“Of course, I will, Cassidy,” she confirmed, feeling her best friend throw her arms around her neck again.
“I love you, Melly. You are the best friend a girl could ever have!”
“Love you too, Cass. I’d be happy to stand up with you.”
Melissa felt a sinking feeling as she smiled happily at the woman who was like a sister to her. There was no way she was missing this event – but she also needed to reschedule her date with Jesse. Hearing her phone ding as if on cue, she pulled it out of her pocket and felt the tension melt from her.
Did you talk to Cassidy yet?
Walking away from the chaos around Cassidy’s announcement as she was surrounded by more of the nursing staff, Melissa quickly slipped into the locker room for privacy and to change. Pulling out her phone, she called Jesse.
“What’s going on?” Melissa blurted out.
“Apparently Grant decided to pop the question. I found out late last night he was going to do it. He swore me to secrecy because he hadn’t talked to Cassidy yet and was scared she’d say no for some reason.”
“I guess we’ll need to reschedule our date?”
“Why?”
“Well, they are getting married.”
“Grant wants to be at the courthouse first thing in the morning – we can just take off from there and do our own thing,” Jesse hesitated on the phone line, and she could hear the insecurity in his voice, “unless you’d rather not go?”
“That’s not it at all. Cassidy asked me to stand up for her.”
“Then it sounds like we have a full day to spend together – but it’s up to you.”
“What are we doing – and what is with the box that was on my front porch last night?” she laughed happily. “You sure come on strong, don’t you?”
“Is it too much? Say the word and I’ll back off.”
“I kinda like it,” she admitted softly.
“I’m glad. The box has to do with something special I’ve got lined up, but it’s a surprise. Please tell me you like surprises – I know I’ve had quite a few of them lately; in fact, every time I turn around.”
“Oh yeah,” she laughed, “I’m sure you have.”
“In more ways than you could understand,” he said evasively, “but I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you then, Jesse.”
Melissa hung up the phone and found her fingers touching the small hourglass charm that she’d worn constantly the last few days. It was a constant reminder of him, how fast time could pass, and how much she adored the man that had fallen into her life once again. Cassidy would shake her head and tell her that she was crazy for thinking such things. Shaking her head ruefully, she changed into her scrubs and set off for work.
Early the next morning, Melissa ran over to Cassidy’s apartment in her pajama pants and a t-shirt. She had sponge rollers in her hair where she’d slept in them, a habit from when she was younger. It seemed to be the only way her hair would hold a curl throughout the day. If she didn’t, then her brown hair would be utterly bone straight and this was a special occasion.
The two friends laughed, cried, and got ready for the day’s event. Cassidy was wearing a white pants suit that she’d found yesterday evening at the store. Melissa was wearing one of Cassidy’s rose-colored dresses. Melissa’s own closet was full of scrubs in ever different color, with a few casual clothes tossed in here or there.
She felt almost like a princess in the simple cocktail dress that flared out from her waist. Draping the scarf that Jesse had given her across her shoulders, she touched her necklace again as she looked at their reflection in the mirror that hung on the bathroom door.
“Cassidy, you look so sleek and stunning.”
“Do I?”
“You’re gorgeous and Grant is a lucky guy.”
“I hope this isn’t a mistake,” Cassidy admitted, sounding scared for the first time ever. Melissa did a doubletake and looked at her friend.
“You don’t have to do this if you aren’t sure about him.”
“I love him – there’s no doubt there,” Cassidy began, “I’m just not sure that I’m good enough for him.”
“Cass,” Melissa whispered, hugging her. She understood exactly what the woman was thinking. There were so many doubts and fears that ate at her too.
“You know, there is no recipe that you follow when it comes to love. There isn’t a one-size fits all or a guidebook. You have to do what is best for you… and if you make a mistake, you fix it. This is your life, Cassidy. No one can tell you what YOU need. Do you love Grant, or could you picture your life without him?”
Melissa suddenly stopped and swallowed hard.
That was exactly the same mental pep talk she was giving herself constantly about Jesse. This was insane to think that you could hold a flame for someone you barely knew for eighteen years. You certainly couldn’t fall in love on one date – could you? There was something about Jesse that touched her and she knew that she couldn’t picture losing him again - nor another eighteen years passing by without being a part of his life.
“If you love him - then go for it. Grab happiness with both hands, Cass. If it’s all wrong… then at least you won’t have to wonder or have to deal with regret on top of it all. You will have tried at least to make this work between you both.”
“I do love him,” Cassidy whispered, hugging her again, “Grant is everything to me.”
“Then we need to get going or you are going to leave your groom at the altar… bench… table… oh whatever they have in courtrooms,” Melissa said, waving her hand playfully in front of her.
Arriving at the courthouse, Melissa saw the two men dressed in their uniforms. She only had eyes for Jesse. Tears sprung to her eyes as she met his smile. It was like feeling the clock turn backwards, and she felt like that young girl once again getting ready to ask him to prom – only this time, she promised herself desperately, and prayed that she kept her breakfast down where it belonged!
“You look beautiful,” Jesse whispered, kissing her cheek.
