Epilogue—Family Holiday
Chapter 1---All in the Planning (December 15)
We sit
on a conference call with our friends, planning our biggest holiday get
together yet: Christmas in the mountains. For such a big group of people, we
were relatively able to agree on most of the details. We all had children ages nine
and under. I just knew it would be problematic from the time the idea for this
trip came up…but I was wrong.
“Well,
I’ve been looking at the pictures of the cabin, I know exactly where we can
hide the presents!” Emily says in a singsong voice. Gus rolls his eyes at her.
Emily is my husband’s best friend, Gus’ wife and was always the cheeriest one
in the group when it came to holiday planning.
“Man,
look, I’m interested in what we gonna do when the kids go to sleep!” Kendall
interjects. I sigh, Kendall is my best friend, Megan’s husband and…Kendall
himself was my husband’s friend from college. They hooked up at our wedding and
have been the hot and cold couple they are ever since.
“You would…” Angie purses her lips.
She was rarely tolerant of Kendall’s rambunctious nature, especially since she
found out about his struggles with fidelity in his marriage.
“Ang,
be nice” her husband, Brandon warns. Angie and Brandon, aside from Emily and
Gus, were the longest running couples in our circle. Gus, Ryan, Brandon,
Kendall and Vince, my husband had been friends for more than twenty years. We
knew that as our lives quickly progressed with children, job promotions, and
marriage in general, that we would have less time to spend together. This would
probably be the last time we could all arrange our schedules to have a true
holiday as the family we are.
“We’ll figure all of that out when we get there. What time are you guys
heading out?” My husband, Vince, interjects.
“We’re
ready for the 22nd after work…it’ll be an hour and a half flight,
so…let’s say 7:30?” Gus answers. All of them were planning on flying to the
airport in Gus’ private jet where we would meet and catch a shuttle to our
cabin.
“Well…is that
everything?” Ryan’s wife, Gabby turns her head at the sound of one of their
kids’ whining. Her eyes indicate that she’s done with the conversation.
“I think we’ve
got everything planned. We’ll see everyone in a week…” Vince and I exchange
good-byes with everyone before shutting off the computer. An expression of
stress crosses his face.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Everyone seems so…disconnected lately.”
“Well, honey we haven’t seen them since this past summer.
Everyone’s been busy, we’ll bounce back the way we always do.” He sighs at my
overly optimistic statement. I’d felt it too, but I refused to believe that our
friends were becoming distant. We’d all been friends as couples for ten years;
I wasn’t ready to throw that away yet. I
place a comforting hand on his arm.
“You believe me, don’t you?” I gaze into his tired, hazel
eyes.
“You’re right.” He puts his hand over mine, giving me a
forced smile.
“And they lived happily ever after…” I whisper as I read my
daughter Amelia her favorite princess book for the millionth time.
“Mom do people actually live happily ever after?” she asks.
I look into her innocent, eight-year old eyes.
“Well, that depends on how you see happily ever after. What
do you think it means?” I respond.
“When you are happy forever?” She questions. I laugh and put
the book down on her nightstand.
“I guess you could say that, but there are different ways to
be happy forever.”
“Are you happy forever?” I chuckle again.
“Yes, I am happy forever,” I kiss her forehead, “I have your
daddy, you, Andrew and Aidan. You are my happily ever after.” I get up from the
side of her bed and pull the covers over her and the teddy bear she loves so
much.
“Good night, Love.” I turn out her lamp, and gently close
her door just as Vince comes out of our youngest son, Aidan’s room.
“Did you check on Andrew already?” I inquire.
“Out like a light” he answers with a smile. I heave a sigh
of relief. Usually our kids were well behaved, but they had tons of energy…I
blame their father for that trait. I was quiet as a child.
“Shall we?” He asks, gesturing down the stairs. Every night,
I would indulge in a glass or two of red wine while he drank whiskey. It was
our nightly ritual (among other things). While I was not alone anymore in my
role of CEO of PharmaCo, it was still a high-pressure job, and of course, Vince
was still busy as ever running MedCorp, one of the largest pharmaceutical
companies in the country. In between both of our careers, we were also full-time
parents to three children, two of them twins. We made it a priority to spend
quality time together at night as much as our jobs and kids would allow.
As we sit in the living room, acquainted by the glow of the
twinkling lights on our Christmas tree, Vince seems to be quieter than usual.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask between sips of my deep red
Pinot Noir.
“I’m ready for a break…” he says.
“Well, you’ve only got one more week.”
“I know…I’m kinda nervous.”
“About seeing our friends? Why?”
“I don’t know, they didn’t…seem kind of distant tonight?”
“Well, honey it’s the busiest time of year for Gus and
Emily…Kendall was the same obnoxious being he always is.”
“I’m not really worried about Gus and Emily…I’m not even
worried about Kendall or Brandon, but…I don’t know, you think something is
going on between Ryan and Gabby?” I consider it, not really noticing it until
he mentioned.
“I think Gabby really hasn’t been the same since the hostage
situation.”
“That was five years ago!”
“I know, but some people don’t bounce back so quickly. It’s
not like being a hostage is an everyday occurrence, sweetie.”
“You bounced back.”
“Well, yeah, but look at how much therapy it took, and she
had a baby like eight months later. Give her some time. Give them some
time.” He sighs heavily, pulling me against him. I breathe in the Armani
cologne I love so much on him.
“You know…I have a good feeling about this trip” I whisper
to him.
“I’m gonna trust you on that one, Baby.” He kisses my
forehead softly before moving down to my lips.
“I think I’ve had enough whiskey tonight…” He growls, that
lust I know so well, burns in his eyes.
“Oh, have you?” I return his gaze.
“Yeah…” he stands up, taking my hand, leading me upstairs.
Once we reach the bedroom, he all but devours me with his
tender kisses before I pull him to the bed. He falls on top of me, ravaging my
lips urgently. I unbutton his shirt, tossing it on the floor as he swiftly
unbuttons his pants, shoving them down to his feet. He hikes up my skirt and
reaches up, shredding my panties in his hands. My breathing becomes shallow as
I anticipate what this will lead to.
