Chapter 18
It was a glorious day, the kind you only dream of. Sunshine cascading down onto the flowers. Birds chipring sweetly as if to say 'We're happy, happy for you.' There smiled Chelsea, outside the church hugging and laughing with family members she had not seen in ages. It was the night of her rehearsal dinner and everyone was filled with excitement.
"Are you nervous?" her mother Glynda asked, whispering in her ear.
"No," she smiled and shook her head. "I'm excited. I bet I won't get any sleep tonight."
Filing into the church for rehearsal Chelsea glanced around at the large sanctuary. The flowers weren't there yet but already she could see just how beautiful the ceremony would be. As the minister's wife showed her exactly where the groom and groom's men chambers were and where she would be getting ready in the morning she knew that everything was going to be perfect.
"Ok," the minister clapped his hands together. "Now when the ceremony starts tomorrow we want everything to run smoothly, no mistakes. So we're going to run through everything three times just to make sure everyone knows what's going on then you all can leave for dinner."
John grabbed her hand tightly, squeezing it three times. "Alright, this is it. Your last chance. Are you sure you want to marry me?"
"I've never been more sure of anything," she kissed his cheek. "Now get up there and let me walk down the aisle!"
John walked towards the front of the church with Chelsea watching from behind. This was it. This was happening. The months of planning had come to a head and there she was standing in her childhood church the day before her wedding. She had always invisioned getting married here since she was a little girl. The odd thing was it was not longer a vision. It was real.
"Ok, now start with the bridesmaids," the minister cheered and the wedding procession began. Chelsea couldn't remember the last time she smiled so much as her sisters filed down the aisle, her mother snapping pictures of their every move.
"Mom," Chelsea chuckled," Save some film for the dinner!"
"Don't worry, I've got five more rolls in the car."
Looking up Chelsea realized it was her turn to walk. There before her were her sisters, her mother, her John...all staring at her with anticipation. She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with one last ounce of calmness as her nerves excelerated. This was the moment she'd prepared for, yet it seemed so daunting to take that first step.
Once more she looked up and caught John's eyes. They stared into her as though they were saying 'Welcome.' Those eyes, which have become a source of home to her, those eyes.
Staring into those eyes she stepped forward.
* * * *
Following the rehersal the two families joined as one for a celebratory dinner at the swank Maisonette. The champagne flowed as they nibbled on pan seared mahi-mahi, Chelsea's favorite, with a citrus risotto, grilled asparagus, and herb beur blanc. It was all intricately planned from the dressing on the salad down to the brand of coffee for after dinner drinks. All in all the evening was full of triumph for both the wedding planner and the couple. They had pulled it off miraculously.
Back in her apartment she felt differently about everything though. Sitting before a lit fire she stared at the roaring flames, hugging her legs against her closely. It had been the perfect evening and yet she couldn't ignore the butterflies in her stomach. Was this what she wanted? Was this what she wanted to do with the rest of her life? Looking over at the bookshelf she spotted her old photo albums. Pictures that felt like they were taken life times ago. It's funny, how many chapters of life we go through and yet when she was about to enter the greatest chapter of her life, she couldn't help but wonder if she was ready. Was it the right time?
Flipping through the photographs she noticed how much more carefree she used to be. Sure, she was happy now with her life...but it amazed her how much more adult like she looked now with John in comparison to her growing up, her many high school boyfriends...her relationship with Nick. Then she saw it, the picture of the night she immediately fell in love with him. There they were staring into each others eyes, face to face, with smiles ranging ear to ear. They were so happy. They were so in love.
* * * *
"Your show was incredible!" Chelsea smiled as Nick stepped off stage with the roaring crowd left behind him, "Is it always like this?" she laughed.
"Yea," he bent down and kissed her, "Pretty much...oooh, sorry," he apologized as he wiped the sweat he dribbled on her off her face, "Ok, give me ten minutes to get showered and then we'll be out of here."
"And what is it exactly that you do after shows?" she questioned, completely unused to the hectic schedule of touring.
"We'll get in the bus and drive to our next show," he answered. "But don't worry, it's not bad. The bus is really nice...you'll totally forget you're even on the road I swear."
"Alright," she agreed. "I don't mind, honest. It's just a whole new lifestyle you have."
He kissed her once more before rushing off into the shower. Turning around she looked closely at the staff of roadies deconstructing the stage. Everything was so efficient and orderly. Like it was absolutely nothing to them to break down and build up that huge stage day after day. Roaming down the hallway she tried to stay out of the way but she stuck out like a sore thumb...everything was so different then anything she'd ever seen before.
"Nick said to meet him in the bus," his assistant said walking up to Chelsea, "He's finishing up in the dressing room right now but doesn't want to have to deal with the fans seeing the two of you together."
"The fans?"
"Yea, the fans. They can be pretty cruel."
"Oh," she nodded, still unsure of how to deal with roudy fans hassling her. "I didn't consider that. Sure, just show me where the bus is."
Walking down the hall she was led through a fire exit. Immediately after stepping outside she could smell the exhaust fumes from the guys' busses. The busses which were barely audible over the screaming teenage girls pressed up against a coin linked fence. It was amazing, as if they were waiting for the Beatles. How could these girls be waiting for Nick? He's just a normal person. He's no Paul McCartney.
