Wide Awake

Chapter 37 Conversations

   Ellie wakes up in her bed at her mom's house. She is excited and nervous at the same time. It her wedding day. She looks at the clock it's 6am and in 12 hours she's gonna marry Jake and officially become a step mom to Pearl. She heads downstairs knowing she won't be sleeping any more to get some coffee. She gets a cup and makes her way to the back porch swing. Sitting there she thinks of everything that brought her to this point, her mom meeting BG, her dad and BG and Amber all becoming friends, growing up with BG as an uncle the last couple of years of high school, attending his wedding to Amber, seeing KC in concert and Jake being there, her dads accident, Amber leaving BG, her mom and BG singing together and then dating and their marriage and the Opry and meeting Jake and then them talking and hanging out and dating. It really all lead to this point in her life. Now in less than 12 hours Pop would be walking her down the aisle.
   "Penny for your thoughts baby girl" her mom said. Ellie said," thinking about how everything that happened has brought me to this day in my life."
Cheyenne said," Missing your daddy?"
Ellie said," No not really and I know that sounds awful momma but I feel like it all had to happen for me to meet Jake and find my fairytale. Otherwise I might have just settled for Brody thinking that was all there was to life and love. And shocker it isn't, when it's the one there really are fireworks and all those feelings I thought people just made up in books. But with Jake I experience all that momma."
"Ellie that doesn't sound awful, I understand because I loved your daddy and he loved me. But it wasn't fireworks all the time, we had a couple rough years and it was great but BG really showed me the fireworks and the love so I get it. I love BG unlike I loved your daddy. Neither was wrong but I understand that things have to happen for something like this to happen. Love is good and it is different for different people but when you find it you truly know in a place in your heart. It's like your heart chooses when they see that person and we have no control over it."
Ellie looks at her momma," I haven't told you momma but I love you and you are the reason that we can go on and live life even though we might want to just sit down and give up. We have watched you as we grew up, you never let us settle you pushed us to be competitive and you kept going when it would have been so easy for you to give up. We know about the leukemia scare, we know that dad couldn't stand Nate because he saw the love Nate had for you, we know Liz accused you of having an affair and we know that daddy hit you. We saw you keep your faith and depend on God through all of that, we saw you never give up on your marriage but fight for the love you had in the beginning and we saw you and daddy come out stronger than before. That is the reason none of us will ever give up or settle because we have the greatest example of what love is and looks like. We also saw you fight your feelings for Pop. We saw him fight them for you. We saw what happened when you gave in, it was magical momma and I meant what I said the day after your wedding. I thought I wanted what you and dad had but honestly I want what you and Pop have. I want the can't keep your hands off each other, I'm there for you in the good days and even more on the bad days. I want that love and I found it with Jake. Through all this time he has loved me and waited on me and been my rock and today I get to marry him, my lover but most important momma he's my best friend."
   Cheyenne looked at Ellie and said," How did you know Ellie I hid it because it wasn't your dad to do that he wasn't like that and I never wanted y'all to know. Only a few people knew."
Ellie said,"momma Ace lived in the house with y'all he saw things he heard things and he told us. It didn't change the fact that we loved you and daddy. It just made us appreciate what love is and does. Love doesn't run at the first sign of trouble love stays and tries and look what happened. You were stronger than before. And you both knew it. So thank you momma I just wanted you to know that you are the reason I am who I am. I love you!"
Cheyenne is crying and hugs Ellie and said," I love you baby and y'all are the reason I was strong and didn't give up, you kids are my heroes."
They sit on the swing just enjoying the calm and quiet before the chaos of the big day starts. Cheyenne looks at the time and said," I'm gonna start breakfast now but you sit here and relax while you can."
  Ellie is sitting there and is still crying when Ace comes out and joins her. She looks at him and said"why are you all sweaty?" He grins and said," I've been playing basketball with Jake, Colt, Kolby, Jarrod, and Pop."
Ellie glares at him," I told y'all no that someone would get hurt before the wedding."
Ace laughed," well sis we didn't listen and no one got hurt. Now why are you crying on your wedding day?"
Ellie said," momma and I were talking. I told her we all knew everything and she was the reason that we could all keep going and not give up because of her example."
Ace grins and said," Ellie I love you and I'm proud of how you have always followed your dreams even if your peers didn't understand. You have a good man sis and I'm glad y'all are getting married. " Ace gets up hugs her and heads upstairs to shower.
   Ellie sees the wedding planner is there and starting to set up everything . The door opens and its Pop. He sits beside her and she leans into him and he hugs her."Today is the day baby girl, I won't lie I'm not sure I'm gonna do a good job of giving you away, I just got you and now I'm having to turn you over to another man. I know that he's your other half, I can see that. I know he will take care of you and I'm okay but damn baby girl it's gonna be hard."
Ellie smiles through the tears," I love you Pop and it's okay I will still be your little girl and call when I need to talk to someone  even if I'm married." He kissed the top of her head and he hugs her tight. They hear a camera click and look up its Sierra. She comes over and hugs them both. Pop gets up and leaves the sisters alone.
"Ellie, I am so proud of you and how you have followed your dreams and now are gonna marry the man of your dreams. I know it has been hard on you following after me in school but you outshine me and I couldn't have been prouder to be your sister. So today on your wedding day I am so honored that you asked me to stand up there with you. Daddy would have been happy that you chose Pop to walk you down the aisle. He always said they Pop got you like he did. So you are pops girl too. Now let's go eat and then the craziness begins!"