THE DAY BEFORE
MEL
They had been in New York for three days. It had been a hectic three days. The band had their Livestream concert two days ago at Irving Plaza, yesterday Mel and Taylor had applied for their marriage license, and today--well, this was it. In just over twenty-four hours, Melody Banks would officially become Melody Hanson. She had a hard time sleeping.
Signing the marriage license had been--surreal. There were times--lots of times--where Mel never thought the day would come. She had cried when Tay signed his name next to hers. It wasn't official yet, until the officiant signed it after their wedding the next day, but it was an enormous milestone in their relationship.
Now, early in the morning, the day before the wedding, Mel was awake nearly before the sun rose. She sat on the sofa in the living room of the condo, holding the marriage license in her hand, staring at it. She read it word for word and stared at their signatures, over and over and over again. Until the actual marriage certificate came in the mail later, this was the most precious document she'd ever laid her hands on. She couldn't stop reading it.
She smelled the coffee wafting from the kitchen that she had put on for Tay and her mouth watered. She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed. As soon as she had this baby, she knew she would be drunk and have an ongoing caffeine high the second it was born. As a matter of fact, she was tempted to ask the doctors to just run IV's of wine and coffee into her system and save her the trouble of actually having to drink it.
To her surprise, Tay appeared out of nowhere and sat beside her on the sofa, tucking his feet underneath him, his body facing her, in the t-shirt and sweatpants he'd gone to bed in. She hadn't even heard him get up. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled sleepily. "Morning," he greeted her.
Mel smiled. "Good morning, sunshine. You're up awfully early."
"So are you."
"I, uh, haven't been sleeping so well..."
"You nervous?"
She smiled at him. "Excited."
He smiled back at her. "Me, too."
"I can't believe it's finally happening," she said. "We've waited for this for so long."
"I know," he said gently.
She held up the marriage license. "I haven't been able to stop looking at this. It's like--it's like gold. I can't put it down."
"I'm glad you're excited."
Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at him. "Tay, do you think--do you think that if we HAD gotten married all those years ago, back when we were young, do you think we would have lasted?"
Tay let out a breath. "Um, well, I don't know, it's hard to say. If we had gotten married our lives would have taken a completely different turn. We wouldn't have experienced any of the things that have brought us here now. Um...you'd probably have at least five kids by now--" The both of them paused and laughed. "But, um, I'm not sure. Our relationship had a lot of flaws back then. We were young."
"It has a lot of flaws now."
"Yes, but we're learning from them. And accepting them. And back then I don't think we would have been as accepting."
"So you think--you think everything we've been through--as old as we are now and it being such a long and difficult road to get to where we are--you think that's the way it was supposed to be all along? That this is how it had to happen?"
"I think everything happens for a reason. I think we needed to be tested. I think we needed to take the roads we took and learn the things we learned in order to be the best we could be for each other. I think it was necessary, yes."
"Would you change anything?"
He was silent for a moment before he shook his head. "No. Would you?"
"No," she said quietly.
He sat there, his body turned toward her, his elbow resting against the back of the sofa as he ran his finger along her hairline. "I can't wait until tomorrow," he said softly. "Do you remember when we were kids, the way we used to marry each other in the yard? You used to wear your little flower crown. We used to tie blades of grass around our fingers." He smiled. "We did everything but kiss."
"Because kissing was gross," Mel smiled.
"But you held my hand. Holding hands was never a problem for us. It was never a 'thing,' you know?"
Mel looked around the room in thought. "You took me on the most fabulous honeymoons. Every time we went to the park, it was a different honeymoon. The slide, the monkey bars. My favorite honeymoon was the swings."
"The swings were always your favorite."
"Sometimes I think the other kids thought we were stuck up. Or mean. Because we only played with each other and ignored everyone else."
"They didn't understand."
"Do you think WE understood?"
Tay nodded, smiling at her lovingly. "Yeah. I think we did."
Mel glanced down at her belly and patted it gently. "I can't go on the swings this time."
"We'll be together. We'll be married. I think that, alone, trumps just about any swing set."
She grinned. "I can't argue with that."
"Are you hungry? You want me to make you something?"
She shook her head. "No, thank you. Not yet. It's still really early. I guess the baby's not awake yet or something. There's coffee in there for you, though."
"You know--" Tay said hesitantly. "I don't--I mean, it's the day before our wedding. This is like--like a holiday. You think?"
Mel narrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"I don't see the harm in you and I having a little coffee together. I don't think it'll hurt you."
Mel's eyes widened. Suddenly, the one thing that excited her more than her upcoming wedding was a steaming hot beverage. "You think?"
"I had a hard time sleeping, too. So I did some surfing on my phone. I'm surprised you didn't know, but a little bit of coffee each day won't hurt you. Just as long as it's not--you know, to the proportions that you used to drink it..."
She looked at him, tight-lipped. "I haven't had coffee in four months. That's a long time, Tay."
"Well, it's news to both of us."
"I might knock you down on the way to the kitchen."
Tay chuckled. "No need to go to extremes. You sit tight, I'll be right back."
The anticipation killed Mel. Killed her. The two minutes it took for him to get their coffee felt like an eternity. The sun had finally begun to rise out the window over the city as the soft, golden hue of the sky began to light up the darkened living room they'd been sitting in. When Tay brought their mugs back and curled up in his same position next to her, she wrapped her hands around the hot mug and closed her eyes as the heat created a rippling effect from her hands through the rest of her body. She looked over at Tay and smiled. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me." She took a sip and she nearly died. It tasted good, it felt good. It felt like hot, liquid sex. She would never take coffee for granted again.
Tay smiled at her. "Good?"
"I think I just had an orgasm."
He threw his head back and laughed, which made her giggle in return. She loved his laugh. She loved making him laugh. She loved watching him laugh. She loved listening to him laugh. He had no idea how adorable he was.
"You know, the only drawback to getting married this time of year is that it's so cold outside," she continued. "I love New York, but the cold is insane."
"All the more reason to appreciate that cup of coffee, there, huh?"
Mel changed the subject again. "I think the only thing I'm excited about more than the wedding is tomorrow night."
"Our first night together," he said gently.
"Yeah," she smiled. "I can't wait to get married. But I'm mostly looking forward to afterward. When it's all said and done and all the hustle and bustle is over with and we come home alone--"
"Who said we were coming home?"
"What?"
"It's our wedding night. You didn't think we were gonna spend it HERE, did you?"
"Well--I mean--we live here...when we're here..."
"Yeah. What fun is that?"
"I love our apartment."
"On our wedding night?"
Mel sipped her coffee.
"Don't worry," he continued. "I won't disappoint you, I promise." He paused and sipped his coffee. "What time are you picking up your dress?"
"A little later. Nikki and Kate wanna take me to lunch and then we're going to pick it up together. Get fitted one more time, make sure it's right."
"And if it's not?"
"That lady better have speedy fingers. What about you, what do you have to do?"
"Just, uh, just some last minute wedding stuff."
"Do I not get to know anything until tomorrow? I mean, what about the rehearsal?"
"Who needs to rehearse? We've both been married before. It's pretty simple. People sit down, you walk down the aisle, we get married. I never understood the need for rehearsals. But we are all going to dinner tonight. Which reminds me, our families are coming into town today."
"Rehearsals are for the flow of the ceremony. Where everyone is going to stand, in what order they're going to walk...Tay, we never even talked about vows!"
He laughed lightly. "It'll be okay. We'll just--we'll say whatever comes out. It's not a big deal. And if it makes you feel any better, we'll do a quick run-through before guests start to arrive."
"But we're not supposed to see each other before the wedding."
"You're starting to worry. The whole point of this is so you didn't have to worry."
"Would it embarrass you if I was bare-footed tomorrow? I mean, people would understand, right? I want so bad to wear an awesome pair of shoes, but I don't think my feet will be able to withstand my new body weight for that long."
