88. Chapter 88
Chapter 88
For Paige, the next six weeks were a distracting whirlwind of work during the day and nightly packing of all her shit, in preparation for the move to the loft after the wedding. David had asked if she’d rather use the proceeds she still had from the sale of their house as a down payment on a new house, but she said no. She liked the loft, and at three thousand square feet, there was plenty of room. Plus, there had been a lot of upheaval in Jacob’s life in the past year, and she didn’t want to add another move into the mix, on top of his dad getting married and a stepmother moving in.
“Let’s stay in the loft for a while,” she told David. “Jacob needs to get used to having me in his life, full-time, before we think of moving again.”
“Okay,” David agreed. “We’ll wait.”
Then, there was also the wedding dress that had to be purchased, which she did one Sunday afternoon with Jules and Valerie, and picking out wedding rings with David.
David had put himself in charge of the honeymoon, and Jules had insisted on sending out the wedding invitations and planning the reception. Since Paige’s job included so many wedding receptions, Jules didn’t want Paige to deal with anything relating to her own.
Lastly, there were multiple sessions with Lauren that David attended with Paige, this time to discuss the implosion of the boudoir shoot and the emotional fallout. Lauren also spent some time on the upcoming wedding and any anxiety that might have surfaced. At first, Paige had resisted, but he’d been adamant about going. “This is what it looks like to deal with something together,” he’d told her.
In the end, the sessions had been worth it, helping Paige work through some issues, center her emotions, and set aside thoughts that weren’t serving her well. At night, when she finally crawled into bed, Paige spent some time journaling—a practice she’d mostly put aside—but which she was embracing again.
By the time her wedding day arrived, Paige was equal parts ready and nervous. “I shouldn’t be this nervous, should I?” she asked Jules, as they were getting ready in the church’s ‘bridal’ room.
“I don’t know. I’ve never gotten married before,” Jules answered matter-of-factly. “But it’s a big step, shackling yourself to a man and his dirty socks ’til death do you part—again—so maybe that’s why you have the jitters.”
“I didn’t say anything about ‘jitters’. That’s a terrible word. You know, feel free to try and make me feel better, rather than worse.”
Unrepentant, Jules put the finishing touches on Paige’s hair and spritzed it with hairspray to keep the loose curls in place. “I’m glad you’re not wearing a veil this time.”
“I didn’t want to wear one at my first wedding—God, it sounds so weird to say that—but Claire insisted, because it was tradition.”
“Fuck tradition, and fuck Claire.”
Paige chuckled. “Do you remember when David had to lift it for our first kiss, and he was literally fighting with the damn thing to get it out of the way? Jesus, what a mess that was.”
Jules then began working on Paige’s make-up, taking her time to make it flawless. As Jules applied a deep berry-colored lipstick, she told Paige, “This stuff is practically bomb-proof, so you won’t have to worry about it smudging or coming off during the first kiss.”
“It’s not like David’s going to make-out with me in front of family and friends in a church.” The words came out somewhat awkwardly since Paige was being careful not to move her lips.
“We’ll see,” Jules murmured, her attention now on checking Paige’s make-up from all angles, which seemed to pass inspection. “You look beautiful. And I’m not saying that because I’ve done all the work. I really mean it.”
“Thanks.”
“You still look a little nervous, though.”
“I am.”
“Are you worried you’re going to trip walking down the aisle in front of everyone?”
“Everyone? You mean the twenty people that got invited? And no, I’m not worried about that … or at least I wasn’t. But now, I kind of am.”
“Don’t be. Are you worried about forgetting your vows?”
Paige and David had decided to write their own vows this time around. “Nope. I’ve been practicing them every day. I know them by heart.”
“Well, maybe you’re worried he’ll forget his? God, that would be embarrassing.”
“You know, I’m starting to get the feeling that I should’ve asked someone else to be my maid of honor.”
“Wrong. It’ll always be my job, no matter how many times you get married.” Jules gave her a hug, and to Paige’s surprise, when Jules pulled back, her eyes were shiny. “Speaking of which, it’s time to get you married to your ex-husband.”
As they stood there, waiting for the musical cue, Paige peeked and looked at all the people in the pews. To the right were a few people from David’s extended family that she recognized, as well as Nate. Lauren, Marilyn, and a few other former neighbors were also in attendance, and to Paige’s delight, Andrea and several waitstaff had come—all of whom were dressed in their banquet uniforms of black pants and white shirts, since they had to work a function right after the wedding ceremony.
Her boss, Linda, like Claire, had not been invited.