He enters me slowly, and I whisper his name as he fills me
up.
“I need a release…” he groans.
“You know what to do…” I say coyly. He chuckles softly
before pinning my hands behind my head and starting a harsh rhythm.
The next morning, Lacy’s voice rings on my intercom.
“Nathan is on the phone…” she says.
“Patch him through” I respond.
“Hey, Baby!”
“Hey, Nathan! What’s up?”
“Just feeling a little sad that I won’t be able to
participate in the festivities next week.”
“Aww, well, you are taking Dimitri and Allison on a
Caribbean adventure. I wouldn’t be so sad about that.” He laughs at my remark.
Nathan and his husband had planned to take their daughter, Allison on a cruise
for the holidays before he realized we would plan a mountain trip.
“I know, but we’ll be in a sea of adults we don’t know and
their annoying ass kids.” We both chuckle.
“Well, our New Years’ Eve party will be a time to redeem
yourself.”
“You said a word there! I just wanted to call and wish you
guys a safe trip. We’re leaving for the port early tomorrow morning.”
“You too, sweetie, and we’ll see you on New Year’s Eve.” I
hang up just as my cell phone rings. I look at the caller ID and notice it’s
Vince.
“Hey…” I answer.
“Hey…” He sounds stressed.
“What’s wrong?” I immediately ask. He groans.
“I’ve got bad news.”
“What?”
“I’ve gotta go to London.”
“Now?! But it’s almost the holidays!” I exclaim, the
disappointment evident in my voice.
“Look, if I go tonight, I should be back by the time we go
to the cabin. I just have to handle a crisis.”
“Can’t your partner go?”
“No, she can’t. She’s in California dealing with another
crisis.”
“Vince…” I want to argue so badly.
“I know, Baby. I gotta go though.”
“What if the weather gets crazy…”
“It won’t. I’ll meet you guys at the cabin, okay?”
“What time are you leaving?”
“I’m gonna go pack now.”
“I’m going to the airport with you.”
“You don’t have to do that…”
“Yes, I do. Give me an hour.”
“I should be packed and ready to go by then.”
“Okay.” I lean my head back in annoyance. I knew that this
came with the territory, but Vince has never been called overseas before a
holiday. It made me nervous as hell.
I work furiously for the next hour, so that I can accompany
Vince to the airport. I hated that he had to leave without telling the kids
good-bye, but I knew that the sooner he left, the sooner he would be back.
Vince and I ride silently to the airport as Shane, his
security specialist drives us. A song with a sad melody plays on the radio, and
I grab his arm, moving as close as the seatbelt will allow me.
“I’ll be back in time…I promise” he whispers. I can only
nod, afraid that if I say anything, I’ll start to cry.
Honestly, I didn’t know why I was so emotional. My husband
was a CEO, and I knew that this was a part of his job. However, I was also
afraid that he would miss Christmas, and I knew it would devastate the kids.
“Boss, you’ll be flying out of New York. Your jet will take you
there” Shane says, timidly, gazing at the both of us in the rearview mirror.
“Thanks, Shane. You’ll get them to the mountains safely?”
Vince asks.
“Of course. No need to worry, Boss, and I’ll be here to pick
you up when you get back.” We get out of the car to see the waiting jet on the
runway.
“Kiss the kids for me…” Vince caresses my cheek and a tear
falls out of my eye.
“Don’t worry, Baby. I’ll be back.” He picks me up, branding
my lips with a soft kiss.
“Be safe…” I say.
“I will.” He puts me down and follows Shane who has his
bags.
“What a fucking inconvenience!” Megan says as I tell her
about our debacle over the phone.
“Well, I guess it’s a part of the job.”
“What could be so important that it couldn’t wait until
after the holidays?”
“You of all people should know that pharmaceuticals are a
tough business.”
“Hmph, I only write the prescriptions. Well, don’t worry, we
won’t have the real fun until he gets there.” I laugh.
“He most definitely would disagree with you on that one.”
“Ha! I know he would.”
“I just want everything to go well this week…just seems like
an omen to me.”
“Girl, please! He’ll be back, we’ll have a great time,
celebrate Christmas and end it with an epic New Year’s Eve party.”
“I’m glad to see you’re optimistic about this.”
“Well, I think Kendall needs to see his friends…” she says,
slowly. My curiosity is piqued.
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t know, he’s been kind of distant lately. I know he
and Vince haven’t had a chance to really hang out and, honestly, I don’t think
he’s been in contact with the other guys either.”
“Maybe we just all need each other. I think this trip will
be an important one.”
“I think it’ll be make or break. I guess we’ll see.” A part
of me wonders why she would say something like that, but I don’t question her
further. I only half-heartedly agree with her and tell her I’ll see her in a
few days.
Why was everyone so melancholy about this trip? This was
supposed to be a time for us to reunite and have the fun we always had. A bad
feeling creeps in my heart, and I try to chase it away with my optimistic
thought that everything would be fine once we got there.
Chapter 2—Reunited, a Late Flight, and a Noisy Night
Megan helps me
get the kids dressed and packed as we prepare to meet our friends at the
airport. Vince called and told me his flight would be late, but he would be
there later this evening. I prayed he was right, and that the weather would
cooperate. It was a dreadfully rainy day…not Christmas-like at all.
As we come
downstairs, Kendall is arranging his bartending bags.
“We ready?” He
asks. We all nod just as the headlights from Shane’s SUV show up in the
driveway. We maneuver the kids and Faith, our Golden Retriever into the car
before speeding towards the airport. I would be so glad when everyone was
together again. The uneasiness from earlier in the week was creeping on me. I
just wanted it to be like old times.
As we arrive at the
airport, we see Gus’ jet fly over our heads before landing on the runway.
“Well, thank God
the weather didn’t delay them” Megan murmurs.