"You can do whatever you want. You can marry me in sweatpants, I wouldn't be embarrassed."
Mel grinned. "I love you so much."
"I love you more."
-------------------
Dressing for the non-rehearsal dinner stressed Mel out to the max. She was glad that Taylor was in the living room on the phone so that he couldn't see the tornado of lace and chiffon that had torn through their bedroom. Maybe Mel was thinking too much into it, but this was the night before their wedding. They were having dinner with the entire family--her parents and his family included. Everyone. There would be pictures galore. And despite her ever-growing belly, and despite how Tay felt about the way she looked, she still wanted to make sure that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
But, alas, she couldn't dress the way she used to dress. Her heart sank when she thought about back before she was pregnant and the dresses she used to wear. She missed those dresses. She could wear anything she wanted. Now, if she wore a tight, form-fitting dress, the form it fitted was the bowling ball she seemed to perpetually carry under her clothes. Her stomach was the first thing everybody noticed anyway. Did she really want to accentuate it with a tight dress? No.
So she settled on a plum-colored, short-sleeved tunic dress. It fell just above her knees with a modest V neckline that cinched above her belly with a tie that was embellished in the middle with a gold, beaded accessory. It was simple and to the point. She decided, to appease herself, to spice the dress up with a pair of dark, opaque pantyhose with a black, floral vine pattern that curled up her legs and threw a pair of black platform stilettos on her feet. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. There. Now her legs would get more attention than her middle.
Her theory had been tested when she walked out of the bedroom. Mission accomplished as Tay turned around and his eyes went straight to her legs. "Are you trying to kill me tonight? I mean, at least wait till we're married so you can cash in on the insurance policy."
Mel blushed as she smiled at him.
"Those pantyhose are hot," he continued.
"Didn't know you had a fetish," she flirted.
"Neither did I. But I think I might develop one."
Mel giggled. Tay looked fantastic, as usual. He couldn't wear anything wrong. He dressed simply in jeans and a gray sport coat, left open, with a white button-down underneath. He held up the scraps of material he had in his hands. "Tie or scarf?"
She shook her head. "Neither." She knew how he liked to dress when she wasn't around. He was a sucker for accessories. And interesting colors. So she appreciated when he dressed simply when he went out with her. She didn't want to tell him how to dress, but she knew what she liked and lucky for her, he knew what she liked, too. She only had to tell him simple was sexy one time and he'd heeded it ever since.
"Okay, then," he said, draping the items over the back of the sofa. "You ready?"
She eyed the thick, leather camera strap that peeked out underneath his sport coat. She guessed she had to let some things slide. "Yeah," she smiled. "I'm so nervous."
"Why are you nervous? It's just our families."
"I know, but. I think it's going to be a very emotional night. And I can't have alcohol, so..."
He took her by the hand and kissed her cheek. "You'll be fine. Everything will be fine. I promise."
In less than ten minutes, they had arrived at JoJo, an old brownstone-turned restaurant located in New York's Upper East Side. The small, two-story restaurant was painted red on the outside and stood out from the other brownstones that flanked it on either side. Walking down the steps to get in the door, they walked in and were greeted by a smiling hostess, recognizing the couple immediately. "Mr. Hanson. Soon-to-be Mrs. Hanson," she winked at Mel. "Some of your family seems to have already arrived. Right this way."
As she led them through the tiny restaurant, decked in quaint turn-of-the century, yet modern, décor, Mel slipped her arm through Tay's. "I always wanted to come here but never got around to it."
He smiled at her. "Well, I've never been here, either, so it's an adventure for both of us."
Mel grinned at him as the hostess showed them through a closed curtain. They were immediately greeted with smiled and hugs by both sets of parents. Mel watched Tay's face light up at the sight of his youngest brother, Mackenzie, and his younger sister, Avery. Both of them lived out-of-state, so seeing them didn't happen quite as often.
Mel hadn't realized that Zac and Kate were there until two small children came tearing through the curtain from behind, nearly knocking Mel over. Diana's voice bellowed across the room and the both of them stopped in their tracks. Mel stepped safely out of the way and greeted Zac and Kate, Kate who had the baby on her hip. "Oh my god," Kate whispered as she hugged Mel. "They're hellions today. I'm literally about to pull my hair out."
Mel giggled. "Only a few more hours before you're childless at my condo."
"Not soon enough," she laughed.
The small dining area that was reserved for them seated roughly twenty-five. It was small and narrow, boasting red, upholstered booth seating along either of the walls with upholstered chairs on the other sides of the small, white tables. The floor was brick red tile, the walls striped in a sage green, and the ceiling in subtle shades of gold. Patterned drapes separated their private party from the rest of the restaurant, enclosing them all together in the small space.
When Jessica and her small family of three arrived, and the room was getting quite full, Mel decided to take a seat in one of the corners of the booths amidst all the hoopla and chill out for a minute. As she sipped a glass of water, she looked around. Both sets of parents were in deep conversation as Diana held Zac and Kate's youngest on her knee. Tay was taking pictures of everyone and everything. Kate and Jessica were engaged in baby talk, Avery and Zoe talked college, and Mackenzie, Zac, and Jessica's husband talked--well, Mel just wasn't sure what they were talking about.
Enjoying her small moment of silence, where nobody noticed her, two small blonde boys suddenly took up seating on either side of her. A grin spread across her face at Isaac's children and her grin widened when she saw her matron of honor grinning back at her after just arriving. For some reason, seeing Nikki and her radiant smile made Mel all the more excited for the wedding. If it hadn't been for Nikki, Mel wasn't sure what she would have done half the time.
Mel wrapped an arm around each boy's shoulders and pulled them close to her. She would never tell anyone, but Everett and Monroe were her favorites. It wasn't that she didn't care for Zac's or Jessica's kids, but she had bonded with these two over some time. "What are you two up to?" Mel asked them, smiling. "No good?"
The boys giggled and that question turned into a play argument over which boy was up to no good and who wasn't. Suddenly, Monroe sat up on his knees, nearly eye-level with Mel, and patted her belly. "When's that baby gonna come out of there?"
The blood rose in Mel's cheeks at the hilarity of his tone and she heard Ike suddenly scold him from across the room. Their father was never out of earshot and Monroe ducked his head defensively. "I was just asking."
Mel smiled at Ike and then at Monroe. "It's okay. Just a few more months and you'll have a brand new baby cousin."
"Is it gonna poop as much as THAT one does?" Everett said, turning his body and pointing at the baby on their grandmother's knee.
Mel laughed. "Yeah, probably."
Saved by the camera, Tay showed up and snapped a couple of pictures of Mel and her new dates before he finally lowered it and said to Everett, "Hey, buddy, is it okay if I sit down right there?"
Everett glanced across the room at his father before he said to Tay quietly, "No. I was here first."
Mel's eyes widened in surprise and she fought to suppress her laughter. Tay smiled at him, amused. "Come on, bud. You sure you don't wanna trade places with me?"
Everett shook his head.
Mel pulled Everett close to her and said to him quietly, "You know what happens if you sit in that seat?"
He shook his head again.
"If you sit in that seat, that means you have to marry me," she said.
"Ewwww!" Both boys were off of their seats as if they had a sudden attack of the cooties. Mel and Tay both laughed as they both ran to Ike.
Tay slid in the seat next to her, sitting close to her. "How're you doing?" He asked quietly. "You seem awful quiet besides this little exchange with the boys."
"I'm okay," she smiled. "Just taking it all in. Enjoying the moment."
"Do you feel okay?"
"I feel great."
He smiled. "Good."
"How 'bout you?"
"I'm fantastic. I, uh, I kinda feel like time is flying by, but not moving fast enough at the same time. Tonight's gonna be rough, you know."
