Chapter Four #2
Their wedding was at a vineyard up in the wine country, just north of the city by a few hours.
It was a little chilly outside given that Anna had talked Brooke into getting married on Valentine’s day—their fake anniversary.
Anna had said, with all of the charm she possessed, “if you give me Valentine’s day, I’ll let you pick where we go for our honeymoon. ”
Of course Brooke hadn’t needed that deal to agree.
She’d marry Anna any time, any day, any place, but she’d enjoyed getting to plan their honeymoon.
She liked having a secret that she knew would make Anna incredibly happy.
She couldn’t wait to reveal to her wife later that evening where they’d be heading in the morning.
“Perfect,” Audrey said, unknowingly interrupting Brooke’s thoughts. She had led Brooke to stand on one side of an open door. “We’ll walk Anna in next. She’ll stand to this side so you can’t see each other.”
Audrey’s enthusiasm was contagious and Brooke couldn’t help but find herself excited for a style of photo she had never seen before.
Christine, Vivienne, and Nate all stood off to the side to watch.
Christine’s reaction was a dead giveaway that Anna was approaching.
Even Vivienne’s eyes widened, clearly impressed.
Chris and Viv had gone wedding dress shopping with Anna’s bridal party, so they had seen her in the dress before, but they hadn’t seen her all done up, glowing on the day of her wedding, with the dress altered and her heels on.
Even Vivienne’s eyes watered. Brooke knew from that alone that she was done for at the ceremony. Nate dutifully produced embroidered handkerchiefs from his jacket pockets, handing one to Chris and one to Viv.
Chris wolf-whistled, which indicated to Brooke that Anna was likely just on the other side of the barn door. Brooke’s heart was slamming against her rib-cage. She wanted to see her. She wanted to say ‘I do’ and get to spend the rest of her life with her.
“Darling?” Brooke asked, settling for the reassurance of Anna’s voice.
“Hey, Honey-B,” Anna said, her voice was filled with so much joy Brooke could feel it through the door.
It made Brooke smile. “How’s your day been?
” Brooke hadn’t seen the love of her life since the night before and it had been far too long.
She hoped she always thought that. If she got to ask the universe for things, that’s something she’d ask to keep, that burning, hankering desire to get to fall asleep next to Anna, and that warmth and comfort that came from waking up next to her.
It was a kind of love Brooke had never even heard described and never wanted to lose.
Anna giggled. “Good, I’m so excited.”
Audrey was already snapping photos. Brooke was glad for it. She wanted to see how much happiness could be harnessed in a photo.
“I’m excited, too,” Brooke agreed. “Also a little nervous. I wish pre-wedding hugs were allowed.”
“I wonder if they’d be allowed if we were blindfolded?” Anna mused.
It had been Anna’s idea to not see each other on the morning of the wedding. She had really leaned into the tradition of it, honestly surprising Brooke, but Brooke hadn’t argued. If Anna wanted to do some things in a more old-fashioned way, Brooke would never stop her.
“I’ll look,” Christine exclaimed, reminding Brooke that she and Anna weren’t alone.
They stood, smiling in silence while Christine scoured the internet.
Christine hummed. “The results are inconclusive,” she said. “Most sites think it’s fine though. It’s really the not seeing each other thing that carries that tradition. It doesn’t have anything to do with contact.”
“Isn’t that a tradition so the husband couldn’t see his wife for the first time and call the whole thing off?” Vivienne asked.
“It’s something gross like that,” Nick’s voice chimed in from somewhere on Anna’s side of the door.
Anna laughed again. “Yep, that’s exactly why I wanted us to not see each other on the day of our wedding. Entrapment.”
Audrey paused for a moment. “It’s not quite the same, but if you’ll both face your bridal parties, I can have you side-step out towards me. I can get one with y’all back-to-back?”
“Promise you won’t look?” Anna asked through the door.
Brooke huffed out a laugh. They both knew she wasn’t the risk there. “Do you promise?” She asked, emphasizing the word ‘you.’
“I won’t look if you don’t look,” Anna declared.
Brooke turned all her attention to Christine, Vivienne, and Nate.
Chris was still trying not to cry. Vivienne looked…
Well, Brooke wasn’t entirely sure how Vivienne looked.
