The Journey Home

“Dude,” Jack said. “Are you seriously standing there thinking about it?”

I grabbed my towel from the bench and wiped my face. “You brought it up.”

Jack dribbled the ball, then jumped and threw it, this time making a basket. “Yeah,” he said, “well, I take back this conversation. Moving on. Monica and I are talking about getting married on December 23rd.”

I smiled and made a beeline for the basketball. I knocked it out of his hands and turned and shot for the hoop. When it swooshed in, I whooped and turned to Jack. “I do believe that was the winning shot.”

Jack rolled his eyes and grabbed his towel and bottled water from the bench before heading to the locker room.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a poor sport,” I said, jogging over to grab my stuff. “So December, huh? That’s a quick engagement.”

“No, it’s not,” Jack, said.

“Dude, y’all haven’t even been dating a year, and you’re engaged and planning a wedding.”

Jack stood there, staring. “What’s your point?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, a year ago, you were hooking up with two girls a week. Now you’re talking about settling down and getting married. It’s just…weird.”

Jack shot me a dirty look. He pushed the locker room doors open and headed straight to the showers.

Fifteen minutes later Jack sat down next to me. “I’ve never felt the way I feel when I’m with Monica. She changed me. I mean, I can’t imagine my life with anyone but her. I want things with her that I never dreamed I’d want with anyone.”

I smiled as I shoved my workout clothes into my duffle bag. I stood and placed my hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I’m really happy for both of you, Jack. I truly am.”

“I know you are,” he said. “You want to be my best man?”

Grinning I said, “I’d be honored.”

Jack laughed. “Good, ‘cause I expect a kick-ass bachelor party, and I know you won’t let me down.”

He headed out the door. I chuckled and followed him. “No strippers though, right?”

“Fuck yeah, there’d better be strippers.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “I’m already regretting this decision.”

I WATCHED AS Jack paced back and forth in front of the window. He must have run to the bathroom to throw up at least three times in the last hour.

“I didn’t even fucking drink last night. I mean, we sat around and watched movies all night. What the hell is wrong with me?” Jack asked, surveying the room.

I attempted to hold back my laughter. Jack had talked and talked about a kick-ass bachelor party but, three weeks ago, he’d finally broken down and told me he wanted a low-key night with just a few friends at my place. So Maddie and Lily went and stayed at Monica’s parents’ house and had a girls' night in while we stayed at my place and listened to Jack’s father and my father tell fishing stories.

Jack’s father, Craig, placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Son, just calm down. Take a deep breath and relax.”

Jack looked at his dad like he’d grown two heads. “Relax? I’m getting married,

Dad. Married.”

His father raised an eyebrow, then looked to my father. “Should we tell him?”

I sat up straighter, my interest piqued.

“Tell me what?” Jack asked.

My father nonchalantly shrugged and said, “If you want. Not sure what good it’ll do now.”

I smiled and shook my head. Our dads lived to torment us. They’ve been doing this sort of thing as long as I can remember.

“What are y’all talking about?” Jack asked.

Craig placed both hands on Jack’s shoulders. “Son, because I love you, I’m going to tell you this.”

Someone knocked on the door and yelled, “Showtime! Take your places, gentlemen.”

Craig frowned and said, “Well, looks like it’s time, son. Let’s go.”

He turned for the door while Jack stood there, his mouth gaping open.

My father walked by and hit Jack on the back. “Let’s do this thing!”

Everyone followed Craig out the door except for Jack and me.

I snapped my fingers in front of Jack’s face to break his trance. “Dude,” I said. “They’re screwing with you. You know they’ve always done this sort of shit.”

Jack nodded, looking into my eyes. “I’m scared shitless. What if I’m not good enough for her, Cale? What if she gets tired of me? What if…”

“Jack, stop this. Do you love Monica?”

He nodded, smiling. “More than anything.”

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her, and only her?”

Smiling he said, “Yeah, I do.”

I slapped his back and said, “Then you’ve got this. Monica is crazy in love with you. You guys are perfect together. You make each other happy. Dude, just relax.”

