Just Breathe Series (Trilogy Box Set)

by Martha Sweeney

  Back at Maggie’s suite, a few tears break free from my eyes at the sight of Maggie in her dress. None of us have seen her in the dress, she wouldn’t let us see it other than on the hanger. She looks — like a queen. There are no other words to describe her. She is a queen.

  When I’m not needed, I sit, frantically shaking my leg, still trying to decide on what to say.

  Valerie, Ian’s wife, and her photographers request a few posed pictures before it’s time to head out to the room to wait for the wedding to commence. They’ve been taking photos the entire time since we got into the suite and a one of them followed me to Henry’s suite. I need to make sure that I don’t always look like a deer in headlights.

  With a red rose bouquet in hand, I start off the precession with Joe. He models my steps down the curved staircase until we meet in the center. My body shakes from nerves, but Joe’s sweet smile eases some of the tension before we start walking arm in arm.

  “You look beyond beautiful,” he whispers before we get to the first row of guests.

  “You don’t look too bad either,” I playfully respond. Our eyes meet briefly before I quickly return my focus on where I’m walking in order to not to fall. We successful manage to make it to the alter without a step out of place.

  Now the hard part, stand while the rest of the group makes their way down. They aren’t supposed to start until the pair in front of them have made it to their positions by the alter. Jared and Jimmy are next and they beam from ear to ear. A few gasps escape guests’ mouths when they see two men walking together and again when Jared stands behind me. Kim and Richard are the last two to come down before the parents. Mŭqīn is being escorted by Eric followed by Nǎinai being escorted by Peter. When the harpist changes her song, Fŭqīn appears at the top center of the stairway. Five seconds later, I know because I counted, Maggie emerges. A light buzz of chatter floats in the air as Fŭqīn and Maggie walk down on the same side together all the way to the edge of the first row of guests. Henry steps down to take Maggie’s arm from Fŭqīn and Joe helps Fŭqīn to his seat next to Mŭqīn.

  As Maggie climbs the three steps, our eyes lock and it takes everything I have to fight back tears. I feel Jared’s loving hand rest on my left hip as if he already knows what I need. All I can do is look down at the ground to prevent the water from dripping. I want to see Maggie, but I know that I’ll lose control if I do. I feel Jared take a step closer, sliding his left hand over my forearm and clasping the top of my hand. He holds me softly but firmly as my ears listen to the priest’s words.

  When the time comes for me to take Maggie’s bouquet, I muster a quick glance at her face with a smile before lowering my eyes. That split second is all I need for her to know how I feel and for me her. Upon the priest’s cue, I turn and hand Jared Maggie’s bouquet before he hands me the box that contains Henry’s wedding ring. Once Maggie takes it, Jared and I swap again.

  I’m able to finally peek up when the priest announce that Henry may kiss his bride. Just like in a fairy tale, Henry dips Maggie backward a little when their lips join for a second time. I find myself chewing on the inside of my lip as my gaze lifts and connects with Joe. I can’t help but smile when I see him, especially when he’s staring back at me.

  Once Maggie and Henry make their way inside, the rest of us follow, awaiting instructions for photos. By the second photo area out of three, I manage to get Amelia and Barbara to get some of the waiters to sneak some food out to everyone in the bridal party. With a bottle of champagne, we have a mini toast at the third and final photo-op location.

  In the reception, Mŭqīn and Fŭqīn are announced first, followed Mr. and Mrs. Wú, Kim and Richard, Amy and Lee, Nathan and Allen, and then Jared and Jimmy before Joe and myself. Once we are standing by our seats at the table, Maggie and Henry are introduced and the entire room cheers. Maggie and Henry start going around the room to greet and thank everyone for coming. Everyone mingles and enjoys hours d' oeuvres for the next half hour until dinner is served.

  Some soft music comes over the speakers signaling Joe and I that it’s time to toast now that dinner is finished. Once the song finishes, Joe stands tapping his fork on his glass. Amelia hands Joe the microphone.

