4. The First Wedding
For Alice, it was a disadvantage that Bella was not allowed to be part of her wedding. That was the one thing they'd had to agree upon - that their experiences as brides had to remain unique and fresh. The cameras were counting on it, and because of that she'd had to call upon her younger sister, Cynthia, with whom she'd only kept in touch with because she had to, and Serena, a friend from work to serve as her bridesmaids. Alice's 7-year-old niece, Casey, made an adorable flower girl, looking up at her, holding a basket full of golden rose petals, though Alice had not spent much time with the child. It had been years since Alice moved with her father to Arizona. Having taken her mother's side after the divorce, Cynthia had stayed in Biloxi with their mother, and tension remained between the sisters. Now, not having Bella as her maid of honor was like being in a nicely decorated room with no window. However, Alice couldn't worry about her friend or not having her moral support at the moment. She would have to catch up with her later...even if it was just at a designated time.
The wedding march played and her gaze fell upon the mixture of flowers she'd chosen - the colors lemon yellow and dusty blue gracing the aisles and the altar, the scent of freesia filling the air.
It should have been her dad at her side, but here was her mother, who held no ill will against her oldest and took Alice's arm in hers. Her mother had been Alice's rock for so long, despite the distance. Without her encouragement for Alice to follow her heart she couldn't have gone through something as crazy as this. Mother and daughter followed behind Casey as the 7 year old scattered the rose petals, blessing the path before them. Alice felt the comfort of her mother's arm in hers, the firm pressure that told her she would be there for her no matter what. Through the veil, her gaze stayed trained on the altar, searching for any peek of how her groom looked.
Jesus, she thought. Who does this? Here she was, getting ready to literally meet him... at the altar. It was going to be okay, though. Alice had known it from the time her alarm went off that morning.
For effect, she had to agree not to "see" him until she actually reached the altar, though the curiosity was killing her. Alice focused instead on the family members and friends who gathered there on such short notice- her boss, and even one of her former clients that she'd formed a long-standing relationship after a difficult job. Family - not much to speak of since it was just her mother, sister, and Casey. Her dad had died from lung cancer a few years before, and it still stung that he wasn't there to walk her down the aisle.
When she reached the altar, Alice held her breath in anticipation. Cynthia and Casey smiled at her, and Serena even gave a thumbs up. Alice kissed her mother on the cheek and proceeded to the marked spot where she should stand and worked to ignore the way the cameras followed her and the microphones dangling from overhead. Staged. Of course, it was staged, dummy, she thought. This was a TV show. But, for her, it was real life also. She'd tried real life for almost 28 years, and now, she was finally going with her guidance. It hadn't steered her wrong when she chose to follow it.
The sound of the violins had faded, and she caught a hint of citrus and spice as she approached her groom. The first thing she saw was the blond hair that framed his face, curls that paved their way above his shoulders. Yes! I knew it!
Then the next thing was the way his lips curved as he set eyes on Alice then took her mom's hand in his and kissed her knuckles. Alice's heart melted right then and there.
Citrus and spice drifted closer as his fingers lifted her veil, and as the tulle was removed from her vision, she noticed how handsome he was - the hazel color of his eyes, the way his smile broadened as they inspected one another. "Hi," she said.
"Hi," he whispered.
Her heart thumped in her chest, like it beat for the first time, which to Alice sounded corny and ridiculous. Because she wanted to believe in fairy tales but never had witnessed one she found she was overcome now by a force bigger than herself, encountering this man, the other half of her soul.
At every angle, the cameras sat within her peripheral vision but didn't block the audience's view; she pretended they were just part of the background.
The minister gestured them forward, and her groom held his arm out to Alice, and she handed her bouquet to her maid of honor. Then, instead of linking her arm into his, she grabbed his hand. The couple's gaze locked with every word spoken, and they only broke eye contact as required to respond to the minister.
"Let us have our introductions," the minister said to them. "Alice, meet Jasper."
He squeezed her fingers, and she observed how his hand had been warm instead of clammy and cold. Yes. Instant connection. He wasn't nervous, or at least not anymore once they'd finally met.
"Jasper, would you like to say a few words to your bride?"
