Chapter 42
Joci sat on a chair in front of a tall mirror, watching Sandi put the finishing touches on her makeup. A few more strokes of a brush, and Sandi stepped back and looked at Joci.
“You look so beautiful. You always do, but today, you look even more beautiful. Being pregnant agrees with you,” Sandi said.
Joci grinned. “Well, it does now that I’m not puking every day. Gawd, I hate that.”
Jackie chuckled from behind her. “You were a puker with Gunnar, too; do you remember? I woke up every morning to you throwing up in the bathroom. At the time, I thought I would never get pregnant if I had to throw up every day. But less than a year later, I was puking in the bathroom, too.”
They laughed at the memory. Emily and Erin walked into the room smiling.
“Glad everyone is so cheerful,” Emily said, her cheeks pink with excitement.
“We were just reminiscing about how much we both threw up while we were pregnant. I’m glad Joci is going through it this time and not me.” Jackie winked at Joci.
Emily looked at Joci and smiled warmly. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”
“I feel great. I haven’t thrown up in three days. It must be over, finally.”
“You look beautiful. Jeremiah won’t be able to take his eyes off you.” Erin smiled.
Just then, Angie and Staci walked into the room. Staci whistled. “You look beautiful, Joci. Hubba-hubba.”
Joci laughed. “Thank you. I guess it’s time to wrestle me into this dress.”
Jackie walked over to the closet where Joci’s wedding dress hung. She pulled the gorgeous ivory dress off its hanger and cradled it in her arms as she carried it to Joci.
Joci’s hard cast had been removed. She had to wear a soft cast for another few weeks, but today, she didn’t have it on.
She had discussed it with her doctor and Jeremiah, but Joci could be stubborn when she really wanted something too.
And today, she didn’t want any reminder of her accident or the person behind it.
The skin on her arm and shoulder looked nasty from being in a cast, but she had been exfoliating and moisturizing over the past few days to make it look better.
She was going to start physical therapy in a week.
Right now, she couldn’t lift her arm very high.
There were scars where the doctors had inserted the screws, but she had been told that the scars would gradually fade away.
Jackie held Joci’s dress open as Sandi helped her out of her robe. She stepped into her wedding dress. Her baby bump was beginning to show, but it was almost unnoticeable. She was ten weeks pregnant now.
Emily, her future mother-in-law, held out her hand to support Joci.
She smiled and grasped the older woman’s hand, mostly so Emily would feel like she was helping.
The main thing Joci learned over her rehabilitation was that everyone wanted to feel like they were helping in some way, no matter how small.
Joci had to learn to let them so they would feel better.
She had been so used to doing everything on her own; she didn’t realize how helpless the people who loved her felt.
Sandi, Staci, and Erin zipped her up and started arranging the train. Sandi placed the beautiful, wide ivory band with Swarovski crystals displayed in a floral pattern on Joci’s head.
Her dress was simply stunning. It was a soft organza mermaid gown with hand-sewn Swarovski crystal and diamante beading encrusted on the neckline and dropped waist. The full skirt had dramatic layers of organza that flowed full to the floor.
Joci had asked the seamstress to alter the dress to add sleeves to cover her scars and bruises.
They were light and lacey, and even though you could see through them, the lace and beading camouflaged her scars.
The add-on sleeves matched perfectly, and it would have been impossible to tell the dress hadn’t initially been designed that way.
The back of the gown was open with lace trim trailing to a V that stopped at her waist. A deep gray satin sash went around her waist and tied in a perfect bow in the back, and trailed to the bottom of the dress.
There was an intricate lace detail at the bottom of the dress, highlighted by the gray sash.
It was stunning. And Joci felt fabulous in it. She turned to look at the other women in the room. They were quiet for a few beats.
Emily sobbed and raised her hand to her mouth. Tears formed in her eyes. “You look so beautiful, Joci. That dress is perfect, just perfect.”
Joci smiled at her. “Thank you. It feels perfect.”
Everyone else burst into excited compliments. Then there was a knock on the door, and Molly Bates, the photographer, walked into the room.
“Hi, can I come in and take pictures?”
“Sure, Molly. Come on in and meet everyone,” Joci said.
“Molly, this is Emily, Jeremiah’s mom. Staci, Angie, and Erin are Jeremiah’s sisters-in-law.
You know Jackie and Sandi, of course. Everyone, this is Molly.
I met her a while back at a class, and then again on the Veteran’s Ride.
She was one of the photographers. She freelances, and I am thrilled she could come today. ”
Molly grinned and said, “Hello, everyone; it’s great to meet you. Okay, let’s start getting some pictures, shall we? Then, while you’re putting on the finishing touches, I’ll go up and take pictures of the guys.”
For the next forty-five minutes, they proceeded to snap various pictures in different groupings and poses.
