Jar of Hearts (Glow sequel) (18 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Maria

My hair and make up was finished a little after 2:30 and Marc wasn't due to pick me up until 3:30. I quickly text him to let him know that I was going to the wedding with Ethan and if he still wanted to go, he could go to the church at four. He text with a 'gotcha' and a smiley face letting me know it was all fine. If he was still going to the wedding, I had no idea.

I left with Vanessa, Jackie, and her mother in a black stretch limo to the church to get dressed, not to my liking, I wanted to ride with Ethan.

Normally at weddings I would scowl, roll my eyes at the mushy words, and store a barf-bag in my purse in case I got a wee-bit too queasy. This time it was different. I was excited for Vanessa and Ben, and I could literally feel the nervousness, enthrallment, and love radiating off of her as she dressed in her wedding gown. I felt anxious inside as I watched her shaky hands run down the silver and crystal sequins that lined her bodice. It was the first time in my life I have ever felt envious of anyone. I watched her place the crown on top of her head and for a moment I wished that it was me staring at my reflection instead of hers. I felt my breathing become erratic as I watched her bring the sheer-white vale down in front of her flawless face with a smile. My heart was beating hard and too fast. Ethan... I needed Ethan. I knew I still had a few minutes as I was the first one dressed. I stood up from the chair on the other side of the room.

“Where are you going?” Vanessa panicked, spinning around taking the vale from her face.

“I have to get Ethan,” a sob escaped my throat.

Vanessa stepped forward and grabbed my hand. “I understand, go,” she touched my cheek and wiped the tear with her thumb. “Just don't ruin your make-up and you have fifteen minutes,”

I nodded, staring at her. “Go!” she laughed, pushing me toward the door. “And hold your dress! Don't get it dirty!” she yelled from behind me as I ran out of the door and across the courtyard.

My heels were digging into the lawn as I tried to run. I took my shoes off and tossed them aside, I would get them later. I picked up my dress and ran toward the building that the guys were getting dressed in across the yard of the church. I could hear the violin playing in the background. Tears were streaming down my face like a waterfall and in between jagged breaths uncontrollable sobs escaped my throat.

“Ethan!” I pounded on the door. It felt like it took an eternity to get here when it was barely a half an acre away from where the girls are getting ready.

Ben opened the door as I went to pound my fists again, it hitting him in the chest. He smiled a wide knowing grin. “You are ready to talk to Ethan, I presume?”

I grabbed the collar of Ben's tux and pulled him close to me. “Get him before I castrate you,” a sob escaped and I smiled. He laughed. “Ethan! This one is for you!” he disappeared and Ethan came out within one second, he was already dressed.

“Hey,” he wiped my tears with his thumbs. “What's wrong? Did you get into a fight again?”

I shook my head. “No, it's not that, I-” I sobbed again. I needed to calm down but I couldn't. I needed him, and I needed him more than I ever thought I could ever need someone in my entire life.

“What is it?” he picked my chin up and made me look at him. When I looked in his blue eyes full of patience and love for me, I knew then everything was okay. That we would be okay.

“Marry me,” fell from my lips before I could give it any thought at all whatsoever.

“What?” he smiled widely.

“Marry me, Ethan” I said it again. I felt my heart swell, and inside asking him felt right. “I love you,” I took a deep breath. “I know this seems  crazy and up until now it seemed crazy to me too. But, I know I love you and when I watched Vanessa put her dress on I wanted it to be me, and I didn't freak out! It made me need you and want you even more than I realized I did last night, and-”

“Yes,” he grabbed my face and looked deeply into my eyes. “I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, Maria. I will definitely marry you,” he placed a kiss on my forehead. “Today,” he whispered.

I pulled my head away. “T- today?” I stuttered. I was thinking I wanted to marry him as quick as possible, but I wasn't thinking about today.

“I don't want to wait, do you?” he grabbed my hands, holding them to his lips placing multiple kisses on the back of my hand.

“No,” I shook my head slowly as I stared at him.

“Perfect then,” he let go of my hands and reached into his pocket pulling out a black satin box with a bright smile on his face the entire time. He got down on one knee, and took my left hand into his.

