Lynn and Leif Forevermore

Hello Readers,

Here it is, Act II, the official wedding ceremony. There will be on one more Act to the wedding, Act III will be the reception.

In the meantime, enjoy Act II. I hope it engages all your senses and you feel as though you are really at their wedding.

Enjoy,

Mich80new

***

This was the same church that Linda had taken Lynne to when she wanted to experience a loving church on her first Christmas. It was an older, beautiful church, built in the late 1800s during the California Gold rush. Settlers used some of their wealth to have beautiful, stain glassed artwork intricately created on the doors, windows, and ceiling.

Coming from a hardline fundamentalist church that eschewed older church traditions, Lynne was used to ugly mauve carpeting, bland pastel curtains, and antiseptic white walls. Growing up, she'd wished there would be some type of way to make the church pretty when she was a bride. Her mother had reassured her that they could have floral arrangements.

But Lynne had a keen eye for beauty and color, and she knew even the prettiest flowers couldn't change how ugly, corporate, and staid that building was. It looked much more like the reception wing of a mid level sales office than a holy, sacred church.

But here, as soon as she stood in the grand walls of the church, she felt connected with deep tradition, and beautiful ritual.

Instead of feeling like a corporate hotel, this building felt like a palace. And Linda had decorated it so beautifully, according to Lynne' specifications. She'd hung gorgeous seashells around the back of each row of the pews, filled several lovely silver vases with the roses in the color of her multihued pallet, the midtone blue, the emerald, the red, and the dark pink. At the front of the room, there were gorgeous candles that were lit to provide soft romantic lighting for the ceremony. They'd outlined the walkway, and areas around the pulpit in the most beautiful conch seashells.

There were changing rooms in the back behind the pulpit for Sunday school and various church members.

The males took one half of the area behind the stage and it's associated changing rooms and bathrooms, the females took the other half.

The wedding coordinator had brought all dresses and tuxes to church and arranged them, so all Lynne needed was to get into her clothes, while her mother in law assisted her and the bridal party.

She had a beautiful scooped necked dress with intricate beading and flowing lace, dramatic bell like sleeves, and a beautiful, long, flowing train. The dress was form fitting, hugged her figure, but it was not too tight, and the form fitting dress, coupled with the bell sleeves and curvy neckline was a nice compliment to her pear shaped figure. The dressed stopped at her knees, a nice showcase for the lovely legs that she had. The scoop neck and shoulders was the perfect accent to her broad shoulders and small, perky bust. The gown had the kind of airy, hipster elegance that characterized Lynne. She felt like a beautiful princess, along with being comfortable in her own skin. It was the way Leif made her feel, so it was very fitting. She couldn't wait to wear this dress!

Leif's mother arrived in the room where Lynne and the bridal party girls were changing. She came to help Lynne with her dress.

"Do you need help sweetie? I thought I'd help you...well unless you'd rather Janelle help you. You feel like my daughter, but I don't ever want you to feel uncomfortable and if you-"

"Oh, Oh No, Mom, it's okay, I'd love to have you help me!" said Lynne.

"I love for you to call me Mom. Never thought I'd like it so much, if I'd realized how much I liked it I would have let Leif call me that when he was smaller," said Linda with a chuckle.

Lynne laughed as well.

Lynne put on a camisole panty shaper, and a ruffly little slip under her gown. That was the only thing she needed under her nice wedding gown with her petite body. But, unlike she felt around her own biological mother, protective of her own space, because she had so little autonomy and privacy, she didn't feel uncomfortable almost nude around Linda at all, she felt around Linda the way she now realized she should have felt around her own mother.

Respected. Cared for. Loved.

Lynne stepped into her dress, and Lynda helped her fasten her gown and straightened it on her shoulders.

"You look beautiful. Leif's eyes are going to just pop out of his head and roll around on the floor. He looked like a cartoon character when he first saw you on the beach during the spiritual ceremony, and you were just wearing a cotton sundress then, I can't even imagine," chuckled his mother.

"I can't imagine how handsome Leif must be. He was already gorgeous in all the shells and the white silk skater pants, so I can't imagine him in his tux," said Lynne.

