A/N: Thank you for sticking around and going through every up and down with Olivia and Abby! Their stories aren't done, I just need some time to work out where they're going next :)
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT ABBY? UGH! I ASKED YOU NOT TO!" I shouted after my girl who was clearly running away from me and I was gullibly chasing after her. "BECAUSE YOU'RE MY GIRL!" She shouted back at me with the couch between us, she would try to go left and I'd go right, then her right again and I'd go to my left...back and forth we did this.
"WHAT? THAT MAKES NO SENSE!" I hurdle over the couch, surprising even myself that I made it over. I wrap both my arms and legs around her so she can't run, tackling my tiny lady. Neither of us can hold in our laughter on the floor of our living room, "because you're — my — girl!" She kisses me between words. "Say it again," I groan kissing her full lips. "You're my girl, Olivia Nicole and I'm like glue, baby! I'm not going anywhere! Not even your family's disapproval or you pushing me away because I 'deserve better' or any stupid ultimatum can keep me away!"
"It was a valiant effort, my sweet, sweet lady and I love you even more for it...thank you, munch."
"Good, because I was supposed to tell you about this weeks ago...but I got scared," she rolled over so she was on top of me, pinning me down with both hands and legs and so she had the upper hand, just the way she liked it. "Weeks? When did you guys have this conversation, exactly???"
"After Christmas when they didn't want to come to New York with all of us...that was just the last straw for me! The holidays were miserable for you and your brothers! I couldn't just sit around doing nothing..." my lady explained sitting on top of me, crushing my internal organs ever so dramatically.
"Ugh, Abby..." I sighed. I stopped resisting her holding me down.
So much shit has happened between my parents and I. They said some really nasty things to me...about me. If it were anyone else in the world I know I would have found it in me to forgive them and get over it but they're my parents and I just can't forget the terrible things they said and how they see me now.
"Come here," I pulled Abby down to lie down next to me on the middle of our living room floor. I snuggle up next to her, resting my head on her shoulder, my left hand resting between her breasts so I could feel her heartbeat. "We're going to have to accept that my family isn't like yours...and that's ok because as important as my family is to me, we're our own little family now and that's more than enough for me. Is it good with you?" I kissed along her jaw. She nods her head up and down.
"Liv! Come on! Let's rehearse!" Nathan shouts barging in through the front door. "Later...me and you," I push myself up onto my elbow, winking at my lady.
"We're doing the processional and their first dance right? Then the actual entertainment band is going to take over right?" Fabian confirms while we set up our instruments on the second floor studio of my office. "Yes, babe!" Julia reassures her boyfriend. "Liv, you finish the arrangement for both pieces?" Nathan asks me in a very serious tone. "Yeah, what's wrong?"
"Nothing...weddings just make me feel weird, like I'm not doing my life right. It's stupid."
"No, I know what you mean..." I sit down next to him on the piano bench. "My brother is getting married before me. I was supposed to get married first but now...I don't know but I get what you mean. Our time will come," I shrug lightly tapping the keys in front of me.
"Let's get this going, huh? I want this to be perfect for my big brother and future brother in law!" I grin. We run through the song the two grooms are going to walk down the aisle to, stopping several times to tweak it here and there.
"Hi, munch," I grin up at my lady who's come to watch the rehearsal. I stand up to give her a kiss and have her sit next to me on the piano bench after she greets my bandmates. "How's it going?" She rests her hand on my shoulder. "It's fine, it's not a difficult arrangement," I smile. "Can I stay and listen?"
"Always!" I kiss her quickly on the cheek and Julia counts it off.
"Beautiful! They're going to love it!" Abby gushes, clapping her hands together. "It's going to be so beautiful when they both walk down to that song, oh my god!" She sniffles.
"Ha! Wait til you hear their song for their first dance!!!" Julia teased.
I can't even get through their first dance song without shedding some tears and Jon and Lee aren't even here, I can't begin to imagine the blubbering mess I'm going to be when they are! Abby's a pool of tears as well, "baaaaaabe!" She whined burying her face in my chest. "It's good right? God! I hate that I'm making myself cry!" I chuckle.
"Abigail! Let's go!!! Everyone is literally waiting on you!!" I shout for my girlfriend, typical Abby she's still getting last minute touch ups. "ABIGAIL!!! I SWEAR TO GO-," it's like all the air gets sucker punched out of me the moment I see her running towards me and the front door, she's absolutely stunning in a sexy red dress. "I'M HERE! I'M COMING!!" She runs past me, right out the front door leaving me in the dust, my jaw on the floor. "ARE YOU COMING?" She giggles, holding the car door open for me.
"Gorgeous is an understatement for how you look tonight, babe," I tell her before jumping into the car next to her.
"Are you going to be ok tonight, honey?" Marc asks from the front seat of the car taking us all to the rehearsal dinner. "I will be," I smile but it doesn't seem convincing enough for the Ricci's because all three of them share a look. "My parents and I agreed to put everything aside for Lee and Jon's wedding. If it's one thing we're all good at, it's sweeping shit under the rug and pretending like everything is just peachy," I give them a more convincing smile.
It's not a lie, my family will 100% pretend like we haven't spent the last three or four months in a state of ice cold shoulders. We'll pretend, even if just for the weekend that we're all on good terms — we might even forget that we're even in this situation at all if we do a really good job! It's shameful but we all know Lee's wedding is more important.
