Chapter 17
Charlie
“Everyone good to go?” Reagan asked as we pulled out of her parents’ driveway to head to Maryland for a week of pre-wedding festivities.
Reagan’s Mom and Dad both gave her a thumbs up. Both of Reagan’s parents were now over ninety and neither one was in great health. Her mom was in a wheelchair and her dad used a walker most of the time. Still, they insisted on being part of the renewing of our vows.
What was even more surprising was where the wedding was taking place—outside at my parents’ house in Maryland. With the lake as a backdrop, it really was a gorgeous setting, but if someone had told me after the shit hit the fan at that family reunion all those years ago that Reagan and I would one day renew our vows at that very same spot, I would have thought they were crazy.
Honestly, I still didn’t quite believe it. A part of me was waiting for a call from my mom where she told me she had changed her mind and didn’t feel comfortable hosting this event. I had no reason to believe that with how much stronger our relationship had become over the past few years, but sometimes it was hard to escape the trauma from my past.
All of those fears flew away when we pulled into the driveway and found a sign hanging outside of the house that said, “Congratulations, Charlie and Reagan. Thirty years down. Forever to go.”
“That’s…” I couldn’t even get the words out because I was so choked up. “Shit. That’s really sweet.”
“It really is.” Reagan grabbed my hand and squeezed it but quickly dropped it. “Since this week is all about reminiscing and celebrating the past, I need you to do me a small, but strange favor.”
“Why am I suddenly scared?”
Reagan shook her head and laughed. “It’s nothing crazy. I just want you to get out and take your hair out of your ponytail in front of the car.”
“Excuse me?” Is my wife completely losing it?
“Please.” Reagan ran a hand through my hair. “I want to relive the first moment I saw you.”
“You remember what I was doing the first time you saw me?”
“Of course I do.” Reagan shrugged as if this was no big deal, even though to me it was a huge deal and made me love her even more. “That was the moment I gave my heart away.”
My own heart clenched from her sweet confession. I was so glad that in a few days I would get to make this woman my wife all over again. “When you say things like that, how could I possibly tell you no?”
“That’s what I was hoping for,” Reagan said with a wink.
I looked back to check what response Reagan’s parents had to all of this, but they were fast asleep with their heads resting against one another. The perfect picture of where I want our relationship to be in another thirty years.
I got out of the car then looked around to make sure there wasn’t anyone watching aside from Reagan. When my eyes met hers, she licked her lips and gave me a thumbs-up. It took me much too long to get my hair out of the ponytail and I was pretty sure even though I was attempting to look sexy when I shook it out that I actually looked like a wet dog shaking off after getting out of the pool.
If Reagan found my display to fall short on the sexiness scale, she didn’t show it. She quickly undid her seatbelt and hopped out of the car, closing the distance between us in no time at all. She put an arm around my back and leaned so close to me that our noses were touching. “Now let me show you what I really wanted to do when I met you that day.”
I squealed when she surprised me by dipping me back. Her strong arms held me tight as she placed a quick kiss on my lips. My head was still spinning when she lifted me back up and gave me another kiss on the cheek.
“Okay, that was adorable.” I put my hand on her chest so I could feel her rapidly beating heart. “It’s probably for the best that you didn’t do that though. I think I would’ve found it a bit strange if my brother’s girlfriend kissed me before even introducing herself.”
“But it would have been okay if I introduced myself first?” Reagan teased.
“I mean that’s essentially what you did and we have been married for thirty years, so I’d say it worked.”
“Aw, come on. That’s not true. I at least let you come out to me first.”
“Yep. And kissed me as soon as I did,” I said with a laugh.
Reagan laughed along with me. “What can I say? When I see something I like, I go for it.”
We woke Reagan’s parents up, then helped them get inside and got them settled in the downstairs room my parents had built into the house for my Nana when it became harder for her to climb the stairs. Next, we grabbed our own bags from the car and took them up to my childhood bedroom, which my parents hadn’t changed even after all these years. There were a few times they tried to convince me to take my old cheerleading trophies and other memorabilia back to my house, but when I never did, they gave up. Thank god . I had no idea what we would do with all of this, but I also knew I wouldn’t want to let it go. Thank god my parents kept my room as a shrine to me.
