Wedding Guests
***Jamie and Anna take a road trip to Boston to attend the wedding of one of his old law school classmates. It's the first time he's seen any of his old friends since he decided to give up the law and become a cop…and since he and Sydney broke up. ***
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Scene: Jamie and Anna's apartment
Jamie sat at the table poking keys on his laptop. He was trying to check his email and not being able to use his right arm was really hindering his efforts.
It had been a little over two weeks since he had tried to stop an armed robbery and been shot through the shoulder for his efforts. He had been through six hours of surgery and spent a week in the hospital but the doctors were confident that with a lot of hard work, he should make a full recovery.
He just had to keep telling himself that.
Anna sat beside him, her laptop open as well, emailing her lesson plans to her sub at St. Paul of the Cross Elementary School.
Jamie worried about her…Anna had dropped her whole life since he'd been injured. She'd taken a leave of absence with less than a month left in the school year and given up her apartment to move in and take care of him. It's not like there were a whole lot of options…and he was so very grateful for her being there…but he still worried.
He finally got the damn email open…
"Oh, crap…" he muttered.
Anna looked up in alarm.
"What's wrong, Honey?" she asked.
"It's an email from an old law school buddy of mine…Brandon Moran. He wants to know if I'm coming to his wedding."
"When is it?"
"Fourth of July weekend…in Boston. I got the invite and I was waiting to see if my leave would be approved…but then this happened." He said, indicating to his shoulder still swathed in bandages and his arm cradled in a sling.
"Did you want to go? I assume you did…or you wouldn't have put in for the leave time."
"Yeah…but how are we gonna do that now?" he grumbled.
"I'm sure the pain won't be this bad in a few weeks…" she told him gently.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He shut the computer.
"I need to go lay down." He said as he pushed himself back from the table and got to his feet…carefully guarding his injured arm.
Anna hit "send" and closed her computer as well. She got up and followed him to the bedroom.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She helped him into bed and carefully arranged the pillows around him so his arm was properly supported. Then she slowly sank down beside him…and he reached for her hand.
He held it tightly, and she slowly began to stroke the pad of her thumb across the back of it. But his forehead was still deeply furrowed…and Anna bit back tears. It broke her heart to see him so uncomfortable and she felt completely helpless at times when it seemed nothing could ease his pain.
She glanced at the clock on the bedside table…it was still too early for more pain medication. With a tiny sigh she reached up to gently smooth the wrinkles from his brow.
Jamie tried to take a couple deep breaths and push the pain from his mind…but it really wasn't working. And he was thinking about that email.
Truth be told…he had felt out of place with most of the people he hung around with at Harvard. They were really more Sydney's friends than his. They had mostly come from wealthy families and had vacationed in Europe and places like Montenegro and St. Croix. They summered in the Hamptons and skied in Vail.
Except for Brandon Moran. Brandon was a "Townie"…the son of a cop in South Boston. And he was dating one of Sydney's best friends…the daughter of a Federal judge, named Aubrey Marsh-Holbrook. They had bonded not only because they were both cops' sons…but they constantly joked about their considerably more humble upbringing. They sometimes referred to themselves as the tag-along boyfriends or the poor relations.
And teased each other because neither of them could ever remember which fork you were supposed to use for the fish or the salad.
Brandon was the only one who hadn't looked at him like he lost his mind when he decided to become a cop himself. Brandon had actually congratulated Jamie for following his heart and they had kept in touch via email and the odd phone conversation.
Now he and Aubrey were getting married. And it was probably going to be the social event of the summer.
He hadn't seen any of his law school classmates since he'd graduated from the Academy and he'd never mentioned to anyone what had happened between him and Sydney…but they had probably figured it out when no wedding invitations had ever arrived.
He opened his eyes slowly and focused on Anna sitting beside him. He changed his grip on her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it.