It's freezing out and none of us are dressed for below zero weather but there really isn't evening wear appropriate for this weather, it's the day before New Year's Eve in New York City and everyone is buzzing with excitement and anticipation of this wedding and the new year to come!
"BABE! SNOW!!!" I gasped looking out the car window. "It's going to be the most perfect wedding ever, I can feel it! Just from the way the snow is falling! I can tell!" I look out the window at the perfectly falling snowflakes falling out of the sky — it's like magic! The snowflakes are so big! The air is crisp but not painfully cold and the snow isn't slush or rain...it's actual fluffy snow. I breathe in the air once I get out of the car, looking up at the sky and the tall buildings scaling above me. The sun is setting to my right and Abby is standing perfectly in front of the glow of the setting sun. "Bud! There you are!" Lee shouts from the front door of the restaurant pulling me away from my moment with the snow.
"Hey! Yeah, we just got here, sorry...someone to—," I start blissfully explaining to my older brother why I was later than expected to his rehearsal dinner when I see the look of panic all over his face. "What's wrong?!"
"The band is fucking snowed in and they don't know when they'll get here!" Lee looks so stressed, all the color is practically draining from his face.
"What did Lana suggest to do?" Abby chimes in after checking in our coats.
"She said we can just play music over the restaurant's sound system," he scoffs.
"It's not that big of a deal, it's okay..." Jon comes up from behind soothing his future husband's melt down.
"Lee, it's gonna be ok! The music wasn't a crucial part of the dinner — Lee! It's OKAY!" I snap him out of his meltdown, trying to remind him of what's really important about tonight. "If you really want live music, the band and I will figure something out for you..." what kind of best woman would I be if I didn't offer my services to my brother.
"Oh my god..the jokes have come true," Abby hysterically starts laughing and after a second I realize why she's lost her fucking mind — I'm singing at another wedding. I've officially become a part time wedding singer! All of us in the lobby of the restaurant laugh at the notion, "what's so funny?"
I turn around and it's my dad seeing what all the commotion is about. I can't help but stop laughing when I see him trying to join in on the moment but quickly snap out of it for Lee, "there's no band so I'm the wedding singer too!"
"Hi dad, your suit looks good," I greet him with a hug. "Your dress is nice," he nods.
"Where's mom?" I ask as we walk into the restaurant we closed out for the night. "She's over there with your grandma. Make sure you say hi to them."
"Make sure you say hi to Abby," I shoot back with the least bit of bitterness I can do. "I will..."
The rehearsal dinner is a lot larger than normal because Jon and Lee wanted everyone that flew into town for the wedding to be in attendance to thank them so a lot of our families are blending together for the first time. Jon has a very small family, most of his guest that are here for the dinner are friends of his — so basically there's a ton of Filipinos and then Jon and Abby's friends and family. Great.
I find Kevin who is awkwardly standing around not knowing what to do, I walk over to him with a drink in hand, "did you say hi to everyone already?"
"Yeah, they all just kept asking me how school is and about Sam," he shrugged. "Where is Sam?"
I like Sam, a lot! She's more than just the girlfriend of the week for Kevin.
"She's in the bathroom, were you nice to dad? I saw you guys walk in together," he crossed his arms at me as if he were getting ready to scold me. "Yes! I promised you guys, didn't I?"
"Just making sure. Did you see Kuya freak out over the band being snowed in?" We laughed at our brother's meltdown. "Ugh, yeah, I said the band and I could do something if he really wanted, hopefully he doesn't say yes," I groaned because I'm not prepared to do some songs tonight. "I'm gonna tell him," Kevin teased making us both laugh and joke about the situation.
"There you are! What's so funny?" My beautiful lady finds her way back to me. "Hey, Abby!" My baby brother warmly greets my girlfriend and soon after we're joined by his girlfriend, Sam. "Hey, Sam! How was today?" Abby asks while I down the rest of my drink.
"It was good! It's freezing but I'm excited to be here!"
"Have our family members grilled you yet?" I asked the young girl standing closely to my brother. "Ha! A little but it was normal stuff, they were more shocked that I'm half Filipino. They kept saying I don't look like it."
"I'm hungry..." Kevin groaned which started a chain reaction because now I'm starving! "OHMYGOD ME TOO!!!! UGGGHHH!!!!"
"Oh no...they're about to go non-human," Sam shook her head. "We better get our monsters some food!" Abby laughed taking my hand and leading me towards the bar to see if there's anything to munch on there.
*clink clink clink* Jon's dad gently taps his fork against his water glass after the first course, standing at his seat, "If I could get everyone's attention..." slowly the chatter dies down and all focus is on Jon's dad.
"Good evening everyone. For those of you that don't already know me, I'm Jim Drews, this is my wife Julie, and we're the parents of this groom. We'd like to thank everyone for joining us on the eve of Jon and Lee's wedding," he smiled warmly. "As I look at these two beautiful people tonight, I think back to when Jon first introduced us to Lee about five years ago. He was kind and shy and we thought, wow he'll fit right in with our quiet little family, little did we know his sister was Olivia Riviera," he joked, winking at me. "Once we got to know him, though, we could see why Jon fell in love with him and why they fit together so well. It's not often someone would so easily pick up their life in LA and move to New York. Now, it's hard to imagine our family without him, and after tomorrow, he'll officially become a Drews. Lee, we love you, and we couldn't be happier that you're marrying our son. Jon, your mother and I are very proud of you, and we love you," he blew a small kiss to the two grooms.