Pointing to the left side of the aisle, where Dolly was sitting with at least thirty people Paige didn’t recognize, she whispered, “Who are all those people with Dolly?”
“She wanted to invite a few friends from her bingo hall, so I told her that was fine. But it looks like she invited a lot more than just ‘a few’,” Jules answered.
At Jules’s cue, she started down the aisle, looking radiant in her silver sheath dress, her burnished copper hair up in a bun. To Paige’s amusement, several of the elderly men in Dolly’s bingo group came close to giving themselves whiplash, as they watched Jules make her way to the front of the church.
When her own cue came, Paige gripped her small bouquet of calla lilies and slowly started walking. She waited until she was halfway down the aisle to finally look toward the altar where David was waiting with Evan and Jacob because she wanted to put off crying until the last second. When she finally did look and see David for the first time, she actually stopped in her tracks. He was unbelievably handsome in his tailored, dark sapphire-blue slacks, matching vest, white button-down shirt, and blue and silver striped tie. Then, as she took in his shorter hair and clean-shaven face, she began walking again, this time faster, uncaring of keeping pace with the music.
Up close, he looked even better. “You shaved.”
He nodded. “You said you missed my cleft.”
Paige shifted her flowers to one hand so she could touch the small indentation with a finger. “Thank you,” she said, then gave him a quick kiss, making some of the guests laugh, as well as the minister.
Slightly embarrassed, she turned away from David, only to get a saucy wink from Evan as he stood a little to the side, in his spot as best man. “Looking good, Cat Lady,” he drawled.
Shaking her head at the ridiculous nickname that refused to die, as well as the compliment, she glanced down at Jacob, who had agreed to be the ring bearer and was adorably dressed exactly like David and Evan. She gave Jacob a smile, which he returned, along with a sweet little wave.
The minister began talking, but David barely heard the man as he spoke about the many wonders of love and commitment, because David’s focus was on admiring Paige in her wedding dress. The one she’d worn for their first wedding had been heavily influenced by Claire and her love of lace, but this one was all Paige.
It was ivory-colored, simple, and elegant, with cap sleeves situated slightly off shoulder and a fitted bodice and waist. The bell skirt fell to just below her knees and was covered with a thin overlay of sheer tulle fabric. She’d completed the look with a pair of ivory, three-inch heels, with ankle straps sporting whimsical little bows, which he couldn’t help but imagine her walking around naked in later.
The minister interrupted David’s mini fantasy by announcing to the guests that the bride and groom were now going to recite their own wedding vows. Turning to Paige, he smiled and said, “Paige, why don’t you go first?”
She smiled back, then shifted so she was facing David. Conscious of every guest watching and waiting, Paige took a deep breath. “David, I …”
To her supreme horror, she realized she couldn’t remember a single word of the vows she’d painstakingly written and memorized over the course of the past two weeks. She’d recited them in the shower, in her office at work, and when she was driving in her car. She’d known the words forward and backwards, and now … they were freaking gone. Poof.
Paige swallowed hard and blinked at David. “I can’t,” she whispered, flushing with a wave of mortification, as all eyes continued to be on her.
“Did you forget your vows?” he whispered back.
She gave a quick nod, and behind her, Jules gave an unladylike snort, which sounded incredibly loud in the otherwise quiet church.
Evan took a step forward. “What’s the holdup?” he whispered. “Is Cat Lady backing out?”
“No,” David hissed, before clearing his throat and addressing the minister. “Why don’t we just do the traditional vows, instead?”
“Of course,” the minister said, and with barely a blink, immediately switched gears and resumed the ceremony.
When it came time to exchange the rings, Jacob removed the two wedding bands from the plastic bubble container David had chosen for Jacob to carry them in. However, there was a bit of confusion when he handed the wrong one to David, who then had to quickly switch it for the correct one before sliding it on Paige’s finger.
With surprisingly steady hands, Paige slid David’s ring on and then rubbed it for a second, liking the mark of ownership it conveyed, signaling to the world that he now belonged to her. Again.
The minister announced it was time to kiss the bride, and Evan gave David an enthusiastic man-slap on his shoulder, and what sounded like, “Make it a good one, because everyone’s watching.”
David put his hands on both sides of Paige’s neck and leaned in to kiss her. At first, it was soft, as if he was mindful of being in church, but then it evolved into something a little more thorough and she could feel herself getting lost in it. Everything felt different. She’d gotten so used to his beard being a part of every kiss that the absence of his facial hair was like a whole new experience, as was the fact that she was now kissing her husband.
The kiss went on long enough to elicit a few laughs from the guests and bring on another shoulder slap from Evan. “Okay, that’s probably good enough.”