"So…you have any plans for Fourth of July weekend?" he asked.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Scene: The Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner was at the Boston Yacht Club right there in the harbor. Jamie and Anna walked along the water for a few minutes before they went in. The breeze coming in felt so good…and he just wanted to savor the time alone with Anna before they went into the lion's den.
As they drove down that afternoon Jamie had almost told Anna to turn around and go back. He didn't know why he was so nervous. He'd eaten and drank and studied with these people for three years…but he realized how closed up he'd been around them. He had never let them see the real Jamie…sometimes he thought Anna was the only one, outside his family who really knew him…who'd seen all the different sides of him…and loved every one of them. He'd have been perfectly happy to just go back to the city, to the simple life they had built for themselves in the past ten months.
He stopped and stared out at the water. Anna stepped closer to his left side and carefully slipped her arms around him.
"Second thoughts, Jamie?" she asked quietly.
"Second thoughts…third thoughts…fourth…" he replied.
"We don't have to do this if you don't want to."
He smiled at her…she was so beautiful…her red, white and black dress swaying gently in the breeze…her long hair pulled away from her face and tumbling in silky waves down her back…her brown eyes wide with concern for him.
Oh…c'mon…he told himself. Quit overanalyzing everything and go have a good time.
"No…let's go in. I want to show off my girl…"
He kissed her lightly, so as not to smudge her make-up.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They made their way inside…and the first person they ran into was Dylan Renfrew…Jamie's old next door neighbor.
"Jamie Reagan!"
"Hey, Dylan." He said. "Good to see you."
"What happened to you?" Dylan asked.
Jamie had his jacket half on…half draped across his injured shoulder, and his arm folded in the sling.
"Gunshot wound…" Jamie replied tersely. "It's a long story."
Dylan's eyes bugged out and his mouth fell open.
Jamie quickly changed the subject.
"Dylan…I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Annamarie Rossi."
Dylan came out of his trance…and reached out to shake Anna's hand.
It was like shaking hands with a dead fish…she thought. But she smiled…
"I'm pleased to meet you." She said.
"Likewise…" he replied.
There was an awkward silence then…when Dylan suddenly spied someone he needed to speak to and beat a hasty retreat.
Jamie rolled his eyes.
Let the games begin…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They found their table…and after settling Jamie, Anna excused herself to go to the ladies room.
She was just washing her hands and re-touching her lip gloss when she caught someone staring at her in the mirror.
She turned to face Sydney Davenport…Jamie's former fiancée.
For a moment Sydney looked like someone had slapped her…but then she managed to cover.
Anna tried to make her smile genuine…but the tension in the ladies lounge was so thick…not even a knife would cut it. You'd probably need a machete…
"Sydney…nice to see you."
It sounded forced…cheesy…but really, what else was there to say?
Sydney forced a smile too.
"It's Anna? Right?" she asked.
She knew damn well it was.
"How's Jamie doing?"
"Much better." Anna answered. "You can ask him yourself. He's at the table."
The gaggle of girls who'd come in with Sydney looked Anna up and down. They'd heard from their friend that Jamie had a new girlfriend.
Sydney ignored the suggestion that she speak to Jamie…for the moment anyway.
Then she at least made a pretense of showing some manners.
"These are some of my friends…" she said. "Carolyn Rees-Jones, Marissa Courtland, Corrine Applewaite, and Ashley Shapiro. We've known each other since prep school. Girls…this is Anna…Jamie's new girlfriend."
There were terse nods and strained greetings…and then Anna excused herself to go back to Jamie.
Sydney and her friends watched her leave.
"I can't believe he had the nerve to bring her…" Ashley said.
"I can't believe he had the nerve to come…" Carolyn added.
Sydney drew a ragged breath and fanned her eyes…warding back the tears.
"No…it's fine guys." She said, putting on a brave face. "He was invited…and he has every right to bring whomever he wants. He's moved on…and he's happy…"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anna went back to the ballroom and back to Jamie at their table. He was in the midst of a conversation with a couple sitting across from him. He looked up as Anna took a seat to his left side.