"I don't want to hold up the rest of the celebration, so let me wind this up with just a bit of advice for Jon and Lee. Every morning when you each wake up, make a promise to yourselves that today you will be the very best spouses you can be. Put each other's happiness before your own, and try to perform at least one act of kindness for each other everyday. If you I can do that, everything else will fall into place. Congratulations to the two of you, and may your marriage be blessed!"
After Jim, it's Abby's turn, she's been writing and practicing her speeches for weeks! She's been a nervous wreck, afraid she'd spend the entire speech crying over her best friend, she clinks her glass again after the applause following Jim's speech.
"Hello everyone, I'm Abby Ricci. I have been best friends with Jon since I was fourteen years old when he walked through the doors of a workshop for our first show together, I knew the moment I met him that he would be the one for me — I knew he would be my co-star, my best friend, the light in my life...everything! I'm happy to say that after getting to know him so well over these past five years of being my best friend's boyfriend and fiancé, I can call Lee my best friend as well," Abby took a deep breath to slow her down and brace herself for this part of her speech...
"For years, my dad held on to the slightest bit of hope that Jon would fall in love with me because he was perfect for me!! He even had a dowry ready! Sorry, dad but I think it's time to let go of any hope Jon and I would eventually be together," she laughed her infectious laugh. "I don't know if many of you know, but Olivia and I actually met at an event years ago and she said, my brother would be perfect for your best friend! We should set them up! And that is exactly what we did! That's the real story behind how they first met, it's not that Lee and Olivia watched our Broadway show dozens of times becoming fans of Jon's," she giggled, looking down at me with her bright eyed grin because that's our love story's opening.
"So, here we are five years later sitting down to this lovely dinner, and tomorrow we'll all be at the wedding. It makes my heart glow to see all the examples of love in this room, and I think we're all privileged to be part of it. Let's wish Jon and Lee every bit happiness and a long life together. I love you with all my heart," Abby raises her glass and there are tears already escaping her eyes. She sits back down next to me and I wipe her tears away, my hand gripping her thigh and her hand finding it's way to her spot on the back of my neck.
"Oh man...okay..." Kevin exhales, standing up for his speech after Abby's. "WOOOOO!! GO KEV!!!" I shouted, trying to hype him up. Lee asked him to give a speech during the wedding but his nerves are getting the best of him and he asked to just do a speech during the rehearsal where there would be less people — giving me the "spotlight" during the wedding for my speech.
"Hi, I'm Kevin," I snorted at the opening of his speech, "I was seven years old when Lee officially became my Kuya, up until that moment I only had my sister, it was just the two of us and you would think it would be hard for us to become a tight unit with this new addition...but it wasn't. I'm so thankful I have a brother like you to count on. I know you'll always be there with open arms if I need a hug and an open mind if I need someone to understand. I'm so glad that I can be myself around you. You know my qualities and my faults and you love me just the same and tomorrow I'll officially have another brother who will hopefully want to do the same," Kevin exhaled slowly, turning to Lee and Jon. Jon nods at his chance of finally getting a brother.
"I'm so proud to have a brother like you...not just for what you have accomplished, but for who you are. The number one thing you've taught me and my sister is to live our true selves and that love knows no bounds — it's not just blood that makes you family," he quickly looks over at my mom and dad.
"I never told you this, but when you guys first got engaged I didn't want you to," Kevin scoffs at his own thoughts. "I was so worried I'd lose my Kuya and that everything would be different because you were my Kuya first...I call you just for advice on a shirt I wanna buy...I call you when I fight with mom and dad...when no one else understands what it's like being Olivia Riviera's brother...when I'm lost you and Ate always help me find my way back. You're one of the most important people in my life!" Kevin tears up and the whole room instantly falls apart over our baby brother's speech.
"Jon, you make my brother a better man. You make him a happier man. You've shown him love that I've never seen before and my god is it amazing! I'm so proud to welcome you as my brother...you're stuck with us, man. You have a younger brother and a sister who already love you like a brother. What you guys have is so special and we'd all be lucky to have a fraction of what you have — keep spreading that love! On behalf of my family, welcome to the family! Cheers!" Kevin raises his glass with tears flooding down Lee's face and mine. Our baby boy!!!!!
Soon after everyone made the speeches the entire room came together to chant, "speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!" From the two grooms. Jokingly Jon and Lee rochambeau to see who's going to give the speech on their behalf, Lee wins the rochambeau and I already can't breathe from all the overwhelming emotions.
"Alright, hello again everyone. On behalf of Jon and myself, I want to thank you all for attending the rehearsal this evening, I hope you've all enjoyed! I want to thank my parents, as well, not just hosting the dinner, but for everything they've done to support Jon and I on this journey..." I can see Lee biting his tongue because our current family's situation. "My brother and sister especially, you guys are the reason my heart beats the way it does — I love you so much! I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here always, ang dito lang ako," he says in Tagalog, holding his hand over the center of his chest — over his heart and it's Niagra Falls all over my face.