Mel grinned. "You know, it's not like we're strangers to getting married. We don't HAVE to abide by that tired old tradition, you know."
"I know," he said, still smiling. "But I think that's just kinda been decided for us. Nikki and Kate will be with you and I'll have a room in the hotel our families are in. Everything will be okay. And just think--twenty-four hours from now I'll be romancing my wife in a luxury honeymoon suite with all the cheesy, cliche bells and whistles that goes with it."
"There won't be champagne."
"I can improvise."
"Rose petals? Chocolate-covered strawberries? A heart-shaped hot tub?"
Tay laughed. "How much more cliche can it get?"
"I could go on."
"Well I can't promise a heart-shaped hot tub. But I can make it as cheesy and cliche as you want."
Mel grinned excitedly. "Oh, please do! Do you know how fun that would be?"
He chuckled again. "I think I can make some arrangements."
As the room began to wind down and take their seats, they ordered dinner. The poor server had to come back to Mel three times. "I'm sorry, I can't choose!" Mel said. "I want to try everything!" Finally she'd decided on the crispy salmon sushi as an appetizer, the baked salmon plate, and then let the server know to revisit when it came time for dessert.
"Are we hungry?" Tay grinned at her.
She scowled at him. "A little. But seafood kinda sounds good right now, so--I'm taking advantage."
Dinner came and went. Mel had never seen so many burgers in an elegant dining restaurant in her life. She had to remember who she was out with. It made her laugh a little on the inside. She knew she could count on her fiancée, though, to order the duck and let her pick off his plate. Before the end of it, they were picking off each other's plates and neither one of them had entrees of their own.
As they neared the end of dinner and the servers were clearing empty dishes and refilling drinks, Ike stood and raised his voice just slightly enough to quiet the room. "Okay," Ike started as he held his drink in his hand. "We've had a great time, having a night out with good food, good drink, and good company. We don't all get to do this very often. However, we all know what we're here for. And that's for the, uh, non-rehearsal dinner for a very special wedding tomorrow."
Mel and Tay grinned at each other.
"As the best man," Ike continued, "I'm supposed to deliver something poetic and moving and you're all supposed to cry." The room chuckled lightly. "Except what can I say that hasn't already been said? This wedding is...unconventional, at best. It's strange. It's awkward. It's rushed. And without any rehearsal, or order, or anything, I can't wait to see what kind of train wreck is gonna come out of it tomorrow." Then he smiled warmly. "But it's right. And it's perfect. And it's Taylor and Mel and I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that we're all happy to finally be here in this moment. We've waited years, and I'm sure there's nobody here who's more excited than the two of you, but it's been well worth the wait. I'm proud of my brother, and of my future, official sister-in-law, and I am honored to not only be the best man, but to even be here at all to witness this beautiful and perfect declaration of love, commitment, and the union of two people who couldn't be more perfect for each other. I love you two very much. But let me just end this in saying, it's about damn time!"
The entire room applauded and roared in laughter and Mel and Tay stood to hug Ike. As Mel and Ike took their seats, Tay remained standing. "While, uh, while I'm feeling inspired--though I'm pretty sure I can't follow that," he said nervously. "I just wanted to thank you all for being here tonight. Ike's right, the whole thing is sort of unconventional. But, uh, I kind of also like to think it's symbolic of our relationship. Mel and I always seem to find our way--through anything--and tomorrow will be no different." He glanced down at Mel and smiled. "I love this woman more than I could possibly say. I always have and I always will. And I'm excited to make that ultimate commitment to her in the presence of all of you--everyone we love the most. You'll never know what each and every one of you means to us and how much we appreciate your love and your support, through thick and thin." He looked around and shifted his weight. "So, um, again, thank you and...uh, let's order dessert and party the rest of this night away."
As Tay sat back down, Mel reached for his face and kissed his cheek gently. "I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you more," he whispered back.
After being more than excited to order the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and a cup of decaf, Mel excused herself to the restroom. After emerging from the stall and fixing her makeup in the mirror, she mindlessly checked the time on her phone--and had a voicemail from Jason waiting on her.
Confused, and admittedly a little worried, Mel pressed the button to listen to it. "Hey, gorgeous, it's me. Look, I'm so sorry I'm not gonna be able to make it to dinner tonight. The weather where I am is shit and they delayed my flight and--well I'm just not going to make it. I won't get in till late tonight but I'll see you tomorrow. I, um...have a good night. Bye."
Tears welled up in Mel's eyes as she looked toward the bathroom door, the door that led back out into the dining room. She had no idea... Wasting no time, she shoved her phone back into her clutch and made her way back to the dinner party. Wordlessly, she approached Tay, took him by the hand, and led him straight into the galley on the other side of the wall she was sure they weren't supposed to be in. There, she shoved him up against the wall and kissed him eagerly, his face in her hands.
He murmured an "Mm" of surprise inside her mouth as he hesitantly slid his hands around her back. Breaking the kiss, he looked into her eyes. "What's all this?"
Still holding his face in her hands, she stared right back into his eyes. "You are an amazing, remarkable, wonderful man. There will never be another woman on this planet who will ever be as lucky as I am right now."
He searched her eyes, bewilderment plastered all over his face. "Um--what did I--?"
"I just thought you should know that."
Searching her face for one more moment, he returned her kiss, even more eager than the first had been.
---------------
Mel hadn't had a slumber party in years. Actually, she wasn't sure she ever had one aside from having Drew over at her house as a teenager. Nikki and Kate had been in New York with her for the Maxim shoot and the first responders benefit and that had been fun. But now it was the night before the wedding and they sat around the living room in ratty pajamas and engaged in girl talk, and wondering if the men had any plans. "The grandparents are in town, you know," Nikki observed. "Wonder if they handed the kids over and went out on the town or something?" They had all ultimately decided they hadn't, though Mel couldn't be so sure. Knowing Tay, he'd find some kind of band to go see or some weird beer to drink. She wouldn't put it past him to drag his brothers out but she didn't vocalize her speculation.
The day had been long and she had an even bigger one tomorrow, so the women decided to call it a day. Nikki and Kate bunked in the guest room while Mel had hers and Tay's room all to herself. Getting herself comfortable in the bed, she turned out the light and lay there, staring wide-eyed into the darkness. Her mind wandered to the voicemail Jason had left her. She wondered if he'd made it into New York yet. He hadn't called or texted her since and she had yet to respond. She felt bad for not responding. He was her best friend.
Sitting up in the bed, she retrieved her phone off her night stand and called him. She got his voicemail. Maybe he wasn't in town yet after all. "Hey, it's me," she said. "I got your message and I was, uh, just returning your call to let you know I got it. Um, I just headed to bed, was just having a little girls' night before the wedding, you know how the tradition goes. So, uh, yeah, I'm happy you're coming tomorrow and I can't wait to see you. Um, see you tomorrow. Bye." She scrunched up her nose at her phone as she laid it back down. She hated leaving voicemails. They were so awkward and she never knew what to say.
Her eyes grew a little heavier after that. Maybe that was part of what kept her awake. Maybe the voicemail and the shock that Jason was even supposed to be at the dinner was what weighed heavy on her mind. She had suggested that Tay invite him to the wedding, but he had gone the extra mile and invited him to dinner. The family dinner. Mel was touched and she missed Tay instantly.
Mel hadn't realized she had dozed off until her eyes snapped open at the sound of her phone vibrating against the end table. She picked it up, finding a text from Jason. "Open your front door."
Narrowing her eyes at the screen curiously, she mildly struggled to get out of bed, tied her mop of hair hurriedly on top of her head and threw Tay's robe around her t-shirt and pants. She had stolen Tay's a month or so ago because his was bigger than hers and the theft had been necessary.
