CARTER'S DUTY: WILLIAM CARTER
III
Chapter 19 - By Christopher Patrick Lydon
When Brody finally pulled up in Jared's Cherokee and laid on
the horn, the friends were finally ready to go. Will had leant the keys of
his Jeep to Andrew, and Jeff's parents were going to follow behind the Jeep
in their rented minivan. A motorcade to the church, which wasn't that far
away. There was just so much preparation behind such a simple event that Will
was glad he didn't have to go through it again for awhile, unless Kerry got
it into her head to drag Jared down the aisle.
She was to come with Andrew in the Jeep, thankfully Will was
to be spared the pleasure of her company on the ride to the church. He got
into the front passenger seat and turned around to face Jeff who sat in the
back next to Jared.
"Just say the word and we turn this car towards Pearson
airport." He grinned, "Tijuana..."
Jeff chuckled, "Just get me to the damn church."
"Now now," Brody warned from the drivers seat as he
started the motor up, "you're about to make a covenant with god, there
will be no more blasphemy on this ride."
"You're a fine one to talk," Will replied rolling
down his window and leaning his arm on the door frame, "The stripper?"
"Hey," Brody said with a smile, "Some one had
to take care of the girl. You know you are a cold hearted man Carter."
He pulled the Jeep out into the street and turned it towards the church.
"I bet you showed her how warm yours was." Jared said
from the back.
"Some one had to tap that fine ass." Brody said as
he accelerated.
Will winced at the crass thought and put on his pair of blue
tinted sunglasses enjoying the warm weather as they wound their way through
Ottawa congestion. Amidst so many changes one thing remained constant, Brody
would never change who he was and that was one small blessing. At least one
of them could still carry on like a seventeen year old.
"He's got a point," Jared said leaning forward.
"Shut up," Jeff remarked, "Or I tell Kerry about
Mercedes."
Jared chuckled, "You do buddy and she will spill everything
to Lisa in like two minutes flat. You'd be just as screwed."
"He's got you there." Will said watching as they sped
past an Acura.
That was it, their last journey together all as single men.
Rafik would already be at the church with his adoring wife Farah. Soon Lisa
would have title deed over Jeff's soul and Kerry would lay claim to Jared's
not long after that. Only Brody seemed truly safe, untouchable in that way
of his. The only really free spirit among them.
Will shook his head, typical Brody though. The man didn't need
anything more than his own allotment of life. He was the one who was truly
content to be the rogue scholar, constantly seeking the next thrill in life.
Out of them all he was the one who truly lived life. Or did he?
In the rush to idolize Brody's freedom Will had overlooked one
key fact. And that was simply that Brody was out to make the right choice.
It wasn't a question of time with him, but rather a question of being absolutely
sure. No question at all really, he wanted someone who would challenge him.
His life after all was about each moment, and not about settling.
That or a vivacious eighteen year old.
Will chuckled at that thought, as the Jeep pulled into the Church
parking lot. He turned back to Jeff again.
"Last call for Tijuana..."
"Would you stop it with all the Tijuana jokes?" Jeff
said frustrated, "I'm going to do this."
Will and Brody exchanged knowing looks as they all got out of
the car. It was a big day for all of them.
"You okay? Feeling all right?" It was the first time
Will had ever asked Jeff that.
They were in the back of the church and Jeff was ready to take
his place at the altar, but the guys had taken one last chance to wish him
luck.
"Yeah," Jeff said as he adjusted Will's tie. "I'm
fine. Tired, but I'm fine. Thanks for coming back here, though. I was starting
to freak out by myself."
He held out his hand for all of them to see it tremble. Will
had never seen him shake before. Jeff was like that, generally unaffected
by things. But now he ... looked good in the Kilt, despite the fact he seemed
nervous. Jeff was actually nervous about it and who could blame him really.
The day was a monumental step in his life, a pivotal moment in not just his
relationship, but culturally as well.
"Where's the priest?" Jared asked.
"Checking the details. Making sure everything's ready."
"Making sure Lisa shows?" Brody asked and managed
to sound innocent.
Jared and Jeff both smacked him at the same time.
"Shut up!"
"Brody!"
"What? I was joking!" Brody exclaimed.
"Sh!" Rafik scolded from the back pew as some of the
people in the church glanced back at them.
"Mrs. Sternosti's looking," Will told them. "Guess
we'd better stop mucking about, huh?"
Jared smiled innocently at her.
Jeff chuckled and glanced up at his mother. "That was fun
last night. Thanks, you guys."
"Yeah, too bad we can't do it again," Brody said.
"Why? I mean it's not like--." He stopped as it dawned
on him. "Oh. Yeah. You're right. But hey, we did it, right? And we'll
do something for Jared's bachelor party too."
"I'm not getting married," Jared protested.
"Not something boring," Brody responded.
"Not something...," Rafik began. "I can't think
of anything." He glanced back to make sure Farah, who was over talking
to one of Lisa's relatives didn't hear.
"Will?" Jeff asked.