"I don't have anything prepared," he said, "but until I saw your face just now, I just knew, that wow, the show did good." He grinned, and she giggled. "Alice, I've waited a very long time to meet you, and I'm so grateful you took the chance to be here. If you'll have me, I believe we will have a great story to tell our grandchildren."
The smile had never left Alice's lips, and her stomach fluttered with butterflies and all sorts of airy sensations. "Jasper, I've waited my entire life to meet you, and I just know - I feel this is right. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives getting to know each other."
She didn't remember the rest of what was spoken as she kept her gaze on him, hungrily devouring every detail- how he stood a good 6 or so inches taller, his posture very straight. His form fitted his white tux so nicely, she couldn't wait to inspect it further. Handsome as a devil, he had eyes that twinkled when he met hers. And the waves of blond that she couldn't wait to run her fingers through.... Then at last...
"By the power invested in me and the state of California and all of us here from Meet Ya at the Altar, I pronounce you man and wife. Jasper, you may kiss your bride."
He held both her hands now, and to Alice's amazement, a square diamond now graced the finger that had been forever naked.
This was really happening. Kiss your bride, Jasper. Kiss me.
He hesitated, and she imagined that the pressure of the audience cheering and the cameras seeming to zoom closer robbed them of the intimacy that a regular couple would have...and also that they'd barely spoken to each other and were already jumping right into a kiss. Their first kiss. The kiss that would consummate the ceremony...and the contract.
Pretending that the world wouldn't be watching and judging them later, she leaned in and that's all it took. He met her more than halfway. His kiss was gentle and unassuming but she hugged him closer to her. Shy. He was shy. Maybe not inexperienced but definitely reserved. She supposed it was easy to know why. This whole being married at first sight would rattle anyone's nerves. She breathed into the kiss, tasting the wintergreen on his breath as his lips parted slightly, and he gave in to her kiss, at which she engaged enthusiastically with her tongue.
Yes. The feel of him, the desire at which blossomed with this new contact thrilled her, sent her spiraling.
Yes. To the producers of Meet Ya at the Altar and all the experts. You did good.
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"In the short time you've been here, Jasper, I've never seen you smile so much. How do you feel?"
Seemed like a silly question for the producer to ask when clearly he couldn't remove the grin from his lips. "I feel good," he said, nodding. Jasper actually thought about jumping off this uncomfortable stool with the floral arrangement on each side and the fake scenery in the background and doing a little dance.
"Tell us what you were thinking when you first saw Alice."
"You know that feeling you get when something is just right? Not that I've ever felt that, but wow, when I saw her eyes and her lips, I just knew, it was like God made a woman, and she was put here just for me. She is so beautiful, and if it's all the same to you, can we just cut it right there? I'd really like to get to know my bride."
The producer giggled. "Believe me, you will have plenty of time to get acquainted. What is the first thing you want to ask her?"
"I want to know why she's here. How is it that someone else hasn't snatched her up? She's gorgeous."
"Of course she has her reasons."
"And I can't wait to find out what they are."
"You seem a little moony, Jasper, and that's not an expression I use lightly. Remember as taken as you are with her, she is as imperfect as the next person."
Were they trying to talk him out of feeling this way for her? He itched for a cigarette. "Yes. But can you just let me have it? I've never felt this way before. And you put us together, so can you please just...let us be together?"
He was very grateful at the moment that they were in a legally binding contract and she actually had to be married to him..for the first 6 weeks anyway. After that they had the option as a couple to agree to stay married or to divorce. This whole situation seemed unreal, like somehow they would find something against him and snatch her away.
The producer smirked and turned to the camera. "That's perfect. Go, Jasper, go be with your bride. And we are rooting for you!!"
"Thank you!" Jasper rushed out of the small room as quickly as possible, knowing he had a camera and its operator at his heels. Ignore it! His hands shook...it had been over 5 hours since his last cigarette. He couldn't return to her all shaky and twitchy. He needed to be on top of his game. His bride was at the far end of the room, receiving hugs from people he'd yet to meet. His new in-laws maybe? Taking the opportunity, he headed through the double doors to the back patio, hoping that the camera wasn't on his tail. Cigarettes were a nasty habit, but this was not the moment to confront that demon.
