August 26, 2012
Ana Marie's hands are trembling as she runs her hair brush through her hair. All her life preparing for this, and yet she felt sick. She looks at the clock hanging from the wall. Thirty minutes and she will leave to Phoenix airport. She stands studying herself in the mirror. Her blue blouse fitted her perfectly, slightly going down her shoulders, she turns in place studying her faded blue jeans. Did she look too . . . too provocative? She should probably change, but it's one of her best blouses. But it has been three weeks since she last saw Adam, she wants to look good for him. She approaches her closet but she stops and turns to the mirror again. Does she look good enough to meet her in laws?
Finally, not wanting to be late, she decides to keep the blouse and risk it. As she is driving towards the airport, she is recounting her plans in her head, making sure everything was settled. Adam's parents will sleep in her room, she will sleep in her mother's and Adam will spend the night at Jorge's bar. Tomorrow morning, she will take a long shower, she will take her sweet time to do her own hair and make-up, and at five thirty she will walk down the aisle. She stops at a red light and starts reviewing everything. At two tomorrow, Mrs. Jones will come and adorn her house. Mrs. Jones, with her brand new kidney, insisted to do it for free, so all Ana Marie had to tell her was the theme colors. White and Green. She picked green because green means life. And that is Adam's and hers own theme. Life. Fighting for a good life. Surviving death and choosing life.
As Ana Marie is going to get ready, Mrs. Jones, along with her family will be in charge of making Ana Marie's mother's house good enough for a wedding. Jorge wanted to buy dinner. And since it was going to be a small, family and friends only wedding, he also insisted to do it for free. Ana Marie always knew it was going to be a small wedding, when she discussed it with Adam over the phone, he said he was thinking the exact thing. The ceremony was going to be simple. Jorge and she will walk out her room as the piano music (supplied by one of Adam's sister in law) is being played lowly. She will approach Adam and the Pastor Oscar, who Ana Marie knows since she was a kid, will do what he has to do. Nothing fancy, just a simple wedding ceremony. After all, it didn't matter how the wedding was going to turn out, as long as she gets to marry Adam.
At last, she parks her car and enters the not so full airport. Across the room is where she will wait for Adam and her future mother and father in law. She holds her purse tightly making her knuckles turn white. Will they like her? Are they friendly? She takes a deep breath and remembers Adam's words as they spoke on the phone the day before. "They will love you, trust me."
She looks at her watch and sees that five minutes has passed to the accorded hour. She starts to get worried. Five minutes late can mean anything, a windy weather, a turbulent flight, a drunk pilot. She shuts her eyes tightly, she wasn't making herself any good thinking like that. When she opens them again, in the distance, she can see Adam walking in his confident slow stride, he was easy to spot. A tall man with broad shoulders, he was the tallest man in the airport. He seems to be looking for her in the crowd. She stands on her tip toes trying to make herself seen. She takes gigantic steps forward as she tries to walk in her toes like a ballerina. His eyes land on her and he smiles. Ana Marie smiles back as she hurries her step.
"Hey," Adam says once they reach for each other. He pulls her into a strong embrace leaving her breathless.
"Hey, how was the flight?" she asks trying to soothe her nerves.
"Oh, it was alright." He turns around to look behind him and approaching them is a senior couple, a tall man with silver hair and a woman in a very elegant dress. The woman waves her hand flashing her white smile.
"How do I look?" she whispers hurriedly.
Adam turns and inspects her. "You look absolutely beautiful."
"Do I give a good first impression?"
He chuckles gently and holds her hand as the couple is a few steps away. "They will love you," he whispers before he turns to his parents. "Mum, dad, this is Ana Marie, my fiancée."
Ana Marie smiles and wonders if she should curtsy as if they were royalty, but before she could come to a decision, Adam's mom pulls her into a hug, surprising her.
"I'm Rebecca Hayes. My, you are even prettier than Adam described," she replies in her very English accent. She pulls away and her husband stretches his hand.
"Paul Hayes, a pleasure to meet you Miss Ana Marie."
"Pleasure's all mine," Ana Marie says as they are making their way out of the airport.
"It's hot here in Arizona, isn't it?" Mrs. Hayes comments as she fans herself with her hand. "I haven't seen such a sunny day in a long time, haven't we Paul?"
Mr. Hayes nods. Ana Marie studies them as they walk through the parking lot. Adam is the spitting image of his father. His mother is all smiles and laughter. Ana Marie wonders if the rest of the Hayes family is more like the father.
"Adam has told us so much about you, I feel like I've known you all my life," says Mrs. Hayes. Ana Marie turns to Adam for a split second, they lock eyes, and it was like not a single day has passed by.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. There was so much to be done before the wedding that Ana Marie had no time to dwell on whatever was happening at the moment. As planned, Adam's parents stayed in her room, and Adam was ready to leave to Jefferson's. Scott and Brian had arrived later that day along with their wives and Adam's four brothers. Adam had to get back there soon. But before he had the chance to say good bye, Ana Marie threw herself on him giving him the longest kiss she could give.
They barely had any time by themselves and this was the only chance she could get before the wedding, and Ana Marie wasn't going to waste it.
"Are you nervous?" she asks after the elongated kiss.
"Not at all. Are you?" he replied. His tone was so casual and confident that the nerves Ana Marie had five minutes ago disappeared.
"No."
Adam takes his bag in his hand and starts towards the door. Ana Marie walks with him. He comes to a halt and holds her close embracing her with his free hand.
"I love you," he whispers in her ears.
"I love you too," she replies.
They pull away and he makes his way to Brian who was waiting in the black rented car. Ana Marie waved excitedly. With a slight smile, the kind that doesn't fail to leave Ana Marie breathless, Adam gets in the car and the car drives away slowly.
Ana Marie made her way inside back to what used to be her mother's room. If only her mother could be present in her wedding. Not wanting to cry again from anger to her mother, after all she and her father had saved her life, she lays on her back looking out the window. Thinking of nothing she started to doze off when a sudden knock on her door startled her.
"May I come in?" says a heavy British accent.
Confused, Ana Marie lets her in. Mrs. Hayes walks inside in her night gown and her hair cascading down her back, which made Ana Marie think that Mrs. Hayes was brought straight from the eighteenth century England. She sits beside her and through the moonlight Ana Marie could see her dazzling smile. She reaches for the lamp on her night stand turning it on.
After a moment of silence, Mrs. Hayes starts, "I was just wondering if I could do your hair tomorrow? Would that be alright?"
Ana Marie is surely surprised. "Of course, it's fine. I was planning on doing it myself but this will be so much better."
Mrs. Hayes grabs her hand surprising her. "Adam told me about your mum, and well, if I were her, I would be completely chuffed with my only daughter's wedding. And since I've always wanted a daughter to do her hair, dress her up in dresses, I thought you would want your mother to help you on the big day, wouldn't you?"
Trying to hold back her tears she replies, "Of course I do."
At the sight of Ana Marie on the verge of tears, Mrs. Hayes wraps one arm around her. "I am so glad it is with you who Adam is going to settle down with. I was getting worried by the time he turned thirty."
"He is a great guy," comments Ana Marie dreamily.
"I know he is." She stands firmly. "Now, go to sleep, you don't want to fall from exhaustion at your own wedding, do you?" She leans, kisses Ana Marie on the forehead tenderly before she walks away.