"I'm sure the big old lug is handsome. But it's your day, so the focus is on your beauty right now. And we all want you to enjoy this day. It meant a lot to me and Garrett to be such a part of this especially knowing how much we care for the two of you, and how happy you two are together. I'm sorry your mother is not here, but I hope second best, me, is good enough, since they are not being supportive. There is always hope that they will change after you two start living your lives and they realize how serious you are in your love for one another and your marriage," said his mother.

"Yeah, I know. And, you aren't second best. Anyone would be lucky to have a woman like you consider themselves their mother, doesn't matter how Linda, birth, marriage, I'm lucky for you, and so is Leif. I can't wait to marry in this family," said Lynne.

Her voice caught on a happy sob, and she put her hand up to her lip, sighing to keep from crying. She didn't want her eyes to be puffy.

Linda swallowed her up in a big old hug.

"Hell we can't wait to have you marry into this family. Now, we've got your something old, and I hope you like it, it's a surprise, from me, and Leif. Your Grandmother is coming in here next to bring you another something old, and Janelle has your something borrowed.

Lynne beamed at Linda. They were going to do the whole tradition, something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

"Leif asked me to give you these, for your something new. It's a small gift. He said one day he wants to give you something even bigger," said his mother.

Lynne looked at her cryptically and Linda handed Lynne a very small package.

"Open it," said Linda placing it in Lynne's hand.

Lynne peeled the wrapping paper off the package to reveal a small, blue, velvet jewelry box.

"He gave me jewelry. He spoils me so much!" said Lynne, her voice wavering.

Now she couldn't help it.

Tears fell when she opened the box and saw the most beautiful, modestly sized tear drop pearl earrings.

Linda snapped some pictures of Lynne opening the earrings.

"I'm sorry Lynne, to snap pictures like this. Leif asked me to take some pictures after you opened the box. He loves seeing you surprised," offered Linda.

Lynne blushed and chuckled. She wasn't at all surprised that her sweet man wanted to record the memory for later, so he could watch her wide, happy glance and chuckle.

"He wanted to get you a bigger pair. He told me to tell you that he would get you a bigger pair for your tenth anniversary. This size is what he can afford for now, and he thought they'd look pretty with your wedding dress in the white color, and compliment it nicely, and you could wear it for your something new," said his mother.

"He's so sweet. He didn't have to get me anything at all. Damn I love him. I can't wait to tell him thank you. There's nothing wrong with the size, and I don't need a bigger pair, the size is perfect," offered Lynne.

Linda helped Lynne get the earrings on.

"They are just beautiful! That lug of mine has great taste," teased Linda.

"You look lovely Lynne. I'm going to give you some time alone with your bridal party and your grandmother, and make sure everything is straight out there, said Linda," exiting the changing room.

Her grandmother entered the room where Lynne had changed into her dress.

Granny LaReaux looked shy and quiet, as though she was taking in the fact that Lynne wasn't a little girl anymore.

"All this time, all weekend, I just kept thinking you were just an older, more beautiful version of the little girl I knew who kept wanting to play in the yard, and kept getting told no. Even at the house, when I hugged you and told you that you were all grown up, and beautiful, for some reason, I kept seeing you like that little girl. But today, standing here, in your beautiful white dress, you look like a woman. And how proud and happy I am to support you as your family on this day," said her grandmother.

Lynne couldn't hold it in. Her voice caught on a sob and she squeezed her grandmother tight.

"Look I'm prepared. I knew your crybaby ass would cry," said her grandmother, handing Lynne a pretty white satin purse.

"This is your something old. It's a beautiful, hand beaded white clam shell handbag. I used to wear it back in the 1960's when I was growing up and had a nice evening on the town. I'm giving this one to you now, because I know that you are fashionable enough to appreciate it. When I pass on, I'm going to leave everything else to you, all my fancy dresses in there. I've put some tissues in there, because I know you are going to just cry the whole day through, and, something else that you should see. It's a good luck charm from me to you. I don't need it anymore, I've had more than my share of luck, and blessings, and a rich, full life. It's time for me to pass my blessings on to you baby girl," said her grandmother.

Lynne opened the handbag and found two signed Ella Fitzgerald ticket stubs.

"Are they real? Shit! I mean, I'm sorry granny, shoot, this is such a cool gift, I love Ella!" said Lynne.