“Yeah” I agree
absently, my nerves getting the best of me until I see Emily and Gus step off
the plane followed by the rest of the crew.
“Maddie!” Emily
exclaims, running towards us. She hugs me tightly and Gus kisses my cheek.
“How you been muchacha?”
He asks.
“Good, great now
that you guys are here.” Our kids have already gathered, happy to see each
other after a while.
“Come on, guys!
Shuttle’s waiting!” Kendall beams as he shakes hands with his boys. Maybe Megan
was right, he needed to see his friends.
“When is Vince
coming?” Ryan asks me.
“Soon, I hope.
His flight was delayed.”
“Hopefully, they
can navigate this weather…” He touches my shoulder, noticing my worry. I look
at him with an optimistic smile.
After a two-hour
drive to the cabin, we all get out in awe of the gigantic building. It was a
deluxe cabin indeed.
“This is
beautiful!” Emily says, taking the hand of her daughter, Maria as they head inside.
An hour later,
as we’re eating dinner, my phone rings. All of our friends look at me in
anticipation as they know I’ve been waiting on Vince to call. Sure enough, it’s
him.
“Hey…” I answer.
“Baby, the
roads are washed out where you guys are. Trees down everywhere. I think I might
just have to go home and come up in the morning.” My heart sinks.
“I don’t want
you to do that….”
“I know, Baby,
but what choice do I have? Shane can’t drive up there.”
“Give me a
minute, I’ll call you back, okay? Where are you?”
“Almost to
Atlanta, we’re about an hour out.”
“I’ll call you
back…” I hang up and immediately call Danny Portuga, who operates our company’s
helicopter.
“What’s up,
Boss?” He answers.
“Hey, Danny, I
know you’re on your holiday break, but…I need a big favor.”
“What is it?”
“Vince can’t
get to where we are by car, do you think you could bring us here?”
“You mean
bring him there?”
“No, I mean take me to meet him and bring us
back.”
“Damn, Boss…”
He scoffs.
“I’ll double
your Christmas bonus.”
“Alright…only
for you.”
“Thank you so
much.”
“Give me
about thirty minutes, I’ll be there. Will I have a clear place to land?”
“You should…”
“See you
soon.” He hangs up as our friends gape at me.
“You’re
gonna get on a helicopter in this weather?” Gus asks, concerned.
“I need to
get Vince here. Can you think of a better way?” The whole room falls silent.
“What if
you both get stranded?” Angie looks at me.
“That
won’t happen. I just need him to be here with us.”
“We’ve
got the kids…get him, Maddie…” Kendall says. The others look on as if they
can’t disagree with what he’s said. With the silent approval from our friends,
I head upstairs to put on my coat.
Twenty
minutes later, I see the lights of our company helicopter spread across the
yard. I pull on the hood of my coat and run into the rain to meet the
helicopter. Danny gets out, opening the door for me.
“You’re
crazy, you know that?” He gives me a smile.
“I
know…” I laugh as I strap myself in and put on my helmet.
“We’ll be in Atlanta in thirty
minutes…” he says. I nod as we take off into the rain-filled abyss.
We
land at the airport where I see Shane’s SUV parked at the tarmac.
“Give me a
minute…” I tell Danny as I hop out of the helicopter and step towards the car.
Vince emerges and in that moment, I feel like I did the very first time I saw
him. He was still tall, fit with that delicious caramel skin and dreamy hazel
eyes. I almost want to tackle him, but I keep my composure. What was it about
this man that after ten years of marriage, I still lusted after him like a high
school girl?
“You must
really want me up there…” He says with that smile that almost stops my heart.
“I want you
in every way possible…” I giggle.
“You are a
mess, girl.” He grabs me, giving me a passionate kiss.
“Aye, come
on, guys! It’s getting bad out here!” Danny yells as the rain begins to really fall.
I take Vince’s hand and we venture to the helicopter together.
Thirty
minutes later, we land at the cabin and I thank Danny profusely for what he’s
done, promising him the extra money will be in his bank account on Christmas
Eve.
Once we
get inside, all of our friends greet us happily. Vince hugs everyone, looking
genuinely satisfied to see his friends…and that’s when the real party begins.
Brandon
turns on the stereo, filling the air with 90s party music and everyone seems to
relax and take in the atmosphere. Vince lights up his best Hawaiian Gold,
sharing it with everyone who wants a hit and Kendall mixes whatever drinks any
of us desire.
It starts to feel
like old times until we all wind down with our vices.
“It feels good to
be with the old crew again…” Kendall says.
“I guess maybe
that’s what it’ll take for you to pay attention to your wife tonight…” Megan
says. The whole room seems to pause at her comment.
“Damnit, Megan,
what the fuck is your problem?!” Kendall growls.
“Nothing, absolutely
nothing…” She gets up, refilling her glass with vodka and a tiny splash of
cranberry juice.
“Um…hey, you
guys cool?” Brandon gazes at the couple. Megan gives an obviously fake smile to
him.
“We’re just
peachy.” She takes a long sip out of her glass. Emily and I exchange glances.
“Megan, maybe
that should be it for you tonight, huh?” I suggest. She gives me a side-eye.
“Oh, so now
you’re dictating how much I drink?”
“I didn’t
mean it like that….” I try to explain myself.
“Well, what
do you mean, Maddie? Now that your perfect hubby is here, you get to dictate
everything?”
“Now, Megan…”
Emily warns.
“Oh, shut-up!
Ya’ll really get on my nerves, you know that? Pretending that you’re all
fucking couples of the year!” Megan yells. Angie takes a deep breath while
Gabby looks on in horror at her outburst.
“You’ve had
enough…” Kendall gets up, attempting to snatch the glass from her.
“You can’t
tell me shit, Kendall!” Now, the atmosphere really becomes tense.
“What the
fuck is your problem?!” He gives her a look of disgust.
“This!
This is my fucking problem! How is it that your ‘crew’ can keep their wives
satisfied and you can’t?!”
“Oh, Jesus…” Angie says, getting up. It’s
obvious she will have no part in this.
