We Make Them Go Ooh-Rah

Chapter 46: How Are You a Morning Person?

“Grace, come on Babe, up up come it’s your wedding day.” Grammy sang waking me up. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow and groaned.

“How the hell are you a morning person?” I groaned as the pain of my hands hit me. She laughed and handed me a bottle and two pills.

“Poppy went and got you some pain pills. Now up! Up! Up! The make-up person will be here soon!” She smiled walking out. I sat up and looked at my hands thinking about that woman who made me do it. My heart wasn’t happy, my mind wasn’t in the right place and I am getting married to man of my dreams in….. I looked at the clock and groaned. In about 4 hours. I only had 4 hours of sleep. I walked over to my shower and hopped in to the warm stream. I shaved and washed my hair careful of my hands of course. When I got out and dressed in a t-shirt and shorts Grammy had the hair and make-up people buzzing around fixing everyone up.  I took a deep breath as I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked…..nothing like myself. My brown eyes were popping with the makeup, as my hair looked amazing. They straightened all my messy, tight curls and made them loose and it went to the middle of my back. I was still in my t-shirt and shorts when Grammy came in. “You ready to get in your dress?” She asked. I looked at her through the mirror and took another deep breath to calm my nerves.

“Yeah.” I got up and let her help me slip into the dress with the help of Miss Green. Yeah I know weird that my school principal is helping me into my wedding dress but she and Uncle Charlie are really getting it on. Like it’s insane, but I’m starting too really like her. She wants me to call her Cindy. She was perfect for Uncle Charlie. They both looked at me in the mirror as I slipped in and tied my wedding shoes. Before you even think high heels your wrong. I got special shoes because I’m special. I got nice white converse. Yup, they were perfect.

“Baby you look amazing.” Grammy smiled wiping her eyes as the tears fell. I looked at a crying Cindy.

“Oh you just look, oh you look great.” She cried pulling me into a hug. I smiled hugging her back.

“Now we just have to work on your hands.” Grammy said un-wrapping the bandages. When she did you could see the black stitches sticking out on my pale hands. She gently wiped the dried blood from the cuts. “Cindy any ideas on how we should do this?” She asked. Cindy looked at my poor hands.

“I know!” She walked over to her bag and pulled out elbow high lace gloves.

“What are you going to do with those?” I asked. She smiled at me.

“Will these work Pat?” We both looked at Grammy. She looked at them for a minute.

“They would. Oh and so they don’t get infected we should put band-aids on them.” They both looked at my hands.

“Perfect idea Pat!”

“Thank you Cindy.” They both took a hand and started to gently put on band-aids to each cut and all the stitches got double so they were protected from everything. “How’s it feeling Grace?” She asked.

“I feel great! It also doesn’t look to bad.” I said as they both helped me slip into the two gloves.  Everything was ready, everyone was dressed, all the ladies in dresses and all the men in dress uniform, well other than Uncle Charlie and Cooper’s Dad and brother, there in suits. I walked to the front door as Grammy and Cindy ran around getting everyone ready as I slipped my arm into my fathers. He looked over at me and smiled.

“You look beautiful Baby Girl.” He kissed my head and looked me up and down. “You ready for this?” He asked as the music started to play

“There’s never a better time to marry a marine.”  I sighed taking a deep breath. Dad patted my head with his gloved one.

“It will be okay, I promise.” He smiled. “You got everything?” He asked. I looked down at my red flowers in my hands. They had Poppy’s dog tags.

“Something barrowed,” I ran a finger over the tags, “and Old.”

“Something new?” I looked at my shoes and nodded. “How about something blue?” He smiled. I pulled out the single forget-me-not flower from all the red roses.

“Perfect.” I smiled. He nodded pressing his lips to my head. I watched Kirsty as she was walking down to the altar were everyone stood. It was my turn.  I felt another arm slip in mine. I looked to see Poppy on the other side of me in full dress blues. It was bliss as we walked down the to the altar, together.  I saw the faces of friends and family, they all looked happy as I felt. As we got to the end, Dad lifted my hand. “Cooper, Son, you take care of my Baby Girl now. She means the world to me, now just because your marrying her does not mean she is any less my Baby, you understand me Son?” He said in a firm, drill instructor tone.

“Yes Sir, I would never change that.” Cooper smiled making my knees go weak. He looked so very hot in his dress blues.

“Maybe one day you will feel what I’m feeling right now.” Dad smiled putting my hand in Coopers.

“I hope so too.” He smiled taking me to his side as Poppy kissed my head. I looked up at the Marine Pastor smiled at us. Man and Woman, Marine and Girl, Lovers are always together and never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart. That would be Cooper and me. Together forever, in our hearts.