Chapter Four #3
She smiled her whole walk down the aisle, stopping at the front row to kiss Marie-Claire on the cheek.
Anna’s mother looked beautiful, wearing a navy blue that matched the bridal party’s dresses.
Even that made Brooke tear up. Thankfully, Nate hadn’t been exaggerating when he said he brought several handkerchiefs.
He subtly handed her one as they reached the end where Shannon, their wedding officiant, stood. She looked glamorous in a black dress.
“You look amazing,” Shannon mouthed, before Brooke turned to face the audience.
Nate took his spot next to Brooke, standing proudly as her best man. When they were still, the bridal parties filed in, arms linked. Vivienne with Allegra, their messy history long since forgotten, looking like runway models as they glided down the aisle together.
When they separated at the front, Christine and Maddie made their way down, their smiles contagious. Maddie winked at her wife before moving to stand next to Allegra. And then, Anna swept into view.
Brooke’s heart stopped. Time stopped. Everything but Anna fell out of focus.
Brooke was thankful for Nate’s handkerchief, because her eyes immediately filled with emotions.
She didn’t know a single human could be so beautiful.
Anna’s dress was perfect. The top was lacy and form-fitting, the neckline just on the respectable side of plunging.
It was floor length, melting into a train in the back.
Anna’s sleeves were the same delicate lace as the top.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Brooke worried Anna might be cold. She’d ask her soon enough.
Faster than possible, Brooke could swear her brain was functioning in slow motion, Anna and Nick made it to the front of the aisle. Nick pulled Anna into a quick hug before taking his spot next to her as her best man.
Brooke held her hands out, needing to hold Anna’s in her own. Anna quickly passed her bouquet to Nick so her hands would be free. Their hands shook slightly, both of them too excited for any part of them to be completely still.
Anna’s eyes were filled with tears. Brooke offered her Nate’s handkerchief, which Anna accepted with a happy laugh, wiping under her eyes and passing it back to Brooke. “I love you,” she whispered, her smile lines creasing the edges of her eyes.
“I love you, too,” Brooke whispered back.
Shannon smiled at them both before beginning.
“Family and friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the love between Anna and Brooke. It’s not often, I think, that a love comes along so patiently or so powerfully.
You know, I remember the first time I heard about Brooke Kent.
It was through my wife and a story she was telling about Anna.
” Shannon paused, smiling at the memory.
“It was the least exciting story I think I have ever heard.” She laughed.
“Anna had fully been swept off her feet by a regular at her restaurant. A regular who hardly spoke to her, I might add.”
Brooke blushed, thinking back to the first eleven months she knew Anna, at how her heart would race, and her throat would clam up, and she’d barely be able to get out a greeting and her order.
Before she could get too self conscious, Anna squeezed her hands, her smile never faltering.
“And then, one day,” Shannon continued.
They had approved the telling of this part. Most people, by now, knew that they hadn’t really been dating when they went to London. That was too messy a story to maintain. Their engagement had, thankfully, stayed just between them, however.
“One day, Maddie gets a phone call. I’ve never seen her react in such a way. Let’s sum it up to confusion and concern. Probably in that order. Because Brooke here had drunkenly asked Anna to accompany her to England for her brother’s wedding.” The audience all whooped and applauded.
“Yeah she did,” Mel cheered from the audience.
Shannon let out a laugh. “There was no, hey, can I take you out some time? Or any chance you’d like to grab drinks after this? Not even a request for coffee. No, not Brooke. Brooke jumps straight to fully paid, all inclusive, week long vacations in overseas destinations.”
That got Brooke to laugh. She hadn’t thought of it like that.
“And dear sweet, madly in love, Anna. Said yes, of course.” Shannon paused for dramatic effect. “But I forgot the best part. Brooke was determined to let Anna know that it was all for show. None of it was to be real. Just two gals, being pals, galavanting around in London of all places.”
It was hard to believe, Brooke had to admit, that Anna actually said yes to her scheme.
