Chapter 30

            May 13th 2009

I am sitting in my office behind my desk wearing the tux I picked out for this day.  We never really had a colour scheme; black and white was good enough for us.  Today is more about the day than anything we planned, that’s why today is a simple day, just our friends and family here to wish us well.  I can here the footsteps above me and sometimes I can hear the laughter of the woman upstairs.  I’m not allowed seeing her today, which was hard considering this was my house, well our house.  I was at Kevin’s for the night got ready there this morning and have basically been camping in my office since I got here.  Chelsea is upstairs getting ready, I know she’ll look amazing and beautiful and even right now it’s hard not to write without tearing up.  This day couldn’t be any more perfect.  Well it could, maybe if Nadia was here.  I think I am starting to feel what Chelsea feels.  At first it didn’t really hit me, but now as time goes on, I think about my little girl out there somewhere at least I’d like to think of her out there.  She should be here with us, to help her Mom and Dad celebrate this day, a day which has been a long time coming.  When I was at Kevin’s Anne and I had a talk, I guess she told Chelsea Tim and Jerald were here in California, and wanted to know under her supervision would they be allowed to come.  Chelsea told her that she was ok with it as long as I was.   I don’t think I would have said no, they are like her brothers, so if she wanted them here for it than that was fine.  But it’s kind of sad they need they’re Mom to make sure they behave.  Maybe they finally got it through their heads, then again maybe not and they’re just here to appease their guilt…

            “Alex darling?” Denise said as AJ looked up from his journal.  “Time to go outside.” She told him with a bright smile.

            “Ok, I’ll be right out.” AJ replied smiling back.  As she closed the door he looked down to his journal.

…Well it is time for me to go, time for me to see the most beautiful woman who has ever graced my life, well next to Ma.  I always tried to look for a woman who knew me, understood me, someone I could joke around with, have fun with, get mad at and not worry about her leaving me, but I would have to sacrifice one thing for another.  I always thought it was her, even when I believed she was dead, it’s why it hurt so much.  Now as I get ready to see her walk to me and we take our vows, I know why I went through so much pain.  When you share a soul with someone and the other half is taken away it hurts, it hurts like hell but now we’re whole again and the pain is gone.

“So are we ready?” Kevin asked as AJ walked out the back door.

“Very” AJ replied with an excited smile.

He looked around his back yard which was beautifully decorated with lilies and daisies.  Howie, Nick and Brian all sat in their seats with their significant others.  The sun had started to set and it splattered the yard with light.  The pool had been covered by a wooden platform where the altar stood.  He followed Kevin up there and said hello to the minister.  When he turned around he saw his Mom taking her seat beside Tony and she smiled at him.

This was it, soon Chelsea would be coming out the back door and his life with her would truly begin.  He felt his heart jump into his throat when the music began to play, nothing special just the soft sounds of a piano playing the classics.  His hands started to get sweaty when he saw Baylee come out of the back door and everyone giggled at his cuteness as he walked towards Kevin and AJ.  Then a second later Kristin walked out and he looked over at Kevin quickly who had a large smile on his face.  When Kristin started to walk down the small aisle towards him, everyone in their chairs stood up and looked over at the doors.  He stopped breathing, he stared, he waited, and then he saw her.  The dress flowed around her as she stepped outside and he smiled to himself when he noticed the similarities in her dress to the one he described to her that night on the bus.  Her hair which was down and lightly curled was adorned by a lace veil that hung down over her hair but didn’t cover her face. When she walked up to him and handed her bouquet of three Lilies to Kristin, she took his hands and all he could do was smile.  He wanted to tell her how beautiful, amazing and hot she looked but he couldn’t, the words just wouldn’t come out.

The Minister greeted everyone and began the traditional wedding ceremony.  AJ made sure he stared at the man standing in front of him; his brain didn’t seem to be working to well right now with all the emotions of the moment.  The realization that he was here and not just with her but the fact he was here at all, that he had found someone to share the rest of his life with and he told her just that when he read his vows to her.  When Chelsea read hers AJ found himself tearing up, the fact he made someone feel safe and loved was almost a little mind blowing to himself remembering how he could barely take care of himself not to long ago.

“Do you Alexander James Mclean take Chelsea May Stanley to be you lawful wedded wife?” The Minister asked him.

“I do.” AJ replied.

“And do you Chelsea May Stanley take Alexander James Mclean to be your lawful wedded husband?” He asked.

“I do.” She replied with a smile.

“Then by the powers invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The Minister announced to them and everyone else.  The family around them started to clap and cheer a little as the man looked to AJ and said.  “You may now kiss your bride.” 

Chelsea smiled lovingly at him as he leaned in and kissed her.  It was soft but passionate and when they pulled away both had tears falling from their eyes. 

“I love you.” AJ whispered as they rested their foreheads against each other.

“I love you too.” She replied with a light smile.

They turned to look at everyone who were now standing and clapping for the couple.  His Mom was the first one to come up to them and hug both, followed by Anne and Kevin then Kristin.  They made their rounds thanking everyone for coming and then the couple headed into the house for some private time while everyone else set up for the party.  AJ closed the door behind him as they walked into their bedroom and he walked up to her as she turned around.