Hesitantly, she opened the door, knowing what she was going to find, but slightly nervous anyway. She didn't know why she was nervous. Was it the circumstances? Was it the fact that the last time she saw Jason was nearly two months ago during hers and Tay's split and that he'd declared his love for her and proposed marriage? She'd spoken to him plenty since then, but seeing him was always a completely different story.
She opened the door, correct on her assumption. There he stood in a long, black coat and a gray scarf, smiling down at her. She felt immediately at ease. Jason was here. Her wedding would be complete. She closed the door behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her as close as he could as her belly interfered with their closeness. "Hey, gorgeous. You look fantastic," his voice was muffled in her hair. He stepped back and looked her over. "Wow," he smiled. "Look at you."
She scowled at him. "I know what you want to say. You don't have to say it. You don't have to comment on how big I seem to be getting so quickly. I'm well aware."
"You say it like it's a bad thing."
There was something in his matter-of-factness that made it okay. She supposed that was a quality in him that would never go away. Leading him to the sofa, they sat on it, across from each other. "You can take off your coat and stay awhile," she said.
"It's not necessary. I'm not going to be here long."
Disappointment took over her face. "But--but I haven't seen you in--"
He smiled. "I'll be at the wedding tomorrow. It'll be okay."
She smiled back at him. "So, um--I had no idea you were supposed to come to dinner tonight. Would have been one hell of a surprise."
"Wasn't aware that he didn't tell you. When he called me and invited me to the wedding, it was a no-brainer. When he invited me to the rehearsal dinner, I was a little stunned. I thought those were, like, family things..."
"They are," she said gently.
He blushed and laced his fingers together, his elbows resting on his knees. "Look, I'm, uh, I'm still working on my personal feelings about Taylor since this last time--it hasn't been easy. Because--I mean, I was there before. I watched your entire relationship progress through its ups and downs and you know I didn't agree with a lot of it. But despite all of that, the truth is--and I can't believe I'm fucking saying this--he really is a good guy. Deep down, the bastard actually has it in him. He's got a good heart. Honestly. And he loves you and I know he does. And way back when, back at that first benefit you threw in LA, when I told you that he was your mana? Well, I meant it then. And I still do. For him to call me and personally invite me to virtually be part of your family--his and yours together--that means a lot to me. It speaks volumes about the kind of person he is. And--" he paused and swallowed. "--and I'm glad that you're marrying a man like him."
Mel sniffed and wiped the quiet tears from her eyes that had crept up on her. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that," she said through her tears.
He smiled and reached over, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "You know I don't say anything I don't mean."
"I'm so glad you're here."
"Me, too." Then he reached in his coat pocket and pulled out an object, holding it in his fist. "Listen. When Taylor called me and invited me to the wedding, I, uh, I asked him about your honeymoon. And, uh, he had a plan but we talked and--" He paused and placed the contents of his fist into her hand. "I have a beach house in Kauai. I've only been there maybe twice this year and it stays relatively empty. And I want you two to stay there for your honeymoon."
The blood drained from Mel's face in shock. "Jason. I--I couldn't--"
"Look, you're not exactly in a position to hop across the pond. You know? But you deserve the perfect honeymoon. And I happen to have the perfect place. It's spacious, it has its own private beach, and the view of the ocean is beautiful from every single bedroom. And--and I'm not even gonna be there, I have to hop on a red eye back to Europe tomorrow night. Please. Let me do this for you."
Overwhelmed by his gratitude, Mel burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck, gripping the keys to the beach house in her fist until they imprinted in her skin. "Oh my god, Jason. I don't know how I could ever thank you."
He let her cry for a moment before he pulled away from her and she began to compose herself. "Just answer me one question. Because I have to know, for the last time. Are you happy?"
She was silent for a moment, searching his eyes. Then her eyes followed her hand as it dropped down to her stomach and she looked back up at him and smiled. "Yes," she answered. "I'm happy and I'm content. For the first time, I feel like my life is complete." The answer was an honest one and the thought made her smile.
A smile crept across his face as his green eyes sparkled. "Good. That's all I ever wanted for you."
Jason wasn't kidding when he said he couldn't stay. Within minutes he was gone and Mel sat alone on the side of her bed, staring at the keys in her hand. A beach house in Kauai. That was Jason's wedding gift to her and Tay. The ultimate gift. She would have never, in a million years, guessed that he would be willing to do something like this for them. Then she smiled as she thought about it. Yes, he would have.
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TAYLOR
Taylor was slightly alarmed at the knock on his hotel room door after midnight. Clicking on the bedside lamp, he walked to the door and looked out the peep hole, surprised at who stood on the other side. He opened it, rubbing his eyes against the harsh hallway light. "Hey, sweetheart. What the hell are you doing, roaming around the city in the middle of the night?"
"I couldn't sleep," Mel said as she stood before him in a long, heavy coat, gloves, and stiletto boots with her pajama pants tucked into them. He couldn't help the grin that crept across his face. "Did I wake you up?"
"No," he responded, half confused, half glad as hell to see her. "Come in here. I couldn't sleep either." As she walked in the room past him, he said to her, "You know, I don't think you're even supposed to be here."
"I think maybe the bad luck thing is only for first-timers. I think with all the bad luck we've had in our relationship, somebody owes us one."
Tay had to chuckle as Mel removed her winter outer-wear, finding her in--"Is that my shirt? And my flannel pants?"
She turned and looked at him, innocently. "They fit better." Then she lifted her shirt and smiled, proudly. "I rolled them up so I don't trip over them. These pants are so much more comfortable than any pair I have. I'm jealous."
"Well I guess you don't have to be anymore," he muttered.
Then she turned around and looked at the bed he'd been sleeping in. "Jesus Christ, did you wrestle a bear in there?" She asked, observing the obscene amount of disarray he had left his sheets and blankets in.
"I told you I couldn't sleep. I've been tossing and turning for over an hour."
Wordlessly, she walked over to the bed and began to straighten it out, making it look habitable once again. "We're gonna get in so much trouble for this," he said.
She looked at him and smiled as she patted the bed. "But at least we'll be well-rested."
He couldn't resist her. He just couldn't. So he shook his head and smiled as he clicked off the bedside lamp and crawled in bed behind her in the dark. Wrapping an arm around her, she settled her head against his chest as he rested his other hand on her stomach. They lay in silence for a few minutes, Tay completely content, his eyes finally starting to get heavy, when Mel asked quietly, "Are you scared?"
His eyes opened back up into the dark at her question. For the first time ever, he didn't have to think about his answer. He had one. And actually having an answer to something was a feeling he couldn't quite describe. "No."
"Not at all? Not even nervous?"
"Well, I mean, I'm a little nervous about the ceremony. Making sure everything goes as planned. But as for the actual act of marrying you? No. I'm not nervous at all. Are you?"
"No," she replied simply. "It almost feels--natural. You know? When this night finally came, I expected to be scared to death. Pre-wedding day jitters, cold feet, the whole nine yards. But now that it's actually here, it's like--we're SUPPOSED to be doing this--"
Tay furrowed his brow in confusion into the dark. "Well, we ARE supposed to be doing this..."
He heard her lightly giggle. "I know, but--I know what I'm trying to say, I guess I just don't know how to say it. Anyway, I'm more excited than anything. When I was in high school, before we--you know, reunited or whatever--I used to doodle Melody Hanson on my notebooks in class. I can't wait to sign it for real."
He pursed his lips and scowled into the dark. "It was my understanding you liked Ike back then. So, in actuality, if you're doodling--"
"Don't ruin the moment," she mumbled.
"Okay." He shut his mouth and smiled. Then he turned his face and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Melody Hanson," he whispered.
Her response was the light snore and heavy breathing of her deep sleep.
