Another Wedding Day Conversation

My submission for the 2025 750-word project, and a sequel of sorts to my 2024 submission,

"

A Wedding Day Conversation

"

><><><><><

Mark slowly paced the anteroom, waiting for the ceremony to begin, when she came to him. He felt her arms slip around his waist, her cheek against his back. "

Hello, sweetheart.

"

"Hi, Baby. I love you." Simply said, a simple fact.

"

I know.

"

><><><><><

A year earlier, he was sitting on the wooden bleacher, watching his eight-year-old grandson's soccer game. He cheered as Josh passed the ball to a tall blonde girl, who swiftly and surely buried it in the back of the net.

"Nice pass, Josh!"

In his ear, a voice remarked, "They work well together!"

He turned to see a slim woman sitting behind him. She had silver-blonde hair and smiling blue eyes.

"My granddaughter, Sarah." Those eyes flicked to the field, where their children were celebrating the goal, then back to him.

"Ahh. Yes, they do. I'm Josh's grandfather. Mark." He reached a hand back to her, and they shook. Her grip was warm, dry, and firm.

"Marie. Is your wife..."

"Widowed," he said gently, the pain familiar.

"Me too," she whispered.

They sat in silence then, watching the game.

><><><><><

"She seems nice?"

"Yes, she does," he chuckled. "And you're not fooling anyone."

She giggled.

><><><><><

At the next game, she sat beside him, instead of behind.

"Hello, Mark," she smiled. "On duty again?"

"It's no duty," he returned her smile, knowing she was teasing. "It's hard for Josh's parents to make these weekday games. I'm happy to be the CEO of 'Grandpa Day Care'."

She laughed, low and warm. Mark found himself glancing over at her.

"Me too," Marie sighed. "My Livvie is a single mom. It can be rough."

"Oof. Sorry."

Josh had two assists, one of them to Sarah, and they wanted ice cream after.

"Pleeease, Nonna," Sarah begged.

"Pleeease, Pop Pop," Josh begged.

"We've been set up," Marie laughed.

><><><><><

The next game was Saturday. Katie and Livvie were both there, two bookends beside respective parents. They exchanged silent looks behind Mark's and Marie's backs.

'This is new,'

one daughter's glance said.

'Is this really happening?'

the other's raised eyebrow asked.

Their oblivious elders watched the game, and cheered, and high-fived. Livvie gave Katie the

'call me'

signal. Katie nodded.

><><><><><

It only made sense. Their daughters had become friends. Their grandchildren were nigh inseparable. Why not share a holiday?

"Help me in the kitchen, Mark?"

"Of course, Marie. That turkey smells incredible."

><><><><><

"I like her, Dad."

"I like her too, sweetheart."

'I like her three.'

"Mom says..."

"Yes, I heard her. Little troublemaker..."

><><><><><

One holiday became two.

"Oh, Mark, you shouldn't have."

"It's nothing."

"Put it on me?" Marie held her silver-blonde hair out of the way, and he fastened the gold necklace with the lapis lazuli and diamond pendant around her neck.

"There. It matches your eyes," he said softly.

><><><><><

"Marie... you love my dad?"

"I do, honey. He's a good man and I'm so happy to have found him."

"You should read this," Katie said, and held out a slim volume. At her questioning glance, she explained, "He wrote this for me. To tell me about my mom."

Eyes suddenly blurry, Marie took it with trembling fingers.

"It's a love story. And, I think, a guide? Certainly, it's a window into my father's heart."

"Oh, sweetheart, are you sure?"

'Tell her 'Yes', my darling girl.'

Fulgent tears, quick and bright. Katie could only nod.

><><><><><

"It's time, Dad," said his daughter.

"Be right there."

"Okay." A slender hand on his shoulder. A kiss on his cheek.

A sigh. "Am I doing the right thing, baby?"

'Oh, Mark... I know you love me. And I know you've told me so many times that you're content. Watching Josh grow. But you deserve to be more than merely 'content'. You deserve to be

happy

.'

Slim arms wrapped around him. He wondered if he would ever feel their embrace again

. Reading his thoughts, she whispered, "I will always be with you. Go on now, love, with my blessing."

><><><><><

He left the anteroom and stood, just as Marie exited a similar room on the opposite side of the vestibule. Taking his hand, she smiled.

Turning, he looked to see his son-in-law and grandson on one side, his daughter and soon-to-be-stepdaughter on the other. Just finishing scattering rose petals was Sarah. She carefully spread the last handful, turned, and grinned at them.

Mark and Marie smiled back. They would walk each other down the aisle.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she replied.

Joyful, ephemeral tears... ethereal virga... fell unseen behind them.