“I must say you look stunning Mr. Mclean.” Chelsea said with a soft smile as he wrapped his arms around her and she adoringly ran her hands down the front of his jacket.

“And you Mrs. Mclean look absolutely beautiful.” He replied before they both kissed each other.  Gently his hand cup the side of her neck as their tongues tangled together.  When they pulled apart they wrapped their arms around each other and held each other as they stood in their bedroom.  “That dress looks awfully familiar.” AJ said as they pulled away.

“I saw it and thought it was perfect.” She replied as AJ’s eyes drifted down the wedding gown.  “So are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?” She asked as he took her back into his arms.  He lightly smiled as his lips drifted down her neck.

“Nope.” He replied as he lightly kissed her skin.  “Not yet.”

“Tease.” She sighed.  He smiled back at her satisfied at the fact she didn’t know where they were going bugged her so much.  There was a knock at the door and AJ answered.

“Ready?” His Mom asked as she looked at the couple.

AJ nodded as he took Chelsea’s hand and they headed downstairs to the backyard. The sky was now dark but the yard was lit up by small hanging lights, almost like in his dream.  When they walked out Kevin announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Mclean.  The backyard had been transformed into a little reception area.  The Bride and Grooms table now sat where they had stood only moments before but before they could take their seats the couple had to have their first dance.  The song that played as they danced may have been a song playing in the background when they were young but it was also the song that reconnected them that night on tour.  As Bon Jovi’s Always flowed from the speakers the couple held each other as they swayed dancing to the song.  AJ couldn’t help but softly sing the song to her in her ear as their heads rested against each other.

When the song was over the couple sat down at their table and listened as family and friends talked about the couple.  Kevin told stories about Chelsea that AJ had never heard and made sure to mental note them to tease her later.  He talked about how surreal this day was for him and his family when only a little over a year ago, they thought Chelsea wasn’t with them.  Denise returned the favor by telling stories about AJ when he was younger and she talked about the times she thought her son would never live to see this day.  Soon everyone was enjoying themselves dancing to the music, laughing with each other and celebrating this very happy day.

AJ walked into his house and through the kitchen.  He walked down the hallway and turned up the stairs. It was time for him and Chelsea to leave for the airport.  The limo was here and all they needed to do was bring down their bags, Chelsea had gone up earlier to change.  All the guests were starting to gather outside the front of the house waiting for one last goodbye to the new married couple.

“Hey Chels the limo’s here.” He said as he opened the door and walked into the room.  She looked up at him a little startled and that’s when he saw she was crying or had been very recently.  “Hey you’re not supposed to be crying those kinds of tears today.” He told her as he walked over to her and sat down.

“I know, I’m sorry.” She replied taking a deep breath.

“Is everything ok?” He asked.

“I just got thinking about Nadia and how I wish she could be here.” Chelsea told him with a sigh.  “And then it got me thinking about my Mom and how she’s not here.”

AJ frowned and pulled her into a hug.  “I know I wish my grandparents were here.”

“Do you think we’ll ever find her?” Chelsea asked as she squeezed him tighter.

“Someday we will.” AJ told her as he gently pulled her away.  “I don’t care if I go broke hiring PI after PI to retrace everything your Father did, we’ll find her.”  She lightly smiled and then kissed him.  “Go freshen up, I’ll get the bags and we’ll head out.”

“Will you tell me where we’re going?” She asked with a small pout.

“When we get in the limo.” He replied with a smile and he could tell it wasn’t what she wanted but it will do.

When she went into the bathroom he picked up their bags and brought them downstairs.  He handed them off to Kevin and he took them down to the car that waited for them.  A couple of minutes later Chelsea came down and the couple started to say their goodbyes. After AJ said goodbye to his Mom he looked for Chelsea and saw her talking to Tim, Jerald, and Kevin.  He took a deep breath hoping everything was going ok.  A moment later she walked over to him and his Mom.

“Everything alright?” He asked as he watched Tim and Jerald get into a car and leave.

“For now.” Chelsea replied.  AJ was going to inquire more about it but decided to drop it and walked her over to the limo.  They said goodbye to everyone one more time and AJ reminded everyone not to party to hard in his house once they left. When they climbed into the car they both waved out the window as they pulled away and headed down the street.  AJ rolled up the window and took a deep breath and then let it out as the whole day sunk in.  He looked over to his wife who was staring at him and it made him smile as he took her hand.

“First we’re going to spend the next three days at the Peninusla in Beverly Hills and then on Saturday we leave for LAX and go to Italy for the week.” He told her as the smile on her face got brighter.

“Italy?” She replied a little breathless.

It made him smile and lightly laugh.  “Yes Italy.” He knew she had always wanted to go there.  “We’ll be staying in Rome and we can stay in our hotel all week or we can do the tourist thing.”

“Oh Alex.” She replied with a smile and hugged him.

“Words can not describe how happy I am that you came back to me.” AJ told her as he held her. “All I wanted was to have one more chance to tell you how I felt, how happy you made me, and now here we are, married and starting a new life together.”

Chelsea cupped her hand against the side of his neck as they pulled away.  “I love you.” She whispered as her eyes drifted around his face.

“I love you too sweetheart.” He replied and then leaned in and kissed her.