“Megan,
what is going on with you?” I’m genuinely concerned about her state right now. She
chuckles.
“Not a
damn thing. I just wish you would all stop pretending.”
“Pretending what?” Emily asks, her tone impatient.
“You
can’t tell me that after ten years, ya’ll can keep it together.”
“Okay,
Megan…sweetie, I think it’s time for you to go to bed…you don’t want to say
anything you’ll regret tomorrow” I attempt to touch her arm and she flinches
away from me.
“I
will not! Why is it that I have no voice in this ‘group’?”
“You
do! But you’re not making any sense right now!” Emily argues. Megan laughs,
plopping down next to Ryan who tries his best to rein her in.
“What’s wrong, Megan?” He gives her a sincere look.
“What’s wrong? Maybe the fact that my husband hasn’t touched me in months!
All of ya’ll are all over each other and you see what he does, right? Goes
right to the bar to ignore me!”
“I’m
too fucking drunk for this…” Brandon stands, indicating that he’ll follow his
wife to bed. Vince, seemingly frustrated, gently takes Megan by her arm,
leading her into the kitchen. I try to follow, but he gives me a look
indicating I’m not needed.
The
rest of us gaze at Kendall for an explanation.
“Look,
we just haven’t been the best lately, okay?” he blurts.
“You
think?” Emily says, sarcastically.
“Dude, whatever you’re doing to prompt that shit needs to be fixed…like
now…” Ryan says. Kendall scoffs.
“She’s just being the same bitch she’s always been. Always jealous of
you guys.”
“Well, don’t you ever ask yourself why she is? What is going on to make
her feel that way?”
“Don’t do this shit to me, Megan knew what she was getting into when she
married me.”
“And what was she getting into? Man, I swear you ain’t learned shit from
none of us!” Ryan snarls.
“Ryan! Don’t start this, okay? I just want to have a good fucking
Christmas, and she always uses this as an excuse to get at me! And you wonder
why I won’t touch her?!”
“Okay, let’s fall back for a second and calm down. Kendall, I get you,
man, I really do, but you guys have got to stop airing your dirty laundry every
time we get together.”
“I didn’t air anything! You saw how
she just went psycho!” We all sigh, not knowing whether to be sympathetic or
upset that their drama ruined everything.
Vince comes out of the kitchen without Megan and shakes his head at Kendall.
“Go
talk to your wife, man.” Kendall groans, grabbing his drink off the coffee
table and stalking towards the kitchen like a kid who just got into trouble.
“Mommy!” We hear one of the kids yelling from upstairs, and it
unmistakably sounds like our son, Andrew.
“I got him, he probably had a bad dream…” Vince stops me from standing
up and heads up the stairs.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Emily whispers sadly.
“They just can’t keep it together, but we
can’t keep getting in the middle of it. They need to work it out between the
two of them. We’re not marriage counselors, here” Gus says as he lights up a
remaining joint.
“No, we’re not, and I’m sick of this shit. We need to send them both
home if they’re gonna do this. We planned this trip to spend time with each
other, not be referees” Ryan says, his frustration evident.
“We can’t send them home. They’re our friends, and they’re obviously
struggling. We need to be there for them” Gabby says quietly.
Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opens, and Megan walks out slowly,
gazing at all of us, sadly.
“I’m uh…gonna go home in the morning” she says.
“You don’t have to…” I start.
“Yeah, I do, and then I’m going to see my family. I thought coming here
would solve everything…it just made it worse. I know we have some work to do,
but I just don’t have it in me right now. I’m sorry, guys.”
“You don’t have to apologize, but we want you guys to work this
out…however that may look to you” Gus says. Megan nods.
“Well,
I’m going to bed. I’ll be picked up in the morning, so if you guys aren’t up
yet, have a great Christmas.” As Megan turns to go up the stairs. Gabby rushes
over to her, pulling her in a tight hug.
“We’ll be
here for you no matter what. You know that right? We aren’t taking sides here”
she says.
“I
know, you guys have been great…I’m just sorry we fucked everything up.” Megan
looks at all of us.
“Let
me know if you need anything…” I say, fighting the urge to tell her that she
didn’t have to go, but I could already hear Vince’s voice saying that I needed
to stay out of it. This time, I knew he was right. I’d spent the better part of
the last five years trying to support Megan in her marriage struggles with
Kendall. I couldn’t help anymore. As much as I wanted to see all of my friends
happy, I’d learned it was something I couldn’t control. The realization hits me
as I see Megan tread up the stairs, and a tear falls down my cheeks which Emily
notices. She takes my hand in hers.
“Maybe this is for the best. She can get some support from her family
and get away from the situation for a bit.” All I can do is nod.
“I’m
going to go check on the kids…” I say.
Once
I go upstairs, I knock on Megan’s door.
“Come in…” she says tearfully. I
walk into the room to see her lying on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly. I get
on the bed with her and put my arms around her as she begins to sob. I don’t
say a word, offering my friend what she needed…a shoulder to cry on.
Once
she’s calmed down, she begins to tell me what has been happening between her
and Kendall. She explains that it all began when she suspected him of
infidelity, but she was wrong. She tried to make amends, but it seemed that
Kendall was tired of not being worthy of her trust. He’d been distant since
then. She thought that maybe he needed an outlet, some time with his friends,
but when he seemed to totally ignore her, she got angry.
“I don’t want him
to think I can’t trust him, but it was so hard after the last time.”
“Well, look,
take a break. Maybe you guys need to go back and see the therapist. Until
then…go enjoy your family. I know they miss you.”
“Just promise me
something…make sure he enjoys this time with his friends, so that he’ll have
the motivation to figure this out. We can’t keep going like this, something has
to change.”
“I’m sure he’ll
get the support he needs while he’s here. I’ll see you for our New Year’s Eve
party?” She nods.
“I’ll be there…thank you Maddie.” She hugs me
tightly.
After
everything, I feel emotionally drained and decide to take my tired soul to bed.