"Not just a gift, a good luck charm for you. Every time those tickets were in my purse, I had great luck. I was in a car crash, when I could have died, and ended up with nothing more than a bruised knee. Those tickets were in my purse. Your mother was a breech baby, no one thought that she would live. Not long before that, I'd actually been to see Ella, what a concert! Those signed tickets were on the night table, under a bunch of magazines and other clutter, when the midwife delivered her. Your mother was nearly blue, but that midwife slapped her back, and she breathed. Everyone said it was a miracle. Those tickets were there. I prayed that god would bless you and help you find peace even though your parents were tormenting you and your happy new relationship. Guess what I was holding when I said that prayer-" said her grandmother.

"The tickets?" Offered Lynne.

"Yes ma'am, and not long after that, maybe a day after that, your young man called me with a plan about how he was going to fly me up so I could see you two wed," said her grandmother.

"Well I don't want to take something form you that's been like an important amulet. I can borrow them for the wedding and give them back, they can be my something borrowed...you can leave them for me in your will," offered Lynne.

"Do you know how impolite it is, when someone who means something to you, offers you something and you refuse to take it? It's rude as hell. I know you don't mean an offense, but I wanted you to have the tickets, or I wouldn't have bothered offering them. I'm an older woman now, and other people might not see it that way, but I think I've had a very lucky life, there have been a lot of high points, and all the low points taught me something. The tickets might be like a rabbits foot, but they were there all the time when I had good fortune. Now that I'm getting older, I want to give them to someone who will protect them. And you love Ella, and that style, and that way and these tickets will mean as much to you as they mean to me, that's why, out of every single person who is in my life, I'm offering them to you," offered her grandmother.

The tickets meant a lot to Lynne, not only as a good luck charm, or as a fan of Ella, but for the familial connection, something that was so important, and such a part of her grandmother's life when she was younger could now influence her life.

"I'll keep them safe in the plastic," said Lynne.

"I know you will. Something big, something you are nervous about, grab those tickets and keep them close by," said her grandmother.

"I will," said Lynne.

"I know you will. You look so beautiful. Now don't cry or you'll get all puffy. We want to look fabulous walking down the aisle. Let me find that makeup artist so he can get started on your face. You hardly need the makeup, you've got my genes. But it'll be good for pictures," offering her grandmother lovingly pinching her face.

She led Lynne in the direction of the makeup mirror, where the hairdresser/makeup artist made Lynne's face up using the nude, pastel colors that Lynne selected that had the effect of not showcasing Lynne's makeup, but rather her natural features, making it look as though she wasn't wearing any makeup at all, while highlighting her best features.

When the makeup artist was through, Janelle came through with her something borrowed.

"So here we are today baby sis. Call it luck, call it fate, call it whatever you want, but I knew that deadlocked Romeo was going to marry your ass when I was sipping that black coffee when he met you after the set. I've got your something borrowed. It's my gold Journalism guild pin. I know it's not anything beautiful like a handbag, or pretty like the earrings Leif gave you, but it's something that means everything to me. I had that dream, of being a writer, and I knew if I could hold fast to that dream, I could make something of myself, I could come to New York and reinvent myself. But Lynne, you are the queen of reinvention. I've seen you transform your life and become a bold and beautiful woman, so I'm letting you borrow my pen in a symbol of the woman that you've transformed yourself into, and all that you have yet to be. And because I love you, like I love my family, I couldn't let you borrow something that didn't mean everything in the world to me. Being accepted into the guild meant everything to me as a struggling college student. It meant that I was worth something Lynne. It meant that I could write my way out of a paper bag. And that love you share with Leif, with it's deep, transformative power, it means something Lynne, to the both of you. So wear this pin in good health. If you lose it, or mess it up, I will beat your ass," said Janelle.

Lynne guffawed with laughter.

"Oh Sis, I have no doubt you'll be kicking my ass, and you'd deserve to do it if I lost it after you gave that speech. Hell if I lose it, I'd be right up there at Yale trying to rob one of them from the Journalism freshers," teased Lynne.

Now Janelle chuckled.

"Let me pin it in your bouquet. And Rachel, she has your something blue," said Janelle, tying it into Lynne's beautiful wildflower bouquet so that it hung across the front as an ornament.

Rachel, her Caucasian high school bestie wanted to contribute her something blue.