Brooke knew that weddings had never really been her thing, but she looked happy for Brooke and Anna.
She was happy for them, Brooke knew it, but she did look ever so slightly nauseous.
Brooke made a mental note to check on her after the ceremony.
On Audrey’s command, Brooke side shuffled to the edge of the door. She took a slow step out, past the barrier. She could feel Anna behind her immediately.
“Hi,” Anna whispered, no longer needing to speak loudly with nothing in between them.
“Hello, Love,” Brooke returned. Instinctually, they both shuffled backwards so that they were making contact. Anna’s hand reached back and found Brooke’s, tangling their fingers together, somehow, a little backwards, but perfect all the same.
Christine squeaked from the sidelines. “You two look amazing,” she cheered.
“Seriously, this could be in a magazine,” Allegra added from Anna’s side.
Nick sniffled. Yes, Brooke knew it was him from just the sound of his sniffle.
“Hey, Nate, do you have another hanky?” Maddie asked.
Nate laughed. “I brought so many. Mel has them in her purse.” He waved his hands over his head, clearly trying to get Mel’s attention. She would likely be off mingling with the rest of the guests.
Audrey, thankfully, made sure to get photos of all of their friends during this photographic torture—it wasn’t really torture, these were going to be amazing photos, and even through their backs, Anna’s presence had calmed the racing of Brooke’s heart.
Brooke just wanted a hug. Even more now that she had gotten so close.
Jaqueline entering Brooke’s peripheral shattered that calm. Though, despite the nerves she produced, the woman was smiling, looking put together and sure. She waited for Audrey to take a few more photos before clearing her throat. “It’s nearly time.” She looked down at her omnipresent clipboard.
Audrey snapped a photo of their reactions to that statement.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Brooke wondered what her face would give away in that captured moment.
Would it be nervousness or excitement? Admittedly, the two were neck-and-neck.
“Okay, brides. I need you to side-step back behind the door.”
Anna squeezed Brooke’s hand a few times before she finally let go, her warmth disappearing behind the barn door with her.
“Brooke, I’m going to have you and your party stay here while we get Anna back to the bridal suite,” Audrey said, quickly. She followed after Anna’s group, snapping more photos of Anna’s dress, presumably.
Jaqueline waved Brooke’s party over. “Okay, does anyone need anything out of the groom’s cabin?”
Chris, Viv, and Nate all exchanged looks, shaking their heads no in unison before turning their attention to Brooke.
She didn’t need anything. Everything she needed in the whole universe had just squeezed her hand.
“I’m set,” she said, her voice a little shaky, but she didn’t feel anywhere near as nervous as she had just thirty minutes ago.
“Perfect.” Jaqueline looked around the barn door, making sure that Anna and her party had made it out of sight. “Then I’m going to have you get ready to line up. Wait here for me.”
Nate beamed, taking his place next to Brooke while Vivienne and Christine lined up behind them.
Brooke had refused to name either of them her maid of honor.
They were in their thirties and this wasn’t Myspace.
If things weren’t so weird between Christine and Vivienne it would have been fuel for lots of joking.
As it was, Christine had just suggested that they stand in height order and Vivienne hadn’t argued.
Jaqueline returned carrying bouquets of sunflowers and white daisies for Chris and Viv. “Ready?” She asked, one last time.
Brooke nodded, all her nerves and stress melting away. She was ready. Nate offered the crook of his elbow, his smile a mirror to Brooke’s own as she thread her arm through his.
“I’m so happy for you,” he whispered as they started their walk towards the perfect rows of seats, filled with loved ones—friends and family alike.
Somewhere in the crowd sat Augustus and Sybil Kent.
Brooke had invited them to the ceremony, but hadn’t asked them to be part of any of the other events.
They had seen each other exactly twice since Nate’s wedding.
Each time better than the time before. But this was Brooke and Anna’s day.
This wasn’t a moment they had any part of helping create and it wasn’t something Brooke would let them take credit for.
The music changed. The Duomo stringed cover of “Wildest Dreams” started to play.
The audience all fell silent immediately, heads turned, all eyes landing on Brooke and her brother.
Normally, she would have absolutely hated the attention.
However, seeing all the people in her life who loved her and whom she loved in return, watching her with such profound, unfiltered joy, made her hold her head higher.