"You okay, T?" A cold hand touches my shoulder.
I jump a little, irrationally thinking for a second that it was a cold droplet of rain. I turn to see concerned blue eyes watching me. I slowly take in the vision before me. Long dark blond hair, almost brown really. The tall nose and aristocratic features. The slight furrow between her brows and the down turned lips attest to her concern. Without my permission, my hand lifts to smooth the worry from between her brows. Then I run my palms down her tuxedo covered chest. So soft.
"How come you get to wear something that makes you look hot and I get to look like a wilted rose?" I playfully ask her.
She laughs, her blue eyes filling with mirth, twinkling at me. "One, I always look hot." she winks saucily at me. I slap her stomach, snickering. "Two, you hardly look wilted, T. More like you could use a little, erm.."
"A little what?" I mock growl.
She puts her hands up to ward of my advance. Her hand brushes against my bare arms. Goosebumps trail up and down my arms in her fingers' wake. I shiver. But not because her hands were cold, of that I'm sure.
"Why are your hands cold?" I take them in mine and hold them. It feels so natural, her palms against mine, our fingers intertwined.
She studies our joined hands intently for a moment, her expression wistful. She is lost in quiet contemplation of our hands. Hers light against my tanned ones.
"Brooke?" I prod her.
She looks up at me, lost for a second more then her eyes clear and she smirks that smile she aimed at me the very first time I saw her. Why did I not see it then? That very first time?
"Cold beer. I found a stash. Champagne sucks," she whispered conspiratorially. "I saved you some for later. Um, that is if... You know... You stick around... or something..." she stutters.
All of a sudden I remember why I wanted it to rain. Garden weddings can't happen under the falling rain, can it? And as my mind follows that train of thought, I hear heals clicking on the hard, rough cut granite slabs of the garden path.
Ah, yes. Here comes the bride. Her eyes a radiant green, her cheeks rosy and her footsteps light. She looks lovely. As lovely as when I first saw her all those years ago, across that classroom filled with noisy college freshmen. The first time I laid eyes on her, I thought I lost my heart.
And after all these years, she is still as breathtaking. She stops beside Brooke, linking their arms.
"Can you guys believe it?" she says, nearly overflowing with happiness. "I'm finally getting married. After seven years we are finally doing it."
"You look lovely, Carmen," I say softly, my eyes glued to her joyful face.
I can feel Brooke's eyes on me. But for the life of me I couldn't look at her.
She blushes prettily. "Thanks, Tara. You don't look too bad yourself."
"She looks.." Brooke starts.
My eyes track hers and I growl playfully. "I'd bet grass stains would look lovely on your black tux, MacGyver."
Brooke smiles at the nickname she earned from me when we got separated from our trekking group that one time she, Carmen, Carmen's girlfriend Louise and I actually tried it.
"If you didn't insist on 'exploring' the forest we wouldn't have gotten lost, Columbus," she reminds me.
"Why you arrogant little--"
Carmen laughs, long ago used to our bickering. "Girls, don't make me separate you two."
As we continue to harass each other, a pair of strong looking arms wrap themselves around Carmen's trim waist. A blonde head dips to kiss Carmen's shoulders. Carmen's expression turns dreamy.
I watch as the other bride, Louise, starts to kiss Carmen. I wait for the pain to hit me. It always does. I avert my gaze til they collided with Brooke's sad baby blues. I smile at her.
"Hey, none of that, now," Brooke admonishes the lovers. "You're not supposed to kiss the bride until after you say 'I do'."
Looking into Carmen's eyes, Louis says, "I do."
Brooke rolls her eyes and slaps Louise hard on her back. "Alright, lets go before you start your honeymoon before you actually get married."
We walk around the bend, to the main lawn where the minister was waiting along with the small entourage and the guests.
The minister begins the rites that would join Carmen and Louise. She drones on until she pauses and looks over the assembled crowd.
"If there is anyone here who objects to this joining, speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister intones.
I swallow hard. Here it is, the one moment I have been waiting for. To finally confess to Carmen how much I loved her, from that very first day. Even before Louise became a silhouette in her horizon, I had loved her. This is my chance for that happy ending with my one true love.
From the corner of my eyes I see Brooke look away, her eyes full of hurt. I see her swallow hard.
I look at Carmen, and I see her happy, radiant and very much in love.
Yes, my one chance to be with my one true love. I take a deep breath to give me fortitude. Then I open my mouth to say my piece.
The night breeze caresses my bare arms and I shiver as the cold wraps itself around me. I could still hear the chaos from way out in the balcony.
I hear heavy footsteps behind me and then I feel a presence stand beside me. I could smell Louise's perfume, and when she opened her mouth I could smell beer. She must have found the stash that Brooke was talking about.
"Why did you do it?" she asks, her words slightly slurred. I haven't seen her like this since she and Carmen went through a rough patch a couple of years before.
"I had to," I answer her quietly. I turn to face her. She stands there looking at me, her face open and flushed from the alcohol. "I think I just did you a favor."
She snorts. "Yeah, right." She squints her eyes at me, trying to look menacing but failing miserably. "More like embarrassed the hell out of me. I mean, who would have expected the maid of honor to yell 'Get on with it already! Cant you see they want to get the honeymoon started?'." She throws her head back and laughs.
I merrily laugh with her, feeling more giddy and light-hearted than I have in years. "I thought the minister would swallow her tongue!"
We laugh until Brooke and Carmen show up.
Carmen steps toward me and gives me a long, tight hug. "You are one whacky woman, you know that?" she says.
"Yep, but you love me, anyway," I reply, hugging her just as tight.
"What do you say we get out of here, Mrs. Hunter?" Louise wobbly bows to her wife.
Carmen giggles and takes Louise's offered elbow.
I watch them leave, a smile on my face. I truly am happy for them.
Brooke takes her tux jacket off, and drapes it around my shoulders. I immediately feel warm and pleasantly tingly. I could smell her faint perfume and the scent so uniquely Brooke.
We stand quietly side by side, watching the stars brilliant against the dark sky. I hear her take a deep breath. And another one. Then another.
I am starting to worry that she would hyperventilate. Before I could ask her if she was alright, she blurts, "I have been in love with you from the moment I saw you."
My breath catches in my throat. I clear it to get the words out. "Why did it take you so long to tell me?"
"Because you always saw only Carmen," she whispers.
I turn to her, wanting to wrap my arms around her but stopping myself. "That's not true."
She snorts. "Yeah it is. Always."
My body betrays me for I find my hand reaching out to touch her. I turn her, firmly because she resists, until she faces me. I try to catch her eyes but she refuses to look at me. "Do you know why I insisted to go exploring the day we got lost in that mountain?"
"You said it was because you were jealous that Carmen and Louise were all over each other."
I nod my head. "What I didn't tell you was that I found the path back to the trail that first night."
She snaps her head up and looks at me. "Why on earth did you let us wander around like that for three days?"
I blush as I say, "Because that day, I fell in love with you."
Her eyes widen so comically that I chuckle. The chuckle turns to silence as she just stares at me.
Under her gaze I fidget until I couldn't help myself anymore. "Say something," I beg her.
She smiles sexily, that smirk that I now realize was mine and mine alone. Then she ducks her head and kisses me so passionately I feel faint. And in this moment I feel so grateful that I took my chance to be with my one true love.
END