Jack nodded. “Right! I mean, you’re right. Jesus, what’s wrong with me? Monica is probably cool as a cucumber right now and here I’m acting like a pussy.”

I swallowed and nodded my head. “Yeah, you know Monica. She’s got this.”

“Shit! I’ve got this, too!” He stood up taller, cracked his neck, and started for the door. “Let’s do this shit!”

I chuckled as I followed him. I pulled out my phone and saw Maddie’s last text to me.

Maddie: Monica looks like she’s about to pass out. If she makes it through this, I’ll be impressed. She keeps doing these breathing exercises to calm down. It’s starting to freak me out!

Me: Jack is pacing back and forth. I find it rather amusing.

As we walked down the aisle to where the pastor was waiting, Jack stopped a few times to welcome friends and family. That’s when I saw the small soldier girl—the wedding planner—coming. She was terrifying.

“Mr. Rambrandt, you need to get into position please.” She barked. Jack turned to me and swallowed hard. “I’ve got this.”

I nodded and said, “You’ve got this.”

Jack turned and approached the altar where he greeted the pastor.

Tommy Harding, an usher and one of our college buddies, slipped a twenty into my hand. He was tall and thin with white-blond hair that stood out even more in the black tux.

Tommy narrowed his green eyes at me and said, “Shit, you win.”

Tommy and I had placed a bet back in college. I’d said Jack would get married eventually, but he’d said there was no way in hell Jack would ever settle down.

I smiled, pocketing my cash and taking my place next to Jack.

“I NEED THE bride! It’s time.”

I rolled my eyes at Monica’s wedding planner as I looked at Monica in the mirror. “You look beautiful,” I said, my voice cracking.

“Don’t make me cry, Maddison Nicole Powers. I’m about to walk down the aisle.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You? Cry? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry.”

“I’ve cried before,” she said. “I’ve cried plenty of times.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

She shook her head and looked away. “I can’t believe I’m getting married, Maddie.”

I sat down. “Are you scared?” I asked with a slight smile.

She began chewing on her lip. ?

??I’m so scared it’s not even funny. I mean…what if Jack changes his mind? What if I go to start walking down the aisle and he realizes he doesn’t want this? What if we moved too fast?” She attempted to hold back the sob, but it was too late. She fanned her eyes as she took deeps breaths.

I grabbed her hands. “Monica. Do you love Jack?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes. More than I could ever imagine.”

“Does your heart feel like you’ve rushed this?” I asked. “Not your head, your heart.”

She shook her head and a single tear escaped and slid down her cheek. I wiped it away. “Then don’t be scared,” I said. “Trust your heart, Monica.”

Another tear slid down her cheek and she pulled me closer and held me tight as she did the one thing I’d never seen her do before. Cry.

“Oh, no. That is not what the maid of honor is supposed to do,” the wedding planner chastised. “You’re supposed to keep her happy, not make her cry! We have fewer than two minutes to get your makeup touched up and get you down the aisle. They are walking down right now. Maddie, go get your flowers and get into position!”

I jumped up and saluted to the young girl Monica had hired to help plan the wedding. Both of Monica’s parents were in France, and when they’d told her they wouldn’t be coming back to the States for her wedding, it had nearly broken my heart. Monica hadn’t been surprised. That was just what they did. Even in high school, Monica had spent more time at my house than her own. I knew it had hurt, but she would never admit it.

I winked at Monica and made my way to my position. As the music started, I stood and waited for my turn to walk down the aisle. We were all dressed in light teal gowns with white shawls. It had taken Monica all of thirty minutes to choose our dresses. Her only request was that they be the most expensive light teal dresses in the store. For her dress, we’d flown to New York. I was almost positive she’d bought the most expensive dress just to stick it to her parents—especially after her father told her to just bill him for all of the expenses. Her first stop after the news that they wouldn’t be attending was to Pinnacle Country Club. Two hours later, the wedding date had been set and Monica had a smile plastered across her face. I swear, her wedding was fit for royalty. I had made a round through the private room where the reception would be held and I’d never seen so much crystal and silver. And she must have found every kind of flower known to man.