  “Good evening,” Joe greets the room in Mandarin. “Henry. Maggie. It is my utmost honor and privilege to share this day, your day, with you. The love you have for each other is an old love that has cycled back around to find itself once again here in this present moment, and will continue to do so, growing and inspiring with each lifetime you two share together. Your love is endless and I hope to share the same kind of love with someone, someday. Live each day with love in your heart, no matter what the circumstances are, and you will be forever rewarded with love around you and within you. Love will test you. Love will guide you. But most importantly, love will make you stronger, so long as you let it. Lead with love in your heart every morning you wake and end with love in your heart every night before you go to sleep. To my seventh brother and my fourth sister, Henry and Maggie!”

  My eye catches Joe as I do my best to stop the few tears that have rolled down my face. How am I to follow that?

  After everyone takes a sip from their glass, Jared nudges me to stand. My lips purse as I watch the room’s attention turn to me. Jared kindly takes my hand. I look to him and he nods. “You got this,” he mouths.

  My eyes circle back around through the crowd, but I force myself to only focus on Maggie and Henry. They are the only important people in the room right now. Envision that they are the only two people in the room right now, Emma. What would you say to them?

  “Hi,” I begin in Mandarin. I take a deep breath, trying to figure out how to start. “I’m not one for words, especially when it comes to expressing my emotions. I’ve had a lot of them since you two met . . . and some . . . not so good.”

  I hear people laugh. Maggie and Henry both smile and laugh a little too. Jared squeezes my hand encouragingly.

  “I’ve already lost one family and I wasn’t interested in losing another. I’m still not.” I look to Jared pulling him closer, and then back to Maggie. “But . . . even in this short time of getting to know you Henry . . . I’ve realized some things. To me . . . Maggie was already a perfect. The perfect friend, aside from Jared . . . .”

  Laughs erupt.

  “She’s the perfect sister . . . who I almost might not have ever known. But, seeing her with you . . . she is even more perfect than I had ever imagined she could be. Seeing Maggie light up when she’s with you . . . I now know that she can only burn brighter with each passing day. I haven’t lost Maggie. I have gained a brother. Thank you,” I pause, barely able to continue. “May you both shine bright together, forever. To my sister and to my new brother. I love you both.”

  I try to sit down since it took all my energy to stand without falling. Just as my butt hits the seat, Maggie and Henry come over, hugging and kissing me. Maggie is a mess crying, causing a few tears to drop from my eyes as well. Jared wraps his arm around my shoulders commending me on my efforts when we sit back down. I hope I didn’t sound like a bumbling idiot.

  Maggie and Henry immediately go right into their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wú, which doesn’t give me more than five seconds of freedom from attention. Joe tugs at my hand, reminding me that we’re supposed to join them along with the rest of the bridal party.

  “You did a wonderful job, beautiful,” Joe sweetly praises.

  “Yours was better,” I claim.

  “I think we both did great,” he assures.

  “You did better, but thank you,” I graciously accept.

  Joe helps to continue to distract me from worrying about tripping and falling on the dance floor by talking about incidentals. We mostly talk about who we caught gasping when Jared and Jimmy came down the stairs after us and then again when Nathan and Allen did. He’s able to get me to relax for a few minutes, forgetting where we are and what we’re supposed to be doing.

  “You look devastat
ingly sexy in that dress,” he professes in his sexy voice — my favorite of his voices.

  My face heats up, but thankfully my feet don’t falter. “Stop distracting me,” I playful chide.

  “How is the truth distracting you?” he teases back.

  “The sexy voice,” I remind.

  Joe laughs. “I was just whispering.”

  “No, you weren’t. You knew what you were doing when you said it.”

  “I’ll do my best not to distract you then, not at least while we’re dancing.”

  “Too late,” I claim.

  “Really? How is that?”

  I offer a wicked grin, but say nothing.

  “Now you’re distracting me,” he delivers seductively. Joe’s hand tightens on my waist, forcing my body into his a little more.

  “Careful. You’re going to make Lee and Richard jealous,” I goad.

  “Hopefully I’m making every man in this room jealous,” he devilishly admits.

  I bite my lip trying to prevent too much of a smile on my face.

  “You definitely have all the single women jealous,” he informs me.

  “And, probably most of the married ones too,” I add sinfully.

  “I don’t mind if you don’t,” he suggestively infers.

