Tie One On

I stood outside the heavy wooden door.  Through it, I could hear the soft undulations of conversation and the gentle twitter of female laughter, followed by a healthy snort. Ah yes, the love of my life was in there. I knocked firmly and then pushed gently.

“Hey!”  I heard a voice protest as I stuck my head in. 

There before me was the most amazing array of beautiful women in beautiful dresses.  Six beautiful girls:  four bridesmaids, one flower girl and one bride.  The glow coming off one of them was literally blinding.  Her long hair swept up, her lips in a fantastic red, the heavy satin setting off her skin…  I melted as her brown eyes fell on me.  “Wow, you all look so beautiful!” 

“You aren’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding!”  My sister Jessica protested. 

“Well, it’s a good thing that the bride isn’t who I’m here to see.” I said roping my arm around the waist of the most beautiful woman in the room.  “Hello Mrs. Hanson.”

“Hello my husband.”  Cleo said as she hugged me back.  I looked down at her and felt a surge of love.  “Shouldn’t you be somewhere calming Isaac down?”

“Why would he need calming?”  I asked loving the warmth of her skin under the heavy satin.  “Getting married is the greatest moment ever.”

“Oh please, don’t say the “m” word.”  Emory said blanching.  “I’m so, so nervous.  Oh man, I think I’m going to pass out.”

“Jess, get a chair!”  Cleo said rushing forward out of my arms and propping Emory up.  She quickly settled her into a chair.  “Em, did you eat this morning?”  Emory shook her head.  “Have you had anything to drink?”  Again, Emory’s head swiveled from side to side.  “Okay, we need to get some food and water into you.” 

“What can I do to help?”  I asked as Cleo jumped up and gathered her skirt in her hands. 

“Mostly just go and make sure that Isaac has eaten and had some water.” Cleo said kissing me quickly.  “We don’t want anyone to faint during the ceremony.”

“Okay,” I said as Cleo rushed down the hallway away from me.  “I love you!”

“Love you too…” her voice came floating back to me as the yellow dress disappeared around the corner. 

I sighed.  I had been married less than 48 hours and yet, I wasn’t on my honeymoon.  I was standing in the church where I always imagined my wedding would take place wanting nothing more than to take my new wife home and ease the ache of longing.  But until after the wedding and consequent reception, I wasn’t going anywhere.  Again, I sighed.

There was nothing to do but go and check on Isaac.  See if he had been smart and eaten a little something, had a couple bottles of water, wasn’t popping something vital.  I started down the hallway towards the Grooms room when I came face to face with Zac.  “Hey.”

“You so don’t want to go in there.” Zac said nodding his head in the direction of the Grooms room.

“No?”  I asked.

“He’s being an enormous asshole.”  Zac said picking at the imaginary lint on the front of his tuxedo jacket.  “Even Dad gave up and Jarrod left five minutes after arriving.” 

“Well, shit.”  I said looking at my shoes.  Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to me.  I turned and jogged back down the hall where Cleo disappeared.  I skidded to a stop in the kitchen.  Again bowled over by a vision in a butter yellow dress.  “Hey sexy, fancy meeting you here!” 

“Hey!”  Cleo said around a mouthful of carrots.

“I thought you were getting food for Emory.”  I said laughing at the guilty blush that moved up her neck. 

“I was starving!”  Cleo protested after swallowing.

“But we had a huge breakfast.”  I said pulling open the refrigerator.  “How can you be hungry?”

“Taylor, need I remind you what we’ve been doing for the last 24 hours?”  She asked smiling wickedly.

“Oh yeah,” I said laughing.  Sex really does build the appetite.  I put two beer bottles in each pocket and one in each hand.  “I must say I was good.”

“Sting’s got nothing on you.”  She said backing out of the room with a plate of food and a bottle of water.  “But really, go easy on the beer, I am expecting a repeat performance.”

“Like a couple beers are going to stop me.”  I mumbled as I followed her down the hall.

“You never know.”  She said as she stopped in the front of the Brides room.  “Okay, I am going to calm the hysterical bride, you go and try to reason with the freaking out groom.”

“How do you know Ike’s freaking out?”  I asked leaning in for another quick kiss.  Why not just increase the ache?

“Because of two reasons,” Cleo said smirking.  “One, I know him.  And two, you wouldn’t be armed with six beers if Ike weren’t hanging from the ceiling by his nails."

“That is yet another reason why I adore you.”  I said sneaking a quick kiss.  “You are brilliant.”

“Go, take care of Ike.”  She said before disappearing.

I retraced my steps back down the hallway.  As I came near to the Grooms room, I could hear voices.  But as I listened, I realized that it was one voice.  Isaac was in there having a serious talking to, to himself.  I had to laugh.  I knocked once then pushed the door open.  "Hey, you up for some company?"

Isaac looked at me with red rimmed and blood shot eyes.  "I could use some."

"Fantastic," I said stepping into the room.  I walked over to a table setting down the beers in my hands and unloading my pockets.  "Can I crack a cold one for you?"

"Sure," Isaac said taking the offered beer from my hand.  He tipped his head back and drained almost the entire beer in one try.  "So, you were the one sent in here to calm me down?"