Even though we almost never stayed at my parents’ house when we came to visit, we figured we needed to this time. It was only fitting since this was the room where we first fell in love. Reagan set our bags on the floor then walked over to the window and opened it up. She crawled through it onto the roof and motioned for me to follow.
When Reagan sat down and patted the spot beside her, I slowly lowered myself onto the roof.
Reagan put an arm around my waist and leaned into me. “The first time I put a ring on your finger out here, it was a complete disaster. I’m hoping this time goes a little better.”
“This time?” What the hell is she up to right now?
Reagan pulled what appeared to be a ring out of her pocket, but before I got the chance to get a good look at it, it slipped from her hands and rolled down the roof then completely disappeared over the edge.
“Fuck!” Reagan shouted as she stared in disbelief at the edge of the roof. “Shit. Fuck.”
My heart rate picked up as I leaned forward as if I would actually be able to see where the small object went. Shit . Before I could lean far enough to slip, Reagan grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Much to my surprise, when I looked over at her, she was laughing. What could possibly be funny about this?
Reagan shook her head and whistled. “You should see your face right now.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Why aren’t you freaking out?”
Reagan pointed to the edge of the roof. “Because that was a fake. Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” Reagan pulled a small bag out of her other pocket. She dumped it into her hand and the most gorgeous diamond ring fell out. It was somehow even more beautiful than the one on my finger.
“But… I thought we agreed we were only doing new wedding bands. This is a whole new engagement ring.”
Reagan shrugged nonchalantly but the wide smile on her face told me she knew what a big deal this was. “It’s not just from me. It’s from the whole family. The different stones are everyone’s birthstones.” She pointed to each colored stone going around the big diamond. “There’s yours. That’s mine. The triplets right there. This one is Mallory’s and then of course Duncan.”
“Can’t forget Duncan.” I smiled at the thought of our first grandson, only three months old but already my entire world. I couldn’t wait for him to get here in a few days.
Reagan slid the ring onto my finger, then ran her own finger along the stones. “The best part is that the jeweler said it would be easy to get these small diamonds replaced with more birthstones as our family grows.”
“Which birthstone do you think will be added next?” I asked as I stared at the ring. “Quinton? Another baby for Ronan? Jax?” I winked when I said the last name since it was an ongoing joke between me and Reagan that Carter and Jax would someday end up together.
“I would love to say Jax, but I think at this point, we can forget about that ever happening. They’ve known each other so long and still don’t have any sort of relationship. Who knows when Quinton and Olivia will settle down. They still don’t even live in the same city.”
Quinton was the bartender Olivia had chatted up at Ronan’s wedding. It took them another year after the wedding to finally make things official, and even now, Olivia was still in New York while Quinton lived outside of Philadelphia (which was at least closer than when he lived in Pittsburgh). I was secretly hoping Olivia would decide to move to him so she could live closer to us.
“So, what you’re saying is that I should probably get used to how this looks now because it’s not changing any time soon?” I moved my hand around to bask in the way the sunlight reflected off the stones. “Luckily, I think it’s perfect. Thank you so much.”
“Anything to show you how much our time together has meant to me.”
“I thought that’s what this whole week was about.”
“Of course it is.” Reagan brought my hand to her lips and placed a light kiss on it. “Starting with the reenactment of our first date tomorrow.”
My stomach fluttered at the thought. “I know. I’m so glad Jamie decided to buy a boat now that my parents don’t have theirs anymore.”
*
The next day, Reagan and I walked hand in hand to the spot where Jamie and Ethan’s boat was docked. I smiled when I saw the open water. “I’m glad it’s early enough in the season that a ton of people aren’t out yet.”
Reagan turned toward me and put her hands on my waist, a devilish smirk on her face. “What I’m hearing is that you were hoping to get me all alone.”
I leaned in and rubbed our noses together. “I mean, I don’t hate it.”
Once we climbed onto the boat, Reagan laid the blanket down and I set out our picnic. After eating our sandwiches and chips, we laid side by side and held hands as we both stared up at the beautiful blue sky.
Reagan sighed contentedly. “Even after all this time, I can still remember our first date as if it was yesterday.”
“And that’s saying something coming from the woman who forgets what I asked her to look up on her phone the moment she picks it up,” I teased.
“Right?” Reagan laughed. “Just goes to show how much that day meant to me. I remember thinking I must be crazy to have such strong feelings for someone I barely knew, but there was something about you.” Reagan rolled onto her side and looked at me as if I had hung the sun in the sky. “There’s still something about you.”