"Anna…this is Rob Hastings…we had Consumer Law together." He said. "Rob…this is my girlfriend Annamarie Rossi."
They smiled and nodded. Then Rob introduced his wife Eliza.
"So what do you do?" Eliza asked.
"I teach kindergarten…" Anna answered.
They were actually having a pleasant conversation with the Hastings and the two other couples who showed up when Sydney and her posse walked by.
The girls from the restroom had made a virtual shield around Sydney…but that wasn't enough to keep her from staring right at Anna and Jamie with a pained expression on her face.
They made their way to the head table…they were all standing up for Aubrey…and at their table, Jamie shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Well…that was awkward…" one of the womwn sitting to Anna's left said.
That broke the tension…and everyone smiled and chuckled good-naturedly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Scene: The 'After-Party'
After dinner, the younger guests adjourned to an adjacent banquet room where Brandon had gotten one thing his way…while Aubrey's parents entertained their guests with a ten piece swing ensemble…Brandon had booked a band to play all his favorite classic rock covers…
The groom came over to talk to Jamie as he and Anna got their drinks from the bar.
"Jamie! You made it!"
Jamie grinned as his old buddy approached them. But Brandon stopped short when he saw the sling on Jamie's arm. He had heard about what happened…and he had read the news item on line…but now, standing face to face with his old friend…the one person in their circle he felt like he had anything in common with…really brought it all home.
Jamie's expression hardened and he braced himself to have to tell the story for about the hundredth time that night.
But then the bride swooped in.
She gave Jamie a half-hearted kiss on the cheek and wasn't too careful when she did.
Jamie grimaced and bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out in pain when Aubrey "accidently" jostled his arm. He quickly set down the drink he had been holding to protect his shoulder…even though it was too late.
Anna set her drink down as well and slipped her arms around Jamie.
"I'm sorry…" Aubrey said. "I should be more careful…shouldn't I?"
No shit…Jamie thought.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
But he took a deep breath to pull it back together.
Anna gently led him over to a table then went back to get their drinks. As Jamie sipped his ice water Anna rubbed small circles across his back to soothe him.
"Do you want to go back to the hotel, Honey?" she asked quietly.
What she really wanted to ask was if he wanted to go home. Now she understood why Jamie had only ever talked about Harvard in terms of the classes he'd taken and places on campus he used to go and not the people per se. At least not these people…
But as Jamie tried to get the pain under control his Irish temper was beginning to boil.
He had just as much reason to be there as anyone else…and he was angry that a few stuck-up rich people were making him…and Anna…feel like they didn't belong. Brandon was his friend…even if the rest of their crowd had been Sydney's. And damn it…he was going to be there for his friend.
He turned to Anna, sitting there beside him…the way she had been every minute of every day for the past month. She was worth ten of these girls here…he thought. No, a hundred. Not only was she beautiful, but she was intelligent, well-read, creative and talented, but she was sweet and funny and very much down to earth.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The band began to play a slow number…and the words fit perfectly all the things he was feeling.
"No…"he said as he took a deep breath to banish the last of the pain from his mind. "You want to dance?"
She looked at him in surprise. Usually she had to beg and cajole him out onto the dance floor…even for a slow song. The only times he ever would voluntarily agree to dance was when they were alone in her apartment…and even then it took a couple glasses of wine.
"Sure…" she said slowly.
Jamie stood up and held his good hand out to Anna. Then he led his beautiful girlfriend out to the dance floor…right past his ex-fiancée.
He brought Anna around the front of him, circled her slender waist with his good arm, and pulled her close. And Anna melted against him, sliding her right arm around his neck, using her left to gently cradle his injured arm.
They swayed gently to the music, and Jamie closed his eyes and let himself get caught up in the moment as the lead singer sang:
I've been waiting
For a girl like you…to come into my life
I've been waiting
For a girl like you…and a love that will survive.
And everything…and everyone…melted away. And it was just the two of them…Jamie and Anna, and a song that suddenly seemed to have been written just for them.
8