One Hundred Sleepless Nights

“FUCK!” I ducked down, successfully avoided getting hit by the flip-flops Frenchi just threw at me.

“Dude! What was that for!?” I shrieked.

“I feel fat. I look fat. I’m going to be a fat bride!” Frenchi cried dramatically. I looked over my shoulder and saw Rachel and Avela looking terrified.

I sighed and went to grab the flip-flops. “You’re not fat, Frenchi. You’re pregnant” I put the flip-flops by the bed and took Frenchi’s arms. “Calm down, okay? In an hour, you are going to marry the man of your dreams, the father of your baby. This is a happy day, so be happy French” I give her hands a reassuring squeeze.

“You sure I don’t look fat?” She spun around and looked at her naked body, only covered in bra and panties, on the mirror.

“A million percent sure, now let’s get dressed shall we?”

Frenchi nodded and sat down in front of the vanity mirror. The make up artist began to work on Frenchi while the rest of us got dressed. I unzip the plastic cover that protects the dress and pull out a beautiful Tadashi Shoji pale pink lace peplum gown. I squealed in delight as I set it on the bed, I took of my silk robe, with ‘Maid of Honor’ embroidered on the back, off and slowly began putting on the dress. Rachel, Avela and Frenchi’s cousin Bertha were also getting ready, putting their matching pale pink lace & tulle sheath bridesmaid’s dress.

Bertha flew in last night from Cabo, Mexico to attend the wedding, which got Frenchi worked up a little bit because she missed the wedding rehearsal and she’ worried that Bertha might mess up.

“Cassie, is it?” I heard Bertha called my name.

I nodded in response. “Vic is looking for you”

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion but went out the suite anyway. I opened the door and I looked around until I found a certain longhaired Mexican standing with a box in his hands.

“Hey, you asked for me?” I greeted Vic who was busy looking at his foot to notice I was there.

“Yeah, best man duties. Here ya go, make sure Frenchi gets it” He gave the box to me and I nodded, this must be the pre-wedding gift.

“You excited?” He asked.

“Very, and exhausted as well. Frenchi was freaking out earlier for being too fat, she threw a flip-flop at me” I rolled my eyes and Vic laughed.

“Yeah, Mike was freaking out as well. He was scared that this wouldn’t work, then I told him to man up and calm the fuck down” We both chuckled at that imagination.

“Yeah, I did the same to Frenchi” I said, and on cue, I can hear Frenchi screaming my name from inside the suite.

I sighed. “That’s me, I better go back. You’re lucky Mike isn’t pregnant”

Vic laughed and went back to the groom’s suite as I entered mine. I saw Frenchi pacing back and forth in front of the bathroom door.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t do this. I can’t. Look at this!” She yelled and pointed at the chest area of the dress. “There’s a stain! I can’t get married in this!” She screams dramatically.

I rolled my eyes for literally the hundredth time today. “We can clean that up, Frenchi. There’s no need to freak out, okay? Here,” I handed Frenchi what looks to be a jewelry box.

“What’s this?”

“It’s from Mike” I smiled and soon everybody in the room gathered in circle, curious to what was inside.

Frenchi sat down and carefully untied the bow that beautifully wraps the blue box. She unfolded the small letter inside it and began to read it out loud.

“Dear my soon to be wife,” She paused and grinned. “In exactly half an hour, we will be starting a whole new chapter in our lives that I honestly can’t wait. You have been my rock, my best friend and my everything since the day I met you.”

She gently pulled out a gorgeous white gold anchor necklace from the box and continued reading.

“This necklace symbolizes everything about you, because you are my anchor. You are the one who keeps me grounded and levelheaded, you’re the one who always reminded me that I’m just another human being, and you are definitely the one who I always come back to. I cannot wait to be your husband, and a father to our baby, I love you always and forever” She ended the letter with a tear slipping her eye and rolled down to her cheek.

We all let out an ‘aww’ and squeals as we listen to what Mike had written. Frenchi looked at me and carefully wiped the tear from her face. “I’m ready to do this. Let’s get fucking married!” She shouted and pumped her fist to the air.

I smiled and gave her a hug. Since my hair and make up was done an hour ago, I told Avela to watch Frenchi while she got her hair and make up retouched, for 10 minutes so I can go out to have a smoke. This wedding got me really worked up and I figured one stick wouldn’t hurt. I could always touch up my lipstick.

I grabbed my Marlboro from my purse and stepped out to the balcony that overlooked the whole ranch where the wedding will take place. I light up the stick and took a nice, long drag. The sun was surprisingly friendly today, it’s not too hot but it’s not too cold either and the wind was just perfectly breezy and calming.

“I knew I’d find you with a smoke” I turned around and found Tony smiling and leaning on the balcony frame.

I nearly dropped my jaw when I saw him standing there, all spiffy and in a tux. I swear that man could put on a potato sack and still look like the hottest man alive.

“I’d have to or else I might jump off this balcony. Frenchi is driving me insane” I took another drag off my cancer stick.

Tony chuckled and lit up his own cigarette. “You look gorgeous” He gave me a smile but quickly averted his gaze towards the horizon.

