Wedding Day 8

Disclaimer: As you read this story, keep in mind that I try to include something for everyone, and some people are always looking for mistakes. So, if you find any errors, please remember that they are there for a reason.

Inspiration: I've mentioned before that my stories tend to come from a single moment that came into my head through some inspiration. This may be something I see in life, in an online news clip, just hear about, etc.

For this story, the opening scene between father and daughter just popped into my head. I was running story ideas and this one stuck. It's not very long and not overly detailed. It's just a love story.

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WEDDING DAY

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Hope and Grant are getting married.

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The Groom's Room

"Are you sure you're okay with this, sweetie?"

"Yes, dad. I've told you that before."

Grant Benton was trying to keep his chin up while his daughter, Morgan, was tying his bow tie and generally making sure he looked okay.

"You don't think this is weird or awkward, then?"

"Well now, dad, those are two different things. Is it a little weird and awkward that you're marrying my best friend? Yes, it is. Chin up. Hold still. But I'm still fine with it. You guys love each other and that's all that matters. There, done."

Grant turned to look at himself in the mirror. It still seemed odd to be getting married. When his wife, Abby, passed away 6 years ago, he never believed that he would be taking this step again. He saw that Morgan had done an excellent job tying the bow tie and making sure his tuxedo was just right.

"Looks great, honey. Thank you."

"Sure dad. I'm off to check on your bride-to-be."

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The Bride's Room

Hope Carlson (soon to be Benton) was pacing the room. She had her wedding dress on, with the exception of the veil that would go on at the last minute. She was so intent on her pacing that she didn't notice Morgan come into the room. Finally, Morgan spoke.

"Hopey, calm down. You're wearing a hole in the tile."

"Morgan! Oh, thank God you're here."

She walked as fast as she could in the restrictive dress and wrapped her arms around her best friend, hugging her tight.

"I was just over in dad's room helping him get ready. Calm down. You look like you're going to hyperventilate."

"I know, I'm trying. God, Morgan, I just love him so much and I can't believe it's finally coming true!"

"I certainly never thought this would happen. I mean, I know we talked about your crush on my dad all the time but...," said Morgan.

"I can't tell you how many times I hoped and prayed that I'd get to marry him someday..."

Suddenly, Hope had a horrible thought.

"Oh my God, Morgan. I didn't...I never wanted anything to happen to your mom! I loved your mom! Oh God, please don't think I wanted her to get..."

Morgan grabbed her friend by the shoulders and looked her right in the eye, willing her to calm down.

"Hope, Hope, calm down. What are you talking about?"

"I prayed, prayed to God that I could marry your dad, and then your mom got sick, but I never..."

"Hope, listen to me! Listen!"

Hope did her best to calm down, taking long, deep breaths and trying to look her very best friend in the eyes. She was scared, scared that her friend would hate her, scared that her friend would blame her...just scared.

"Hope! Look at me!"

Morgan could feel her Hope's whole body shaking, and her breathing was still uneven.

"Hope! Calm down and listen to me. Honey, you having a crush on my dad and praying to marry him some day did NOT give my mom cancer. It didn't. Tell me you understand that."

"I...I do...I just...I love you so much, Morgan, and I don't ever want anything to come between us. And I was talking about how bad I wanted to marry your dad and I...it just occurred to me that you might think...and I freaked out. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Hopey. Just tell me that you don't blame yourself."

"I don't, I promise, I don't."

Hope's breathing finally came under control, and she somehow escaped without damage to her makeup.

"Hope, you know I love you, I will always love you. When my mom died you were there for me whenever I needed you, or even if you thought I needed you. I don't think I could have made it without you."

"You're my very best friend, Morgan. It's one of the things that makes marrying your dad so special. We're real family now."

"As far as I'm concerned, Hopey, we already were."

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Meanwhile, Back in the Groom's Room

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," beckoned Grant, who was now pacing with the same intensity his bride-to-be had been doing before.

The door opened and in walked his best friend and best man Will, Tom (the father of the bride), and Adam (Hope's 19-year old brother and a member of the wedding party). Concerned with the pacing and seeming lack of happiness on his friend's face, Will walked over to him while Tom and Adam went to the small seating area the room provided.

