A Bride for 100 Days

twelve: the quiet wedding night

The Marriott was, hands down, the nicest hotel around. 

Marco and Laurie had driven out to the farmhouse and collected the luggage and then stopped in at the cabin, as they called Jeb's place, and grabbed a few things for us. 

Rafe and his girlfriend followed the rest of us over to the hotel and texted Jeb when they arrived that they'd seen Lonnie park in the lot between the Marriott and the Outback Steakhouse. Shay called the police to check it out.

It was just Shay, Jeb, Rafe, his girlfriend and me in the hotel bar. We could hear the fountain gurgling from the lobby as we sipped cocktails and talked about the baseball game on the monitors.

My phone buzzed and I looked down, shocked to see it was my father calling. "Dad?"

"Ali-bear, you got married?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Wow. I wish you'd told me. I would have come."

"It came together fast. I'm sorry."

"So is it that guy...he contacted our office saying you'd gotten cold feet..."

"No - that's a different guy. My husband's name is Jeb Scott. He's in construction here."

"Construction?"

"He's a good guy."

"What happened to the other guy?"

"He really wanted to marry you more than me."

"He's gay?"

"No, worse. An aspiring actor."

"Oh, what did I tell you about those? I thought we..."

"It was a mistake, Dad. But the police have dealt with him. I'm sorry he bothered you."

"It's fine...fine. I'm just angry he scared you and all of us. The price of fame, Ali-bear. They can really go too far and this time you got the brunt. Did I ever tell you about the time I was in Budapest, we were doing principle photography on 'Milk Run 2' and this wannabe actor broke into my hotel suite and..."

"Dressed up like prostitute and hid in your bathroom? Yeah."

My father chuckled. "That was one for the memoir. OK, so make plans with Ari. I want to see you and this Jeb fellow next weekend. He'll fly you up."

"Dad, I'm graduating."

"That's next weekend?"

"Yes. You said you were thinking of coming."

There was a long silence.

"It's all right," I said softly. "I understand."

"Find a good time. We'll celebrate both things. Just get with Ari."

"I will."

Jeb shook his head but didn't ask. I hung up and we met Laurie to get our stuff. Marco had gone straight up to Maggie and the kids.

We had a double room with two full-size beds. Jeb took the one by the window. I took the bathroom first. 

I stepped in the shower and washed away my wedding day. I didn't know why I was so sad. A baby had been born, Finn had been faced, I'd spoken to both my parents in the same day - which had happened very rarely in my entire lifetime because neither liked to speak with me when I was with the other. Even if it wasn't the things I wished were said, there was a warm feeling in knowing that they were in my life. 

I twisted my hair up in a towel and put on my pajamas. Brushed my teeth. Moisturized. Took my vitamins with tepid tap water. 

Then I crawled into my bed while Jeb took the shower.