Chapter Eleven
Chapter
Eleven
The next ten months are an absolute whirlwind. There
were days I wasn’t sure I could survive it. Planning a wedding is stressful
enough, but when you add in a fiancé who plays Major League Baseball and has a
heavy schedule, and a bride-to-be who is busy filming a hit TV show,
flying from LA to Atlanta to St. Louis almost constantly while regularly doing
press and red carpets, I’m not sure when I was even getting any sleep.
However, my publicist gave me a fabulous idea. I talked
about the engagement and our upcoming wedding a lot while promoting Workin’ for Laughs and other projects,
and it really paid off in some fun ways.
I was on the cover of not one but two bridal
magazines. I was sponsored by a wedding dress designer, and we are even going
to be featured in a couple of magazines on our honeymoon.
Work smarter, not harder, right?
The night before the wedding, we have our rehearsal dinner
with our families and a few close friends. I am just so happy to have everyone
here and all the planning and work finally over. Christian’s dad had his kidney
transplant three months ago, and he’s here to celebrate with us. Everything
feels complete.
I’m standing alone, having a contemplative, quiet moment to
myself to admire how beautiful the room looks, how perfectly everything came
together, and watching everyone enjoying themselves, when his dad comes to
stand beside me. I smile at him, marveling at how good he looks after being
sick for so long.
“Having a good time?”
He nods.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
Okay…
“Tell me, Ella,” he says as if it’s a test. “Ninety-five percent
of actresses’ marriages fail. What’s going to make this one different?”
Um…wow. That’s not a question I expected. I get that he’s
not the warm-and-fuzzy type, but this pushes me too far. I know that he’s just
being protective of his son, but he clearly doesn’t know me, and I don’t
appreciate the implication. I don’t know what comes over me, but I suddenly get
a warm rush throughout my body, and words fly out of my mouth.
“Interesting. I’ve heard that ninety-five percent of
baseball players’ marriages fail, so what's going to make this one
different?”
We stare at each other in a silent battle of wills, and then
I walk away. I cannot believe I just did that. It feels like he’s been putting
me through a probation period to see if I’m worthy of his son. However, we are
getting married tomorrow, and I love Christian more than anything. When I first
met him, I wasn’t looking for a husband—I was focused on my career. But my mom
told me that when I met “the one,” I’d just know. Christian is “the one,” and
we’ve both made so many sacrifices to be together. Mr. Lucas needs to accept
that I’m here to stay, and we will be in the five percent of
actress-athlete marriages that succeed.
The following day, on November 26, I can honestly say I have
the wedding I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl.
It’s a fairy tale wedding from start to finish. From the
ceremony in the Catholic church that Christian went to while growing up, to the
reception at The Grand Brightwater Resort. The theme is “When You Wish Upon A
Star,” and the number twenty-two is incorporated throughout. Over three hundred
of our friends and family came to the wedding, and it’s a big party with lots
of food and dancing.
Every little detail has been thoughtfully planned out. I
made sure to take everyone into consideration for the menu, the music…all of
it. We even give away miniature baseball bats as our wedding favors. It’s a
celebration of love—not just mine and Christian’s, but the love we have for our
friends and families, as well.
As the day goes on, however, I realize that I made one
crucial mistake. My new husband is a very shy and private person, and I planned
a very over-the-top event with tons of publicity. ESPN did a feature, and our
wedding will be in a bridal magazine. It’s all been way too big for Christian.
And because we invited so many people, we don’t really get a
chance to enjoy the day because we’re too busy meeting and greeting
the guests. So, ultimately, while I got everything I wanted, and it was a
gorgeous wedding that everyone said was one of the best they’d been to, we
don’t get to take it all in.
Now that it’s done, I know that if I could do it all over
again, I would have a much smaller event.
Still, I will always treasure the memory.
And the pictures.
Never have two people needed a vacation more.
Two days after the wedding, we board a plane to Hawaii. I
don’t think either of us lets out a calm breath until we’re taxiing away from
the gate.
Alone.
Just the two of us.
Finally.
Even though we had plenty of time over the last ten months
where we were technically alone, it was like the wedding plans, baseball, and
acting were third wheels at all times.
But now, they’re all gone, and it’s just my husband and me.
Husband.
Gah! I’m married! I don’t think it’s fully set in
yet. Christian’s holding my right hand, so I’m free to study the sparkly new
ring on my left. It’s so pretty, and I love everything it symbolizes with its
circular shape, having no beginning or end: love, commitment, eternity. It
represents unending devotion.
I sigh happily, resting my head on his shoulder.
“I like that sound,” he says. “That’s your happy sigh.”
“Yes, it is, and I am.”
“Me, too, Ella Rose. Me, too.” Now, he sighs. “I
was beginning to think this day would never come.”
“You mean the wedding?”
“No, leaving for the honeymoon.” I hear the amusement in his
voice, but I know he’s serious. He talked about the honeymoon the way I talked
about the wedding for the last few months. “This is going to be exactly what we
need after all the planning, playing, acting, and traveling. I’m ready for us
to be away from everything.”
“Mmm, that does sound good.”
“Just the two of us on the beach, like we used to be back in
California…”
“I’m pretty sure the beaches in Hawaii will be way nicer
than that. Plus, we’re staying at a beautiful resort, so we’ll have some
privacy, too. Maybe even have the beach to ourselves—or at least a portion of
it.”
I know that part is very important to him after the
spectacle of our wedding. He was seriously such a good sport about all the
media coverage, so having this time for it to be just the two of us means he
will be completely back in his comfort zone.
Except for the one afternoon photoshoot that my publicist
committed us to for a magazine article.
“Don’t be offended, but I’m probably going to nap for part
of this flight,” he tells me right before he yawns.
“I’m not offended. I’ll be right here snoozing beside you.”
And I will, because it’s a long travel day. But once we arrive, we will have
ten glorious days to ourselves, and I am so ready for it.
Three days later, we’re sitting in our private
cabana, loving life. Everything so far on this trip has been at a level of
luxury I didn’t know existed. It’s close to everything we had at The Grand
Brightwater, but with a lot more personalized attention.
I’m seriously getting spoiled.
“So, what do you think? Is it worth it?” he asks out of
nowhere.
“Um…what?”
“We’re here and having this incredible break from reality
after almost three years together. I guess I was just curious if all the
sacrifices…the ones we had to make, the ones you had to make—and will probably
still have to make—as a baseball wife are worth it.”
I study him for a long moment before I reach for his hand.
“Christian Lucas, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
He looks relieved. “Really?”
I nod. “Really. Although, maybe with a smaller wedding.”
We both laugh at that one. “You wouldn’t get any argument
there from me.”
I catch him looking at our hands, even as I do the same.
“Does it feel weird wearing a new ring?”
“Sort of. But not in a bad way. To be fair, other than my
World Series ring, it’s the only ring I own, and that ring is too big to wear
every day.”
We’re quiet for several minutes as we enjoy the view and
each other’s company. It’s serene and beautiful and comforting.
I’m the one to break the silence. “You know, I didn’t get to
experience your World Series win with you,” I begin carefully. “So, I would
appreciate if you would win another one, just so we can experience it
together.” I say it jokingly, but I’m sort of serious. I would love to be with
him and see him reach that career high again. I know it’s something he talks
about every season, but I hope it will happen again sooner rather than later.
Grinning, he winks at me. “I’ll see what I can do.”