"I also want to thank Jon's parents, Jim and Julia, who've been behind us all the way. To my handsome fiancé, soon to be my lovely groom, I want to thank you in front of all the wonderful people gathered here tonight for agreeing to join your life with mine. I know we have a fantastic future ahead of us. The path may not always be smooth, but that's just part of life. I know that we can handle all the bumps along the way as long as we always have each other. I truly cannot wait to take our vows tomorrow. So, thank you everyone. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves. Tomorrow we do it all again!"
Kevin, Lee, and I huddle together and the wedding photographer captures a beautiful moment between the three of us.
"So, this is where we say goodbye until tomorrow at the altar," I say as the two grooms, Abby, Kevin, Sam, and Jeremy (Jon's other groomsman) are huddle together in the hotel lobby after a very successful rehearsal dinner. "My last night before the old ball and chain gets attached," Jon teases. "Oh my god, I finally get to see your dress!!!" Abby turns to me, completely giddy over the reveal of my maid of honor dress. "Oh yeah, you guys seeing each other too..."
"Ok, ok! We have things planned for tonight — one last siblings only night for us so say goodnight!" I wave my hands animatedly, herding our group to the elevator. "What are we doing?" Lee challenges as the elevator slowly descends up to wedding suites. "Oh...I dunno we were just gonna watch movies," I lied, Kevin actually compiled a video of some of our best moments as siblings. Thank god I meticulously record everything!
"What are you guys gonna do?" Kevin asks Jon and my girlfriend. "We're watching a secret, bootleg copy of our show together and some of our favorite movies," Abby shrugged, leaning up against me so I had to hold myself up against the wall of the elevator.
"Good night, sweets," Abby leans against the door of my brother's wedding suite. "Good night, babe," I go in for a kiss but get rejected, followed by a giggle and a stolen kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow for the photos," I wink at my lady in red. God, I fucking love her in red.
"I'll be the one next to the groom in a really nice dress, big smile, great ass..." Abby chuckles, grabbing me by the coat for another kiss. "Mmm, another!" I demand of my lady.
"I gotta go because if I don't go now, I'll never be able to..." Abby sighs, eyes closed before slipping out from between me and the doorway she was leaning on. "I love you, babe!"
"We made you something, it's our sibling gift for you the night before your wedding, I googled that we're traditionally supposed to give you a gift but I couldn't really chip in on anything so we did this..." Kevin starts to stream the video he put together of all our adventures together as siblings...starting with the day we gave Lee his adoption papers.
The Beatles, "In My Life" starts to play and because I haven't seen the finished product either I'm already starting to tear up. The clip breaks my heart because my parents look at Lee so lovingly knowing full well he's gay, yet openly welcomes him into our family.
I'm sandwiched between my two brothers leaning against my baby brother and my older brother leaning against me, the sleeve of my sweatshirt balled up in my fist, catching all my tears and muffling my sobs.
There's so many video clips of Lee doing my makeup as practice before becoming licensed, it's hilarious how young we both look! There's clips of Kevin and Lee playing basketball, "why don't you guys play anymore?" I ask between sobs. "Because I kept beating him," Kevin replied smugly.
Video from family vacations flash by and all three of us slump further down comparing our currently strain on our relationship to back then to when we were really a family. We didn't vacation outside of California much but we did little "stay-cations" and we always made the most of it. "I miss when things were like that," Kevin sniffles. "It's gonna get better, I promise, you guys," Lee puts a warm hand on both of us.
Old footage of Lucas makes its way into the video — I'm not surprised because he was always around for eight years straight. "Oh my god, things were so different back then! Wow! Oh shit! This was the Disneyland trip you hooked up with a cast member then you got mad because he just wanted a picture with me and Lucas!!" I laugh hysterically at the memory. "LOOK! You're literally yelling at him!!!"
There's tons of stupid footage as well of us either dancing, making faces, on set on the Disney lot, on tour...so much over the last ten years compiled into a short video.
"Aren't you glad you're our brother!? Be honest!! Reflect on your adoption day, four years later, KUYA!" I ask behind the camera, focused on Lee while on tour somewhere. "I'm really glad I met you guys and that I have an adoption day to celebrate with you guys," Lee says into the camera sincerely at the end of the video with Kevin photobombing right at the end.
"You guys..." Lee sniffles, he sits up cross legged and looks at Kevin and I. "Just because I'm getting married doesn't me we can't still have moments like that whole video. Things are only gonna get better now that Kev's older and Liv can take us on really nice vacations," he jokes trying to lighten the mood. "I know, but now it's not just going to be the three of us, it's always going to be me, Ate, Abby, you and your husband..." Kevin said with true sadness and I can't help but agree even though I realize I'm part of the problem.
"Listen, we're going to do our own sibling vacation every year, alright? We're gonna make rules that we have to FaceTime at least once a week, we're going to spend my adoption day together just us, and we're going to be together for every birthday and holiday...the annual vacation, adoption day, and FaceTime thing taking precedence over everything!" Lee said with glassy eyes.
I nod, agreeing to Lee's proposed contract, "I'll take care of it. All of it because at the end, it'll always be the three of us..."
"Like now," my younger brother said with a gloomy sigh. "Like now..." Lee says bringing all three of our heads together so our foreheads touched which we have always done for the past ten years.
"Here, this is for you guys," Lee hands Kevin and I two gift boxes. "What's this for?" I ask. "It's for...my best woman and groomsman," Lee smiled smugly. "Oohhhh!!" My eyes widen when I see the signature red jewelry box. "WHOAAA!! Kuya!!!" Kevin gasps once he sees the Cartier nail bracelet Lee got for him. "Do you like it??"