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Alternate Jason chapter: http://tyamwedding.weebly.com/the-day-before-alternate.html
MEL
They had been in New York for three days. It had been a hectic three days. The band had their Livestream concert two days ago at Irving Plaza, yesterday Mel and Taylor had applied for their marriage license, and today--well, this was it. In just over twenty-four hours, Melody Banks would officially become Melody Hanson. She had a hard time sleeping.
Signing the marriage license had been--surreal. There were times--lots of times--where Mel never thought the day would come. She had cried when Tay signed his name next to hers. It wasn't official yet, until the officiant signed it after their wedding the next day, but it was an enormous milestone in their relationship.
Now, early in the morning, the day before the wedding, Mel was awake nearly before the sun rose. She sat on the sofa in the living room of the condo, holding the marriage license in her hand, staring at it. She read it word for word and stared at their signatures, over and over and over again. Until the actual marriage certificate came in the mail later, this was the most precious document she'd ever laid her hands on. She couldn't stop reading it.
She smelled the coffee wafting from the kitchen that she had put on for Tay and her mouth watered. She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed. As soon as she had this baby, she knew she would be drunk and have an ongoing caffeine high the second it was born. As a matter of fact, she was tempted to ask the doctors to just run IV's of wine and coffee into her system and save her the trouble of actually having to drink it.
To her surprise, Tay appeared out of nowhere and sat beside her on the sofa, tucking his feet underneath him, his body facing her, in the t-shirt and sweatpants he'd gone to bed in. She hadn't even heard him get up. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled sleepily. "Morning," he greeted her.
Mel smiled. "Good morning, sunshine. You're up awfully early."
"So are you."
"I, uh, haven't been sleeping so well..."
"You nervous?"
She smiled at him. "Excited."
He smiled back at her. "Me, too."
"I can't believe it's finally happening," she said. "We've waited for this for so long."
"I know," he said gently.
She held up the marriage license. "I haven't been able to stop looking at this. It's like--it's like gold. I can't put it down."
"I'm glad you're excited."
Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at him. "Tay, do you think--do you think that if we HAD gotten married all those years ago, back when we were young, do you think we would have lasted?"
Tay let out a breath. "Um, well, I don't know, it's hard to say. If we had gotten married our lives would have taken a completely different turn. We wouldn't have experienced any of the things that have brought us here now. Um...you'd probably have at least five kids by now--" The both of them paused and laughed. "But, um, I'm not sure. Our relationship had a lot of flaws back then. We were young."
"It has a lot of flaws now."
"Yes, but we're learning from them. And accepting them. And back then I don't think we would have been as accepting."
"So you think--you think everything we've been through--as old as we are now and it being such a long and difficult road to get to where we are--you think that's the way it was supposed to be all along? That this is how it had to happen?"
"I think everything happens for a reason. I think we needed to be tested. I think we needed to take the roads we took and learn the things we learned in order to be the best we could be for each other. I think it was necessary, yes."
"Would you change anything?"
He was silent for a moment before he shook his head. "No. Would you?"
"No," she said quietly.
He sat there, his body turned toward her, his elbow resting against the back of the sofa as he ran his finger along her hairline. "I can't wait until tomorrow," he said softly. "Do you remember when we were kids, the way we used to marry each other in the yard? You used to wear your little flower crown. We used to tie blades of grass around our fingers." He smiled. "We did everything but kiss."
"Because kissing was gross," Mel smiled.
"But you held my hand. Holding hands was never a problem for us. It was never a 'thing,' you know?"
Mel looked around the room in thought. "You took me on the most fabulous honeymoons. Every time we went to the park, it was a different honeymoon. The slide, the monkey bars. My favorite honeymoon was the swings."
"The swings were always your favorite."
"Sometimes I think the other kids thought we were stuck up. Or mean. Because we only played with each other and ignored everyone else."
"They didn't understand."
"Do you think WE understood?"
Tay nodded, smiling at her lovingly. "Yeah. I think we did."
Mel glanced down at her belly and patted it gently. "I can't go on the swings this time."
"We'll be together. We'll be married. I think that, alone, trumps just about any swing set."
She grinned. "I can't argue with that."
"Are you hungry? You want me to make you something?"
She shook her head. "No, thank you. Not yet. It's still really early. I guess the baby's not awake yet or something. There's coffee in there for you, though."
"You know--" Tay said hesitantly. "I don't--I mean, it's the day before our wedding. This is like--like a holiday. You think?"
Mel narrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"I don't see the harm in you and I having a little coffee together. I don't think it'll hurt you."
Mel's eyes widened. Suddenly, the one thing that excited her more than her upcoming wedding was a steaming hot beverage. "You think?"
"I had a hard time sleeping, too. So I did some surfing on my phone. I'm surprised you didn't know, but a little bit of coffee each day won't hurt you. Just as long as it's not--you know, to the proportions that you used to drink it..."
She looked at him, tight-lipped. "I haven't had coffee in four months. That's a long time, Tay."
"Well, it's news to both of us."
"I might knock you down on the way to the kitchen."
Tay chuckled. "No need to go to extremes. You sit tight, I'll be right back."
The anticipation killed Mel. Killed her. The two minutes it took for him to get their coffee felt like an eternity. The sun had finally begun to rise out the window over the city as the soft, golden hue of the sky began to light up the darkened living room they'd been sitting in. When Tay brought their mugs back and curled up in his same position next to her, she wrapped her hands around the hot mug and closed her eyes as the heat created a rippling effect from her hands through the rest of her body. She looked over at Tay and smiled. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me." She took a sip and she nearly died. It tasted good, it felt good. It felt like hot, liquid sex. She would never take coffee for granted again.
Tay smiled at her. "Good?"
"I think I just had an orgasm."
He threw his head back and laughed, which made her giggle in return. She loved his laugh. She loved making him laugh. She loved watching him laugh. She loved listening to him laugh. He had no idea how adorable he was.
"You know, the only drawback to getting married this time of year is that it's so cold outside," she continued. "I love New York, but the cold is insane."
"All the more reason to appreciate that cup of coffee, there, huh?"
Mel changed the subject again. "I think the only thing I'm excited about more than the wedding is tomorrow night."
"Our first night together," he said gently.
"Yeah," she smiled. "I can't wait to get married. But I'm mostly looking forward to afterward. When it's all said and done and all the hustle and bustle is over with and we come home alone--"
"Who said we were coming home?"
"What?"
"It's our wedding night. You didn't think we were gonna spend it HERE, did you?"
"Well--I mean--we live here...when we're here..."
"Yeah. What fun is that?"
"I love our apartment."
"On our wedding night?"
Mel sipped her coffee.
"Don't worry," he continued. "I won't disappoint you, I promise." He paused and sipped his coffee. "What time are you picking up your dress?"
"A little later. Nikki and Kate wanna take me to lunch and then we're going to pick it up together. Get fitted one more time, make sure it's right."
"And if it's not?"
"That lady better have speedy fingers. What about you, what do you have to do?"
"Just, uh, just some last minute wedding stuff."
"Do I not get to know anything until tomorrow? I mean, what about the rehearsal?"
"Who needs to rehearse? We've both been married before. It's pretty simple. People sit down, you walk down the aisle, we get married. I never understood the need for rehearsals. But we are all going to dinner tonight. Which reminds me, our families are coming into town today."
"Rehearsals are for the flow of the ceremony. Where everyone is going to stand, in what order they're going to walk...Tay, we never even talked about vows!"
He laughed lightly. "It'll be okay. We'll just--we'll say whatever comes out. It's not a big deal. And if it makes you feel any better, we'll do a quick run-through before guests start to arrive."
"But we're not supposed to see each other before the wedding."
"You're starting to worry. The whole point of this is so you didn't have to worry."
"Would it embarrass you if I was bare-footed tomorrow? I mean, people would understand, right? I want so bad to wear an awesome pair of shoes, but I don't think my feet will be able to withstand my new body weight for that long."