And then it occured to Chelsea what exactly she was getting herself into. She was going to be dating a popstar whose fan base includes territorial teenage girls. Girls who think that they actually know Nick merely because they have a couple of his cds and some posters splattered on their bedroom walls. There wasn't going to be anything normal about their relationship, ever. No privacy. None. Everything would be wide out in the open for the whole world to see...whether invited or not.
"Come on," Kevin Richardson, a fellow group member, urged her forward from her standstill in the parking lot.
On the bus she was surprised to see Nick already there. He was on the couch flipping through the television channels and drinking a Lemonade Gatorade as if the hundreds of screaming girls outside were of no matter. "How'd you make it back to the bus so quickly?" Chelsea asked sitting down beside him.
"I'm a pro," he smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "Come on, let's go to the back room. It's more private back there."
Kindly she followed him into the 'back room'. Who knew that a bus could be as luxorious as this one. It was nicer then her apartment. Everything was polished and beautiful.
Opening the door before her Nick stepped in. "Now," he yawned, hugging her tightly before sitting down on the plush sofa, "What do you want to do?"
"Judging by that yawn of yours I think sleeping would be in order. You know, I'm really impressed with how this whole touring thing is. Although, I'm clueless how you could ever enjoy it. Don't you ever miss home?"
"Oh yea," he took her hand. "All the time. That's why it's so important to have people like you come along. You start to realize that a house isn't an actual home. It's the people that you have around you that are home."
"Aw, I see. Well, I'm glad I could make you feel more at home then," she smiled sweetly.
"Yea," he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss, "It's moments like this, with you...that make me realize that I don't think I've ever known what a true home is before. I'm starting to think my whole life has been leading up to you. That from the day I was born, I was trying to find you."
"Wow," she kissed him quickly on the lips. "That's deep," she tickled him slightly...and it was then, tickling him and watching him giggle that she realized she would never love anyone more in her life. The way he made her heart stop and start. The way the world seemed to stop as long as she was with him. He was right, she didn't realize they were on the road to somewhere. She didn't realize she was in a bus. The only thing she was aware of was him and his laugh and his warmth and his kiss. The only thing she cared about in the whole world, was him.
"I love you," Nick told her, gazing deep into her eyes.
"I love you too," she returned. "And Nick," she nuzzled up beside him, "I never thought that was possible. For me to love someone like this. I thought it was only something in movies."
"I thought it was only something in the songs we sing."
"Yea, but now we know."
"Yup, we know."
She kissed him, "We know."
Staring into each others eyes they just smiled at each other with the whole world faded away. There was no bus. There were no screaming fans. There was no room. It was just them.
They didn't even notice as AJ bursted into the backroom with his camera and the flash of the lense going off.
* * * *
And that was that. Somehow that moment ended though, somehow they eventually became aware of their surroundings.
"Well," she shrugged and tossed the picture into the fireplace, "That was then and this is now." There she sat watching the photograph fold up and crinkle in the fire, till it disappeared to nothing but a speck of black ash.
Interrupting her trance was a knock at the door, "Ugh," she groaned and dragged herself up off the floor over to the door.
"Hey," John smiled as she opened the door to him. "I didn't wake you did I?"
"No," she shook her head, "I was just going through some old photo albums by the fire. What are you doing here? You know it's bad luck to sleep with the bride the night before the wedding."
"You know, I've never been much for tradition...and besides, who says?"
"I dunno who says, but...don't you think it'd be wrong of us to gamble with happily ever after?"
"I suppose," he surrendered. "But, that's actually not why I'm here. I wanted to give you your present."
"My present? Sweetie, you didn't have to get me anything! You've already done so much..."
"I know I know," he kissed her forehead. "But I wanted to. So here, look," he urged handing her his planner. "Look after tomorrow."
Confused she opened up the planner to their wedding date and saw their honeymoon in the following two weeks. But after that, there was nothing. Nothing but blank boxes. "I don't understand," she shook her head looking back up at him.
"It's my schedule. For the next six months I have nothing, nothing but you."
"Nothing but me?"
"Nope," he smiled and stroked her hair. "No touring. No photo shoots. No interviews. Nothing but you and me. You've followed me on tour and now it's my turn to follow you."
"Wow," she gulped, fighting hard to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. No one had ever done that for her, totally put her first. Most especially not Nick. He was never willing to drop everything to just be with her. Always something in his schedule managed to get in the way, to come first. "John," she sighed, totally speechless. She looked up at him with her wet eyes and quivering lip. "I...I...I don't even..." she grabbed him and hugged him tightly. Tighter then she'd ever hugged anyone in her life. "Thank you," she broke away. "Thank you so much."
"Thank you!" he kissed her nose. "Thank you so much for marrying me. I love you Chelsea, more then you know. When I wanted to get you something I tried and tried to figure out what you'd want. I wanted to get you everything, but then I realized that the most important thing is spending time together. You gave up so much to go on tour with me. I don't want you to do that over and over. We're going to be married now, it should go both ways. One hundred percent from each of us. You follow me. I follow you."
Clenching her arms around him Chelsea sighed at the warmth of his embrace as all the butterflies in her stomach quickly dissipated. The answer to her question had come. Is it the right time? Yes. And more importantly, is it the right guy? Most definitely.
Chapter 19
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