“Hey! This is my day, remember?” Cassidy teased as she stepped into Grant’s arms happily. The two embraced and Melissa was so happy that she was being given a chance to witness her best friend’s marriage with the man she loved.
“Let’s get you inside,” Grant urged gently, taking Cassidy’s hand. “Jesse – you got the box?”
“What’s in the box?”
“My bride can’t get married without a bouquet,” Grant said tenderly to Cassidy, before kissing her knuckles there on the steps to the courthouse.
“Yep, I’ve got it,” Jesse confirmed, picking up a cardboard box that she hadn’t noticed. The top of the box was cut off and inside was a large bouquet covered in white roses, orchids, and carnations trimmed with olive green ribbon that nearly matched the green in Grant’s uniform. Stunned, Melissa saw another grouping of flowers near the bouquet and met Jesse’s smiling eyes.
“I hope you don’t mind?”
“Is that a corsage?”
“It’s a little something,” he said evasively. The two couples walked inside and Jesse handed the bouquet to Grant, who gave it to Cassidy. Jesse slipped the corsage onto Melissa’s wrist. She stared down at the two perfect rosebuds and realized that the ribbon on her wrist didn’t match the other bouquet. It was a dark sapphire blue and there were little silver stars on the fabric background behind the roses.
“Midsummer night’s dream,” Jesse murmured before winking at her. Melissa felt herself suddenly smiling, remembering the themed gift and wondering what he had in store for their date this evening.
They stepped into the courtroom and took a seat. They would obviously have a long wait today. She saw several other couples lining the benches nearby, wearing anything from a wedding dress to blue jeans. The one thing they all had in common was that they were there with their loved ones – this included Melissa. The day wore on as they sat there chatting among the four of them; however, s
he was lost in thought.
She needed to talk to Jesse when they were alone and had no idea how to even begin the conversation. She needed to clear the air, tell him of who he once was and what he meant to her. It wasn’t fair for her to play along with this sweet man knowing that he didn’t give a fig about her when they were younger.
It felt so hard to believe that he could suddenly be so different or act so smitten now. People that got amnesia didn’t change personalities – so why were things so different for him and how did that affect her? She loved him and having to rehash the past would be devastating. Melissa felt like she had to tell him or they would be moving forward under false pretenses. It would be just like lying to his face, and that was something she just couldn’t do to the man she loved.
Lost in her thoughts, Melissa was suddenly startled when Cassidy grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forward. The four of them walked up to the bench and signed the marriage license for the happy couple.
Cassidy and Grant quickly repeated their vows as Melissa stood there listening in a daze. She couldn’t believe Cassidy was getting married, nor could she have guessed it a year ago.
Getting goosebumps, she glanced over Cassidy’s shoulder. Jesse’s own warm eyes met Melissa’s as he gazed at her lovingly. She smiled tremulously and nodded in a silent acquiesce. This was their moment – they would have their time together later.
Telling Jesse would be the hardest thing Melissa would ever do.
Chapter 10
As they left the courthouse, the two couples went their separate ways. Grant immediately swooped Cassidy up into his arms and carried her off towards where he was parked. Cassidy threw her bouquet haphazardly into the air as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Part of Melissa wanted to catch the bouquet, knowing what that would mean according to tradition.
Right now, she was beginning to feel sick to her stomach and dreading what was to come. Another woman dressed in all white nearly tackled someone on the steps to the courthouse in order to catch the bouquet. She was happy for her and glanced down at her own flowers. Maybe she should do the same thing and toss them into the air?
No way, she thought, this might be the last thing I have from Jesse and I want to preserve them. She was scared and terrified of what kind of damage the past could do to her future. Walking absently, she did a doubletake as she realized Jesse was opening the car door for her.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You look a little pale.”
“It’s nothing. I’m really happy for Cass and Grant.”
“Me too. He’s a great guy and really loves her.”
“Good for them.”
Melissa winced as her words sounded almost snarky in the silence. Jesse didn’t say another word; instead he put the car into gear and drove down the road. The sun was getting low in the sky and she glanced at the clock on the radio.
“The day has gotten away from us, hasn’t it? It’s getting late.”
“Actually, I was thinking this is perfect timing.”
“What do you mean?”
“We are almost there,” Jesse said, smiling. “Be patient.”
Pulling into the valet lane of a hotel downtown, Melissa looked at him sharply and frowned at him. What was he thinking would happen tonight? Surely not this! The valet opened her door and Melissa didn’t move an inch. She sat there glaring at Jesse, her temper flaring hotly.
“You’ve got the wrong idea about me, Mr. Smithson,” she warned. “I’m not going inside. You can just take me home right now.”
“Relax. There is an event being held here and I thought you might like to go. I promise, no funny stuff. We’ll be on our best behavior – I swear it.”
“If you try anything – I’ll… well… just don’t okay? We need to talk about something anyhow and…”
“Melissa,” Jesse said tenderly. “The valet is waiting on us to get out of the car and there is a line behind us. Let’s go inside and you can tell me whatever it is to your heart’s content. I’ll be a captive audience all evening, if you like.”
