Chapter 6 An Important Video

                Exactly a week later Uncle Dave showed up at my front door.

                I answered the door and he greeted me with an exuberant, “Hi!”

                “Why didn’t you call me? I could have picked you up from the airport!”

                “I didn’t want to impose my dear, well I mean any more than I am already imposing. I am staying here for a month… or more…”

                I chuckled, “Uncle Dave you are not imposing. Come on in and make yourself at home.”

                “Don’t mind if I do but first let me see the ring!”

                He took my left hand in his own and marveled at my engagement ring.

                “Rich has good taste doesn’t he?”

                “Oh honey, he just knows you way too well! The diamond is cut perfectly and the amethysts to offset the diamond, simply perfect for you! I will say that he has good taste in women too.”

                I blushed a little, “Oh stop it Uncle Dave. You’re just saying that because you love me.”    

                “The fact that I love you does play a part in it but it’s the truth. You are some catch Heather. And besides have I ever lied to you?”

                “No you haven’t Uncle Dave. Come on in.”

                Uncle Dave grabbed his bags and walked into the house, “Where are The Pups? I didn’t get my usual exuberant greeting from Lacey, Hunter and Shep.”

                “They are in the back yard with Rich. We are enjoying the gorgeous day and grilling up some lunch.” 

                “I do have perfect timing don’t I? I’m starving.”

                I showed him into the guest bedroom and then out to the back yard. Once The Pups saw him, they bounded to him with wagging tails and happy barks. He introduced himself to Rich with a hardy handshake and then we all sat down to lunch and talked for a few hours. Later on as Rich was making dinner, Uncle Dave and I sat down and started on some wedding plans.

                “So the first thing we have to figure out is when do you want to get married?”

                “Do you have any ideas babe?” I asked Rich.

                He responded over his shoulder, “Whatever is going to make you happy is going to make me happy honey.”

                Uncle Dave chuckled, “Good answer Rich.”

                “ But I would like you to be a part of the plans babe.”

                “Remember how I tried, and the key word there is tried, to plan and throw that surprise party for you and how horribly that ended up? I’ll leave the wedding planning to you.”

                “But it’s going to be our day. I can’t plan it by myself.”   

                He chuckled, “Your uncle is sitting right next to you and he plans weddings for celebrities. You are not going to plan this wedding by yourself.”

                “Oh here we go,” my uncle said rather dramatically. Then he took my hand, “Sweetheart,  Rich has given you full rein here. Now tell me, what is your dream wedding?”

                “I always kind of dreamed about having it at Golden Breeze Ranch during the spring while the wildflowers were blooming. I always saw Kelshie, Jess, Carly and Steph standing in pretty purple dresses right next to me as my bridesmaids. I have always wanted Diane to be the one to head the ceremony as justice of the peace because let’s face it, I have never been a church goer. My dress would be simple but elegant, nothing too over the top, accented by a bouquet of wildflowers, a mix of pinks, yellows, blues, but mainly purple obviously. And to top it off after the ceremony my handsome groom and I would ride off into the sunset on Bullseye and then we would party it up with our guests until the wee hours of the morning.”

                “Heather,” Uncle Dave looked in my eyes and smiled, “You’re dreams are about to come true.”               

                I smiled back and right before my eyes he set up a date with Diane for my wedding. He had dialed her number so quickly and talked so fast to Diane that I was in disbelief when he asked me, “Is April 16th, 2011 a good date for the both of you?”

                He looked at me then at Rich. I looked at Rich and he nodded, “Sounds good to me. Heather are you good with that too?”    

                I shook myself out of the daze I was in, “Yeah that’s good with me.”      

                “Perfect! Thank you so much Diane! I will talk to you more when we have more ideas and hopefully I can get over to Golden Breeze to ride and we can catch up on a few things besides the wedding. Alright doll I’ll talk to you soon. Buh-bye.” Uncle Dave got off the phone and he looked at me and giggled at the look on my face, “You’re zoning out honey.”