I notice that Vince isn’t in bed yet, so I get undressed and sink into the soft
sheets of the King-sized bed. As I drift to sleep, I feel strong arms around
me.
“Everything will
be fine…” he whispers, and as much as I want to believe him, I have a sinking
feeling.
Chapter 3---Healing Words, Renewal of Love
We all look at
our children with happiness as they tear open the gifts under the Christmas
tree. As they play with their new gadgets, the ladies and I make breakfast and
mimosas.
“Did Megan get
home okay?” Emily asks me as she pours a mixture of eggs, peppers and onions
over shredded potatoes.
“Yeah, she’s
with her parents in Lawrenceville.”
“That’s good, I
hope that everything works out.” She puts the casserole in the oven before
turning to look at me.
“You know,
Kendall’s been our friend for a long time, but that doesn’t mean we care about
Megan any less. They both obviously need something that we just can’t give
them.”
“I know,
Emily…” I gesture for Gabby to give me a glass of the mimosas she just mixed,
and she hands me a full serving.
“Yes, we’ve
been his friend for a long time, but he also needs to grow up. Marriage is
hard! All of us have to do the work each and every day. If he doesn’t want to
do that, he needs to file for divorce” Angie interjects.
“Ang, don’t
you think you’re being a little too hard on him?” Gabby asks.
“The hell I
am! This mess has to stop. I only hope our husbands can talk some sense into
him. Jesus Christ, we’re in our forties!”
“I’m sure
they’ll talk to him. In the meantime, I suggest we all stay out of it” Emily
says.
“I think
that’s a good idea, Emily. Let the men handle it. They’ve been friends forever,
so whatever he needs, he can get from them” I say. Everyone murmurs in
agreement.
Later that
afternoon, the kids are napping while we decide to hang out in front of the
fireplace with our various cocktails. Kendall seems hesitant to say anything
today, and I know he must feel bad. As our friends are distracted by different
conversations, I decide to pry a little bit.
“Is he
okay?” I whisper to Vince.
“He’s fine,
don’t worry. He just doesn’t want to face the judge and jury.”
“Who’s
judging him?”
“You all
are.”
“That’s
not true.”
“Oh,
don’t bullshit me.”
“I’m
not!” He leans back, giving me a skeptical look.
“Look,
we’ve all agreed that we were gonna give him space to do whatever he needs to
do to solve this. It’s out of our hands now, Maddie, and you need to do the
same thing with Megan. We can’t keep doing this. All it does is cause division
among us.”
“What do
you mean?”
“It
always causes tension when they fight in front of us. Don’t tell me you haven’t
felt it.” I hadn’t even really thought about it. We had gotten so busy with the
kids and trying to make their Christmas memorable that I wasn’t paying
attention. I take the time to look around the room and notice that there is an
awkward air. Everyone seems to be a bit distant from each other. I find myself
wondering if that’s because Kendall’s presence without Megan made it difficult
to relax as a couple.
“I
didn’t notice.”
“We’re
going home tomorrow. Let’s just make this a good day. We all deserve it.” I nod
with understanding.
“It’s
terrible outside…” Emily comments, looking outside at the pouring rain.
“Yeah, wish it was snow instead…at least the kids would get a chance to
play in it” Brandon says.
“Look, guys, I just wanna go ahead and kill the elephant” Kendall
interrupts the small talk.
“We
told you, Man, we’re gonna stay out of it” Gus reminds him.
“I
know, but I just can’t ignore the tension.” He gazes at all of us.
“Fine. What do you have to say?” Vince sits up.
“You all know that Megan and I have had issues for the longest. I’m not
trying to be an asshole, I promise. We were doing good in therapy, and…we
thought we didn’t need it anymore. The truth is, we just didn’t get in the flow
like all of ya’ll did. It’s hard work, and I don’t think we were quite ready
for it. The trust issues…shit I know I fucked up five years ago, but I thought
we were past it.”
“Kendall, do you want to be married, Man?
I’m being serious right now.” Brandon looks at him.
“I do, I love her, I wouldn’t have stayed with her this long if I
didn’t.”
“I’m gonna say this, Kendall, you know Emily and I have been married for
almost twenty years now. You don’t get to where we are without the obstacles,
but you have to stop lying to yourselves” Gus comments.
“If there’s more bad than good, you need to let it go” Brandon says. I
notice that Ryan stays quiet[NP1] .
Given that he and Kendall were the last to be married, he might not feel like
he has a weapon in this fight.
“Kendall, we love you okay? We’re not going anywhere…even if you and
Megan don’t end up making it. What we do want is for both of you to be happy.
Life is too short to be unhappy at home” Emily says, gently. Kendall looks at
all of us, and suddenly begins to sob. Emily immediately gets up and sits next
to him, hugging him tightly. I put my hand over my heart, feeling a deep
sympathy for him.
“You’re gonna
be alright, Kendall” Vince says.
“I know, but
I’m not crying for myself…” Kendall responds.
“Why are you
crying, Kendall?” I ask.
“Because she
was right. She was right to be angry with me. I haven’t even touched her in
three months because of my fucking pride. I should have been more
understanding…”
“You have time
to fix it” Gus offers. Kendall simply nods as he returns Emily’s affection.
Something tells me, it’s probably what he’s needed all along.
After the
floodgates have opened, everyone seems more relaxed and happier. I breathe an
internal sigh of relief, thankful that our trip didn’t go up in flames. Kendall
seems to occupy his time by playing video games with the older kids while the
rest of us entertain the younger ones. We seem to be back in our element again,
and even though the weather is horribly cold and wet, there is an atmosphere of
warmth in our Christmas cabin.
That evening, as
Vince and I get dressed for bed, he comes over to me with a small box.
“I thought we
already exchanged gifts…” I tease.
“We did, but I
saved this one for last.”
“What have you
done?” I ask, ready to scold him about spending money on more jewelry than I’d
ever need in a lifetime. He kneels down in front of me taking my hand. I gaze
at him quizzically.