"I was so tickled when you asked me to be in this wedding Lynne. I remember you being fun, but so shy around boys, and whenever anybody would give you any time of day, you'd be really sweet about blowing them off. I thought you were crazy for some of the boys you turned down. But, later on, figured out you didn't date guys who didn't go to church. I'm glad you found a nice guy, even if he's not a church guy. I swear you were the nicest person in high school. Never a bad thing to say about anyone. Everyday, you dressed to kill, even if you had to change out of churchy looking clothes in the bathroom. You also, once we got to know you, were a ton of fun, always singing and dancing and cutting a rug. So I'm glad you remember all the stuff we got up to in private school, and just think our folks thought it was safer for us to be there. I just remember enjoying being around you because you were sweet, and sort of wholesome. So, I've got your something blue. Something we used to always do in high school...shopping for clothes! I just had to get your wedding shoes," said Rachel.

Lynne and Rachel squealed in unison like teenagers, and she handed Lynne a shoebox.

"Shoes, and you have such great taste, you're probably the only one outside of Leif I'd trust to pick out a pair of shoes for me, without seeing them first," quipped Lynne.

"I heard that, " shot Janelle.

Rachel and Lynne laughed more.

She presented Lynne with the most gorgeous pair of white shoes, with beautiful, intricate lace and beaded strappings that came together in a loop around one toe.

"Where's the something blue though?" asked Lynne and when she turned the shoe to start putting it on, she chuckled more.

The sole of the shoe was blue.

"Man, that is so fierce!" cried Lynne slapping Rachel five.

"Let me help," offered Rachel.

Lynne sat down and Rachel helped Lynne put on both pairs of shoes.

"Okay, we've got her all taken care of, two something olds, me and granny, something new, Leif, something borrowed, Janelle, and something blue, Rachel. Your hair and makeup looks perfect Lynne," said Linda.

She air kissed Lynne so as not to smudge her makeup.

Lynne stood still as her mother-in-law and bride's maids helped her put her veil on.

Lynne had chosen a beautiful, nearly see through tulle for her veil with beautiful, large white flowers. Since the tulle was see through, you could clearly see Lynne's beautiful face, and it was almost as though she wasn't wearing a veil at all. The key indicator that she was wearing a veil was the beautiful, large, real roses outlining the crown of her head in the shape of a circle.

The veil stopped below her shoulder blades.

Lynne looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe it! She was all dressed for the wedding. She felt like a princess. Looked like one too! And now, after all this planning, wishing, dreaming and praying, hell almost since she'd first made out with Leif after their first date, she would be his bride. Joined in matrimony. Lynne Peterson.

She didn't feel nervousness, or fear.

Instead, she looked at her mother-in-law.

"Coach Garrett and Granny so that they don't let me pace too fast down the aisle. Because I can't wait to get up there to that altar where he is. I know that's not a usual thing. I know brides are normally nervous. But I have all these damn butterflies in my stomach because I'm happy and I feel very much in love with your son, and now I get to give a witness to that to the whole world," said Lynne.

"I am sure he can't wait either, so let's get this show on the road. I'll coach them to have them hold you back a little bit, so you don't look like you are racing down the aisle, and remember your pacing," said his mother.

With that, the bridal party lined up in the auditorium, near the rear of the church, while Lynne waited for Granny, and her father in law to escort her down the aisle.

***

Leif stood at the altar with Matthew.

It was surreal to picture himself not only at the altar, but waiting and eager to become someone's husband. He always thought if he'd been standing at an altar, someone would have been guilting him into it because he'd accidentally gotten her pregnant even after taking every precaution, but the second he saw that petite, firey, passionate little Lynne Miller walk across the stage, he knew somehow, he wanted to make her his, and no matter what the costs, and no matter how long it took he wanted her to have his last name.

It was an intangible feeling that he had deep in his gut, this longing to know her, be near her, and never let her go, and intensified in the coffee shop, listening at her cute honeyed voice, with that strong New York accent, and spiraled out of control from then on out. So, as soon as he got on his tux, and he looked quite dapper in the all white Tux that Lynne had picked for him, along with the light weight ascot, and white and silver shoes, very princely, he strutted up to the altar with Matthew to wait for his bride.