“I love you, Maria. I know this is soon, and I was planning on asking you at the reception. The many different times I had thought I loved in my life, I didn't. You mean so much more to me than anyone that has ever entered into my life. The morals that I was taught from my parents, I want to teach to our kids. The kids I will hopefully have someday with you. For the first time in my life, I have zero doubts about how I want to spend my future. The best moment was three minutes ago when you told me that you loved me, and the best part was when you asked me to marry you. So, instead of asking you to just marry me, I want to ask you this... will you marry me today?” I could tell that he was nervous as his hand that was sending tingles through my hand and up my arm was shaking.

I opened my mouth to speak realizing that my mouth was suddenly extremely dry, I still managed to choke the words out. “Yes, I will marry you,”

Ethan jumped to his feet. “Today?”

“Yes, today,” I smiled as he let out a breath of relief.

“Another You Tube, right here!” Ben said from next to us facing his camera toward me and Ethan. Ethan's father was standing next to him shaking his head at Ben's immaturity.

Then surrounding us was rounds of clapping, and I could hear sobbing coming from the distance. I turned around. Vanessa, Jackie, Mrs. Montello, their grandma, and Aunt Suzy were behind me across the grass. They were wiping their tears and clapping, smiling at us. Well, except for Jackie who turned and stomped away toward the church. I felt bad... but not bad enough, Ethan is mine.

“Oh, get over it, Jackie. You had your chance and blew it with my grandson,” Ethan and Vanessa's grandma said to Jackie as she stomped away.

“Let's go get married!” Vanessa yells across the yard, with a huge grin on her face.

~

“Your make up is a mess,” Vanessa frowned as she blotted foundation on my face. “And your eyes are swollen,” she groaned.

“I'm not going to ruin your day am I?” I watched her facial expression change from a frown to a huge smile.

“No way! I think you and Ethan getting married makes it perfect,” she shrugged. “Besides, you will be my sister-in-law in less than ten minutes,”

“We will be related,” I laughed aloud at the thought. “How funny is that?”

“You are positive that you want to do this?” Vanessa backed away. She stared at me searching for any kind of uncertainty.

“This is the one thing I am positively sure of,” I smiled. “A very beautiful person once told me 'Don't try to figure out love with your mind... you will only understand it with your heart', and you know what?” I stood from the chair. “You were right,”

She sniffed, wiping under her eyes with her finger. “God, don't make me cry! Dang it, Maria! That is three times today that you have made me cry,” she stomped her foot.

“Three?” I don't remember her crying three times.

“Yup,” she smiled. “One: the flowers, two: you and Ethan's mutual proposal thing, and three: right now,” her lower lip quivered as she took her crown which held her vale off of her head carefully trying not to mess up her hair. She held it out to me.

“Why did you take that off?” I frowned.

She turned me around to face the mirror. She placed the crown on my head carefully and pulled the vale in place over my face. “There,” she smiled. “At least now no one will see your swollen eyes or your hideous make up,”

I laughed. “Bite me, princess,”

Ethan

“Marry me, Ethan,” Maria's words kept replaying over and over again in my mind like a scratched record. Every time I hear them, my heart races faster and my smile grows bigger. It's unbelievable going from such a somber place in my life to the utmost high in less than twenty-four hours time. Maria has definitely changed my life within the last few days. I have never felt so many different emotions cause by one person: love, confusion, frustration, anger, jealousy, happiness... it goes on and on. Maria is definitely a force to be reckoned with, but I love her.

“I gave the priest your names,” Ben smiled, whacking my back with his hand as he stepped onto the altar. “It's a done deal,”

“What if she bails on me?” I was starting to become incredibly nervous as the wedding was delayed by an hour. “What if she decided that she is making a huge mistake?” I ran my fingers through my hair roughly. It was stressing me out more thinking that I would have to go longer without her next to me than what I already have. To some these 'few days' might not seem like a long time, I suppose it's not. But, she has been popping into my head like a jack in the box for the last two years.

“She's not going to do that,” Ben shook his head. “I promise you that much,”

My breathing was becoming heavy with anxiety, the smell of lilies and white roses was burning my nose making it harder to take a deep breath.