"Heck yeah I do!!"
I open my jewelry box and there's a matching nail bracelet for me and my heart glows.
"We're stuck together for life," Lee smiled, holding his matching bracelet up.
"WAKE UP!! ITS WEDDING DAY!!!" I jump up and down on the bed my brothers were asleep on. It's 8 AM and everyone in the wedding party needs to start getting ready. "Lee! Kevin! OHMYGOD! WAKE UP!!" I pounce on them, not without both of them tossing me off the bed. "AH! What the fuck! You guys are so rude!"
Glam arrives at the room shortly after breakfast does. There's another knock at the door, I rush to open it and it's our parents joining the morning preparations. Lee, Kevin, and my dad get haircuts and men's facials while my mom and I start glam.
"Mom, dad...I got you guys something for today," Lee walks over to them and hands them two seperate boxes. "Anak, you didn't have to," our mom gazes at him. "Thank you, son," our dad looks at the box. Inside the boxes were two embroidered handkerchiefs.
"Dad, if joyful tears begin to fall, wipe them away and then recall the love and laughter we share together, and how much you mean to me forever. Love, Lee 12.31.2015," our dad reads aloud, using his gift right away to wipe the tears he's shedding for my brother on his special day. Our mom cries joyful tears as well, Kevin and I walk over to our parents and brother, the five of us embrace one another and the moment — forgetting any difference we may have.
There's a knock another knock at the door and on the other side is Jeremy with two little boxes that he hands to Kevin. "Kuya this one's for you and this one's for mom."
"Wow, mom! So many presents for you today!" I tease. "I know, it's like it's not even your wedding day, Lee," she laughs.
"Open it!" Kevin curiously presses our mom to open the gift from Jon. Inside is a beautiful necklace with a heart pendant, on the box it says "My HEART is so grateful for all that you have done. I can't wait to spend my life with your son. Thank you for raising the man of my dreams."
"THIS IS TOO MUCH UGGGHHH!!" I groan dramatically fanning the tears falling out of my eyes. "THIS IS TOO MANY EMOTIONS!! IT'S ONLY 9 AM AND I'VE ALREADY STARTED CRYING!!!"
"Livy, stop...it's not about you today," my mom sarcastically smacks my arm. "What did Jon give you, son?" My dad asked. "Your something new," he read the card and in the box were copper cufflinks with today's date on one and "J <3 L" on the other.
"Ugh this really is too much, now I'm hungry," I whine and pout while getting my hair and makeup done. "Jeez, the food will be here soon, relax!"
By noon, all of us are dressed and ready for the first look & photos. "Lee..." I start tearing up just at the sight of him in his perfectly fitted three piece grey tuxedo with hints of deep navy blue, brown loafers, and perfectly done tie that my dad helped him put on. My mom and I help each other zip up our respective dresses in a shade of blue.
I'm in a navy blue ruffled strapless floor-length dress with an almost modest slit up the front of the dress, it fits like a glove and hugs my body in all the right ways, Christian Siriano makes the most amazing dresses that I never have to worry about falling out of or being upstaged by, I also have a fashionista for a brother.
Lee dressed our mom in deep navy an A-line, scoop neck knee-length chiffon lace dress with matching jacket to go with it. Kevin and our dad also in similar suits to Lee. All five of us are ready and standing in front of the wall length mirror of the wedding suite of the hotel looking at our reflections, "this is it," my lip starts to quiver. "STOP! FUCK! ANO BA! WE'RE NOT CRYING YET! STOP!" Lee shouts shaking his head so he stops crying at the sight of our seemingly perfect family.
Lana knocks on the door, "it's time."
The five of us walk to the elevator, out through the lobby, and onto the outdoor patio where we watch the precious moment our Lee first sets eyes on his husband, "oh my god..." is all any of us can muster up when the two beautiful, loving men look into each other's eyes for the first time on their wedding day and are crying tears of joy. Both my mom and dad are wiping their tears with the gift their son got them and I'm wiping tears with a handkerchief from my grandma.
After the clouds of tears in my eyes are wiped away, across the way I spot the love of my life...the woman of my dreams. My home, my anchor, my muse, "Munch..." I whisper, my breath hitching in awe. She's dressed in the same shade of navy, a deep v-neck floor-length open back dress, oh my god. I'm rendered speechless by the beauty that's 20 feet away from me. I've seen Abby in dozens of dresses, the sexiest, most beautiful dresses but this one, in this moment, on this day...she's the one for me I've never been more sure in my life.
She begins to walk towards me and I meet her halfway, "Hi, are you here with the other groom? I'm Abby...his best woman, you here alone tonight?"
I scoff, shaking my head but also eager to play along, "Olivia, nice to meet you, Abby. I'm with the other groom...and maybe, if you're lucky, I am here alone tonight." I smirk, eying Abby up and down with my lower lip between my teeth. "I'm feeling pretty lucky, Olivia."
"GIRLS! WE'RE TAKING THE PHOTOS, COME ON!" Lana yells for Abby and I and I grab the girl in front of my by the hand and we giggle our way to take the rest of the wedding party pictures.
After thirty minutes it's time for us to part ways again, to freshen up before we line up for the ceremony. It's my time frame to go and check on the band while they rehearse for the processional. "Whoa, mamas you looking good tonight!!!" Fabian exaggerates fanning himself when I walk through the hall. I embrace the moment and twirl on my way over to them, "You guys clean up real good! How's sound check?"