“What’s going
on?”
“Maddie, we’ve
been married for ten years, and I’m grateful for that. We’ve been through so
many changes, and still have been able to keep going.”
“We have. It’s
been fun hasn’t it?” I whisper softly.
“And we’re not
done yet…” He opens the box and reveals a beautiful white gold ring with a
gigantic canary diamond.
“Vince!” I gasp.
“I want to
know…will you marry me again?” I laugh nervously.
“Again?”
“I want us to
renew our vows; I think we owe it to each other for these ten years, and I owe
you a bigger diamond.” Tears well up in my eyes.
“I didn’t even
know you were planning this!” I sniffle.
“Well, don’t
leave me hanging, girl…” he laughs.
“A million
times, yes…yes, I’ll marry you again.” He gets up, taking my other engagement
ring off and sliding the outrageous diamond on my finger. He sweeps me up in a
passionate kiss.
“I love you…” he
whispers in my ear before falling into the bed with me.
“I love you” I
respond, pulling him towards me for another kiss.
That night, not
caring who hears, we engage in a night of fervor, much like when we were first
married. I felt a spirit of renewal, and even though our love was never dead, I
felt a resurrection of sorts that made for an explosive release.
The next
morning, much to our chagrin, the weather hasn’t gotten any better.
“Maybe you guys
should come to our house for the night. You don’t want to fly in this” I say,
looking out the window.
“I think we’ll
be fine. My pilot says we have a little window of time before it gets heavy
again, so let’s get our stuff together and head down to the airport before we
miss it” Gus replies.
“Excuse me! Just
what is that on your finger?!” Emily exclaims suddenly, looking at my hand. I
laugh, looking at the bright diamond.
“Well, I was
proposed to last night.” Everyone in the room stops what they’re doing, gazing
at Vince and me.
“Oh, really?”
Gus looks intrigued.
“We’re renewing
our vows” Vince informs them. Everyone murmurs in interest.
“When are you
doing this?” Angie asks, curiosity piqued.
“I was
thinking New Year’s Eve. You guys will all be there for a party anyway” Vince
looks at me for my approval.
“I think that’s
a great idea.”
“I really don’t
wanna be staying at ya’ll’s house for your second wedding night. You made
enough racket last night” Kendall laughs, obviously back to his old, joking
self.
“The walls are
soundproof. You’ll be alright…hopefully, you won’t even notice.” Vince winks at
his friend who shakes his head.
“I think it’ll
be fun! Something none of us have ever done before!” Emily squeals.
“You had two
weddings…” Gus comments with a side-eye. She scoffs.
“We didn’t
renew our vows. We eloped and had a wedding to please my side of the family”
she laughs.
“Now look
what you’ve started…” Gus gives Vince a fake scowl which makes us all laugh.
“Maybe one
day you’ll be as smooth as me.” Vince slaps Gus on the back.
A few
hours later, we and our sleeping kids are back home out of the cold, wet day.
We put the kids
in their beds and retreat downstairs. I don’t even want to think about
unpacking right now. Vince, obviously sharing my sentiment, plops down the
couch with a glass of whiskey. I lean my head on his shoulder as he sighs
contentedly.
“Tired?” I ask.
“Yeah, you wore
me out last night” he teases.
“I don’t think
that was all my fault.” I giggle.
“Nah…” He
whispers, pulling me closer to him.
“I think the
kids had the right idea” I observe, feeling sleepiness drift over me. It had
been a busy holiday, full of emotion…both good and bad. It was only natural
that I’d be tired. I think we all were.
“Yeah…” he
agrees, putting his glass down. We both end up falling asleep on the couch,
still happy with the result of our Christmas.
The next day,
Nathan comes barreling in the door, pulling me in a bear hug. I called him,
telling him that we were renewing our wedding vows and I needed his help to
plan. Of course, that was right up his alley.
“Come on in, you
want a drink?” I ask, breathless from his tight grip.
“Now you know
better, I always want a drink.” I laugh and invite him to come into the kitchen
with me while I pour us both a tall glass of red wine. We were given a few
bottles of an exclusive Pinot Noir by one of my clients and I was excited to
try it out with someone who appreciated it just as much as I do.
“Let me see
that diamond, girl!” He exclaims, taking my hand.
“Lord, girl
that thing has to be worth 100K!” He examines the diamond carefully.
“It could be
from the discount store and I’d be happy…” I explain.
“Girl, stop
lying! You’d take a dollar store cubic zirconia over this shit?! I think not.”
He takes his glass of wine from me and sits at the table.
“I can
honestly say it was the thought that counted this time…”
“Whatever you
say, honey. You’ve let that man wear it out for ten years, you deserve a
diamond.”
“Nathan!” I
scold with a blush.
“Am I lying?” I
take a long sip out of my glass.
“I didn’t think
so…” He smirks.
“So, how is
this renewal ceremony gonna happen?” I try to change the subject.
“It’s gonna
be tight. Too late to call an event planner for New Year’s Eve.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be a grand
affair. We just need someone to re-marry us. Rev. Lockhart is booked.” Rev.
Lockhart, a minister I knew in childhood who first married Vince and me, was a
busy man around this time of year, and I knew he would need to be booked months
in advance.
“Isn’t Shane
ordained?” Nathan pips. I had totally forgotten about that. Maybe he would be
willing to do us that favor.
“I’ll get Vince
to ask him.” It would actually be perfect if Shane helped us renew our vows.
He’d been there from the time we’d first started dating until now.
“What else do you
need?” He puts his glass down.
“How are we gonna
fit everyone in this house? It’s too late for tent rentals or anything else…” I
sigh heavily, wondering how people getting married the first time can manage to
plan a wedding in a few days.
“Look, you’re
not inviting 200 guests here, these are your friends, your family. You have a
great living room. We just need someone to move the furniture out of there and
presto! Wedding venue.” I chuckle.
“I guess we can
manage that.”
“Dimitri and I
will hire the movers.”