A woman stopped him in his tracks. "Hi, Jasper." He knew that throaty voice and the lilt that accompanied it. That accent. He couldn't forget it if he tried.
His jaw clenched. What in the heck was she doing here? "Maria? Why...?" He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as she threw herself into his embrace. He pushed her away, and reached inside his breast pocket for his trusty Marlboros.
"The show reached out to me, to find out if I would be interested in wishing you the best on this journey." She held up an open palm, a natural habit, prompting him to pull another cigarette and hand it to her. Smoking had been a nasty vice, one he'd picked up in the military. But Maria - he'd had the displeasure of meeting long before boot camp. She pulled a lighter from inside her cleavage and lit up the end as though she'd done it all her life. "I have to admit, I didn't think you would go through with something as crazy as this. I thought I was the only one you really loved."
He turned away from her.
"But I understand you are to be addressed as Major Whitlock." With cigarette in hand, she lifted the hem of her red dress in a curtsy, tipping her head to him in mock reverence.
How in the heck had they found her? Even knew that she existed? Good lord. Of course they had done background checks. He'd been pretty messed up before he'd gone into the army...but before then, no, he didn't wish for anyone to know how badly he'd behaved, how reckless... Jasper thought he'd confessed his sins and moved on. Was he fooling himself that the purple hearts, the respect of his men and his peers had exonerated him? Yet with Maria's presence, the reminder of that night was here, staring him in the face, and he knew he was kidding himself. How could he ever forget? And worse, how could the woman in the white gown inside, who kissed him with such promise - this angel possibly love someone who had committed such an unspeakable act?
For Jasper, there was no choice. He took a final puff. He had to move on. Get away from Maria as quickly as possible. He extinguished his cigarette and dumped it into a trash bin.
"Go away, Maria." He looked for the producer, wanted to roar at whoever was responsible for this. But, at this moment, none of the staff were to be found. They might be interviewing Alice for all he knew.
"No worries, Major. Nobody knows what really happened. Just you and me. Our little secret."
"Stay away from me. I will get a restraining order, and the producer will see that you never set foot within 500 feet of me."
Maria's lips remained in a smirk, unfazed by his threat. "She's very pretty, Jasper."
Thunder rolled through him. Not Alice. Leave her out of this. He turned on his heel to face Maria. Her features fell back into a mask of purity. She'd always used her face to get what she wanted, and she was doing it now. Maria was up to something. For all her strategizing she should have been the commander in chief. Jasper spoke the words through his teeth, "What is it you want?"
A smile curved her thin lips, and Jasper clenched his fists as she whispered in his ear. "When the time is right, my love, I will let you know." His blood turned cold at her words. This wasn't the last of her and even worse, she knew that dragging out his past could do more harm than just ending a marriage. With that, she kissed him on the cheek, and her gaze fell to the double doors.
At that very moment, to his horror, he saw his dear Alice's eyes meet his. No, this was not how this was supposed to begin. Was the show trying to sabotage them? Maria smiled sweetly and approached Alice, who looked from Jasper to Maria, a curious look on her face. Alice curled her fist to her mouth, and let out a little cough, blinking her eyes.
"I'm Maria," she said, looking from her to Jasper. "We're very old friends, right?"
Jasper forced a smile. "Yes." Lie # 1.
"I was just wishing him congratulations on this most unusual matrimony and that I hope you will be very happy together. Right, Jasper?"
He nodded. Lie # 2.
"Well, I hope we can get together sometime and get to know each other," Alice said.
"That would be lovely," Maria said. "I'll definitely be in touch. Best wishes to you both."
They waved goodbye. And as the newly married couple proceeded toward the double doors, feet separated bride and groom as though they were no more than common strangers.
"You smoke," Alice said, to Jasper's surprise. He would've thought that Maria's presence would have been far more disconcerting.
"Alice, if you're not okay with that, I'll quit, I promise. Please believe me."
"Uh...I don't know if it's as easy as that."
He took her hand in his. "It will be for me. I'll chew gum, I'll have them hypnotize me, I'll do electric shock therapy. I don't care. You are the most important thing to me in the world, Alice...whatever your last name is."
She paused, considering, and then took his hand and squeezed it. "It's the same as yours."