Sequel: Like a Damaged Nerve ›
The Sailor and the Hawk
Six Am
“Are you excited?” I asked my sister, watching as our mother helped her put on her veil. It was finally the day of her wedding and I couldn’t be happier for her and Jon. It was a beautiful afternoon, the sunset a perfect bright orange yellow. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed a little bit, turning to me and smiling.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this.” She said, laughing a little bit and making our mother laugh a little too. It had been a very long season and an even longer engagement for those two.
“Well, it’s finally here! You’re officially going to be Mrs. Jonathan Toews.” I said, smiling at her and handing her the flowers. She scoffed a little bit and grinned at me.
“Technically, I already am.” She said, making me hush her. She laughed again, shaking her head a little bit. “Get out there, you’re gonna be late!” I was last to go out with Jonathan’s brother, David.
“I’m happy for you.” I said, hugging her quickly and sending her one last smile before I headed out of the small room she was hiding in and out into the hall, where David was waiting. He linked his arm through mine and we headed out and down the aisle.
Jonathan looked so precious, I wanted to run back and tell Kylee how cute her new hubby was but obviously, that’s not allowed. Patrick was one of the groomsmen and looked dapper as hell, making me send a quick wink his way when he looked at me. David and I took our places and then Kylee’s music started. The ceremony was beautiful, as expected. I found myself with some tears in my eyes as they said their I do’s and then were pronounced as husband and wife. I was so happy that my sister had found someone to make her that happy. The reception was in the hotel’s ballroom and set up so elegantly. After Jon and Ky’s entrance, there was a cocktail hour before dinner. I went straight to grab myself a whiskey on the rocks and while I waited at the bar, someone appeared next to me.
“Waiting for your date?” I heard him ask, making me smile and laugh. I looked over to see Patrick with a grin on his face. I shook my head at him as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. “That’s the first thing I ever said to you…” he said, becoming serious.
“I remember…” I said, smiling at him. He didn’t smile back much, just a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth before leaning down and kissing me lovingly. He had held me tight against him, even when he slowly pulled away.
“I love you, so much.” He said, looking in my eyes. I smiled at him again, gently stroking his cheek.
“I love you too, Patrick. I can’t wait for that to be us.” I said, making him smile a little bit now. “We were in Vegas for the awards; we should have gotten hitched there.” I teased him a little, making him finally crack into a real smile.
“Nah, I want a real wedding, you in a white dress and our families all together.” He said, taking his drink from the bartender and then handing me mine, clinking our glasses together. “To our future together.” He toasted, sipping his drink.
We had dinner and then Jon and Ky had their first dance together. Patrick teased me for crying a little bit and then everyone got up to dance to some slower songs. Pat had his arms wrapped tightly around me as we moved to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Give Me Love’. I rested my head on his shoulder, loving being so close to him.
“I hope you know, I stole your spare dog tags.” He whispered to me, making me smile a little. He gently started rubbing circles in my back where his hands rested.
“Good, you should wear them.” I suggested, then I hear a familiar sound and looked up to see him pulling them out of his shirt. We both laughed and then my grandmother came over, tapping my shoulder lightly.
“Sweetie, your phone has been buzzing on the table over and over again for the past hour.” She said, handing it to me. Patrick and I shared a look, making my breath catch in my throat. He followed me out of the ballroom and stepping out into the hall. I carefully hit redial on the missed calls and waited, my heart stopping as soon as I heard that voice.
“Petty Officer First Class Clarkeson reporting…Aye Chief…aye Chief…” I slowly hung up, feeling my hands starting to shake. I didn’t even get a moment to look at Patrick before he grabbed me, wrapping his arms tightly around me and resting his head on top of mine.
“Don’t leave me….please…” He pleaded, his voice cracking as he held me tighter. I couldn’t speak; I just wrapped my arms around him as well and held onto him. We didn’t speak, we just stood in the hotel hallway, holding onto each other for dear life.
“Six tomorrow morning…” I managed to squeak out to him, making him flinch at the information. He slowly moved his hands to my face, looking in my eyes. He was crying and it broke my heart in an instant.