Nodding, she got out of the car and smoothed her gown nervously. She wished that running her hand over the material would settle her stomach. If she threw up on his boots again, she would never live this down!
Jesse came to her side and held out his arm. Melissa’s heart hammered nervously as she slipped her hand under his and lay it on his arm. The glass doors slid open and she saw several teenagers running around… in ball gowns.
“What are we doing here? What is going on?” Melissa asked in utter disbelief and stared at his smiling face. The love in his gaze was humbling and she felt tears burn at her eyes.
“What did you do?”
“Melissa Jones, will you go to prom with me?” Jesse whispered thickly, staring at her. “Now, we’ll be chaperones tonight, this time around, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make it special. The theme is ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and we are long overdue for a dance, young lady. I can’t think of any other woman I would rather be here with than you.”
“What?” she gasped, feeling tears spill over her eyelashes as her heart hammered in her chest. “You… you remember? When? How?”
She couldn’t pull her eyes from him, trying to figure out what he was up to. The teenagers were running past them and the flash of photographers kept blinking into her peripheral vision, but she couldn’t look away from his loving eyes.
“There was always something about you that I couldn’t put my finger on. I heard your kind words in the hospital, but hurt so badly at that time I couldn’t open my eyes. When I saw you again, it was like being sucker-punched by an outside force. You, Melissa, were vital to me and I couldn’t remember why or how. I looked through everything at my home, in my car, inside of my wallet, trying to figure out where I knew you before, and then Cassidy mentioned high school. I went home and found my yearbook. That only gave me more questions and one single answer: you. There was a heart drawn around your photo and I knew you were special to me at one time – a time I’d forgotten – and I wanted those memories back.”
“I didn’t think you liked me back then,” she whispered in disbelief, wiping her eyes nervously with her free hand. His thumb caressed the skin on her cheek, wiping away a tear.
“I heard you laugh one day on the phone when we were talking and it was like having a rubber band snap back into place in my mind. I love your laugh so much, Melissa. I thought I was going to be ill from the onslaught of memories and rush of emotions – mostly gratitude for a second chance and love.”
“I think I need to sit down before my knees give out,” Melissa breathed, looking around nervously, and spotted a bench nearby. She sat down hard and saw Jesse take a seat nearby before leaning awkwardly behind him. He placed a trashcan on the floor in front of Melissa. She stared at it and then looked at his smiling face.
“I remember everything, sweetheart.”
“Asking you out was the scariest thing I had ever done and I couldn’t believe you said ‘no’… do you know what that did to me?”
“It caused you to run away to college before I could get on my feet,” Jesse admitted, and she was surprised to hear such loneliness in his voice.
“Melissa, no one knew I grew up in a foster home. I hid it carefully from everyone I could behind a protective shell. I had nothing and was desperately trying to figure out what I was going to do when I turned eighteen in June and had to move out. The military was all I had going for me at the time and I certainly couldn’t buy you a corsage or our tickets for the prom. I wanted to – I just couldn’t – and I wasn’t brave enough to tell you that.”
“You could have said something to me, Jesse. I would have understood or taken care of it myself just to have a chance to spend time with you.”
“The smartest girl in school deserved so much better,” he said painfully, “and you still do. You should have much more in your life than someone like me… but I can’t let
you go again. I’m not the best guy and I don’t have much, but I will love you more than anyone else ever could. We’ve lost so much time and I want to start with everything we missed out on together – including our prom.”
Melissa saw his eyes were glassy with emotion as he got to his feet beside her. Jesse held out his trembling hand towards her. “I looked for you for years and imagined that I would never have this chance at one point… it literally took me getting some sense knocked into me to put me back on the right path. May I have this dance, sweetheart?”
“I’ve waited forever for you to ask me that Jesse Smithson.” She placed her hand in his and rose to her feet shakily. “I don’t want it to take another horrifying event to hear you tell me you love me again.”
“I love you more than you could ever know – for about the last eighteen years I’ve dreamed of this moment.”
“I have too.”
“I wanted to marry you this morning,” he whispered shyly, leaning down to kiss her tenderly. “I just couldn’t take away from our best friends’ day – but there is always tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is Saturday.”
“How does Monday sound?”
“I have to work Monday.”
“What happens if you are sick? I would let you throw up on my boots over and over again happily if you’d do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife.”
“Sounds like I just got violently ill,” she admitted, smiling up at him.
“Being lovesick is a terrible thing for which there is no cure,” he teased playfully, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’ve heard some people suffer all their lives and its quite contagious.”
“I sincerely hope so.”
Epilogue
“Mama! Mama! Daddy said that Amy and I are both his princesses but that’s not fair! Can you have two princesses in a castle?”
Melissa heard the excited cries around her and looked at her daughter who was older by only ten minutes. Her curly brown hair was tangled beyond belief, causing Melissa to sigh heavily as she knew the fight she would have later tonight getting her cleaned up. Both of her girls had her eyes, but Jesse’s hair. Someday they would be grateful for it, but that would not be today, she thought wryly.
Lawfully Remembered Page 6