"We killed it, you know we did, feels weird only having Nathan on the piano though," Julia teases. "You guys mind playing it once over for me?" My bandmates play the processional fluidly and it's absolutely moving! "Someone's going a half beat too fast," I mocked. "Get outta here so we can enjoy cocktail hour!" Nathan shoos me away and I rejoin the wedding party, stopping quickly in Jon's room to steal a moment with my sweet lady.
"Pssst!!" I hiss through the crack in the door I made. "What are you doing here?" Abby giggled at the door. "I know we just met but I wanted to see if you'd save me a dance," I wink at Abby, keeping up the game she started earlier.
"Like I said, I'm feeling pretty lucky tonight," she bats her eyes at me which meant she was trying to wink at me. "Good!" I smile, leaning in for a quick kiss from my lady. "Mmm, wait, one more, babe!" She pleads with her eyes still closed. I go back in for a kiss, "you look magnificent by the way!"
"You don't look half bad yourself, now go!" She said with a giggle, infecting my lungs as well pushing me out the door.
"Lee, we're ready for you," Lana gestures for all of us to line up for the ceremony.
It's not even my wedding but I'm as nervous as I would be if I were about to perform in front of thousands of people! I'm excited for the ceremony and the tears I'm going to shed. God, I hope my makeup holds up. I'm going to walk down with Abby, I lost my shit during the rehearsal...this is the real deal! Not the real deal like we're getting married today but this is the closest we've gotten so far! Oh god, here she comes! Ahhh! She's holding my hand, drawing circles with her thumb — I feel like I'm floating from all the butterflies in my stomach! Oh, here we go!
My bandmates are playing Jon and Lee's song choice for the processional, exceptionally...I can't help but sing along in my head, "Gone love is never gone as we travel on love's what we remember. Kiss today goodbye and point me towards tomorrow. We did what we had to do. Won't forget, can't regret what I did for love..."
My eyes well up again, but I'm able to control it better when our parents walk Lee down the aisle and he sees Jon and his parents for the second time.
"...the grooms have prepared their own vows...I suggest you all get your tissues now," Steven, Jon's long time friend and the wedding officiator jokes. "Jon..."
"Never in a million years did I think I'd find someone so utterly and completely perfect, someone who would make me happier than I ever dreamed I could be, someone that would touch my life so profoundly and just give me a whole new reason to breathe," Jon's breath hitches from holding back his own tears while mine and from where I'm standing Abby's are already falling. "But then I found you and realized that everything I anticipated you to be doesn't even compare to who you are."
"From this moment, I take you as my best friend for life. I pledge to honor, encourage, and support you through our walks in life together. When our way becomes difficult, I promise to stand by you and uplift you, so that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone," Jon chokes up and I swear there isn't a single dry eye in the room. "I promise to work at our love and always make you a priority in my life. With every beat of my heart, I will love you."
Oh fuck..oh my fucking god, am I ugly crying right now? Yeah, I am because so is Abby...and my mom...and everyone else. Oh god, I gotta get it together! DEEP BREATHS, LIV!!!
Lee is weeping, I can tell he's trying to hold it together but his shoulders are heaving up and down, "breathe..." I hear Jon whisper to his groom.
"Lee," Steven hands Lee the mic. Oh fuck, here we go, this is it...fuck, my handkerchief is already soaked from my tears...
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right," Lee recites a portion of his favorite sonnet from memory.
He fucking did it...he's been talking about reciting that sonnet since he was sixteen and he did it for Jon...and I'm literally drowning in a pool of my own tears.
"I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands," Lee whimpers a bit but pulls himself back together. Abby on the other hand I can hear sobbing from this side of the altar!
"...to speak when words are needed and to hear the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home."
"I, proudly introduce to the world, Jon and Lee Drews-Riviera!"
The room floods with cheers and clapping as the band plays the wedding party out, Abby and I sharing a sweet kiss before walking down the aisle behind Jon and Lee.
During the family photos, as I predicted, it's like our family didn't even have an differences at all. As a funny joke, Lee and Jon thought it would be a hilarious picture to have of the two of them together with Abby and I on either side of them, but our hands joined together and the photo take from behind, "that one is definitely getting blown up and put somewhere for everyone to see!" Abby grinned looking at the photo through the photographer's camera.
The last set of photos we took were of both families blended together into one large family — the five of us plus Jon's three person little family, it's crazy to see our family beginning to grow already.
While waiting between set ups for photos, Abby pulls me aside for us to steal another moment together, "I feel like we're both in this wedding doing the exact same things but I haven't gotten to be with you all day."
"Yeah, I know, I heard you sobbing though during the vows," I teased. "Oh, please! Like you weren't a fucking mess too! I heard you trying to suppress your sobbing and sounding like you were just hyperventilating!" Abby mocked. "Are you doing ok with your parents and everything?" She warmly smiled and cupped the side of my face, I inhaled deeply and kissed the palm of her tiny hand. "Yeah, we're doing good. You okay watching Jon get married?" I rose my brows at her because she's had a tougher time of letting go of her best friends and letting him become a husband. "Yeah, it's soaking in."
"Ate! They need us for the sibling pictures!" Kevin shouts from across the room. "I'll see you inside?" I ask and Abby nods following Jon and Jeremy and the rest of the wedding party for the reception.