I felt my cheeks redden and flushed. “Thanks, you don’t look so bad yourself” I smiled back and he gave me a playful shove.

“Does any of this change your whole perspective on marriage?” He turned his attention back to me.

I flicked my cigarette ash to the floor. “A little, yeah. I still don’t think it’s for me though, I just don’t see myself ever getting married” I chuckled and Tony just nodded in response.

“Maid of Honor? Groomsmen? The wedding is starting in 5” We both turned around to the Colette’s voice reminding us. I stubbed my cigarette onto the floor, as did Tony and we both walked back to our suites, after giving each other a smile.

“Okay! You’re ready to be Mrs. Fuentes?” I exclaimed loudly once I entered the room.

“Fuck yeah. Let’s do this” Frenchi gave me a fist bump and we all went out the suite in order.

We all lined up, nervously smiling at each other in front of the wooden door that leads to the ranch, where all the guests are seated. Colette gave us the ‘ok’ sign and the bridesmaids and the groomsmen walked in pairs along the aisle. Rachel walked with Tony, Jaime walked with Avela, Bertha walked with Mike’s cousin, Pastor with me trailing not far behind them alone. I can see Mike and Vic standing at the end of the aisle, smiling nervously at me, which I widely return.

The music starts playing and all the wedding participants looked back towards the door, to see the gorgeous bride that will soon be walking that very aisle. The wooden doors opened for the last time, revealing a pregnant but not any less beautiful Frenchi in the arm of her father. She was smiling ear to ear, wearing a gorgeous white spaghetti strap Saja wedding dress with a lace bodice and detailing on the chest area. The satin sash that belts around stomach accentuated her growing tummy, and she paired it with a similar colored Badgley Mischka strappy sandals. Her long brunette locks were pulled back into a loose bun, and decorated with an ivory colored flower clip.

I looked over at Mike, who has his jaw gaping open at the sight of his fiancée. He was smiling and shedding tears of joy. When Frenchi and her father reached the end of the aisle, her father gave her away to Mike and the ceremony soon began. Since both Mike and Frenchi didn’t want a very religious wedding, though both of them are Catholics, they decided to have one of Papa Fuentes’ friends to lead the ceremony.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, and to cherish the words which shall unite Michael and Francesca in marriage. Marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, and who trust in that love, who honor one another as individuals, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together.”

I was listening to Mr. Erinez explaining how love is a two way street and what not when I found myself staring at Tony, who surprisingly has his gaze locked on mine. I couldn’t bear to turn away so I gave him a smile, and he returned it with the most sincere manner.

Mr. Erinez then began telling the guests the story on how Mike was when he was a kid and how they both met. It was a really cute story because when they first met, they actually couldn’t stand each other and always got in each other’s last nerves. It wasn’t until a year after they met, Mike started to admit that he only did that to get her attention and they’ve been dating ever since.

“Now, if you both would exchange the rings?” He gave the microphone to Mike and he took it with a goofy grin on his face. He turned his body to Vic and with an equally goofy grin; he gave him the ring.

He took a deep breath and began reciting his vows. “I, Michael Fuentes, take you; Francesca as my wife, my best friend, and my soul-mate. I vow to take care of you when you have your cramps, I vow to always be faithful to you when I’m out touring” He paused and grinned, the wedding attendees laughed, cause we all know how Mike used to be.

“I promise to try to remember putting the toilet seat down, I promise to not cuss loudly at video games and most importantly I vow to love you, cherish you, and adore you as long as I shall live” He slip the diamond encrusted wedding band into Frenchi’s ring finger and his face broke into an even bigger smile.

“Francesca?” Mr. Erinez gave Frenchi the turn and the microphone. She turned around to me and I, with a permanent smile plastered on my face, gave her the ring.

“I, Francesca Maldonado, take you; Michael as my husband, my best friend and my soul-mate. I vow to cook, clean up after and surrender my share of the blanket, I vow to try and understand your fascination on soccer, I vow to give you my trust when you’re off touring” She chuckled and again, so did the wedding attendees.

“I promise to stop making fun of your wonky chicken legs, I promise to be the best wife and mother to our little blip that I can be, and most importantly, I vow to love you, cherish you, and adore you as long as I shall live” Frenchi slipped the white gold wedding band into Mike’s ring finger with an equally huge smile on her face.

“Now, to make this official. Frenchi, Do you take Mike to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, till zombies do you part?” Frenchi laughed and nodded.

“I do”

“Mike, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say may be held against you, and you have the right to have an attorney present. You may kiss the bride!”

Mike and Frenchi erupted into laughter and so did the entire wedding participants and attendees. Mike stepped forward, grabbed Frenchi by the hip and dipped her down before giving her a passionate kiss.

Then the newlyweds turned around to face everyone. Mike pumped his fist into the air, yelling ‘woohoo’ while Frenchi raised her bouquet, still laughing happily. They walked back the aisle and into the wooden doors with all the wedding attendees clapping and cheering after them.

I still have that stupid smile plastered on my face as I saw them leaving the ceremony. My best friends are now married.