Love Hurts

Twenty Three

Hoss,

           "Dude, you're getting married in less than 24 hours. How do you feel?" Berry asks, handing me a beer from his fridge. "We're supposed to be having a bachelor party."
         "Last night of freedom, huh?" I reply. "Instead of doing something crazy, we decided to just hang out at Berry's place, eat pizza, and drink beer for a few hours. It'll earn me some brownie points with my future father-in-law."
        "So, guys, want to play some cards?" John, Camilla's older brother, suggests.
        "Yeah, that could be fun," my dad, Mason, agrees. I'm surprised to see him so enthusiastic.
        "What's the game, son?" my dad asks.
       "Well, it's a bachelor party, so let's make it interesting. Whoever loses a round has to drink," I propose.
      "Trying to get us drunk, huh?" someone asks.
      "That's the plan," I confirm. I do some quick calculations in my head and realize that the wedding isn't until 2 p.m. tomorrow, so we should all be sober by then.
      "Alright, let's do it," I say.
      "Alright, boys, here we go," John says, dealing out the cards. "Who wants to go first?"
     "Well, since you came up with the game, it's only fair that you go first," I reply.
      I watch closely as John plays his cards, and I don't see any hint of deception in his eyes. Next, it's my turn, then Berry's, then Nonnos, and finally, it's my dad's turn. I notice a slight smile on his face.
"I call bullshit."
      "You wouldn't," dad says.
     "The hell I wouldn't," I say back.
      Dad knows he's caught red-handed, so he takes the shot without another word.
     I am damned if Nonno was not the next one to pull the wool over our eyes.
     But what they don't know is I have been doing it the whole game.
    "You, mother fucker!" Berry yells, looking straight at me.
    "What the fuck are you talking about, bro?"
    "You know what I'm talking about? This asshole has been cheating the entire game," Berry says, pointing to me.
    "Me?" I point to myself. "I think you have had way too much to drink, buddy. Maybe it's time for you to go to bed."
    Dad snatches the cards up before I can react.
    "You, asshole!"
   "Hoss," dad says, "you had me drinking all those shots while you were cheating all along."
   "I can't help it if you guys don't have good poker faces," I add.
   "I say we make him drink the entire bottle of whisky by himself," John suggests.
   "Thanks, man," I deadpan, "I thought you wanted me to marry your sister tomorrow."
   "You're a big boy. You can handle it, right?" Berry grins.
    I flip that asshole the bird because if he had kept his mouth shut, I wouldn't be in this mess.
   "Drink it, boy," Dad says.
   They are enjoying this way too much.
   "Okay, fine," I relent, "but if I can't walk down that aisle to my lovely bride tomorrow, I'm getting all of you guys in deep shit right along with me."
     "You will walk down the aisle. We will make sure of it," Jacob, Camilla's dad, assures me.
     "Look what you guys have gone and done now. You have corrupted the preacher," I say.
    "Stop stalling, son, and drink it," Nonno says.
    Damn, even Nonno is against with me right now. "Nice having my back, Nonno," I say, grabbing the fifth of whisky and downing it.
                                                                            ♾️
       The next morning, I wake up with a pounding headache and no recollection of how I ended up here. My head feels like a ticking time bomb about to explode.
    "What the fuck!" I exclaim as I try to get up from where I'm lying.
    "Good morning sunshine," my dad says from the doorway, walking towards me with a cup of what I hope is coffee.
    "If that's not coffee, get the fuck out," I growl.
    He chuckles. "Relax, it's coffee."
    "Thank god!"
    "You need to wake up and take a shower in about fifteen minutes. We need to go to the tiler to get fitted for our suits. Then we have to get haircuts and shave."
    "Shit, what time is it?" I ask him.
    "A quarter to ten."
    "Okay, give me about five."
     After my dad leaves, I sit down with a cup of coffee and send a text to my soon-to-be wife.
    Me: Good morning, my beautiful queen. In less than 4 hours, you will be all mine.
    Camilla: Good morning to you too. I can't wait to be yours.
    P.S. I heard Berry beat you in that game?
    Me: Yeah, those guys are sore losers. I was winning, but Berry somehow figured out my strategy and snitched on me.
   Camilla: Haha!
   Me: I'll give you something to laugh about.
   Camilla: I'll see you in a couple of hours. My mom is rushing me to get ready for our hair appointment and finish some things at the church.
   Me: Yeah, I need to shower and get ready too. I love you.
   Camilla: I love you more.
    Ten minutes later, we all head to the trailer to get fitted for our suits. Once that's done, we go to the barbershop to get our haircuts and shavings.
      "Did you speak to Camilla this morning?" my dad asks as we settle into our chairs at the shop.
      "Yeah, I texted her earlier," I reply.
     "Are you getting cold feet?" he asks me.