"Hey buddy, you all right?"

Grant looked up at him but was still clearly distracted, unfocused. He glanced over at the photo from he and Abby's wedding that he had brought with him. She had been so beautiful that day, and they thought they had the next 50-60 year to spend together. 17 years hadn't been enough.

"What? Oh, yeah, uh, yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm fine."

Will had caught the glimpse at the picture. He had wondered why Grant had brought it in the first place and assumed it was so she could be a part of the process. He realized now it was to give him strength.

"Grant, hey, listen to me, okay? Abby would be okay with this."

This caused Grant to look directly into his friend's eyes. They had been best friends since middle school and could practically read each other's minds.

"She wanted you to find someone. She told my Joanie that a million times after she got sick. Would she have chosen someone half your age and who was a friend of Morgan's? Probably not, but that's your choice. She wanted you to be taken care of, to have someone to love you almost as much as she did, and you've got it."

Will noticed the tear trickling from Grant's eye.

"I just...I still miss her, Will. You really think she's okay with this?"

"I have no doubt, my friend. None whatsoever."

"Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."

The old friends embraced, then went to sit with Tom and Adam, who had been sitting quietly and respectfully.

"Sorry guys," Grant apologized. "I guess I'm just anxious, a little nervous."

"Not to worry, Grant" said Tom. "Last time I saw Hope she wasn't doing any better."

"C'mon dad, she was freaking out," offered Adam.

"She was, a little," agreed Tom. "But only because she wants everything to be perfect, Grant. It's not about you."

"And my anxiousness isn't about her."

"You know, Grant," said Tom. "I've been thinking back to when you guys started seeing each other. I spent a lot of time back then thinking up ever more imaginative ways to kill you."

This brought a small bit of laughter from everyone. Tom continued.

"I mean, I know that my Betty and your Abby were better friends than we were, thanks to Hope and Morgan spending so much time together, but I still thought of you as a friend and a good guy. But when you guys got together my first thought was that you were some kind of pervert. Hope was just 19 and you were 41, and I just couldn't wrap my head around it."

"Yeah, I could tell you weren't too happy about it."

"Hope, Betty, and I got into it a few times. If it had been up to me I would have forbidden it, but Betty was okay with it and let me know that would not do my relationship with my daughter any good. Hope was an adult and could make her own choices, my wife told me. Even then I made a point of letting Hope know how unhappy and disappointed I was with her choice."

"She told me. Since she was still living at home we started brainstorming ideas about what to do if you ever decided to kick her out."

"I don't recall ever considering that, but I was pretty angry."

"Then she says one day you just stopped giving her crap about it."

Tom smiled wryly and adjusted his position in his chair, leaning forward toward the other 3 men in the room for emphasis. They looked back at him intently.

"I was at the grocery store. I was just grabbing a few things, I can't even tell you what. I saw a young man standing on one of the aisles. He was well-dressed and well-groomed. He was wearing a shirt and tie, nice slacks, and what looked like fairly expensive shoes. I found myself thinking that this was the kind of man Hope needed to meet. He was her age and seemed to be a successful professional. He looked perfect to me."

"So, what happened to change your mind?" asked Grant.

"A young woman came walking down the aisle toward him. She was cute enough but nothing special. Kind of plain, really. She's carrying a bag of chips and holds it up for his approval. He said to her, 'You stupid bitch! I told you the BLUE bag with the round chips! How fuckin' hard can that be?' The girl winced and I have no doubt he would have smacked her if they hadn't been in public."

"Jesus," said Will, expressing the sentiment they were all thinking.

"I followed her over to the chip aisle and helped her find the right bag. Then I gave her one of those cards Abby always made us carry, the one with the abuse hotline on it. I never expected to use one but I carried them out of respect to Abby. I told her it looked like she was in an abusive situation and if she needed help to call that number.

"She took the card and thanked me, then took the bag over to that guy and I heard him say 'it's about time' with exasperation. I followed them discretely and watched them pay, then leave in a broken-down little Hyundai. It seemed all he cared about was his appearance. Frankly, I was stunned."

"I've never heard that story before," interjected Adam.