“Nathan!”
“Shhhh…consider it a wedding gift.” He smiles brightly which rouses some
emotion in me. I take his hand in mine.
“You know,
through all these years, you’ve been the best friend a girl ever had.” Nathan
gives me a huge grin, squeezing my hand.
“Likewise,
Baby. We have been through a hell of a lot haven’t we?” I nod.
“Marriage,
children, job promotions…a whole bunch of ups and downs.”
“Did you ever
think we’d be a pair of old married women?” He asks, and I laugh loudly through
my tears, shaking my head.
“You know,
sometimes I think about the girl I was ten years ago. Young, naïve, and
thinking I could conquer the world” I chuckle at my recollection.
“You have,
Baby…” Nathan says, seriously.
“A small
contribution.”
“A small
contribution?! You kicked ass at one of the biggest mergers in pharmaceutical
history, you fucking married the owner and CEO of your company, who believed in
you so much that he turned it all over to you. You brought three beautiful
babies in this world, and even though you have a little help now, you’re still
running a company that changed the face of pharmaceutical technology. Do I need
to go on?” I shake my head.
“I love you
so much, and I’m so glad you were there to witness all of it: even when I was a
complete mess.”
“Well, good
friends might not clean up the mess, but we sure as hell will help you.” He
pulls me into another hug, and I think about the people who have been so
valuable in our lives as we journeyed through it together. Everyone had their
flaws, their faults, but ultimately, we all fit together well. I was blessed to
have such an amazing group of friends.
Chapter 4—Don’t Forget Us
“I can’t believe
you’re renewing your vows!” Lacy, my long-time assistant and good friend
exclaims when I tell her the news over lunch.
“I want you to
be there like you were before…you were such a big part of everything…my
promotion, my marriage.” She laughs.
“I only helped
you along, girl. You did the legwork, and I do mean legwork…” She
laughs.
“You’re just
as bad as Nathan.” I giggle.
“Well, I’m
not that extreme…” she smiles grandly at me. Just then we hear a familiar voice
calling both of our names.
“Diana!” I
recognize my old friend and gesture for her to come to our table. Diana and I
worked together when I first began my journey as an accountant. She worked in
IT and could solve any technology issue. She beams at us as she sits down with
tons of bags like she’s been on a shopping spree.
“You take those
after-Christmas sales seriously, don’t you?” I eye her bags with a smile.
“Girl, yes! I
got some new boots and tons of new outfits. I also got a dress for your vow
renewal!”
“I thought
you had an outfit for New Year’s? We went shopping together for those!” I
complain.
“Wellll…I was
planning on going to a New Year’s Eve party. Not a renewal of wedding
vows. I felt I needed a more…modest outfit.”
“It’s still a
New Year’s Eve party, just with some whipped topping…” I wink at her.
“I can’t
believe it’s been ten years…makes me feel very old. Bruce and I have been
married for damn near twenty!”
“Time flies, I
guess.”
“You’ve got
that right…I can’t believe my kid is almost ten!” Lacy exclaims.
“Yo…how’s
Megan?” Diana asks, suddenly.
“I haven’t
heard from her since she left the cabin to be honest. I sent her a text telling
her about our vow renewal but got no reply.” Diana shakes her head.
“I hope
everything works out for her soon. She seems a little lost for happiness at
time.”
“That she
is. She just…has some trust issues…most of them warranted.”
“Well, she
will have to open up soon. To be in a marriage for eight years and not feel
secure is definitely not a good thing. It has to be a miserable existence” Lacy
comments, sadly.
“Yeah, it
does…do you guys ever feel…like your husbands would do something like that?” I
gaze at them seriously.
“Bruce may
be an ex-military man but he ain’t stupid!” Diana answers.
“I don’t
think Carlos would ever have the balls to…my father put the fear of God in him
when we got married” Lacy laughs.
“I don’t think
Vince ever would, either.”
“I don’t think
he would either, that ring looks like it cost a million!” Diana points out.
“Stop…men
spend money and cheat on their wives all the time.”
“Doesn’t mean
your man will.”
“I know, I
know.”
“You better
know as much as ya’ll have been through!” Diana scoffs.
“We have been through so many obstacles”
I respond, thoughtfully. Vince and I had been through it all: psycho stalkers,
kidnapping, even a stint where we got mixed up in mafia dealings. It hadn’t
been easy by any means, but we made it. I think deep down that’s why Vince
wanted to renew our vows. There had been so many things that we had
encountered…both when we started dating and when we got married. It seemed
appropriate to renew our vows and commitment to one another after ten years.
“More than most.
Honey if you were able to survive that, everything else should seem like small
beans” Diana says. I nod in agreement.
“One thing has
never changed, though…” I look at her and Lacy who give me a quizzical
expression.
“Our friends.
You guys have been the best friends anyone could ask for…all of you. I’m so
ecstatic that you guys are going to be there for us yet again.” They both
smile.
“Well, you
didn’t have to go and make me cry!” Diana takes her glasses off, wiping her
eyes with a cloth napkin. I take both of their hands in mine.
“I love you
both…”
“We love you
too, girl! Now stop!” Lacy scolds, laughing through her tears.
As we settle
into a less serious conversation about the latest sales, our children, and our
husbands, I revel in the friendships I had. Even without Vince and his crew, I
would have always had Nathan, Diana and Nathan. They had stuck with me through
the extremely trying times in my life, each adding a value to my life that was
indeed priceless. I could only hope that others were just as fortunate as me,
and feel sorry for those who weren’t. I wouldn’t trade them for anything in
this world.
