shaving and washed his face, pulling Lila aside and sitting her next to him on the bed.

“Are you sure because you’ve been all over the place lately.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Well I’m just worried that maybe you’re pregnant.”

“I’m not pregnant I’m just- there’s a lot of things on my mind and for me to do.”

“You’re completely positive? I mean right after we lost I know I was angry and I came home and just I went at you without even thinking about it. It would make sense and you know we have to be really on top of knowing this stuff.”

“I took Plan B the next day, I just thought we got this far without pregnancy so I might as well make it the next few weeks. Besides I don’t always want to remember my child’s conception as angry sex after a playoff loss.” Lila chuckled and gave Jon a kiss, “now get dressed.”

The rehearsal dinner went off without a hitch and Lila was feeling far more relaxed and ready to get married. She was surprised her urge to runaway had not come up, but she assumed she was far past that point after all the times it had already come up. Jon was calm and collected as always but Lila was sure it was because he agreed to take over all the honeymoon planning if it meant he didn’t have to deal with any wedding details other than showing up.

Guests began to leave and Lila made her way over to Jon, who was saying good night to his parents.

“Hey stud, want to get out of here before they kidnap me?”

“Kidnap you?”

“You know hold me hostage so we don’t see each other until the wedding, I can drive to the hotel but I want to go our separate way on my terms.” Jon smiled at this and took her hand as they snuck out to her father’s car.

“I’m going to miss you tonight, knowing we’re in the same city but can’t be with each other, it will be like when you refused to live with me all over again,” Jon laughed.

“Well just think that the next time we’re sharing a bed it will because you’re ravishing your new wife,” Lila reached over and grabbed Jon’s hand as she parked.

“I can’t wait,” Jon leaned over the console and began to kiss Lila. She began to kiss back but then pulled away.

“We’re in my dad’s car making out, it feels too high school rebellion for me to enjoy babe.

Jon laughed and kissed her one more time.

“So before we leave, are you going to tell me where we’re going for our honeymoon?”

“No! It’s a surprise, think of it of my version of the wedding dress, you’ll enjoy it more when you see it in the moment.”

“Whatever, it better live up to the hype,” Lila laughed, “I have an early morning of hair and makeup so I’m going to my room, I’ll miss you and love you,” she leaned up and kissed him.