"Something memorable," Will replied to him. "That's
what's important."
Will's cell phone rang and he rolled his eyes. There was always
something, he took it out and slipped back into an alcove. "This had
better be important." He whispered softly, as he hoped there wasn't some
taboo about using a cell phone in a church.
"Will?" Lisa sounded upset, and he felt his heart
dip. Not now...not when they were so close...not now...
"Lisa," he said his voice dropped even lower, this
time to ensure Jeff didn't hear him, "Don't you dare tell me you're not
coming..."
There was a hesitation on the line and Will's stomach clenched.
"I'm just not sure about this..." she said timidly.
"Where are you?" he demanded.
"In the limo, we're circling the block, Daddy told the
driver to go around again." She sounded so small.
Will stepped out of the alcove and motioned to Brody who jogged
over to join him. "What's up?" Brody whispered.
Will covered the mouth piece, "Lisa, she's having cold
feet. Come on I need your help."
The two slipped out of the church and walked down to the street,
Will glanced up the road, "Tell your dad to pull over and let us in."
He ordered, he had to be resolute. After everything they had been through
he wasn't about to let it all fall apart because Lisa had cold feet. And as
the Limo pulled up beside them they climbed inside.
Will refrained from thinking about the fact that it was his
first time in a limousine, and focused on Lisa who looked radiant. The wedding
dress was stunning, white silk and lace, a beautiful Celtic style accented
with simple white lilies. It set off her auburn hair and gave her a classic
Irish fairy tale look. Will couldn't help but stare at her for a moment.
"So you're not going through with it?" Brody asked
her bluntly.
"I'm just not sure..." She said forlornly, as she
glanced out of the window of the car as they pulled away from the church.
"This mean your single?" he asked hopefully, "Cause
in that dress..."
"Shut up Brody." Will snapped, "You're supposed
to be helping."
He grinned, "Can't help it, look at her!"
Will ignored Brody as he reached out to take her hand gently,
"Look, I don't know very much, but I do know that you're in love with
him or else you would never have set this wedding date. And I know he loves
you because he wouldn't shut up about it all week. What aren't you sure of?"
She squeezed his hand, "I'm scared Will, what if this doesn't
work out, what if he changes, what if I change..."
Will patted her hand, and smiled at her carefully, "So
what? People change, we have all changed since we first met. But one thing
seems to have been constant and that's you and Jeff. You two have been an
inspiration for the rest of us. You've shown us that no matter what, love
grows and changes right along with you." He stared into her eyes, "And
there are a lot worse guys out there."
"Like me." Brody said as he looked out of the window
to check out a girl on roller blades that skated up the street.
"Yeah we know you're a pig." Will responded.
"Don't hate me `cause I know how to play the game."
Brody replied.
Will grinned at Lisa, "You're going down that aisle missy,
cause you know who's going to have to sit and listen to Jeff whine and cry
if you don't..." He sat back into the plush leather seat, "And I
know you would too."
She nodded quietly, demurely...for the first time in as long
as will had known her. Lisa was demure. He marvelled at it. She was the strongest
woman he knew, forceful and opinionated on absolutely everything. And where
as Farah was just a bitch, Lisa simply wasn't. She was herself.
He tapped on the glass divider that separated the driver and
Lisa's father from the rear of the limo. The glass partition rolled down.
"Take us to the church." Will requested with a smile.
He breathed a little easier as the limo pulled up at the doors
of the church, and both he and Brody spilled out. Lisa took a moment to compose
herself as her father took her arm. The three bridesmaids were waiting and
giggled at Will as he sprinted past them.
Brody paused, "Hello ladies..."
Will hesitated long enough to grab Brody's arm and pull him
bodily into the church, as they made their way down to the front. Jeff stared
at them a moment as Brody slid into a pew and Will climbed the last few steps
breathlessly.
"She's here..." he said as he caught his breath, "And
Jeff...she's beautiful."
Jeff opened his mouth to ask where Will had vanished to, but
the music started up as the great rear doors of the church opened and the
first bridesmaid made her way down the aisle. For all the headaches and frustrations,
for all the long hours and the sleepless nights. It all came down to that
moment. And Will swallowed, as he suddenly found that he was nervous as well.
The music changed tone, and all of a sudden the wedding march
began. There was a hush over the crowded church as all heads turned.
Lisa was a vision of beauty in that moment; she glided down
the aisle on her fathers arm proudly. All traces of the insecurities that
had riddled her in the Limousine had vanished; she was once again the stable
and together woman that she always was. There was no comparison to how she
looked in that moment as she and her father climbed those last few steps and
she joined her husband to be at the altar.
"Dearly beloved," The minister intoned, as he met
them. Jeff and Lisa exchanged a nervous look between them. "We are gathered
here in the sight of God to witness the union of Jeff Giorgio Sternosti and
Lisa Samantha Highbury in holy matrimony."
Will stared at both of them, glancing past them and up at the
stained glass window where the sun streamed down on them. It was simply a
beautiful day.
