Chapter 06 – Happily Ever After
When Brooke and I arrived back at home it was Sunday night, the 5th of January. We collected our luggage from the carousel at the airport and were on our way. I dropped her off at her house, helping her inside with her with her suitcases before making my way back home. I was truly content for the moment.
That all changed when I walked through the front door. The house was mostly dark as I made my way to my room with my luggage. As I began unpacking just the essential items I would need for the week, I heard a soft tapping on the door.
"Come in," I called.
The door opened slowly and Penny stared at me.
"How was your trip," she asked.
"Perfect," I admitted softly.
"Vivian is still at Emma's," she revealed. "She is staying there for another week since her mom agreed to stay through the wedding."
"The wedding," I exclaimed. "I almost forgot. It's this Saturday. Is everything ready?"
"Yes," Penny disclosed. "Nikki and Monica are excited and nervous. It has been fun being with them. Plus, Nikki's dad is going to make it, so she is so relieved."
"That's great," I said. "How are you?"
"I missed you," she stated.
Penny walked to me and hugged me tightly. I held her for a while before moving. I let her go and sat on my bed. I laid down and motioned for her to join me. She shut off the light in my room before curling up next to me. I always liked being this close to her.
"I have to tell you something," she whispered in the dark.
"Go ahead," I urged.
"The game begins again at the wedding," she explained. "So be prepared. You will be going alone and leaving with the big winner."
"Do the ladies know," I asked.
"Yes," she confirmed. "At least, they all will when Brooke checks her email at home. No one will know the actual competition until that night, but believe me, it will be fair and fun."
"Good enough," I replied as I began to drift off.
The week was a blur as Nikki's wedding day approached. I got some much needed sleep on Friday night with the house all to myself. I slept in on Saturday, well past noon. I finally rolled out of bed near 1pm. I showered and shaved, preparing for the evening's big event. I filled out a very nice card for Nikki and Monica and proceeded to fill it with 5 crisp, new $100 bills. That should make for a nice gift.
I suited up and made sure everything was taken care of before leaving the house around 4pm. I headed downtown to The Marquis hotel, where the ceremony and reception were being held. This was going to be a first for me. I had been to plenty of weddings but never a same-sex union. I was in no way opposed to it, but merely curious as to how traditional it might actually be.
I pulled into the lot at The Marquis and delivered my car to the valet. It was 4:45pm when I arrived and the ceremony was scheduled for 5pm so I made my way inside swiftly, seeking any familiar face. It did not take long to see Emma and Jack standing near the front desk. Jack had on a bland beige suit, while Emma was as elegant as ever in a navy blue gown that had a v-neck which reached to a conservatively appropriate position on her chest. Was she getting soft on me?
I greeted them politely and Emma indicated that the ceremony was in the last room at the end of the hall on the left. I proceeded down the hall and enter the room she indicated to find that it had been wonderfully decorated in white for the just passed holiday season. It was very ornate and pretty. There was an archway and a small lectern at the front, with multiple rows of seats on either side. I finally saw Vivian standing up and waving to me from one of the seats. I made my way over to the row she was seated in and greeted her.
She looked lovely, wearing a sparkling silver, spaghetti strap dress that fell to about mid-hip. She had on black stockings and black heels as well as a silver scarf that matched her dress. Her hair was very big and curly, it suited her delightfully well.
"You look wonderful," I complimented her as I kissed her cheek. I sat next to her and waited. It was very close to 5pm and I wondered where everyone else was at. Shortly thereafter, Emma and Jack sat themselves in the row behind us. The ceremony was just about to begin when three lovely ladies rushed to seat themselves next to me. Leslie sat next to me, wearing a very lovely black skirt suit with white piping. She had on black and white checkered pumps to go with it. Brooke was next to her, in a fantastic yellow halter drape pendant cocktail dress that left nothing to the imagination. It was cut low in the chest and high on the hip. She had on strappy gold heels to go with it and looked beyond words. To Brooke's left was Mindy. I was surprised to see her but quickly remembered that she had not returned to school yet for the spring semester. She too looked brilliant, wearing a little black tube dress that held her tight frame nicely and black pumps. I was in the best seat in the house surrounded by 5 gorgeous women. We all stood as the ceremony started and Monica's maid-of-honor, whom I did not know, came out first. She was a lovely, young lady, I would say between 18 and 21 years old with the same flaming red hair that Monica had. She wore a simple, pink strapless tube style gown that reached the floor and hung nicely on her thin frame. The look on my face must have given me away. "That's Monica's sister Dianne," Emma leaned forward and whispered in my ear. When Dianne was standing next to the arch, Penny came out. She looked phenomenal. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and her makeup was light. There was a flower behind her right ear. She was wearing the same dress as Dianne only in a light purple color and accented by gloves that extended past her elbow. She was every bit the lady and my breath was taken away. Once Penny was at the arch, Monica was escorted out by her father. She had on a very plain white dress with very thin straps. The dress was shimmery and fell almost to the floor, but had a long slit on the left side, almost to her hip. Her father left her at the arch without raising her veil. Monica waited, as we all did, for Nicholette to arrive. Nikki did not keep us waiting as her father escorted her towards the arch. Her dress was a little more extravagant, strapless with rhinestones and a long train. Nikki also had on white gloves past her elbow. She looked sexy yet elegant. Her father joined her hand with Monica's before taking his seat, also without raising her veil. We all watched with great curiosity and wonder as Nikki and Monica raised each other veils and then proceeded together through the arch towards the small podium. We were seated as the ceremony commenced. We watched and listened as the justice of the peace conducted the ceremony flawlessly. He was very gracious and kind with his words. He did not look at all uncomfortable with the nature of the union and it was rather touching the way he spoke about love between two people, be it any two people. The ceremony lasted only about twenty minutes and concluded with Nikki and Monica exchanging a short, appropriate kiss before heading back up the aisle, followed closely by Penny and Dianne. While the four ladies disappeared to take pictures and freshen up, the rest of us moved into the room next door to the room the ceremony was held in for the cocktail hour. As we were all gathered around a table, drinks and finger food in hand, my curiosity began to get the better of me and I asked Emma about the reception that was to follow. "Em, how traditional is this reception going to be," I inquired.