Cabin Nine [Original]

16

Jack and I talk all the time during the school year. We visit more often. His friend Phillip mysteriously stopped talking to him once he heard the news, so that's good. I didn't like him anyway.

I never called Jen, but we sent her an invitation to the wedding. Radio silence on her part.

I'm not that broken up about it. Jack thinks I am, and I don't tell him otherwise because then he'll stop buying me a bunch of chocolate. Not that I couldn't buy it myself, but it's better when it comes from another person.

Jack won't let me help with the planning. He says it's because I have no sense of style, but I think he just wants to do it all himself so he can surprise me. He won't let me look at the binder. However, while he's good at decor, food is my thing. So he lets me take care of the food stuff. It's not much of a job, but at least he's letting me help a little.

But he's still worried about my relationship with my mother.

I hold a candle up for Jack to smell and drop it. He catches it smoothly and follows my eyes to the end of the aisle. Where Jen is standing, holding the strap of her purse so tightly that her knuckles are white. Jack gently sets the candle back on the shelf, kisses my cheek, and says, "I'll be over there if you need me."

And he leaves us alone.

Jen takes a step forward and I take one back.

She doesn't come closer.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I want my son back."

"You should've thought of that before. It's too late."

Her eyes get watery and I get uncomfortable.

"I got the invitation," she says. I want to leave.

"Don't worry. Mom and Dad are paying for all of it. You and Aaron don't need to spend a dime."

She looks hurt. "That's not what I meant."

"So why didn't you-"

"I'm trying to convince your father."

She's trying to convince me that he's the problem, not her.

But as much as I hate it, I want them back.

"Fine. We need confirmation in two weeks max. If you can't convince him, bring someone else."

I turn around and walk away. That was a start, kind of. A bitter and reluctant one, but a start nonetheless.

Jack is in the next aisle, playing with a ball of yarn. He sees my face and doesn't say a word, he just hugs me. I can still feel her eyes on me. She follows us around the store for a while, but leaves when she realizes that I'm ignoring her.

The wedding is absolutely gorgeous. It's in a church I've never been in with beautiful stained glass windows. Jack's heard me talk about them before. That's why he chose this place.

And the decorations are just insane. It's all trippy and weird and so, totally Jack. He's wearing an electric blue tuxedo with a green tie and hot dog socks.

But I forget my vows.

Jack laughs at me.

"You know, I'm sure they were awesome," he says.

"But now you don't get to hear them."

"Make something up."

"Uh... I really love you. You're my best friend. I... I can't think of any more words."

Jack just grins at me. "I knew you'd forget. I took your notecards yesterday and read them. They were very nice, thank you."

"Thief! I just can't marry a thief, it's against my code." I say. I can barely keep a straight face.

I step toward the aisle. Jack grabs my tie, pulls me back, and says, "Get back up here, you loser."

People laugh.

It's amazing, overall. Absolutely breathtaking. Jen came with her friend. Aaron apparently still needed time.

That's fine by me. I don't want anything to do with him. 

Hunter was there. He bought us a toaster. I don't know how to feel about that, but Jack's over the moon. He was worried about our friendship, too, and Hunter is well aware of Jack's obsession with buttered toast.

We come back from a honeymoon in London and are surprised that Mom and Dad have moved my stuff into his room and turned my room back into a guest room. We don't ask about it, but they casually mention that if we ever want to have guests over, there's a wonderful new addition to the house available.

We have dinner with Lousia, Susie, and David. David pays. He's the only one with money. Jack and I have to save so we can move out.

It's all fine, though.

Because we're yellow and pink and wonderful and I've never been this happy.

I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him.