last summer - jack gilinsky

forty four

june 11th, 2023

the veil was placed on me, my mom taking pictures every second of the way. my makeup was finished, my hair was finished, my dress was on. the only thing left to do was to go out into the venue.

"look, rosie, this is perfect. you and jack have been together since you were eighteen." my mom reassured me. "he loves you, very much."

i nodded, feeling tears form. i gently wiped them so i didn't smear my makeup and i took a deep breath.

"okay. let's go."

i met my dad in the hall, taking his arm.

"i'm so proud of you rose." he said, kissing my temple.

"thank you dad." i smiled, once again wiping tears.

the doors were opened and the traditional music began to play, jack turning around to face me as soon as the doors were open.

i saw his eyes light up.

on my side, jade was the maid of honor. my bridesmaids included daniella and amie from alabama, who i had kept contact with, and emily and molly. molly and i had gotten closer than laura and i over the last few years, and laura wasn't at all offended that i had chosen molly to be a bridesmaid and not her.

on jack's side, of course he had johnson as his best man, followed by bryce, nate, his friend nash whom i had actually recognized, and dillon rupp.

my dad kissed my cheek when i reached jack and walked to his seat beside my mom. mason was the ring bearer and he stood next to johnson, looking at jack and i with a smile.

i had made the choice not to write my vows, but to say them from my heart. i started to regret that, my mind becoming foggy in front of all of the people here and the idea that after today, jack would be my husband.

"jack.." i began, voice shaking. he took my hands into his, and i noticed his were also shaking.

"i, rosalina ventura, promise you that until the very end of time, that i will love you and remain loyal to you. for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.." i paused, my mind becoming blank. "sorry." i laughed, earning a laugh from the audience. "until death do us part."

mason brought up the rings and i slid jack's onto his finger, the reality and finality of it all setting in.

"i, jack gilinsky, take you, rosalina ventura to be my wife. i will take care of you, of mason, of our family we will be building until the end. through out it all, rose, i will stand by you and love you."

he took the ring from mason and slid it onto my finger, tears finally dripping down my cheeks.

"by the power vested in me and the state of california, i now pronounce you husband and wife. you may kiss the bride."

jack moved my veil and kissed me hard, our friends whistling and our family members and guests clapping.

i remained at the front of the alter, taking place at the stand where the microphone is.

"hi everyone, first off, i'd like to thank you all for coming and supporting jack and i." i began. jack stood beside me, rubbing circles on my back.

"i decided that there'd be no better time than today to announce that jack and i will be expecting in december!"

i had been to the doctor the morning before the wedding and found out i was three months along. i bought prenatal vitamins right away and planned to make my second child as healthy as mason.

after the announcement, jack and i cut the first slice and shared it, and then went out separate ways to talk to guests.

"i'm so happy for you two!" molly hugged me. "i'm going to be an aunt!"

i laughed, nodding.

sam's son, who had came with lori, approached me.

"hi auntie rose." he said. "can i play with mason, outside?"

"did you ask grandma?" i asked him. he nodded vigorously.

"yes!"

"okay, be careful." i told him. mason and sam ran off outside with lori following close behind.

"hello, mrs. gilinsky." jack crept up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my neck.

"hi." i blushed, turning around to face him. i kissed him and i heard jade squeal.

"save it for the honeymoon!" she said, the two of us separating.

tonight, our plane would be taking us to athens. i was excited to go, since i hadn't had the opportunity to go to greece and i had always wanted to.  a whole week alone with jack in greece.. yes please.

jack's parents agreed to staying in la at our house to watch mason, after i told them about his dream. i knew he were safe there and they were close to my parents if they needed extra help with him.

after the wedding, we loaded my car, my parents car, and jade's car with wedding gifts. we dropped them at my house and didn't open them yet, both of us gathering our clothes we wanted to take with us to greece.

"okay, all the food he needs is here, i have money in this envelope in case you want to go to ralph's and buy him some snacks, but no sweets past five." i told his parents. they both laughed.

"we've raised a few kids, rose. we can do this."

"right." i blushed, running a hand through my hair. "i've just never left him this long."

i avoided business trips and going far for residency when getting my job at the hospital. i worked as an exercise physiologist at cedars-senai in beverly hills, and they very graciously gave me the time off for my wedding and honeymoon. i'd have to work five days a week when i got back instead of my usual three, and i knew mason would miss me when i worked those crazy hours.

jack and i left to the airport early, each of us with two bags. we breezed through security and thoughts of mason's dream returned to me.

i avoided the airline sam used when we bought our tickets.

our first vacation as a married couple was beginning.