  The next song comes on and Jared is suddenly whisking me away from Joe. “I’m stealing Jimmy’s turn to dance with you,” Jared confesses.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re supposed to dance with all of the groomsmen.”

  “Since when?”

  “It’s a tradition and Amelia mentioned it yesterday. I’m supposed to dance with all of them too, but I knew Jimmy wouldn’t mind and you’d be willing to dance with him later.”

  From one song to the next, I dance with Allen, then Lee and Richard. The DJ starts to play music for everyone to dance to which is my cue to get off the dance floor. Jared, Nathan and the rest of my friends yank me back onto the floor. I willingly dance for a few songs and end up dancing with Jade and Rey a little too. I make a break for the bathroom and make it without any distractions.

  Back in the ballroom, Jimmy takes me for the next slow song to dance followed by Henry, Nathan and Pop-Pop. The DJ feels frisky enough to play another slow song which gets three good looking men, whom I don’t know, asking me to dance.

  “Thank you, but I have to decline. I don’t dance with anyone I don’t know,” I graciously decline.

  “What about with an old man such as myself?”

  I turn to find Mr. Covelli behind me.

  “Mr. . . . I mean John. I was wondering if I’d get a chance to say hello to you and Mrs., I mean Elaine,” I greet, happy for the excuse to not talk to the men whose names I have already forgotten.

  Mr. Covelli leads me out to the dance floor with regal grace. Our conversation is light because Mr. Covelli informs me that Mrs. Covelli told him not to discuss business with me until after tomorrow. Once we finish, Mr. Covelli hands me off to Jared for safe keeping which I greatly appreciate.

  Later in the evening, I’m able to track Mrs. Covelli down when she isn’t busy talking with someone. We exchange pleasantries before Jared yanks me onto the dance floor for the tossing of the bouquet.

  “Front and center, Emma,” Maggie announces over the microphone.

  My heart stops for a minute at her words.

  “Come on all you single ladies. Get over here. It’s time to toss the bouquet,” Maggie says a second time.

  I try to hide behind Nǎinai, but she doesn’t let me. Maggie counts down from three and before the flowers go flying into the air, I grab Jade and hoist her up in my arms. Seeing the flowers dropping, I instruct, “Catch it, Jade!”

  Jade reaches high above her head and grabs the bouquet by the white silk ribbon that is tied around the stems as it goes above us. I know Maggie was aiming for me, but she sent the flowers a little too high.

  Kim, Jade and I stand off to the side of the dance floor as Henry takes off the garter from Maggie’s leg. Jared, Nathan, Jimmy and Allen are standing behind me claiming that they are taken. I argue that I’m taken too, by B.O.B., but they tell me that B.O.B. doesn’t count. Henry hurls the garter into the air at all of the single men. You can see the disappointment on their faces knowing that Jade is the bearer of the bouquet. A hand shoots up and attains the prize. It belongs to Joe Covelli.

  I lead Jade over to the chair that is now back in the middle of the dance floor. As Jade gets settled, Henry gets on the microphone. “Joe will be putting on two garters tonight. One for the lovely Jade who caught the bouquet. And . . . because there needs to be someone of legal age to properly receive the garter, Emma will be getting the other one that Maggie is wearing.”

  My body freezes and my heart stops. “No!” I protest.

  “Our wedding, our rules,” Henry rebuts.

  My eyes narrow. “I’ll remember that.”

  Jade gets up and lets Maggie sit. Henry reaches up to get the other garter rather quickly this time. More whistles and cheering erupt from the giant crowd. When I lead Jade over to the chair, she insists that I sit with her.

  Joe sweetly walks over and kneels before the two of us. “I need your arm,” he instructs Jade.

  Jade extends her right one.

  Joe dances the circular object up Jade’s arm and over her shoulder. He lifts her up in the air as everyone cheers and before lowering her to the floor, he kisses her on the cheek. When Joe kneels back down, Jade walks up and kisses Joe. I’m barely able to see it because of all of the flashing lights.

  “You ready?” he grins knowingly.

  I stick out my arm like Jade.

  “No,” Joe chuckles.

  “The right way, Emma,” Henry announces.

  Everyone watching laughs.

  “You won’t get it that high with this dress,” I comment.