I leaned in to kiss her, and I didn’t stop. We spent our whole date laying on that blanket and making out as if we were teenagers. It didn’t go any further than that, but I didn’t need it to. It was perfect.
By the time we were walking back to the car, I could barely feel my lips from all the kissing. “Today was amazing. I’m so glad we did it.”
“I’m sure you are,” Reagan said with a wink. “Are you going to be just as glad when we relive high tea in a few days?”
I thought Reagan was crazy when she said we should go to “high tea” for old time’s sake, but the way my mom’s face lit up when I told her we wanted to made it all worthwhile. “I have a good feeling about it. My mom is a completely different woman than the last time we went and it’s just family this time, so we don’t have to worry about trying to impress anyone.”
“Carter and Olivia are going to hate it.”
Reagan and I both laughed together. “I know they are,” I said. “That’s part of the reason I want to do it.”
“Exactly. Everyone deserves to be subjected to high tea at some point.”
*
“Remind me again why we have to do this,” Olivia said, her voice whiny as if she was a child.
“Because it’s important to your grandma.”
Olivia pushed out her bottom lip. “I still don’t understand what the hell high tea is if it doesn’t involve marijuana.”
I tried to keep a straight face as I leaned in to whisper to Reagan. “Totally your daughter.”
Olivia lifted an eyebrow and smirked. “What was that?”
Reagan playfully slapped Olivia’s arm. “She said don’t do drugs.”
Olivia snorted. “Yeah. Sure she did.”
Carter shrugged. “If it makes grandma happy, how bad can it be?”
“Kiss ass.”
Olivia rolled her eyes at Carter and Carter stuck her tongue out at her in response.
All I could do was shake my head. “How is it that you two are nearing thirty and whenever you get together you still act like children? It’s the same with your brother.”
Olivia put her hand on her hip and raised both eyebrows at us. “That’s what you get for having three of us at once.”
“Nobody asked for that. Trust me,” Reagan said with a laugh.
“Whatever.” Olivia tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Get what over with?” my mom said as she walked into the hallway where we were waiting by the door to leave.
“Mama’s driving,” Olivia answered quickly. “She always makes me sick.”
My mom waved her hand and headed out the front door. “Don’t worry. High tea isn’t far from here.”
“Perfect,” Olivia said with a sarcasm everyone but my mom caught onto.
As soon as we walked into the building, I noticed both Olivia and Carter eyeing up the bar. “Just say you’re going to the bathroom,” I whispered to them. “Your grandma will never know the difference.”
The girls took my advice to heart and three different times announced they were going to the restroom together, each time coming back a little more giggly than the time before.
“Like mothers like daughters, huh?” Reagan whispered after their third bathroom trip.
“Not going to lie, I’m kind of jealous,” I whispered back.
My mom looked between all of us with a big grin on her face. “I’m glad to see everyone is having such a nice time.”
If my mom was completely unaware of what was happening at high tea when she was in her fifties, she was even more unaware now that she was in her eighties. So much so that it almost made me feel guilty. Almost .
“How could we not be? This is great,” Olivia said with another giggle.
“I’m just sorry Mallory had to stay home with the baby while the men are out golfing and we’re having so much fun here.”
“Yeah, it’s just too bad,” I said, trying to make my voice sound as convincing as possible. The truth was, the rest of us wished we had an excuse like Mallory. She was the lucky one. I would’ve offered to stay home with her to save myself, but I knew Reagan would kill me.
“You know what?” Carter quickly stood from the table. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be here having fun while she’s taking care of Duncan by herself. I think we should head back.” Carter smiled mischievously.
I practically fell out of my seat because this was so unlike her. Must be the alcohol. I stood up beside her. “Carter is right.” I looked at my mom. “What do you say?”
My mom nodded. “You’re right. I need to get home to cuddle my great-grandson.” She pointed at me and Reagan. “And you two need to get some rest for your big day tomorrow.”
***
The next day, I stood at the edge of my parents’ backyard, staring at the small makeshift ceremony space we had made. It was nothing fancy. Just a few rows of chairs for our limited guests with a space down the middle for the aisle.
“Ready to marry me again?” Reagan said from behind me as she put her hands on my hips.