"You can do whatever you want. You can marry me in sweatpants, I wouldn't be embarrassed."
Mel grinned. "I love you so much."
"I love you more."
-------------------
Dressing for the non-rehearsal dinner stressed Mel out to the max. She was glad that Taylor was in the living room on the phone so that he couldn't see the tornado of lace and chiffon that had torn through their bedroom. Maybe Mel was thinking too much into it, but this was the night before their wedding. They were having dinner with the entire family--her parents and his family included. Everyone. There would be pictures galore. And despite her ever-growing belly, and despite how Tay felt about the way she looked, she still wanted to make sure that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
But, alas, she couldn't dress the way she used to dress. Her heart sank when she thought about back before she was pregnant and the dresses she used to wear. She missed those dresses. She could wear anything she wanted. Now, if she wore a tight, form-fitting dress, the form it fitted was the bowling ball she seemed to perpetually carry under her clothes. Her stomach was the first thing everybody noticed anyway. Did she really want to accentuate it with a tight dress? No.
So she settled on a plum-colored, short-sleeved tunic dress. It fell just above her knees with a modest V neckline that cinched above her belly with a tie that was embellished in the middle with a gold, beaded accessory. It was simple and to the point. She decided, to appease herself, to spice the dress up with a pair of dark, opaque pantyhose with a black, floral vine pattern that curled up her legs and threw a pair of black platform stilettos on her feet. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. There. Now her legs would get more attention than her middle.
Her theory had been tested when she walked out of the bedroom. Mission accomplished as Tay turned around and his eyes went straight to her legs. "Are you trying to kill me tonight? I mean, at least wait till we're married so you can cash in on the insurance policy."
Mel blushed as she smiled at him.
"Those pantyhose are hot," he continued.
"Didn't know you had a fetish," she flirted.
"Neither did I. But I think I might develop one."
Mel giggled. Tay looked fantastic, as usual. He couldn't wear anything wrong. He dressed simply in jeans and a gray sport coat, left open, with a white button-down underneath. He held up the scraps of material he had in his hands. "Tie or scarf?"
She shook her head. "Neither." She knew how he liked to dress when she wasn't around. He was a sucker for accessories. And interesting colors. So she appreciated when he dressed simply when he went out with her. She didn't want to tell him how to dress, but she knew what she liked and lucky for her, he knew what she liked, too. She only had to tell him simple was sexy one time and he'd heeded it ever since.
"Okay, then," he said, draping the items over the back of the sofa. "You ready?"
She eyed the thick, leather camera strap that peeked out underneath his sport coat. She guessed she had to let some things slide. "Yeah," she smiled. "I'm so nervous."
"Why are you nervous? It's just our families."
"I know, but. I think it's going to be a very emotional night. And I can't have alcohol, so..."
He took her by the hand and kissed her cheek. "You'll be fine. Everything will be fine. I promise."
In less than ten minutes, they had arrived at JoJo, an old brownstone-turned restaurant located in New York's Upper East Side. The small, two-story restaurant was painted red on the outside and stood out from the other brownstones that flanked it on either side. Walking down the steps to get in the door, they walked in and were greeted by a smiling hostess, recognizing the couple immediately. "Mr. Hanson. Soon-to-be Mrs. Hanson," she winked at Mel. "Some of your family seems to have already arrived. Right this way."
As she led them through the tiny restaurant, decked in quaint turn-of-the century, yet modern, décor, Mel slipped her arm through Tay's. "I always wanted to come here but never got around to it."
He smiled at her. "Well, I've never been here, either, so it's an adventure for both of us."
Mel grinned at him as the hostess showed them through a closed curtain. They were immediately greeted with smiled and hugs by both sets of parents. Mel watched Tay's face light up at the sight of his youngest brother, Mackenzie, and his younger sister, Avery. Both of them lived out-of-state, so seeing them didn't happen quite as often.
Mel hadn't realized that Zac and Kate were there until two small children came tearing through the curtain from behind, nearly knocking Mel over. Diana's voice bellowed across the room and the both of them stopped in their tracks. Mel stepped safely out of the way and greeted Zac and Kate, Kate who had the baby on her hip. "Oh my god," Kate whispered as she hugged Mel. "They're hellions today. I'm literally about to pull my hair out."
Mel giggled. "Only a few more hours before you're childless at my condo."
"Not soon enough," she laughed.
The small dining area that was reserved for them seated roughly twenty-five. It was small and narrow, boasting red, upholstered booth seating along either of the walls with upholstered chairs on the other sides of the small, white tables. The floor was brick red tile, the walls striped in a sage green, and the ceiling in subtle shades of gold. Patterned drapes separated their private party from the rest of the restaurant, enclosing them all together in the small space.
When Jessica and her small family of three arrived, and the room was getting quite full, Mel decided to take a seat in one of the corners of the booths amidst all the hoopla and chill out for a minute. As she sipped a glass of water, she looked around. Both sets of parents were in deep conversation as Diana held Zac and Kate's youngest on her knee. Tay was taking pictures of everyone and everything. Kate and Jessica were engaged in baby talk, Avery and Zoe talked college, and Mackenzie, Zac, and Jessica's husband talked--well, Mel just wasn't sure what they were talking about.
Enjoying her small moment of silence, where nobody noticed her, two small blonde boys suddenly took up seating on either side of her. A grin spread across her face at Isaac's children and her grin widened when she saw her matron of honor grinning back at her after just arriving. For some reason, seeing Nikki and her radiant smile made Mel all the more excited for the wedding. If it hadn't been for Nikki, Mel wasn't sure what she would have done half the time.
Mel wrapped an arm around each boy's shoulders and pulled them close to her. She would never tell anyone, but Everett and Monroe were her favorites. It wasn't that she didn't care for Zac's or Jessica's kids, but she had bonded with these two over some time. "What are you two up to?" Mel asked them, smiling. "No good?"
The boys giggled and that question turned into a play argument over which boy was up to no good and who wasn't. Suddenly, Monroe sat up on his knees, nearly eye-level with Mel, and patted her belly. "When's that baby gonna come out of there?"
The blood rose in Mel's cheeks at the hilarity of his tone and she heard Ike suddenly scold him from across the room. Their father was never out of earshot and Monroe ducked his head defensively. "I was just asking."
Mel smiled at Ike and then at Monroe. "It's okay. Just a few more months and you'll have a brand new baby cousin."
"Is it gonna poop as much as THAT one does?" Everett said, turning his body and pointing at the baby on their grandmother's knee.
Mel laughed. "Yeah, probably."
Saved by the camera, Tay showed up and snapped a couple of pictures of Mel and her new dates before he finally lowered it and said to Everett, "Hey, buddy, is it okay if I sit down right there?"
Everett glanced across the room at his father before he said to Tay quietly, "No. I was here first."
Mel's eyes widened in surprise and she fought to suppress her laughter. Tay smiled at him, amused. "Come on, bud. You sure you don't wanna trade places with me?"
Everett shook his head.
Mel pulled Everett close to her and said to him quietly, "You know what happens if you sit in that seat?"
He shook his head again.
"If you sit in that seat, that means you have to marry me," she said.
"Ewwww!" Both boys were off of their seats as if they had a sudden attack of the cooties. Mel and Tay both laughed as they both ran to Ike.
Tay slid in the seat next to her, sitting close to her. "How're you doing?" He asked quietly. "You seem awful quiet besides this little exchange with the boys."
"I'm okay," she smiled. "Just taking it all in. Enjoying the moment."
"Do you feel okay?"
"I feel great."
He smiled. "Good."
"How 'bout you?"
"I'm fantastic. I, uh, I kinda feel like time is flying by, but not moving fast enough at the same time. Tonight's gonna be rough, you know."