“I love you…please, come home. You hear me? Don’t you dare leave me alone.” He said then kissed me with as much energy as he could muster. I was leaving again and this time, I was leaving behind so much more…
“I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this.” She said, laughing a little bit and making our mother laugh a little too. It had been a very long season and an even longer engagement for those two.
“Well, it’s finally here! You’re officially going to be Mrs. Jonathan Toews.” I said, smiling at her and handing her the flowers. She scoffed a little bit and grinned at me.
“Technically, I already am.” She said, making me hush her. She laughed again, shaking her head a little bit. “Get out there, you’re gonna be late!” I was last to go out with Jonathan’s brother, David.
“I’m happy for you.” I said, hugging her quickly and sending her one last smile before I headed out of the small room she was hiding in and out into the hall, where David was waiting. He linked his arm through mine and we headed out and down the aisle.
Jonathan looked so precious, I wanted to run back and tell Kylee how cute her new hubby was but obviously, that’s not allowed. Patrick was one of the groomsmen and looked dapper as hell, making me send a quick wink his way when he looked at me. David and I took our places and then Kylee’s music started. The ceremony was beautiful, as expected. I found myself with some tears in my eyes as they said their I do’s and then were pronounced as husband and wife. I was so happy that my sister had found someone to make her that happy. The reception was in the hotel’s ballroom and set up so elegantly. After Jon and Ky’s entrance, there was a cocktail hour before dinner. I went straight to grab myself a whiskey on the rocks and while I waited at the bar, someone appeared next to me.
“Waiting for your date?” I heard him ask, making me smile and laugh. I looked over to see Patrick with a grin on his face. I shook my head at him as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. “That’s the first thing I ever said to you…” he said, becoming serious.
“I remember…” I said, smiling at him. He didn’t smile back much, just a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth before leaning down and kissing me lovingly. He had held me tight against him, even when he slowly pulled away.
“I love you, so much.” He said, looking in my eyes. I smiled at him again, gently stroking his cheek.
“I love you too, Patrick. I can’t wait for that to be us.” I said, making him smile a little bit now. “We were in Vegas for the awards; we should have gotten hitched there.” I teased him a little, making him finally crack into a real smile.
“Nah, I want a real wedding, you in a white dress and our families all together.” He said, taking his drink from the bartender and then handing me mine, clinking our glasses together. “To our future together.” He toasted, sipping his drink.
We had dinner and then Jon and Ky had their first dance together. Patrick teased me for crying a little bit and then everyone got up to dance to some slower songs. Pat had his arms wrapped tightly around me as we moved to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Give Me Love’. I rested my head on his shoulder, loving being so close to him.
“I hope you know, I stole your spare dog tags.” He whispered to me, making me smile a little. He gently started rubbing circles in my back where his hands rested.
“Good, you should wear them.” I suggested, then I hear a familiar sound and looked up to see him pulling them out of his shirt. We both laughed and then my grandmother came over, tapping my shoulder lightly.
“Sweetie, your phone has been buzzing on the table over and over again for the past hour.” She said, handing it to me. Patrick and I shared a look, making my breath catch in my throat. He followed me out of the ballroom and stepping out into the hall. I carefully hit redial on the missed calls and waited, my heart stopping as soon as I heard that voice.
“Petty Officer First Class Clarkeson reporting…Aye Chief…aye Chief…” I slowly hung up, feeling my hands starting to shake. I didn’t even get a moment to look at Patrick before he grabbed me, wrapping his arms tightly around me and resting his head on top of mine.
“Don’t leave me….please…” He pleaded, his voice cracking as he held me tighter. I couldn’t speak; I just wrapped my arms around him as well and held onto him. We didn’t speak, we just stood in the hotel hallway, holding onto each other for dear life.
“Six tomorrow morning…” I managed to squeak out to him, making him flinch at the information. He slowly moved his hands to my face, looking in my eyes. He was crying and it broke my heart in an instant.
“I love you…please, come home. You hear me? Don’t you dare leave me alone.” He said then kissed me with as much energy as he could muster. I was leaving again and this time, I was leaving behind so much more…