I Do

"J.J.," Lucy called to the red headed boy. "Here's the ring - don't run!"

Her ten year old cousin, and ring bearer, giggled and hurried his way through the lobby, quickly disappearing into the main part of the church. She smoothed out the wrinkles on the skirt of her gown as her best friend, Marilynn, walked up to her.

"Here is your bouquet, and hold mine real quick while I adjust your veil," Marilynn said. The small woman, only five-feet in stature, reached behind Lucy and settled the veil in front of her face. She set her hands on Lucy's shoulders and they said everything with a look.

Marilynn and Lucy had been fast friends ever since they had met in freshman year of high school. Lucy, a military brat, had just moved back to the U.S. for the first time since she was in primary school and the smaller girl had taken her under her wing and shown her around Arizona. Even when Lucy moved to Louisiana for college, the four years they had had together kept them floating through their sisterhood from across the country. They had always had the kind of relationship such that Marilynn's dad was more okay with thinking she had lost her virginity to Lucy and two double A batteries rather than a boy.

The girls stood still in the whirlwind of activity around them; other bridesmaids rushing to make sure their flowers were in place, Lucy's father making sure that Brooke and Jerzie - Lucy's cousins and flower girls - were well versed on what to do, etc. And yet, Lucy had never felt more calm in her life.

She laughed quietly as Marilynn said: “Do you remember when Adam and I met Austyn for the first time?”

“How could I forget? I don't think he was prepared for us to kiss and grab each other's butts.” Marilynn joined in with Lucy's laughter. “Clearly everything worked out though, huh?”

“Well, I mean, we're all friends now and you're getting married, so,” she dragged out the 'o'. “Luce, you're getting married. What am I supposed to do?”

“You will be just fine without me, honey,” she cupped the smaller woman's chin. “Besides, you and Adam won't be too far behind.”

“Lucy,” her father called from a few feet away. “It's time.”

She took a deep breath to steady herself, made sure her veil was straight, and moved to stand in position behind her three other bridesmaids, Marilynn moving around and settling her train and her dad moving to stand at her side. As her best friend moved in place in front of her, she stared at her bouquet: white calla lilies, Queen of the Night tulips, and a couple of sprigs of baby's breath. Another memory triggered; their first date.

There were three sharp taps on her dorm door. Lucy cursed to herself as she rushed to apply the last coat of lip gloss before opening the door. She yanked it open to reveal her best friend. She had broken up with her boyfriend a couple weeks ago and Austyn had decided that he was going to take her out for her birthday.

The heavy church doors opened, the loud snap of the catch releasing the doors echoing through the rapidly hushed church.

Austyn wasn't dressed in anything special, per se. Dark wash jeans and a black button down with the sleeves rolled to his elbow. It was more the items he held in his grasp that made her stop short. She had only ever mentioned her favorite flower once, in passing. The Queen of the Night tulip. Lucy had hit the phase in middle school where everything needed to be black, so, of course, she was into 'black' roses. "Dead" roses.

Their arms linked, she and her father made their way down the aisle. Lucy lifted her eyes to meet Austyn's at the alter, and she gave him an unabashed grin.

One day, while they lived in Europe, she and her gamely had taken a trip to the Keukenhof Gardens - where she discovered these magnificent and beautiful tulips, all dark purple with the occasionally shocking deep violet center. And there he was, tulips in hand.

Another few steps. He grinned back at her.

He took her out to dinner, Outback Steakhouse, and then had surprised her by stopping at a place called Planet Ice - an ice skating rink. Her roommate and her boyfriend was their, along with some of her and Austyn's friends, all ready to celebrate with her.

Austyn and her father shook hands, her father kissed her on the cheek, and he was gone. Lucy and her soon-to-be husband stared at each other, and she felt like they were remembering the same moment.

Lucy had fallen, slipped on an incredibly wet patch of ice, and taken him down with her. There, water soaking through their jeans, people skating around them, they had had their first kiss. And in that moment, whether Austyn knew if he was or not, Lucy knew she was done looking for anyone else.

And the ceremony began.