When David finally broke the kiss, he was grinning from ear to ear, and once Paige regained her equilibrium, she quickly grinned in return. “It’s like kissing a different person without your beard.”
After they were announced as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Lowe’ for the (second) first time, Paige and David walked down the aisle as guests clapped.
“We really did that, didn’t we?” she murmured, feeling ridiculously giddy.
“Hell, yeah, we did,” he returned, then because he could, he stopped to kiss her again.
“All right, kids,” Evan muttered from behind, as he walked with Jacob and Jules down the aisle. “Save something for the honeymoon.”
The reception was being held in a room off to the side of the chapel and all of the guests quickly followed the wedding party into it. Jules and Valerie had decorated the tables with pewter-gray tablecloths, vases with lilies, and scattered Hershey’s kisses. A banquet table at one end of the room was set up, awaiting the catered food from Macaroni’s, while the cake table was already set with the three-tiered, Death-By-Chocolate wedding cake, and bottles of chilled champagne.
There was also a platter of fresh strawberries, along with a bowl of pink fluff.
After congratulating Paige and giving her a hug, Valerie made her way over to David to give him the same treatment. “What a difference a year makes,” she said.
“You got that right,” he agreed, just as Mrs. Harte appeared in front of him, dressed in a pantsuit that she’d either bought in 1978 when it was actually in style, or had found in a thrift store last week.
“Congratulations, David,” she said warmly.
“Thank you,” he returned.
Then, with an approving nod at his shorter hair and smooth face, Mrs. Harte told him, “Much better.”
“I’m glad you approve, Dolores.”
She gave him an assessing look, as if contemplating something, before saying, “Why don’t you call me Dolly?”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Yes. I think it’s time.”
For a moment he was struck by the irony at having this honor bestowed upon him at the twelfth hour. Once Paige moved out of her apartment and into the loft, the chances of David ever seeing Mrs. Harte again were slim to none, just like it had been with his and Paige’s old neighbors. “Well, thank you … Dolly,” he told her graciously, before motioning to Valerie at his side. “Mom, this is Dolly Harte, Paige’s neighbor. Dolly, this is my mom, Valerie Lowe.”
The two women shook hands. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” Valerie said warmly. “From both Paige and David.”
“Really?” Mrs. Harte smiled. “Do tell.”
Sensing the women were going to have a conversation he didn’t want to hear, he excused himself and left them to it, then went in search of his bride. He found her talking to Evan and Evelyn, with Jacob glued to Paige’s side, her hand resting on the top of his head.
Through it all, Kim moved around the room, taking pictures. She’d suggested to David they all be candid shots, not staged, mainly for Paige’s benefit, but also because Kim thought they would be more fun. She was able to get amazing shot after shot during the ceremony, as well as during the reception, one with Paige kneeling down and hugging Jacob, and one of David gazing at Paige while she was talking to one of the guests.
After champagne was served, it was time for the toasts to be made, with Jules going first. “I’ve known Paige for almost half my life, so I can say, with complete certainty, that I’ve never seen her this happy before. So, here’s to my girl, and the man who makes her happy—and better continue to make her happy if he knows what’s good for him. Cheers!”
Evan, going next, seemed unusually bashful, clearing his throat a few times before speaking. “I told David a little over a year ago, that I wanted him to have the fairy tale and the happily-ever-after, because he deserved more than a life that was just ‘fine’. I’m glad to see he’s gotten the fairy tale and seems on track for the happily-ever-after with his Cat Lady. Long live the Lowes!”
After everyone ate, and the cake was cut and served, it was early evening, time for guests to start leaving. Valerie, who was going to take Jacob to her place for the next week was one of the last to leave, and Paige and David walked out to the car to say goodbye to Jacob. His suitcase had been packed that morning and given to Valerie, so he could go directly to her house that night.
David squatted down, getting eye level with Jacob. “Have a good time with Grandma and remember she’s the boss while Paige and I are gone.”
Jacob looked a little forlorn that both David and Paige were leaving. “I know.”
“You can FaceTime us each night and let us know what you’ve been up to, okay?”
“Okay.”
David gave him a hug and a kiss. “I love you.”
“Love you, too,” Jacob returned.
When it was Paige’s turn, she felt her heart squeeze at leaving him, even if it was only for a week. “I’ll miss you, but we’ll be back before you know it.”
“I’ll miss you, too.”
“You sure?”
Jacob nodded.
“How much?”
“A lot.”
“That’s all?”
“A really lot.”
“That’s better.” She gave him a hug and a smacking kiss on his cheek. “I love you, Stinker.”
“Love you, too, Paige.”