“Thankfully, for everyone involved. Brooke’s two best-friends, Vivienne and Christine, spilled the beans to Anna while they were buying her all sorts of fancy dresses for her trip.”
Brooke heard Christine’s undignified snort from behind her. Even Vivienne laughed at that.
“And then for a week straight, I was getting nightly updates of just how close Anna came to admitting the truth. And just how close they could get to kissing without actually kissing before, whoosh, Anna and Brooke flit off to England and Anna went radio silent.” Shannon shot a scathing look at Anna.
“In her defense, she had no idea how invested I had become.”
Her expression turned warm and joyful then.
“And then, they came home. And something had shifted, like the whole universe knew. You know, I’m somewhat of a cheesy, hopeless romantic myself, but the first time I got to meet Brooke face-to-face,” she paused to let out a small laugh.
“Well, I couldn’t exactly say to her, ‘hey! I’ve been rooting for you the whole time.
’ Brooke didn’t know the extent of what I knew, you see?
“But when I finally got to meet her, I honestly thought the whole thing might have been a prank that had been played on me. I had to find Brooke’s friends and ask them, ‘does she always look at Anna like that?’” The whole audience chuckled at that.
“Their answer was a resounding yes. And then I saw them interact with each other. Now, everyone here obviously knows and loves them. So, I’m really just reiterating what we all already know, but no-one, and I mean no-one I have ever met, has ever interacted with so much genuine, raw, and respectful love.
“When they asked me if I would officiate their wedding—yay for having internet ordained friends—I of course immediately said yes, but then had a bit of a panic. In every wedding I’ve ever officiated, I make a point to do things like read the definition of love, or give examples of what love should be, but with them,” she let out a dramatic exhale, “I mean this so sincerely, just keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing.
You’re blowing Merriam-Webster out of the water here. ”
Brooke dabbed the handkerchief at the corners of her eyes. She knew she was about to be up next. She hated speaking in public. It’s not public, she reminded herself, missing the last little bit of Shannon’s speech. When all eyes turned to her though, she knew she was up.
Unfortunately, she had to let go of Anna’s hand to grab her vows out of her breast pocket. Her hand immediately took to shaking again, making the paper a little wobbly. Fortunately, she had expected that, and printed her vows in an obscenely large font.
Anna squeezed the one hand she was still holding a few times, an ever present gesture of love.
“Anna,” Brooke started, trying her best to only focus on the woman in front of her. “I am painfully shy, and incredibly anxious one hundred percent of the time. But instead of letting that deter you in any way, shape or form, you just met me where I was and have loved me to where I am now.”
Her vision blurred, but she pressed on, “I’ve told you the truth already.
My friends and I get dinner every Monday night, and before Anna, we would rotate local hot-spots.
But I saw a spread in The Chronicle about La Fourchette and its stunning owner and I asked them to break tradition, to try a new place.
They knew months before I did that it wasn’t just the food and the atmosphere that I loved.
They never questioned or protested when I confessed that I wanted to go back, they even started to encourage me to try to ask you out, but I never could.
I would have been so insanely devastated had you shot me down.
I was happy to live in a world where I only got to see you on Mondays if it meant that I always got to see you on Mondays. ”
She paused to wipe at her eyes again. “And then I got a call that changed everything.” She cleared her throat.
“You know, I always fancied myself as someone who was strong and independent. But I found myself in need of a rescuer and you showed up like a knight in shining armor.” She smiled, “from our first not-real date, you showed me love in a way I had never even known to dream of.
“I’ve never met anyone as truly and deeply aware as you.
You gave me grace and patience in a time that most people would not have.
You had every opportunity to put a pause on the whole charade, and maybe we’d still be here if you had, but I wouldn’t be here in the same way.
You’re the only person in the world who would set aside their own feelings to help ensure I had a safe space during what was without a doubt one of the scariest things I have ever done.
” She was somewhat conscious that her parents were in the audience, but she absolutely did not care. This speech was about Anna.