     "No way!" I assure him.
     "Well, I hope not," he says with a hint of concern.
     We make our way to the church, where Camilla's dad instructs us on how to stand. It's me first, then Berry, who is my best man. I had asked my dad to be my best man, but he said that you only get married once and your best man should be the person who has been there for you through thick and thin. He believed that person was Berry. My dad chose to be in the crowd with my mom to witness the entire ceremony.
     After Berry, it's John, Camilla's older brother, and then Danny, my brother.
     As we stand there talking, people start to come in, and I suddenly realize that it's almost time for my wedding. My bride will be walking down that aisle any minute.
    And in that moment, my heart starts racing uncontrollably.
    The wedding ceremony begins as the chores play the wedding song and the flower girls, who happen to be my younger nieces, walk down the aisle, gracefully throwing flowers. They are followed by the first set of girls with my groomsmen. The last two flower girls are Berry and Abigail. Then, the moment I've been waiting for arrives as Camilla and her father make their entrance. I am in awe of her beauty as she walks towards me in her stunning dress, her curly hair flowing down her back. She had been growing it out for the wedding, and now I understand why. She is absolutely breathtaking.
     With a smile that could melt any heart, Camilla approaches me. Her father places her hand in mine and takes his place in front of us, ready to officiate the ceremony. We are now at the point where the rings are needed. Mr. Spaghetti, dressed in a tuxedo and bow tie, proudly carries a basket containing our rings. He stops in front of me and patiently waits for me to take the rings out of the basket. Once I do, he goes and takes his seat next to Berry.
     I take Camilla's left hand and carefully place the ring on the tip of her ring finger. I then repeat my vows after her father and slide the ring all the way onto her hand.
      Camilla takes a minute to compose herself as she is crying heavily, but once she does, it is a beautiful sight to behold. "You may now kiss the bride," her dad says, and I waste no time in kissing her.
      We walk down the aisle together. The photographer is waiting outside to capture our pictures, so we take a few at the church before moving to the location Camilla found by the water. After about an hour of photos, we head to the farm where our wedding party is being held before we leave for our honeymoon.
      We change into more suitable attire for the party and then head back outside to take our assigned seats. It's time for toasts, and Berry is up first.
      He raises his glass and says, "I'm so proud of you, buddy. You have finally woken up and realized what truly matters. Camilla, thank you for showing our son that it's better to be with someone special than without. You put him through a lot at first, but that's what made him realize how much he wanted to be with you. Welcome to our family, sweetheart."
      By the time everyone finishes their speeches, Camilla has tears in her eyes. "Are you okay, baby?" I ask.
      "Yes," she responds, leaning over to give me a sweet kiss.
      "Alright, everyone, it's time for the bride and groom to have their first dance, followed by the father-daughter dance," announces the emcee.
     Camilla and I make our way to the makeshift dance floor as the song "Better Together" starts playing. I take her in my arms, and we dance.
    "Hmm, I can't wait to spend the evening with you," I tell her, and she blushes. I chuckle, knowing that we have privacy.
   "Well, in that case, tell me what you have planned for us," she whispers, and I quickly turn my head to look at my wife.
   "Oh no, I just said wife!" I exclaim.
    She laughs in response.
    After saying our goodbyes to everyone at the dance, we head to the hotel near the airport. Tomorrow morning, we will board the plane to Alaska.
     Over the next couple of days, we explore and enjoy the sights of Alaska. It truly is a beautiful place.
    On our first day in Alaska, we check into a cozy cabin and spend the day by the fireplace, passionately making love. The next day, Camilla convinces me to go skiing, even though I'm not very good at it. I fall down a lot and hurt my behind.
     My wife finds it hilarious.
    Today, we plan to go hiking and sightseeing. I have a surprise picnic waiting for Camilla in the mountains, as recommended by the locals.     They are currently preparing it for us.
    During our hike, Camilla and I capture some amazing photos of the wildlife and ourselves.
    I lead Camilla towards the picnic area. As we arrive, she gasps in surprise.
   "Oh Hoss, it's absolutely beautiful."
    "Yes, the guys did an amazing job. They surrounded a blanket with candles and flowers, and placed a picnic basket in the middle with a  large sandwich and a bowl of assorted fruits. Camilla says, 'Hoss, you have outdone yourself this week.' And I replied, 'Only the best for my girl.'"

@Crystal Steadman 2023