Mel grinned. "You know, it's not like we're strangers to getting married. We don't HAVE to abide by that tired old tradition, you know."
"I know," he said, still smiling. "But I think that's just kinda been decided for us. Nikki and Kate will be with you and I'll have a room in the hotel our families are in. Everything will be okay. And just think--twenty-four hours from now I'll be romancing my wife in a luxury honeymoon suite with all the cheesy, cliche bells and whistles that goes with it."
"There won't be champagne."
"I can improvise."
"Rose petals? Chocolate-covered strawberries? A heart-shaped hot tub?"
Tay laughed. "How much more cliche can it get?"
"I could go on."
"Well I can't promise a heart-shaped hot tub. But I can make it as cheesy and cliche as you want."
Mel grinned excitedly. "Oh, please do! Do you know how fun that would be?"
He chuckled again. "I think I can make some arrangements."
As the room began to wind down and take their seats, they ordered dinner. The poor server had to come back to Mel three times. "I'm sorry, I can't choose!" Mel said. "I want to try everything!" Finally she'd decided on the crispy salmon sushi as an appetizer, the baked salmon plate, and then let the server know to revisit when it came time for dessert.
"Are we hungry?" Tay grinned at her.
She scowled at him. "A little. But seafood kinda sounds good right now, so--I'm taking advantage."
Dinner came and went. Mel had never seen so many burgers in an elegant dining restaurant in her life. She had to remember who she was out with. It made her laugh a little on the inside. She knew she could count on her fiancée, though, to order the duck and let her pick off his plate. Before the end of it, they were picking off each other's plates and neither one of them had entrees of their own.
As they neared the end of dinner and the servers were clearing empty dishes and refilling drinks, Ike stood and raised his voice just slightly enough to quiet the room. "Okay," Ike started as he held his drink in his hand. "We've had a great time, having a night out with good food, good drink, and good company. We don't all get to do this very often. However, we all know what we're here for. And that's for the, uh, non-rehearsal dinner for a very special wedding tomorrow."
Mel and Tay grinned at each other.
"As the best man," Ike continued, "I'm supposed to deliver something poetic and moving and you're all supposed to cry." The room chuckled lightly. "Except what can I say that hasn't already been said? This wedding is...unconventional, at best. It's strange. It's awkward. It's rushed. And without any rehearsal, or order, or anything, I can't wait to see what kind of train wreck is gonna come out of it tomorrow." Then he smiled warmly. "But it's right. And it's perfect. And it's Taylor and Mel and I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say that we're all happy to finally be here in this moment. We've waited years, and I'm sure there's nobody here who's more excited than the two of you, but it's been well worth the wait. I'm proud of my brother, and of my future, official sister-in-law, and I am honored to not only be the best man, but to even be here at all to witness this beautiful and perfect declaration of love, commitment, and the union of two people who couldn't be more perfect for each other. I love you two very much. But let me just end this in saying, it's about damn time!"
The entire room applauded and roared in laughter and Mel and Tay stood to hug Ike. As Mel and Ike took their seats, Tay remained standing. "While, uh, while I'm feeling inspired--though I'm pretty sure I can't follow that," he said nervously. "I just wanted to thank you all for being here tonight. Ike's right, the whole thing is sort of unconventional. But, uh, I kind of also like to think it's symbolic of our relationship. Mel and I always seem to find our way--through anything--and tomorrow will be no different." He glanced down at Mel and smiled. "I love this woman more than I could possibly say. I always have and I always will. And I'm excited to make that ultimate commitment to her in the presence of all of you--everyone we love the most. You'll never know what each and every one of you means to us and how much we appreciate your love and your support, through thick and thin." He looked around and shifted his weight. "So, um, again, thank you and...uh, let's order dessert and party the rest of this night away."
As Tay sat back down, Mel reached for his face and kissed his cheek gently. "I love you so much," she whispered.
"I love you more," he whispered back.
After being more than excited to order the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and a cup of decaf, Mel excused herself to the restroom. After emerging from the stall and fixing her makeup in the mirror, she mindlessly checked the time on her phone--and had a voicemail from Jason waiting on her.
Confused, and admittedly a little worried, Mel pressed the button to listen to it. "Hey, gorgeous, it's me. Look, I'm so sorry I'm not gonna be able to make it to dinner tonight. The weather where I am is shit and they delayed my flight and--well I'm just not going to make it. I won't get in till late tonight but I'll see you tomorrow. I, um...have a good night. Bye."
Tears welled up in Mel's eyes as she looked toward the bathroom door, the door that led back out into the dining room. She had no idea... Wasting no time, she shoved her phone back into her clutch and made her way back to the dinner party. Wordlessly, she approached Tay, took him by the hand, and led him straight into the galley on the other side of the wall she was sure they weren't supposed to be in. There, she shoved him up against the wall and kissed him eagerly, his face in her hands.
He murmured an "Mm" of surprise inside her mouth as he hesitantly slid his hands around her back. Breaking the kiss, he looked into her eyes. "What's all this?"
Still holding his face in her hands, she stared right back into his eyes. "You are an amazing, remarkable, wonderful man. There will never be another woman on this planet who will ever be as lucky as I am right now."
He searched her eyes, bewilderment plastered all over his face. "Um--what did I--?"
"I just thought you should know that."
Searching her face for one more moment, he returned her kiss, even more eager than the first had been.
---------------
Mel hadn't had a slumber party in years. Actually, she wasn't sure she ever had one aside from having Drew over at her house as a teenager. Nikki and Kate had been in New York with her for the Maxim shoot and the first responders benefit and that had been fun. But now it was the night before the wedding and they sat around the living room in ratty pajamas and engaged in girl talk, and wondering if the men had any plans. "The grandparents are in town, you know," Nikki observed. "Wonder if they handed the kids over and went out on the town or something?" They had all ultimately decided they hadn't, though Mel couldn't be so sure. Knowing Tay, he'd find some kind of band to go see or some weird beer to drink. She wouldn't put it past him to drag his brothers out but she didn't vocalize her speculation.
The day had been long and she had an even bigger one tomorrow, so the women decided to call it a day. Nikki and Kate bunked in the guest room while Mel had hers and Tay's room all to herself. Getting herself comfortable in the bed, she turned out the light and lay there, staring wide-eyed into the darkness. Her mind wandered to the voicemail Jason had left her. She wondered if he'd made it into New York yet. He hadn't called or texted her since and she had yet to respond. She felt bad for not responding. He was her best friend.
Sitting up in the bed, she retrieved her phone off her night stand and called him. She got his voicemail. Maybe he wasn't in town yet after all. "Hey, it's me," she said. "I got your message and I was, uh, just returning your call to let you know I got it. Um, I just headed to bed, was just having a little girls' night before the wedding, you know how the tradition goes. So, uh, yeah, I'm happy you're coming tomorrow and I can't wait to see you. Um, see you tomorrow. Bye." She scrunched up her nose at her phone as she laid it back down. She hated leaving voicemails. They were so awkward and she never knew what to say.
Her eyes grew a little heavier after that. Maybe that was part of what kept her awake. Maybe the voicemail and the shock that Jason was even supposed to be at the dinner was what weighed heavy on her mind. She had suggested that Tay invite him to the wedding, but he had gone the extra mile and invited him to dinner. The family dinner. Mel was touched and she missed Tay instantly.
Mel hadn't realized she had dozed off until her eyes snapped open at the sound of her phone vibrating against the end table. She picked it up, finding a text from Jason. "Open your front door."
Narrowing her eyes at the screen curiously, she mildly struggled to get out of bed, tied her mop of hair hurriedly on top of her head and threw Tay's robe around her t-shirt and pants. She had stolen Tay's a month or so ago because his was bigger than hers and the theft had been necessary.