After all the
plans had been made, outfits bought, and friends present, it was finally time
for our New Year’s Eve vow renewal. I felt just as nervous as I did on my
actual wedding day. I remember being worried about my vows then, I was even
more worried now. I wanted to perfectly express to Vince what he meant to me,
so that he would know that I felt the same way I did as the first time we’d
revealed we loved one another. As I sink into a bath of lavender scented
bubbles, I reminisce about my wedding day and think about those vows I uttered,
no so long ago:
Vince, my love: I
never thought that I would find you…a man who gives me such intense love and
lifts me up when I’m feeling sad. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to see if
I’m dreaming. I can’t believe that someone who was as broken and fearful of
love as me could find someone like you to love. You know my flaws and
shortcomings, yet you continue to show me how you feel about me in ways I never
thought possible. I feel like we can conquer the world if we have each other. I
love you so much, Vincent Marks. Thank you for giving me the faith in love I needed,
the affection I crave, and the respect I deserve. I promise that I will spend
the rest of my life loving you unconditionally.”
“Maddie? Maddie!” I hear Nathan’s voice behind the bathroom
door, interrupting my distant thoughts.
“What?”
“Are you coming out or should I tell Vince he got jilted?”
He asks, sarcastically.
“I’m coming, I’m coming…” I quickly get out of the tub,
wrapping myself with a fluffy, warm towel. I open the door to Nathan, dressed
to kill in an Armani tux, hands on his hips.
“Girl, do you not have any concept of time?” He scolds.
“Oh, shut-up. Is everyone here?”
“Just about. Now come on! Chop, chop! Your groom is
waiting!” He hustles me to the walk in closet where I’ve hung my “renewal
dress”…one that looks nothing like a wedding dress. I chose a short, off-white
number that hugged my curves in all the right places. I knew Vince would be
thrilled when he saw it.
Once I’m dressed, Nathan, takes my arm and we venture
towards the top of the staircase. In my father’s absence (he and my mother went
out of the country for vacation and weren’t able to return in time,
unfortunately), Nathan volunteered to escort me down the aisle…a definitive
point in our friendship.
The DJ plays Transform
by Daniel Caesar as Nathan and I grace the stairs and living room with a
slow, beautifully timed walk. I had chosen the song because in the past ten
years, everything had transformed…but our love for each other. It only grew…with
the changes in our company, with our children, and even the obstacles of our
friends. It truly wouldn’t be over until the very end.
As I approach my husband, Shane gives us an insanely wide
grin. He was ecstatic when I asked him to renew our vows, citing that after all
he’d been through with us, he might as well re-marry us.
“Good Evening, Friends. We are here to re-affirm the vows of
Madeline Davis Marks and Vincent Theodore Marks. The couple has their own vows,
but before they begin, I’d like to share some thoughts I have on life-long
love.” He winks at both of us.
“Love can resemble a roller coaster…ups and downs…you’re
high and low at times, but when you ride a roller coaster with someone that you
truly love, the lows don’t seem so bad. You just have to remember how good it
felt when you were at your highest moments. Those moments differ from couple to
couple, but when you wrap yourself in the warmth of those memories, it can be a
cushion if we do fall. Life is wonderful, but it’s even better when you are
surrounded by the love of your forever partner. Vince and Madeline have experienced
the worst along with best, and managed to stick it out. That’s how you know
these two are meant to be in it for life.” He chokes up a bit at the end, and I
blow him a kiss, silently thanking him. He holds out his hands, indicating that
we have the floor.
“Vince, my best friend, my lover, my husband…” I gaze into
his deep hazel eyes, “I know that we were acquainted with the trials of
marriage early on. So…many…trials. Things that many people never really have to
worry about. What I admire about you is your resilience. You were determined to
love me and keep loving me no matter what. As far as I knew, nothing wavered
you. You were going to be the man I needed, and for that I am eternally
grateful. As we move into a new decade of our marriage, I look forward to the
fun times, but I am also prepared for the not-so-fun times. We have built a
foundation that will never be shaken. I love you Vincent Marks, as much as I
did…possibly more than I did we both confessed in front of each other.” He
squeezes my hand, giving me a boyish smile.
“My Maddie. That’s what you are…mine. I never doubted for
any second that I loved you. I loved you from the very first time I saw you.
Back then, it was hard to admit that to myself. I hadn’t been the best man by a
long shot, but you…you helped me become a better man than I ever was. You
supported me, built me up, helped me achieve dreams I never thought possible. I
never thought…I never thought I would ever be a husband and a father, but you
showed me I could be. We share so much…love intensely and fight for each other
constantly. I could never ask for a better life than the one I have with you,
and…even if we lost everything today, I’d still be happy…because I have you and
our family. Good God, girl I love you.” I take a deep breath, trying to ignore
the tears running down my face. His words spoke straight to my heart, and I
knew he meant it.
Shane clears his throat, obviously trying to chase away some
emotion himself.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife…again…you may kiss
your bride…again” the whole crowd erupts in laughter and thunderous applause as
Vince gives me the sweetest kiss. We gesture for our friends and family to come
to the front with us, and we are given hugs by everyone.
“Damnit! I’m so glad I have waterproof make-up!” Emily
cries, hugging me tightly.
“We meant every word…” I whisper to her.
“I know you did. I’ve seen it for myself.” She smiles warmly
at me before moving over to Vince.
“Thank you for taking care of my best friend all these
years. I never have to worry about him…” Gus says, softly, embracing me.
“No, you don’t, but we are lucky to have you guys…”
“We’re luckier.” His eyes shine brightly as he gives me a
wink.
As the caterers begin to serve drinks, I look around at all
of our friends…some are laughing, others in serious conversation, and some are
quietly observing. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my New Year’s Eve.
Vince and I were so lucky to be surrounded by a support system that could never
be shaken. Even when there were disagreements or misunderstandings, we always
came back together. Good friends are great, but when you have friends that were
like ours…you have a family. The years will go on, seasons will change, but we
will always in each other’s corner, and that’s the way life should be.
Author’s Note:
I believe that I have
left Maddie and Vince right where they need to be: surrounded by the people
they love, that love them. Thank you for being the source of my healing, my
therapy, and creativity. I love you guys, and I will always revisit your
craziest moments in my books. Good-bye my friends.
And to MY READERS!
Thank you, thank you,
thank you for believing in Nicolette Rose! I’m not done yet!