“How the hell would you know that? What did you do, ask her?” I whispered loudly.

Ben was laughing at me now, hysterically while I stood there at the altar with my hands on my hips trying to catch my breath in the midst of my panic attack. I could feel my forehead bead sweat, and my legs were shaking as my chest heaved up and down. Ben laughing wasn't helping my panic at all.

“Would you stop laughing?” I grabbed Ben's arm. “I am serious, what if she ran and my sister can't find her?”

Ben tried to stop laughing. “I saw her in the hallway when I was talking to the priest, she didn't look nervous. She was relatively calm actually and was lacking a pair of runners,”

The priest came up to the altar and I started to relax. I could now hear the many guests whispering and chatting away in the rows of pews lined with white satin bows and white roses. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning my head and seeing the church was full of people. Everyone saw my panic attack including my little cousin Tyson who puked all over me, he was holding Ben's camcorder. Right at me with a grin from ear to ear.

“This ends up on You Tube, I will kill you,” I whispered to Ben as we took our places on either side of the stage.

“I'll take my chances,” he smirked, staring toward the isle. “Relax, she isn't going to run, trust me,”

The band played The Wedding March quieting the room, and my thoughts. I stared at the double doors waiting for Maria and Vanessa to make their grand entrance. I felt my breath hitch in my throat as the doors opened. Jackie bailed of course and that left no one but the girls and my father to walk down the isle. The wedding will be sweet and simple exactly the way my sister wanted it to be.

“Here she comes,” Ben whispered. I watched my father with both Vanessa and Maria's arm laced through his. “Told ya',”

Time seemed to slow as I looked at Maria and Vanessa again, they looked identical in the same white dress. They wore a fairytale style gown with Swarovski Crystals and sparkles that were embedded in the bodice. The crown matched those of a princess and the sheer vale covered their beautiful faces. The only way I could tell them apart was Maria's dark hair under her vale and my sister was a few inches taller. I couldn't help the grin on my face, Maria was stunning. I took a deep breath, instantly relaxing as our eyes met. I was about to marry her and I will never be without her again.

“Who gives these two woman away in marriage?” the priest asked aloud as the music stopped, his voice echoed through the church.

“Their mother and I do,” my father said proudly, giving both the girls a kiss on their cheek and placing each of their hands in both mine and Ben's.

Maria's hand was shaking in mine, I grabbed her other hand. “You okay?” I whispered to her softly.

“I'm perfect,” she smiled at me from under her vale.

I let go of Maria's hands and lifted the sheer material from her face, I wanted to look into her eyes as I exchanged my vows. I wanted her to see it in my eyes that I mean every word I say, and I want to see the truth behind her eyes as she says them back. I searched her bright eyes, she truly was happy. It was the same glow that I had seen this morning when I first saw her by the back door. I now know that she wanted to tell me that she loved me at that very moment, but my sister was being erratic and wouldn't allow it. I smiled at her. I couldn't hear anything the priest was saying as I let my mind wander to the first time we met... the unbelievable intimacy, the way we made each other laugh, and the peaceful look on her face as she slept with her head in my lap at the park. I will always remember how incredibly cute she is when she eats a double cheeseburger with bacon, the way her lip trembles when she cries tears of sadness, and the way her eyes sparkled when she realized she was in love... Maria will forever amaze me. For now and as long as God allows, I will hold her close and do my best to make her happy.

“Do you Benjamin McGurthy and Ethan Montello take thee Vanessa Montello and Maria Anderson to be your wives for now and until forever?”

“I do,” Ben and I said in unison. I traced my thumb across Maria's cheek wiping away a lone tear.

“Do you Vanessa Montello and Maria Anderson take thee Benjamin McGurthy and Ethan Montello to be your husband for now and until forever?”

“I do,” Maria and Vanessa said in unison. The guests laughed at

our impeccable timing.

“I now pronounce you, husbands and wives. You may kiss your brides,”

“Thank God,” I mumbled as I took Maria in my arms and dipped her, I kissed her as though I needed her oxygen to breathe. I didn't care who was watching, I let her know how much I have been missing her. There was no holding back.