Hesitantly, she opened the door, knowing what she was going to find, but slightly nervous anyway. She didn't know why she was nervous. Was it the circumstances? Was it the fact that the last time she saw Jason was nearly two months ago during hers and Tay's split and that he'd declared his love for her and proposed marriage? She'd spoken to him plenty since then, but seeing him was always a completely different story.
She opened the door, correct on her assumption. There he stood in a long, black coat and a gray scarf, smiling down at her. She felt immediately at ease. Jason was here. Her wedding would be complete. She closed the door behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged her as close as he could as her belly interfered with their closeness. "Hey, gorgeous. You look fantastic," his voice was muffled in her hair. He stepped back and looked her over. "Wow," he smiled. "Look at you."
She scowled at him. "I know what you want to say. You don't have to say it. You don't have to comment on how big I seem to be getting so quickly. I'm well aware."
"You say it like it's a bad thing."
There was something in his matter-of-factness that made it okay. She supposed that was a quality in him that would never go away. Leading him to the sofa, they sat on it, across from each other. "You can take off your coat and stay awhile," she said.
"It's not necessary. I'm not going to be here long."
Disappointment took over her face. "But--but I haven't seen you in--"
He smiled. "I'll be at the wedding tomorrow. It'll be okay."
She smiled back at him. "So, um--I had no idea you were supposed to come to dinner tonight. Would have been one hell of a surprise."
"Wasn't aware that he didn't tell you. When he called me and invited me to the wedding, it was a no-brainer. When he invited me to the rehearsal dinner, I was a little stunned. I thought those were, like, family things..."
"They are," she said gently.
He blushed and laced his fingers together, his elbows resting on his knees. "Look, I'm, uh, I'm still working on my personal feelings about Taylor since this last time--it hasn't been easy. Because--I mean, I was there before. I watched your entire relationship progress through its ups and downs and you know I didn't agree with a lot of it. But despite all of that, the truth is--and I can't believe I'm fucking saying this--he really is a good guy. Deep down, the bastard actually has it in him. He's got a good heart. Honestly. And he loves you and I know he does. And way back when, back at that first benefit you threw in LA, when I told you that he was your mana? Well, I meant it then. And I still do. For him to call me and personally invite me to virtually be part of your family--his and yours together--that means a lot to me. It speaks volumes about the kind of person he is. And--" he paused and swallowed. "--and I'm glad that you're marrying a man like him."
Mel sniffed and wiped the quiet tears from her eyes that had crept up on her. "You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that," she said through her tears.
He smiled and reached over, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "You know I don't say anything I don't mean."
"I'm so glad you're here."
"Me, too." Then he reached in his coat pocket and pulled out an object, holding it in his fist. "Listen. When Taylor called me and invited me to the wedding, I, uh, I asked him about your honeymoon. And, uh, he had a plan but we talked and--" He paused and placed the contents of his fist into her hand. "I have a beach house in Kauai. I've only been there maybe twice this year and it stays relatively empty. And I want you two to stay there for your honeymoon."
The blood drained from Mel's face in shock. "Jason. I--I couldn't--"
"Look, you're not exactly in a position to hop across the pond. You know? But you deserve the perfect honeymoon. And I happen to have the perfect place. It's spacious, it has its own private beach, and the view of the ocean is beautiful from every single bedroom. And--and I'm not even gonna be there, I have to hop on a red eye back to Europe tomorrow night. Please. Let me do this for you."
Overwhelmed by his gratitude, Mel burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck, gripping the keys to the beach house in her fist until they imprinted in her skin. "Oh my god, Jason. I don't know how I could ever thank you."
He let her cry for a moment before he pulled away from her and she began to compose herself. "Just answer me one question. Because I have to know, for the last time. Are you happy?"
She was silent for a moment, searching his eyes. Then her eyes followed her hand as it dropped down to her stomach and she looked back up at him and smiled. "Yes," she answered. "I'm happy and I'm content. For the first time, I feel like my life is complete." The answer was an honest one and the thought made her smile.
A smile crept across his face as his green eyes sparkled. "Good. That's all I ever wanted for you."
Jason wasn't kidding when he said he couldn't stay. Within minutes he was gone and Mel sat alone on the side of her bed, staring at the keys in her hand. A beach house in Kauai. That was Jason's wedding gift to her and Tay. The ultimate gift. She would have never, in a million years, guessed that he would be willing to do something like this for them. Then she smiled as she thought about it. Yes, he would have.
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TAYLOR
Taylor was slightly alarmed at the knock on his hotel room door after midnight. Clicking on the bedside lamp, he walked to the door and looked out the peep hole, surprised at who stood on the other side. He opened it, rubbing his eyes against the harsh hallway light. "Hey, sweetheart. What the hell are you doing, roaming around the city in the middle of the night?"
"I couldn't sleep," Mel said as she stood before him in a long, heavy coat, gloves, and stiletto boots with her pajama pants tucked into them. He couldn't help the grin that crept across his face. "Did I wake you up?"
"No," he responded, half confused, half glad as hell to see her. "Come in here. I couldn't sleep either." As she walked in the room past him, he said to her, "You know, I don't think you're even supposed to be here."
"I think maybe the bad luck thing is only for first-timers. I think with all the bad luck we've had in our relationship, somebody owes us one."
Tay had to chuckle as Mel removed her winter outer-wear, finding her in--"Is that my shirt? And my flannel pants?"
She turned and looked at him, innocently. "They fit better." Then she lifted her shirt and smiled, proudly. "I rolled them up so I don't trip over them. These pants are so much more comfortable than any pair I have. I'm jealous."
"Well I guess you don't have to be anymore," he muttered.
Then she turned around and looked at the bed he'd been sleeping in. "Jesus Christ, did you wrestle a bear in there?" She asked, observing the obscene amount of disarray he had left his sheets and blankets in.
"I told you I couldn't sleep. I've been tossing and turning for over an hour."
Wordlessly, she walked over to the bed and began to straighten it out, making it look habitable once again. "We're gonna get in so much trouble for this," he said.
She looked at him and smiled as she patted the bed. "But at least we'll be well-rested."
He couldn't resist her. He just couldn't. So he shook his head and smiled as he clicked off the bedside lamp and crawled in bed behind her in the dark. Wrapping an arm around her, she settled her head against his chest as he rested his other hand on her stomach. They lay in silence for a few minutes, Tay completely content, his eyes finally starting to get heavy, when Mel asked quietly, "Are you scared?"
His eyes opened back up into the dark at her question. For the first time ever, he didn't have to think about his answer. He had one. And actually having an answer to something was a feeling he couldn't quite describe. "No."
"Not at all? Not even nervous?"
"Well, I mean, I'm a little nervous about the ceremony. Making sure everything goes as planned. But as for the actual act of marrying you? No. I'm not nervous at all. Are you?"
"No," she replied simply. "It almost feels--natural. You know? When this night finally came, I expected to be scared to death. Pre-wedding day jitters, cold feet, the whole nine yards. But now that it's actually here, it's like--we're SUPPOSED to be doing this--"
Tay furrowed his brow in confusion into the dark. "Well, we ARE supposed to be doing this..."
He heard her lightly giggle. "I know, but--I know what I'm trying to say, I guess I just don't know how to say it. Anyway, I'm more excited than anything. When I was in high school, before we--you know, reunited or whatever--I used to doodle Melody Hanson on my notebooks in class. I can't wait to sign it for real."
He pursed his lips and scowled into the dark. "It was my understanding you liked Ike back then. So, in actuality, if you're doodling--"
"Don't ruin the moment," she mumbled.
"Okay." He shut his mouth and smiled. Then he turned his face and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Melody Hanson," he whispered.
Her response was the light snore and heavy breathing of her deep sleep.
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Alternate Jason chapter: http://tyamwedding.weebly.com/the-day-before-alternate.html