"Huh?"  I asked sipping at my own beer.  "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you just walked in here with a six pack of beer in your pockets."  Isaac said laughing. 

"Oh, well, that..." I said looking at the four unopened beers.  "I guess I did.  Actually, Cleo sort of sent me."

"Gotta do what Cleo says."  Isaac said popping the top on a second beer.

"Yeah, she has legal right to order me around now."  I said taking another swig of beer.  “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, yet.”

“With her, how could it ever be good?”  Isaac said chuckling as he finished his second beer in rapid succession.

“Ah Ike, if only you could know just how good it can be.”  I said my mind wandering back to yesterday and last night and this morning…  I felt the beginning of the ache. 

“Yeah?’  Isaac asked.  It was a question, but he didn’t really want to know.  He settled with a heavy sigh onto the couch.  “That is the one thing I’m looking forward to, it all being good.”

“It will be.”  I said settling next to him. 

“Oh okay.”  Isaac chuckled.  “You are so well versed in all aspects of married life.  What has it been forty-eight hours?” 

I looked at my watch.  It was 5:30.  “Actually it’s been about forty-four.” 

We both started laughing.  I could see the tension lines around Isaac’s eyes smoothing, his jaw relaxing.  We sat in comfortable silence each of us lost in our thoughts; mine centered on how long it would be before I could go home and be with Cleo.

“Can I ask you a question?”  Isaac asked quietly, breaking my reverie.

“Sure!”  I said finishing off my first beer as Isaac broke open his third. 

“How did you know?”  Isaac asked quietly.

“I just knew.”  I said smiling.  “How do I explain it?  How do I make you see her the way I do?  Why don’t you tell me how you knew?”

“Oh man…” Isaac said rubbing roughly at his face.  “Where do I even start?”

“Why not at the beginning?”  I asked laughing as he hiccupped. 

“I remember it so clearly.” Isaac said his eyes getting a faraway look.  He polished off his third beer and reached for a fourth.  “She was standing behind the bar in O’Houlihans. Her hair was so curly in the humidity and I had to smile.  She narrowed her eyes at me and demanded, “What’s so funny?”  Her nose scrunched up and her eyes wide in anger.  I then stumbled through a rambling explanation…”

“No, you rambled?”  I asked feigning surprise.

“Fuck you.”  Isaac said around a mouthful of beer.  “Everyone knows I ramble, no need to rub it in.” 

“Sorry.”  I said smirking.  “Carry on.”

“Anyway,” he said his voice drawling.  “I just wanted to reach across the bar and pull her into a kiss.  Instead, I asked for a Guinness and told her that I understood her pain and turned on the charm. Or I tried to.  I kept thinking, “What would Taylor say right now…””

“You didn’t!”  I said laughing.

“I did.”  Isaac said his smile getting bigger and bigger.  “And it seemed to be working.  She slowly, but surely stopped helping the other customers…  Eventually, she stood in front of me, leaning across the bar, smiling and laughing.  Her eyes twinkling like emeralds.  Finally, her boss told her it was last call.  The look of surprise on her face was priceless.  It was that moment, that exact second I knew she was going to be my wife.  Without realizing what I was doing, I reached out and caught one of her curls…  Just like I would with Cleo, wrapping it around my finger.  I planned on just pulling on it gently.  But in my drunken state, I more just yanked on it.” 

“Not so smooth,” I said watching him finish his fifth beer.  I was supposed to take the edge off, not get him drunk.  But really, would anyone be mad at me if I got him through this?

“Not smooth at all.  As I tried to pull my finger out of her hair, she moved closer to me.  Suddenly, she was so close I could smell her shampoo.  I don’t even know why, but I decided I needed to kiss her.  When our lips touched, I saw fireworks.”

“Fireworks are always good.”  I said looking down at my watch.  It was now 5:43.  “Speaking of fireworks, I don’t want to be on the receiving end of any.  If I don’t get you out there, I’ll be in some serious trouble with everyone.” 

“Okay, let’s roll.”  Isaac said jumping up and swaying slightly.  He stepped up to the mirror and straightened his vest before buttoning his jacket.  He snagged his bowtie off the counter and slid it around the collar.  He began to fumble with the slick silk, trying desperately to tie it.  “Ugh, why can’t I tie this?” Isaac held the tie in his hands in front of him. The tremor in his hands was pronounced.  “Wow, look at that!  I’m shaking.”

“Dude, are you nervous?”  I asked taking the tie.  “You don’t ever get nervous.”

“Isn’t it strange?”  Isaac asked as I slung the tie around his neck. “I can sing in front of thousands of people and yet, I’m totally scared to even go out there…”

“But this is way more important than a performance.”  I said weaving the silk into the intricate shape.

“You’re right.”  Isaac said tears in his eyes.  “I’m glad you’re here as my best man.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”  I said tucking his collar down around the bowtie.  “I love you, Ike.  I know you’re doing the right thing.  You and Emory will be amazing together.”

“I love you too.”  Isaac said pulling me into a tight hug.  “And really, the idea of you and Cleo is just plain amazing.”

“Ugh, can you two love each other later?”  I heard from over by the door.

“Cleo, you are a such a smart ass.”  I said as I turned around.

“Well, are you ready to walk me down the aisle?”  She asked smiling slyly at me. 

“Always.”