  “Wanna bet?” Joe’s grin widens. He removes my right shoe before coming a little closer.

  Henry gives a play by play over the microphone as I bite my lip and look away. Joe deliberately torments me, moving ever so slowly inch by inch. As his hands reach the bottom of my knee, I use my left foot to slide back in the chair away from him. I manage to get the chair to go back a few inches.

  “You can’t move,” he claims, sliding closer.

  I feel the chair get stuck and notice that Jimmy and Jared are holding it in place with their feet. “No moving,” they say at the same time.

  I hold my breath and wince as Joe tickles my leg with his fingers, heading back up to my knee. In one quick movement, he rounds my knee cap and stops. I look to him thinking he’s done, but the wicked smile on his face tells me otherwise. He nudges the garter with his fingers, getting further up my thigh. My lips clench as Joe’s hands climb higher. Somehow Joe has managed to reach the middle of my thigh. I shake my head no, hoping that he doesn’t dare to go any further. Winking, Joe gives one last nudge before he seductively slides his fingers back down to my ankles and returns my shoe. Joe helps me to stand and plants a kiss on my cheek.

  “You’re a dead man,” I proclaim when we are surrounded by just our friends.

  “Ohh come on, Emma. Joe was just having a little fun,” Jimmy defends.

  “Looked like you were enjoying it too,” Allen antagonizes.

  “I need a drink,” I say, turning to Jared for a rescue.

  “Follow me, Kitten.” Jared takes my hand leading the way to the bar. “Be thankful it wasn’t Lee, Richard or any of the other single and horny men in the room,” he comments once we are off the dance floor.

  I refrain from replying.

  The rest of the night is a blur. We dance, we drink and I watch everyone gab the night away. At some point, I’m not sure when since I don’t have a watch, Maggie plops herself next to me. She rests her head on my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her. We sit not talking for a long while, just enjoying the moment.

  “What is it with men and babies that is so freakin’ hot and sexy?” Maggie exc
laims.

  I laugh at her comment, but don’t verbally agree. I know that she’s been watching Henry dance with Rey from her statement. Ironically, my thoughts were on the same thing. I was busy watching Joe dance with Jade.

  “Thank you, Emma!” Maggie slides closer giving me a kiss on the cheek.

  “For what?”

  “Everything. All of this. And, what you said earlier. It means a lot to me, and it means a lot to Henry too,” she confesses taking my hand in hers.

  “You’re welcome.” I avoid looking at her because I don’t want to cry.

  Running her fingers back and forth over the top of my hand, Maggie asks, “Can I tell you something?”

  “Sure,” I agree.

  “I haven’t told anyone . . . not even Henry,” she begins.

  My attention is caught. I turn to look at her. “What?”

  Maggie’s face is beaming. No. Glowing. She leans in and whispers, “I’m pregnant!”

  “What?!” I blurt in shock.

  The music is so loud that no one near us hears me.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah . . . you’re the first to know. I’m telling Henry either tonight or tomorrow. I’m waiting for the right moment, you know.”

  “Kim knows though, right?” I check.

  “No. I haven’t had an appointment with her. I have one scheduled when we get back from the honeymoon to find out how far along I am,” she confirms.

  “Thank you,” I say with tears in my eyes.

  “For what?”

  “Sharing it with me. Thank you,” I take a deep breath in to fight the sobs. “I’m so happy for you!” I wrap my other arm around her.

  I am. I genuinely am happy for Maggie. I’m happy for her. I’m proud of her. She couldn’t be more perfect than in this very moment.

  “You can tell Jared after we’ve already left, but no one else. I want to make it a special thing to tell the rest of the family,” she explains.

  “Okay,” I agree.

  The next slow song that comes on, Maggie and I dance together. Jared and Nathan join us about halfway through the song, circling around Maggie and me. Shortly after, Jade wedges herself between our legs, so I pick her up. Henry, Joe, Jimmy and Allen surround Jared and Nathan. As my eyes sweep across all of the beautiful, happy faces around me and to others in the crowd like Amy, Kim, Peter, Eric, Rey, Jet, Mŭqīn, Fŭqīn and Nǎinai, I feel — I feel as if my life is complete. It’s a family. They’re a family. They just aren’t a family. They’re my family.