It's finally time for the reception and if it weren't for all the excitement and adrenaline I would be a raging hangry monster by now! I haven't eaten since that stupid breakfast this morning! How much longer before I can at least get some appetizers? Those lucky bastards that got to go straight to cocktail hour with horderves!
"We're going to let Jeremy and his date go first, then Kevin and his lovely date, then the best women who are also each other's dates — convenient," Lana teases, lining us up once again for our entrance into the reception where the number of guests have almost tripled. "Lastly, our two grooms. It has been my pleasure, gentlemen!"
"You ready, munch?" I grab hold of my beautiful lady, who pulls me in for a quick yet passionate kiss. "Ready!"
One by one Kevin and Jeremy are announced by Steven, who is also MC'ing tonight, then Abby and I and, not trying to steal the moment from Jon and Lee, but it felt so amazing walking into that hall with Abby by my side. If I didn't know before, I knew now that I wanted Abby as my wife!
Abby and I find our seats at a table by Jon and Lee's its both of our families at one long rectangular table and we're all having a pleasant time together, "oh my god, I'm so fucking hungry!!!!" I grumble, whipping my head left and right to see if there's a cater waiter anywhere around with a plate of food I can take. "Here, honey, I got you some of the horderves they were serving during the cocktail hour," Marc smiles and I practically break down in tears over the napkin of finger foods he smuggled in for me. "You knew she'd be hungry?" My dad asks over the music. "Yeah, aren't you guys? I know I would be if I were in your shoes! I just knew Liv would be a beast by now without food," Marc chuckled to himself.
"HEEYY!! GIMME SOME!!" Kevin jumps out of his seat to take some of my stolen finger foods. "NO WAY!! GET YOUR OWN!!!" I scream at my younger brother, attempting to hide all the goods. "STOP!!! BACK THE FUCK UP!!!" I scream as Kevin tries to stick his hand down my chest where I was hoarding the napkin of food. "Oh my god! Babe! Fucking share!!!!" Abby jumps into the lions den and reaches in for a single finger food that I somehow let escape and tosses it at Kevin. "OH HECK NO!!!! ABIGIAL!!!" I say in complete shock over her betrayal. "Smile for the camera, guys!" Sam shouts at the three of us, pointing at the crazy moment getting captured by the wedding videographer. I take advantage of Kevin and Abby getting caught red handed on video and stuff the remaining of the food in my mouth.
Dinner is finally served and I can tame the hungry beast inside of me. Thank god because that whole fight over the food with Kevin and Abby I completely blacked out.
"Are you gonna eat that?" I ask my mom who is sitting next to me, already poking at her potatoes on her plate. "Go ahead..." she groaned. I leaned over and picked at my mom's potatoes, I was literally starving and I wish Jon and Lee had planned for a dinner buffet instead.
"Are you doing your toast first or Abby?" My dad asks. "I'm going first," I exhale pulling my note cards out of my clutch and showing them to my dad.
"Hi, everyone!" I nod after the clapping and cheering as I tapped a fork to my champagne glass at the front of the hall, in front of the band setup. "I wanted to start off by thanking Jon and Lee for having me as part of their special day, not that they had a choice. I would have crashed this wedding so hard! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Olivia and I am both the best wo-man and Lee's younger, more beautiful sister. For those of you who do know me, you're welcome."
"Jon and Lee, I wanted to tell you both how absolutely spectacular you look today. I don't think I've ever seen a better looking couple (except for maybe me and Abby). Let me take you all back a little and explain our interesting family dynamics, for those of you that don't know or need a refresher. Lee spent the first half of his life without my mom, dad, brother and I. I remember when my mom and dad pulled Kevin and I aside and asked us how we felt about bringing Lee into our family — imagine your parents saying they were going to make your best friend in the entire world your brother, I lost my mind! My family wanted to show Lee...that despite being caste away by his biological parents and being raised by his Grandmother that there are people in this world that can love."
"I remember the day specifically, it was April 30th and we were working on my show, when we officially adopted Lee into our family, he said..." I inhale because these are words that have been engraved in our whole family since Lee came into our lives "officially." "I wasn't living or knew how to love and be loved until I met all of you," a spectrum of aww's waved throughout the room.
"Lee, the truth is...we weren't living or knew how to really love until you," I tear up and scan the room for my anchor but it's useless because she's a blubbering mess, instead I find Angie and Shann who are only slightly blubbering. "Our family became whole the minute you waltzed into our lives. You changed our lives in a moment, Lee. You've become the best big brother Kevin and I could ask for — our secret keeper, our well of advice, our moral compass, our protector," I can feel the stream of tears down my eyes. "It is our pleasure to have you as our Kuya. I've had the opportunity to watch Lee grow, change, and evolve into the wonderful man that sits before us today, and I am honored to call him my best friend."
"Jon, I can't thank you enough for making Lee so happy as the man of his dreams — literally! For those of you that don't know, Lee and I were OBSESSED with Jon and Abby's first Broadway show together, we saw it dozens of times and we stage doored each time so we could meet them...the world works in crazy ways," Jon and Lee smile warmly at one another while I wink at my sweet lady who is blushing at our table. "Jon, you are smart, compassionate, loyal, funny, and immensely talented.You put up with my brother's crap, calm his meltdowns, but most of all you simply love Lee for everything he is and that's all we ask. Before this day you have been many things to each other — fan, friend, companion, lover, and even singing partner. You have laughed, cried, matured, and have become stronger as a result of one another. Today isn't only a celebration of where you are now and the road ahead, but the road that has brought you here."
