The Day It Happened

Epilogue: The Best Day

They plan the wedding for early the next Spring – March - at a beautiful homestead just outside LA surrounded by lush, brightly flowering gardens and grand buildings. It means they have to have alternative plans in the case of bad weather for the parts of the day that won't be indoors (mainly the reception, photos and cocktail hour), but the day arrives in bright sunshine and a comfortable warmth that lets their preferred plans go ahead. Their wedding isn't big, but they do have a lot of friends and family between them, and the fact that for many of them the wedding invitation is the first time the two have actually admitted they're together probably drives the fact that almost everyone RSVPs that they'll be there.

They had planned the wedding together, with a little help from their small wedding party. They didn't try and hide from the fact that there would be one very important face missing from the day, and through sudden tears that still arose sometimes when she thought about him, they had planned to make Courtney's Dad present on the day in a way that was comfortable for her. He had an empty chair in the first row with his LA Fire cap sitting on the seat, and as Courtney finishes getting ready in her dressing room at the venue, she carefully turns the letter in her hands, suddenly nervous to open it.

"You want company or privacy to open it?" Kari - one of her bridesmaids - asks her.

"Privacy," she answers immediately, and as everyone filters out of the room to leave her alone, she carefully slides her finger under the seal to open the envelope. It's handwritten in her Dad's slightly lopsided font, and she feels tears spring to her eyes before she even starts reading.

"Dear Courtney,

Don't tell any of the others, but you've been my favourite daughter since you entered the world. I love every time you visit me no matter what for, and I love watching you happy and flourishing in the life you've chosen, but I've never seen you as happy as when you bring Shayne with you. You both light up in the presence of each other and you radiate calmness and happiness near him that I've never seen from you any other time, and it's wonderful, because all I've ever wanted for you is for you to be happy.

Shayne is a wonderful person, and I can see even now writing this when you claim you're just friends that he adores you with all his heart and he would do anything for you (I guess if you're marrying him he would've told you already, so I can tell you... he's told me as much). I couldn't think of a better person to trust to support you through life, and I'm excited and proud to watch both of you continue to flourish in life together.

I don't want you to ever forget I'm always here for you, Courtney, but I know you will be even happier in this new phase of your life where you can lean on your husband Shayne to be your biggest fan and your biggest supporter as I know he's been for years.

I wish the both of you (because I know you'll show him this – you share everything with him) the absolute best as you continue your lives together and I'm so glad you've found love and happiness with each other.

Love (to both of you), Dad.

P.S. yes, Shayne, you may only be becoming my son-in-law the day Courtney opens this, but you've been my honorary son-in-law for a long time and I love you just as with all my children and their partners."

Courtney lets her eyes fall closed after she finishes reading, tears streaming down her face. She can't tell if they're happy or sad - maybe a mix of both - but she takes slow, deep breaths as she tries to calm them and tries to take in everything in the letter. It's a little messy, a little disorganised, and there's no profound advice or grand statements. It is, however, very much her Dad, and it's him making it abundantly clear he supports her marrying Shayne. Loves him. Loves both of them, and loves what they are together.