I leaned back into her. “I’m always ready.”
I turned around so I could get a good look at her. She was wearing black pants and a white button up with a black bow tie. It went well with my simple white sundress. I looked behind her toward the house. “Where are the kids? They are supposed to be here to walk us down the aisle.”
Reagan put her hands in her pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. “It turns out there has been a change of plans.”
“A change of plans?” We had decided months ago that Ronan would walk me down the aisle and Olivia and Carter would walk with Reagan. Why the sudden change?
Reagan nodded. “Olivia and Quinton are going to walk down together and Ronan and Mallory are going to pull Duncan in a wagon. Carter is still going to walk me down.”
What the hell? Did Reagan not realize that she forgot to account for a pretty pivotal person? “Who’s escorting me?”
“Someone who should’ve been there for you a long time ago.” I turned to find my mom standing next to me with her arm outstretched for me to grab onto. “I’m sorry I’m so late, Charlie.”
Tears immediately sprung to my eyes. All of the years I spent wishing and hoping for this suddenly felt like a distant memory. My mom was here now, and even as a sixty-year-old woman, that still meant the world to me. “You’re not. You’re right on time.”
My mom patted my hand but didn’t say a word, most likely because she was just as choked up as I was. We stood together by the house while everyone else walked down the aisle.
When it was almost our turn to go, my mom finally spoke. “If I could give advice to all new parents, do you know what it would be?” When I shook my head, she continued. “I would tell every parent out there that they need to accept their children unconditionally, no ifs ands or buts. Because when you’re nearing the end of your time on earth, it doesn’t matter what the gender of their spouse is. What matters is that they have someone to take care of them and you and Jamie do. You both found the perfect life partners, no thanks to me.”
Speaking of perfect life partners… When I looked down the aisle, mine was staring at me with tears running down her cheeks. Standing next to her were our three kids that we had somehow raised to be (somewhat) fully functioning adults. This was my whole world, and if the tears hadn’t already started, they definitely would have from the sight of all of them waiting for me.
My mom gave me a hug when I made it to the end of the aisle and Carter held my hand as Reagan and I re-promised our lives to each other. The officiant, AKA my father, spoke once more after we said our vows.
“I’ve watched you two love each other for over thirty years, and I’ll admit there was a time that I didn’t want to see it, but there was never any denying it—a love like yours doesn’t come along often. You two define what love should be, and after thirty years of marriage, there is just as much love between you two as there was that first time you said I do. I know the next thirty plus years will be even better for you. It is my absolute pleasure to pronounce you wives for the second time. You may now kiss the bride.”
When Reagan dipped me and kissed me the same way she had in the driveway a few days earlier, it was as if I was floating. I couldn’t even feel the ground below me. The small crowd of friends and family cheered as Reagan lifted me back up and we walked down the aisle hand in hand.
After greeting each of our guests and thanking them for being part of this special day, Reagan and I snuck away to stand by the lake together.
Reagan shut her eyes and took a big breath through her nose. “A lot of memories here, huh?”
I nodded my head, but she didn’t understand the extent of just how many memories this lake held for me. It was where I sat and prayed to God to take these feelings from me. It was the lake I jumped in after I kissed Mary Beth for the first time in hopes that it would wash me clean. This was the spot where I made love to the most important person in my life before I was willing to admit that that’s what it was. It was where I finally saw the smile return to my daughter’s face after she had her heart broken. It held my highest highs and my lowest lows.
But nothing it gave to me even came close to what the woman standing beside me had given to me. “You know how much I love you, right?” I asked Reagan as I leaned into her.
Reagan kissed the top of my head. “Not as much as I love you.”
Before I could argue with her that I clearly loved her more, we were both wrapped in a big bear hug from behind. “I hope you both realize that none of this would’ve been possible without yours truly,” Jamie said with a chuckle.
“Oh yes, all great one.” Reagan motioned for Jamie to come on the other side of her and wrapped an arm around both of us. “Thank you for lying for years about your huge lesbian roommate being your girlfriend,” she said sarcastically. “I owe you my life.”
Jamie leaned against Reagan in the same way I was. “I mean you kind of really do.”
“You’re right.” Reagan looked over at me and I knew exactly what she was thinking, her whole life was standing right beside her. I knew, because I felt the same way.
THE END!!!!!!!!!!