"No one has, son. After I watched that asshole treat his girlfriend like that. I suddenly realized that I already had what every father wants for his daughter. Okay, there was an age difference, but a father wants a man that will take care of his daughter, that will treat her with respect and kindness, and will love her. That guy just got behind the wheel and waited for his girlfriend to get in. Grant, I've never seen the day that you and Hope went out that you didn't open the door for her when you left. I went home that night and told Betty that I was going to just shut up about your relationship. She asked why and I just told her I had a change of heart."

"Why didn't you tell mom that story, dad?"

"Because I was ashamed. Ashamed of how judgmental I was being, and how arrogant. Like I knew better than my own daughter who the right man for her would be. From that point on I left it alone. This was my daughter's choice and I was going to let her make it. Grant, I owe you an apology."

"Forget it, Tom. I can't imagine I'd have been any different if it were Morgan."

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Back to the Bride's Room Again

"Do you remember Mr. Berger," Morgan asked.

"I remember telling him off. Not much else," Hope replied.

"That's exactly what I was thinking about. That's when I knew we'd be friends forever."

"I sure did let him have it. He just made me so mad."

"Yeah, I heard. I was outside the door waiting for you after class. He was getting on you about your grades because you were spending so much time with me."

"He actually had the gall to suggest that since it was your mother that died, not mine, that I shouldn't let myself get dragged down."

"I remember what you told him word for word. You said, 'Mr. Berger, Morgan Benton is more than my best friend, she is the other half of my soul! And she will ALWAYS come before you, your homework, or your class!' By now tears were pouring down your cheeks but they were tears of anger..."

"And love, Morgan. Tears of love for you."

"I know, Hopey. Then you said, 'I will do the best I can, but if she ever needs me I will drop everything...ev-er-y-thing...to go to her, your class and any others be damned!' And then you stormed out of there and right into my arms."

"And I thanked God you were there, Morgan."

The girls, best friends for life, looked into each other's eyes and smiled for a few moments.

"And then he gave you an 'A'."

Hope nodded. "He gave me an 'A'."

"I was worried when he asked both of us to stay behind for a moment the last day of school."

"Me too," answered Hope. "I was sure he was going to tell me I got a 'B' or even a 'C' and tell me how disappointed he was. When he told me that my work had not been up to my usual standards I was just waiting for it. But then he told me that my loyalty and love for my friend should be rewarded and not punished, and he had given me an 'A'."

"And he told me what a wonderful friend I had, like he needed to tell me."

"I love you, Morgan."

"I love you, too, Hope. Now let's get you married."

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One More Time...In the Groom's Room

A knock on the door.

"Gentlemen, it's time."

The four men stood up, with Tom extending his hand to Grant. The men shook.

"I'll tell you one thing," Tom said. "It's going to take some getting used to having a son-in-law that's a month older than me."

The laughter that followed broke the tension. Tom and Adam took the opportunity to go, leaving the best friends alone. Will caught Grant glancing again at the wedding picture.

"It's the right thing, Grant. She loved you with all she had. She wants you to be happy. I was the best man for you then, and I wouldn't be doing it again if I didn't think it was the right thing now."

Grant looked his friend in the eyes, and nodded.

"Can I just have a minute alone?"

"Sure, bud. We can't start this without you anyway. Take all the time you need."

Grant watched Will leave the room and quietly close the door. He didn't doubt his love for Hope, or her love for him. He just...he missed his wife.

He picked up the picture and looked into her deep brown eyes. They had fallen in love instantly over a pepperoni pizza and root beer at Rico's. Grant knew deep down that he'd never love anyone the way he loved Abby, but he loved Hope and she made him as happy as he believed he could ever expect to be again.

"I never thought I'd have to do this again, baby," he spoke to the picture. "Thank you for giving me an amazing 17 years. I'll never forget them. I'll never forget you. I will love you forever. I'm going to try to make the best of things until I see you again."

Grant gently kissed the image of his late wife, then placed the picture down on the shelf. He checked himself in the mirror one more time before walking out the door, finding his longtime friend patiently waiting. They hugged briefly then headed for the main church.

Had someone been looking at the wedding picture at that exact moment, they might have seen Abby's grin widen even more.

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Fin