                Rich came and sat down by me and I looked at him in disbelief, “That’s because I can’t believe Rich and I are actually going to get married in a matter of months!”     

                “I can’t believe it either baby,” he kissed my forehead then smiled, “I don’t know about you but I know my dream is coming true. You and I are going to live happily together for the rest of our lives.”

                I looked him in the eyes again and replied, “I forgot to mention that you were the handsome groom I would ride into the sunset with. You always have been my dream Rich.”

                “Oh my gosh! Stop it, you two are too cute!” Uncle Dave exclaimed.

                After dinner Uncle Dave said, “Heather I have something to show you. I just hope it still works because it is very old. And just so the three of us are prepared for the tears that I am sure are going to follow this video, it’s another video from your mom.”

                He set up the VCR and Rich and I curled up on the coach together. I grabbed his hand preparing myself for what I was about to witness.

                My mom knew she was dying and before she did, she made my sister and I all of these videos for critical times in our lives. She gave both of us some of them and made us promise not to watch them until we reached those times in our lives. We didn’t know that she had given the very important ones to Uncle Dave who filmed all of them.

                When he finished setting up the VCR he grabbed the remote and sat on my opposite side. He took my hand and asked, “Are you ready?”

                I had already seen the videos that she made for my high school graduation, being both rejected and accepted into college(s), graduating from college, landing my first job, having relationship troubles, major birthdays and one generic one that she sings and says how proud of me she is, and each and every time I watched one of her videos I cried. I miss her so much and Uncle Dave and Rich both know that.

                I nodded my head and Uncle Dave pressed play.

                My mom’s smiling face came onto the screen and I felt my heart flutter, “Heather, my dearest Heather. Now that you are watching this you have just gotten engaged! I am so happy for you! I always knew Rich would steal your heart.”

                People always said that my mom could see the future. I believed it for the most part but I also knew that my mom had the unbelievable ability to read people and her guesses were just lucky for the most part.

                “You ask how I know it’s Rich sitting next to you now? Well it’s a mother’s intuition and if it’s not Rich well then you are watching the wrong video and you need to yell at Uncle Dave for me.”

                The three of us chuckled along with Mom on the screen.

                “Well kiddo I really am happy for you. I trust that your sister will be your maid of honor and your Backstreet Buds will be your bridesmaids but don’t let me decide for you. Do what will make you happy. The wedding planning will probably be slightly stressful but knowing Uncle Dave he will have it all under control. And just remember it’ll be your day, make it into what you want it to be. I know you will be a beautiful bride. I just wish I could be there to see. And if you are getting married before your sister, don’t rub it in her face too much because I am giving her permission to firmly tell you to stop. I can’t have her beating up the bride to be. And Rich, I know you don’t have a mean bone in your body but just remember, treat my baby right or I’ll come back to haunt you.”

                Then we heard Uncle Dave chuckle on the video and say, “Well if that’s not a threat then I don’t know what is Avery.”

                Again we all chuckled and so did my mom.

                “Anyway, Rich, congratulations on winning the best prize in the world, my daughter’s heart and welcome to the family. I love you with all of my heart my Violet. Remember to keep me in your heart and I will always be with you.” My mom blew a kiss then pressed her hand against the screen like she always did at the end of her videos. I did the same with tears rolling down my cheeks before the video stopped.

                Rich kissed my forehead to comfort me and rubbed his hand up and down my back.

                I looked at Uncle Dave who wiped a few tears from his own eyes, “Heather, I have to tell you that I was a mess when your mother and I taped that video and then we taped one for your sister that same day. Talk about both of us being emotional!”

                The three of us let out another slight laugh as Uncle Dave and I wiped away tears.

                “Heather, I know you know how much she loved you, and she still does, and we both know that she is watching over the both of us and she really is extremely happy for you right now. So come on, let’s stop these tears,” Uncle Dave gently wiped my cheek dry then continued, “We have a wedding to plan!”