"May your love be modern enough to survive the times and be old fashioned enough to survive forever. If everyone would raise their glass now and join me in congratulating the handsome grooms. Congratulations. I love you both whole heartedly! To Jon and Lee forever!"
"Baby," Abby cups my face with both hands and brings our lips together, her eyes filled with tears, her cute nose red as a button from sniffling. "Was it okay?" I break away from the kiss, my eyes still closed breathing in my sweet lady. "It was perfect, babe. Fucking perfect!!"
Abby walks up and takes my place at the mic, "Hi everyone!!! I hope it's alright that I ask you to indulge in yet another speech for the most handsome grooms I'd ever did see. My name is Abby, best friend and best wo-man to the other groom. I've known him since I was 14 years old, he's watched me grow and been by my side as my dreams came true and held me together when my world was falling apart. He's the best friend a girl could ask for. The first day I met him I was like, no, no, we're gonna get you out of those clothes and into something that'll nail you the part of my co-star. He told me to go fuck myself!" I fucking love this story, especially the way Abby tells it because I can clearly see Jon tell her there's no chance in hell he's letting her change him!
"When you've been close to someone for this long, you gather a lot of juicy secrets and hilariously embarrassing stories, however, I will spare you from those stories because 1) it would take me days to tell them and 2) because he specifically instructed me not to embarrass him on what is supposed to be one of the best days of his life. But, if you happen to catch me anywhere else, the embarrassing stories are fair game!"
"Jon, I want you to know that I rewrote this speech about 50 times over — it took me longer to write this speech than it did my book (on stands now, it's a NY times bestseller, just saying)! There really aren't words to define the kind of friend you've been to me. We've made out and had sex on stage for God's sake! But there really aren't any words to describe how happy I am for you and Lee today."
Abby definitely took the funnier route for her speech, thank goodness!
"Jon and I have a few simple rules we both grew up with that we learned about one another 15 years ago as an ice breaker, I don't think he even remembers this...but I thought I would pass some of these rules onto you, Lee, as a married couple since they are great advice for any relationship."
"Sharing. For kids it means sharing the remote. For you two, it means so much more; it means sharing your feelings, both good and bad. Sharing your hopes and dreams and even your fears. Respect. For kids, this means respecting others. For your marriage, it means respecting your elders — you both may be grown but you still need to listen to your parents; they know what they're talking about! They've all been married longer than you! It also means you must respect each other, even during an argument where your opinions, values, and beliefs differ. Forgiveness. This meant that Jon had to forgive me the time I stole the guy he had a crush on and went on a couple dates with. For you two now, as a married couple, it means forgiving both each other and yourself for the mistakes you have made in the past and will make in the future. I hope that you will take these small pieces of advice and remember them throughout the rest of your lives together."
"I see how happy you make him, Lee and how much he loves you. I also know that you would never hurt him or let anything happen to him. I can't think of a better man for my best friend, so, if everyone could please raise their glass, I'd like to propose a toast to the new couple, may they live happily ever after! Congratulations!"
I'm a blubbering mess! Oh my god!
"Holy shit, munch! That was the best speech ever!! Alright, Ms. New York Times Best-Selling Author!!!" I tease, kissing Abby after her triumphant speech. "Thank you, thank you!" Abby cockily bows for the applause at our table. I grab a handful of her ass, making her yelp and sit on my lap. "Two down, one more to go!" Abby sings reminding me of the song I promised I'd do for the couple. Jon's equally as talented broadway friends are also performing numbers for the happy couple and Abby doing a song with Lee for Jon, but I have the honor of singing the couples first dance song.
"Can I get everyone's attention please? If we can clear the dance floor for the happy couple's first dance as husbands!!" The lights dim, Julia at the violin, Fabian at the cello, Nathan with a guitar, and me center stage without a strings instrument but with the mic. Moments later, Jon and Lee walk on to the center of the dance floor with much applause and flashing of camera lights. With the spotlight shining brightly over them and off me, I can spot my lady across the way and I start to sing...
And the moment I can feel that
You feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you
I open the song with Julia at the violin.
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
Nathan sings
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
Together, our voices blend together as one.
When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never give my heart
I look into Abby's eyes and despite it being about Jon and Lee, it's like it's just the two of us in the room
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Nathan sings out to the blissfully happy couple who seem to be in their own worlds too.
Is when I fall in love with you
Nathan sings and we look at one another, smiling warming only to look back at our other bandmates who are madly in love with one another. During the instrumental break, I look at my brother and brother-in-law dancing in each other's arm and I lose it completely, the floodgates break open.
When I give my heart (when I give my heart, I echoed)
It will be completely (so completely)
Or I'll never give my heart (I will never give my heart...)
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you
I sing, looking directly into Abby's eyes knowing full well I was going to marry this girl standing in front of me no matter what the world tells me.
When I fall in love with you...
Nathan and I end the song with Jon and Lee, holding each other in their arms, and Jon wiping tears away from his husbands eyes.
"I love you, Olivia Nicole Riviera."
"I love you too, Abigail Ricci."
"Endlessly..."
The End