The Wedding

The Wedding
Prologue

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Lyla leaned in close to the mirror and applied one last coat of lipstick. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

She ran her hands over her hair, making sure it was just right. She looked out the window again to see if Tim and Jason had arrived. There was no ramp, only a lift into the church and although he probably wouldn't say anything, she knew it would make Jason uptight. He liked to go under his own power. Lifts like this one were for old people, is how he would see it. How was it that they had picked the only church in Texas with steps?

She could hear Tyra in the next room talking to Jake. Another glance out the window caught her a glimpse of Billy arriving with an aide to sit with him. She was so glad he was able to be a part of the day.

She knew she should go find Tyra and Julie, but a big part of her just wanted to sit there for a few more minutes of quiet. So much of the rest of the day would be taken up with people and photographers and music and dancing. Now she just wanted a moment to center herself.

Tyra bent down and adjusted Jake's tie. She hadn't expected him to put on his suit without a fight, but he'd surprised her when he actually asked if they could go to the church early. Arrive early for a wedding...now there was a novel concept.

"Do you remember what you have to do?" she asked him as she wiped an imaginary smudge from his cheek.

"Mom," Jake groaned as he pulled away from her. "I have to stand by Dad and then when he's ready I give him the ring. We practiced, remember?"

Tyra smiled. Yes, they had practiced and Jake had talked about little else since he found out about the wedding months ago. She was proud of him today. And she knew Tim would be too. She stood and shooed Jake out of the room. It was getting late and she still had to get ready.

Julie fingered the picture frame sitting on her bureau and smiled sadly. It had been taken a year ago at the 10-year Reunion. Her, Matt and her parents. Beaming under the Welcome Back Dillon Panthers banner that hung across the entryway. They looked so happy; like there was nothing wrong in the entire world.

But the problems were there, beneath the surface. And they'd almost ripped her and Matt apart.

It was hard for her to imagine that a whole year had passed since then. They were supposed to have been married last August. But then the treatments had started and she just didn't have the strength to plan a wedding. Her parents had been disappointed, not to mention Matt, but ultimately they had let her decide, and it was the right decision, even if it meant waiting to start her life with Matt. Her life as his wife.

She placed the frame back in place and stared at her reflection. She had to force herself to be happy on most days, but there was good reason to celebrate today and she was going to smile through the whole ceremony, no matter how heavy her heart felt.

"Matthew." The pastor walked up to Matt and pumped his hand furiously. Matt swore the man was happier than Matt himself was.

"The bride has arrived. Can I count on you not to faint on me up there today?"

Matt swallowed thickly past the lump in his throat. He nodded, unable to push even a single word past his lips.

"Well alright then, son. You go find your friends. Let's not keep those folks waiting."

Forcing one foot in front of the other, Matt made his way to the back room where the guys were waiting. He really shouldn't be nervous today, but being here in the church where he and Julie had planned to be married so many months ago...it was hard to believe that they were finally all gathered here to celebrate.

He wiped his hand across his brow and went to find Jason and Tim.

Placing one hand against the wall, Tim leaned the cane he was using against a chair and tested his leg. It held. And hopefully it would hold through the ceremony.

"You sure about this?" Jason asked. "No one expects you to be a hero, Timmy."

Tim shook his head and took two tentative steps. He knew no one would care if he used his cane, but it was important to him, and he knew it would be important to Tyra as well.

"I'm sure," he said quietly. A year ago no one would have seen this day coming, but now here they were, waiting in the back of the church Tim hadn't been in for years, and still he didn't feel out of place.

Tim caught Jason's eye and smiled. "You ready?"

Jason nodded, taking a deep breath. "You?"

The door opened and Tim looked up as Saracen stepped in, decked out in his own carbon-copy tuxedo.

"It's time," Matt said.

He looked up the aisle at the closed doors at the back of the church. Any minute they would open and he'd see her.

He looked over at his friends, so glad they were there standing up with him. His best man nodded—knowing exactly what he was thinking.

They had waited so long—longer than either of them had ever counted on and even though neither one of them could figure out why all the delays had happened, he knew it didn't matter anymore.

He loved her and she was going to be his wife for the rest of their lives.

Her father looked nervous standing at the doorway to the church. He fingered the edge of his tux and looked out over the crowd gathered to celebrate her wedding.

She reached down and touched the satin of the dress. It seemed so unreal that this day was finally here.

"You ready, honey?"

She looked over at her dad and smiled. "I am, Daddy."

"I love you baby girl. And he's a good man."

She looked down the aisle at the man she was going to marry. He was a good man. He'd been so patient and loved her for so long, no matter what. She turned and looked at her father. She loved him and felt so safe with him by her side.

Married. She was getting married.

/tbc/

Disclaimer: All characters who appear in these stories belong to their respective creators, including Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.
Authors's Note: Thanks to our beta devilc for joining us once again. We hope you enjoy the continuation of the Reunion-verse.