“I love you too, can’t wait for you to be Mrs. Toews,” Jonathan grinned as they made their way to the hotel and went to their separate rooms.

~~~~~~~~

Before Lila knew it she was waking up on the day of her wedding. Her bridesmaids and mother came to the room and the morning of prep began. Though her mom had insisted, Lila decided to keep everything simple and stick to stuff they could do at the hotel instead of going to a salon to get ready. So the girls spent the morning laughing and doing hair and make up while one of the photographers took pictures of the girls getting ready.

Lila could already tell one her favorite pictures would be of putting on Melissa’s necklace while her mother put the necklace she had worn at her wedding on Lila. Despite her parents failed marriage she knew it was one of her mother’s favorite necklaces from a day she claimed she still thought of fondly. Her mother also convinced her she had to do the traditional, ‘something old, something new…’ this clearly being her something borrowed.

Her something old was a charm bracelet that Lindsey had given her for a birthday when they were little. Her something new was a tattoo she had gotten in New Orleans of an infinity sign on her ring finger, that she had successfully hidden from Jon, hoping he would first see it when he put on her wedding band. Mara had claimed it was no longer new because she got it almost a month ago and gave her a garter that she had sewn Blackhawks feathers onto. Lastly her something blue was a large ribbon on her bouquet of poppies, matching her color scheme.

With the final touches finished, touches the bridal party drove off to the old mansion just outside of Atlanta. The wedding was being held outside in the beautiful courtyard but since Lila said Georgia in the summer is ‘hot as balls’ the reception was being held in the mansion’s grand ballroom, an elaborate room with ornate molding and chandeliers.

Jon was fidgeting at the end of the aisle, he wasn’t as nervous as he was hot, but the longer he stood the more nervous he got. His mind began to swim with thoughts of Lila ditching him at the aisle but David nudged him.

“She’s coming don’t worry dumbass. The only reason she would leave you now would be to marry me instead and then we’d just have to switch places,” Jon laughed at his brother feeling the nerves begin to fade.

Jon was about to make a comment when his brother said they had to leave to escort the bridesmaids. Jon let out a heavy sigh and heard the quartet start to play and saw the audience shift to look at the aisle.

Jonathan laughed when Lindsey and Patrick both gave him a thumbs up despite the fact they came down with two different people. But then ‘here comes the bride’ started and the guests rose to their feet and Jonathan couldn’t think about anything else but the woman coming down the aisle.

Lila’s parents both walked her down the aisle. She claimed the least they could do for breaking up her family was both give her away, but really she thought they were both equally important to her and deserved to share the moment. But it didn’t matter who was walking her down the aisle, what mattered was the man she made eye contact with at the end of the aisle.

When Jon first saw Lila, his mouth went dry. The world around her blurred, it was just the two of them in the world and nothing else mattered. He swore she never looked more perfect; her hair was gently curled and framed her face that had a little shy smile that soon burst into a grin. The dress was not the kind of wedding dress he pictured but it was classic Lila, something a little different that she managed to pull off flawlessly. He face began to hurt from how hard he was smiling.

She made it to him and he took her hands in his, the pastor began to speak and the world came back around them. He could feel the love of all of the people he cared about watching them. He could see his mom already breaking out the tissues before he saw Lila smile and mouth ‘I love you.’

The couple had mostly tuned out the ceremony around them as they smiled and looked into each other’s eyes. Lila laughed to herself thinking about how if she was in the crowd watching she would throw up at how cheesy in love they were.

The two were pulled out of their daze by the pastor saying, “the couple decided to write their own vows, so they will share them now.”

Jon took a deep breath before speaking, “normally when I do public speaking, it’s clichéd manufactured answers about hockey, so I hope this is a little more romantic than that,” the guests laughed.

“ I’m known for being serious and keeping it together and then I met you, and the game changed. All of a sudden I was okay with letting my emotions get the best of me or to laugh too loudly in public or even think there was something more important than hockey. Lila, being with you has never been easy. You constantly push my buttons and challenge me but I’ve learned the best things in life are worth working for. This is all clichéd, but I’m not a creative person and really what I’m getting at is even if we fight and butt heads it will be worth it because we have all those moments where we laugh and love each other. I’ve never felt so strongly for someone in my life and even with the ups and downs that are guaranteed to continue, I can’t wait to feel this way for the rest of my life,” Jon smiled and squeezed her hands.

“I was always told you shouldn’t have to change who you are to be with someone who truly loves you, but after being with you for four years, I’ve learned the best kind of people help you change and become the person you want to be.” Lila tried to smile as she felt tears pool in her eyes.

“Jon, before I fell in love with you I did what I wanted, you may say I still do what I want but now I think of you before I decide to jump on a plane or go out with friends or make any big choice. Four years ago I was a mess with no structure and nothing holding me in place, I just floated about because I thought it was what I wanted. You showed me how wonderful it was to find a home and a person to always have your back.

You may be too serious and I may be too crazy but we compliment each other; I help you let go and you keep me grounded. You’ve loved me at my worst and you tamed my savage heart when it would have been so easy to leave. Thank you so much for being patient and staying with me, I’ll always be thankful that you taught me to let down my walls love someone with my whole heart. You inspire me every day and I love you so much, thank you for never giving up on me and letting me spend my life with you,” Lila smiled, and Jon wiped away some of the tears.

The rings were exchanged and then the ‘I dos’ and they were finally Mr. and Mrs. Toews. Lila wrapped her arms around Jon’s neck as they shared their first kiss as husband and wife. The guests cheered and neither Jon nor Lila could wipe the grins of their faces as they walked down the aisle hand in hand.

Throughout the dinner, Lila and Jon swapped glances always giving each other the same ecstatic smile. But the party really started after the hilarious speeches by Lindsey and David. They were as heartfelt as they were embarrassing and probably too revealing for the audience in attendance.

Then came the couple’s first dance, they were a little nervous about their song choice. They had listened to hundreds of songs, practicing slow dances in their apartment, trying to find the best one. In conclusion, they decided they were both awkward slow dancers and chose a song with a little faster pace, “Baby I’m Yours” by the Artic Monkeys.

The song came on and they held each other as they awkwardly swayed alone. But no one cared how silly they looked when they saw the looks and grins on their faces showed how in love they were. Lila looked up at Jon smiling and sang ‘in other words until eternity, Baby I’m yours,” and Jon leaned down and kissed her.

After that, the actually dancing began and Jon and Lila were no longer obligated to be awkward on the dance floor. They danced with their parents, they danced with their friends, they danced with obscure relatives they didn’t remember meeting.

The rest of the night was a blur, of cake cutting, drinking, throwing the garter – Jon had grabbed it with his teeth complimenting the Blackhawks feathers – and tossing the bouquet, which Lindsey caught smiling nervously at her now serious boyfriend.

“Can we ditch now?” Lila laughed as she came to Jon’s side who was talking to Kaner.

“Wait before you leave, how serious are Linds and that guy?” Kaner asked.

“Does it matter, you two are so over. But they are like in love or some shit I don’t really know. But you know what it doesn’t matter because you see that girl in the blue dress over there?” Patrick nodded, “she lives in Chicago, used to work at the art museum with me, she now works at the Art Institute, and I hear she’s great in bed. So get laid at my wedding and forget about Lindsey. Worst comes to worst you find this girl in Chicago and date her. Or you can sleep with my cousin in the yellow. She lives in Louisiana, you’ll never see her again.” Lila spoke quickly before pushing a confused Kaner towards the women.

“I guess we have to leave because I don’t want to see that train wreck.” Jon laughed.

Lila and Jon slipped out the back to avoid an outlandish farewell and made their way to the honeymoon suite waiting for them at the hotel. They walked in and found the cheesy setup with rose petals, chocolate strawberries, and champagne. Jon began to kiss her but Lila quickly weaved away and flopped on the bed.

“I don’t want to get out of this dress yet, I don’t really want this day to end,” she sighed.

“Well this is the good part,” Jon chuckled, sitting next to her.

“I know I want that part to, but let’s have a toast first,” Lila grinned, quickly popping the cork of the bottle and pouring them each a glass then lifting hers high

“To us. To years of butting heads, of laughing, and loving. To eternity,”