Molly walked down the hall and knocked on the half-open door of the guys’ dressing room. She peeked in, catching Jeremiah’s eye. He quickly waved her in, then walked over and gave her a hug. “Thank you for being our wedding photographer today, Molly. Joci’s ecstatic you were available.”
Molly smiled. “I’m happy beyond belief to be here. I love Joci.”
Jeremiah smiled. “Everyone, this is Molly Bates. Molly, let me introduce you to everyone here.” He introduced his Marine buddies, then the family. “My father, Thomas. Joci’s brother-in-law, David, and my sons, Gunnar, JT, and Ryder.”
Ryder and Molly stared at each other for a few beats longer than everyone else. Jeremiah smiled, cleared his throat, and Molly looked at him, her cheeks tinted pink.
“Okay. Ummm, let’s start over here.” She pointed to an area in the corner.
* * *
Emily Ann, Dayton and Staci’s daughter, knocked on the door. “Time to get married, Joci,” she smiled.
The girls giggled and cheered. It was time. Erin opened the boxes containing the flowers and handed Jackie and Sandi their bouquets. “Oh, so pretty, Joci. You did an amazing job on the colors,” Sandi beamed.
“When you said we were carrying orange flowers with accents of silvery-gray Dusty Miller in them, I thought you were crazy, but this works,” Jackie added.
The bridesmaids wore gray dresses to match Joci’s sash with ivory sashes around their waists. Joci’s bouquet consisted of long-stemmed silver roses with a few orange flowers tucked here and there. The corsages were pinned on, and they started down the hall.
Those not in the wedding party walked into the church and took their seats.
Jackie hugged Joci. “I love you, Sis. I’m thrilled for you.”
“Thank you, Jackie. For everything you’ve done for me over the years. I love you.”
“Thank you for letting me be a part of this. I couldn’t be happier for you,” Sandi said.
Joci laughed. “I couldn’t get married without you. I love you, too. Okay, let’s go. I’m excited.”
Gunnar came walking down the hall and stopped in front of her. He looked amazing. The guys were all wearing gray to match the girls’ dresses. With Gunnar’s dark hair and bright blue eyes, he looked gorgeous in the tuxedo.
“Wow, Mom. You look amazing. Jeremiah’s going to shit when he sees you.”
Joci laughed. “Not the reaction I’m hoping for, but I think I know what you mean. You look pretty handsome yourself, Gunnar. You clean up good.”
Everyone chuckled, and Jackie opened the door to the church. Sandi started walking down the aisle. Jackie was next. As soon as she had made it all the way down the aisle, the processional music for the bride started. Then Joci and Gunnar began walking down the aisle.
The gasps and sighs as she walked by made her so happy. She felt like a princess. She felt beautiful. But all she could see was Jeremiah. He was stunning in his ivory tuxedo, ivory vest, and an ivory cravat with thin gray stripes. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He looked perfect.
* * *
Jeremiah sucked in his breath at his first look at Joci.
She had refused to let him see her dress or know anything about what it looked like.
It had driven him crazy not knowing. Now, he was glad she made him wait—again.
She was amazingly beautiful. Jesus, he was a lucky man. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Dayton chuckled next to him, and Jeremiah smirked. When they reached Jeremiah, Gunnar shook his hand and then grabbed Jeremiah in a hug. At the same time, JT and Ryder came up and hugged Joci. The boys sat down, and Jeremiah held his arm out.
She held on to his arm, and they walked up the three steps to the altar.
He looked down at her and smiled. “You are stunning, Joci. You take my breath away.”
She smiled as she looked into his eyes. “I was thinking the same thing about you.” She winked and the minister began talking.
A short time later, the minister said, “You may kiss your bride.”
Jeremiah leaned down and pulled Joci into his arms. He turned his head so his mouth fit over hers and kissed her until her toes curled. Right in church! People whistled and clapped. Still, he kissed her. When he finally pulled away, he leaned his forehead against hers for a few seconds.
“I’m the happiest man in the world right now, Mrs. Sheppard.”
Joci laughed. “Good to know. I’m the happiest woman in the world right now. I love you crazy.”
“I love you crazy.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Sheppard.”
The recessional began, and Jeremiah and Joci walked down the aisle together as husband and wife amid clapping and cheering from the congregation.
They stood in the reception line, greeting all who came through.
Molly walked up to them as the last few well-wishers hugged the bride and groom to ask for a few more pictures.
They needed to take family pictures and more pictures of the bride and groom.
Jeremiah leaned down and chuckled. “I think Molly and Ryder are attracted to each other. You should have seen the sparks fly when they met.”
Joci looked up at Jeremiah. “Really? Very interesting. He’s so shy. Will he approach her?”
Jeremiah shrugged. “Time will tell.”
The remainder of the night was a blur. They went through all the motions and spoke to everyone who came to celebrate with them. They left the reception around eleven p.m., neither of them able to wait another minute to make love.