It Had To Be You

EPILOGUE

Why was it so hot? Jess was struggling to stay cool in the ridiculous dress that Evelyn had selected for her. She’d be so much happier in shorts and a t-shirt, but she knew she had to wear something this elegant - etiquette and protocol dictated! This could have happened in London where it’d be cooler, but no, here she was in the ridiculously warm summer afternoon in Long Island, preparing for an afternoon of scrutiny and unpleasant temperatures.

As she twirled in the mirror, checking her reflection she heard a sound, and looking up she saw Eve, elegant as ever in a floor length butter coloured dress, every inch the dramatic beauty that she was, crossing the room towards her, “hey chick! You look sensational! You ready?”

Jess shook her head, “I don’t feel it, I feel like a Christmas cracker!” Wriggling to try and find some extra give in the very fitted long red dress, she finally met her friend’s eyes. “Am I doing the right thing?”

Eve laughed, “You know you are!”

Jess nodded, “I know...it’s just...”

Smiling her friend squeezed her hand, “it’s just that you hate the attention, hey?”

Hugging her best friend Jess was laughing, “you know me too well! You love this, dressing up, attention. It makes me feel sick! Couldn’t we just do this alone?”

Taking her hand Evelyn led her to the door, “unfortunately it was like that last time....this time...it’s BIG!” They strolled out into the hallway, and at the top of the stairs she gasped as she saw all her friends and family gathered in the large reception room below. Smiling she saw Sarah and Alvin beaming, they had been so welcoming, so accepting of her. And next to them was her mother...

Looking up to the head of the room she saw the man who was stood alone waiting for her...her father. Wow what a difference two years made.

At the bottom of the staircase, was Alex, and he still took her breath away. He looked impeccable in his dinner suit, the starched white shirt fitting closely to his broad chest, the trousers snugly covering his legs and bum. She sighed, when did things ever get so good?

            “Ready?” he asked as he slowly looked her up and down, loving the strapless, dress that moulded to her sinful curves perfectly.

She nodded, “as I’ll ever be. Is everyone here?”

Alex smiled, “yep, EVERYONE, and they’re all waiting for us!”

            “Are you sure about this Alex? Can’t we just disappear...”

He shook his head, “ten years ago today we did this quietly, almost ashamedly.” He kissed her nose, “today, everyone is going to see us renew our vows darling! We agreed!”

That day two years earlier back in her father’s church had been cathartic on all grounds. She’d walked out on the two men who had gone from loggerheads to some sort of truce in moments. Alex had run after her but she’d walked away, warning him he had to finally sort things out with her father. She’d had enough fighting, enough animosity to last her the rest of her life, and told him that he had to sort out the first stage of his anger before getting to her.

            “Deal with it guys, because I’ve had enough.”

            “Jessica...” her father had called out hopefully and she’d finally looked at him.

            “I don’t hate you anymore Dad, but I can’t promise anything more than that.”

He’d nodded, and both men had watched her skip off happily into the distance.

 

That evening Alex had rung her doorbell, and they’d been inseparable since.  Compatible in every way, the years had fallen away, and instantly they were headlong into not just a relationship, but a marriage. He’d needed to return to New York not long after, but she’d refused to pay more than a fleeting visit. At the end of the day she was nurturing a relationship with her mother. Moving away would jeopardise that, and it meant a lot, after all these years.

So he’d spent this time between the two cities, and she often travelled with him, loving the chance to care for him, be with him, and have fun.

But it was the rather unexpected arrival of Phoebe that had brought her and her father together. From the second that her little baby was placed in her arms, she couldn’t hate him for wanting the best for her. She couldn’t believe how much love she felt for her darling daughter, and that meant she finally forgave her father. He was a jabbering wreck, both at having the chance to reconcile with her, and the opportunity to dote on his beautiful granddaughter. Initially things had been hard, but Jess was so like her father in personality and traits, that they were soon closer than she ever thought imaginable. It was by no means perfect, but forgiving him seemed to give her the clarity and freedom she’d always craved.

At the same time her parents had evolved so much. They’d taken a few long holidays together, and somewhere had rediscovered their love for each other, and life. Her father had reduced his church work considerably, and was now experiencing, if not enjoying life.

Jess looked up at the room, dozens of eyes were turned on her,  but the ones that drew her most were her father’s as he stood at the head of the room, waiting for her and Alex to stand before him and renew their vows.

Alex took her hand and led her through the gathered crowd to stop in front of her father.

            “In thirty five years working as a member of the clergy, as a representative of God, I have never felt so humbled, so honoured, and so proud.” Eric Summers smiled at the attentive faces. “Here I stand with the job of blessing this marriage, the union of these two people. It’s no secret that there has been a lot of water under the bridge, that the sanctity of this wedlock has been questioned, tested and pushed to the limits.

            “I was the first, the harshest critic of a love between my daughter, and the boy I knew ten years ago. And I’m so glad to say I was wrong. I’m proud to stand here with the unquestionable pleasure of helping them to reaffirm their vows.”

Her father looked up, glancing at first Jess, then Alex, and finally her mother and Phoebe who was ensconced in her arms. And as he started the formal readings and prayers, he smiled proudly down on the people who’d showed him such compassion, given him as well as each other another chance.

Two hours later, champagne was flowing, people were eating, and Jess stood watching everyone mill around, chatting, enjoying themselves. Two arms circled her waist from behind, dragging her from her reverie.

            “Have I told you how much I love you? How beautiful you look today?”

Smiling, she turned in his arms, loving the attention he was lavishing on her, “never often enough darling!”

His lips found hers, and the kiss was almost indecent, considering that their home was filled with guests and there were at least four hours until he could make good on the promises he was tantalising her with.

            “Ahem!” a voice disturbed them, and they both spun around guiltily to see Eve stood there, Phoebe straining to get to them in her arms. “There’s someone here asking for her mother...” she turned to a knowingly smiling Alex and added, “and father!”

As he drew their nine month old daughter into the embrace, he stared at his two girls, tears in his eyes, “I don’t honestly think things can ever get better than this!”

Jess kissed her daughter’s nose, then turned to Alex, “I think you’re right!”