Normal //Ryan Metzger

30: the big day

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside of Ryan and I's window. I opened my eyes slowly to see the sunrise pouring into the room. I leaned up to see Ryan had left the bed already with a notecard resting on his pillow.
I picked up the notecard, but not before my mother, three sisters, Ryan's mother, and Jess push into the bedroom.
"Happy wedding day!" My mother said and the group of girls piled on top of me, all of us laughing. Emily ran into the room and snapped a picture of the scene on my bed.
"You guys!" I said, laughing as they all gave me a group hug.
"We've got a wedding day surprise for you," my sister said, ushering to the door of the bedroom. "It's your something old."
I looked at the door in anticipation and saw my cousin Audrey popped out from the doorframe. I let out a screech and jumped up to hug her, Emily snapping the moment.
"Oh my god!" I yelled, pulling away from the hug to take in her presence. "I haven't seen you since we graduated high school!"
"Yeah," she smiled, giving me another hug. "I couldn't miss my lil cousin's wedding day."
I looked at her and started to tear up a little, everyone around me awing.
"Quit it," I shushed them laughing, wiping away a tiny tear.
"What's that?" My mother asked me, pointing to the note from Ryan I still had in my hands.
"Oh," I blushed, looking at the notecard. "It's a note Ryan left, I haven't had the chance to read it yet."
"Well read it!" My other sister said, edging me on. I blushed and flipped open the notecard.
"Lauren," I said and the group of girls all laughed. "I cannot wait to see you today. You will look so beautiful all dolled up for today, even though you are the prettiest with sweats and no makeup. You have stolen my heart and I cannot fathom the person you are. You have taught me to be a better man and to see the world in a more loving way. You have captured every aspect of what I call my life and I cannot thank you enough for being the most brave, courageous, heartful woman you are to be. I cannot wait to see you walk down that aisle today. Don't worry, love. I didn't look when I woke up today. Much love, your future husband, Ryan."
I looked up from my notecard and saw the women tearing up at the note.
"What the hell," my eldest sister said, wiping away a tear. "Alex never did that for me on our wedding day."
We all giggled as I looked at the note over and over, reading the note.
"Wait," my sister said, pointing at the note. "There's something written on the back."
I flipped the card over and saw Ryan's scribble writing on the back.
"Ps," I laughed, reading aloud. "I have your 'something blue' with my mom. Ask her, you'll love it."
    I looked up at Ryan's mom who was blushing in the corner. The girls around me were anxious to see it.
   "Well," She said laughing slightly. I couldn't not see Ryan's smile in hers. "I don't have it."
   "What?" Jess said, frustrated.
    "You do, Lauren," She said, tearing up a little. I was confused until she nodded towards the bathroom where my dress was hanging up in.
   I went into the bathroom, the girls outside waiting in anticipation on what was the "something blue" that Ryan was referencing.
   I walked out of the bathroom in tears as I held my dress in my hand. Ryan has cut the blue 'C' from his Columbia sweatshirt I always wore. Ryan had gotten his mom to sew inside my dress the blue 'C' over where my heart would be today.
   "You guys," I said showing them the stitchwork that Ryan's mom so expertly sewed into the dress.
   "You raised him well," my mom said to his mother, hugging her.
    "We raised them both well," Ryan's mother said, looking over at me. "A fine young man and woman. A match made in heaven."
   "Well, we've got to get this fine young woman ready for her big day," Emily said, smiling so big as she put down her camera. My sister's got excited and we moved to the bathroom where we all did our makeup and my mom tackled my hair.
   "This is the last time I'll be doing your hair as my baby girl," my mom said, taking a piece of my hair and curling it around the wand.
   "Oh mom," I said laughing. "If you're acting like this, I wonder how dad is."
   "Oh he's a wreck," my mom said laughing towards Ryan's mom. "I mean, you're the baby of the family, we are all a wreck."
   "Yeah, dad cries at mine but I mean on the drive here he was already crying'," my sister said, applying her eyeshadow.
   "He's excited," My mom said. "I mean, he was shocked when Ryan asked for your hand in marriage over Skype. I mean, poor man didn't know how to use Skype."
   "He asked daddy?" I asked, looking back at my mom. It filled my heart that he asked my father, even though he didn't remember meeting them.
   "Yep, tears and all," my mom laughed. "From the both sides of the call."
   I felt so in love with that man it was crazy. I am so glad I said yes.
   *
    "Okay," my mom said, grabbing her phone out from her pocket. "Get in girls, you too Audrey."
   We all crowded in and smiled for the photo, me in the center. I couldn't believe this day had already come and I was surrounded by the many people that I love.
   "Alright," Ryan's mother said, grabbing her coat from the bed in the bedroom. "Are we ready to go to the church?"
   "Wait," I said, running into the bathroom to grab something for her. I caught a glimpse of myself and I looked so funny with beautiful hair and makeup with Ryan's Pixar shirt and my leggings. I chuckled as I walked towards my purse. "I, uh, wanted to give you this."
   I handed her a jewelry box and she opened it to see a bracelet with all of her children's birthstones in order; two peridot's for Adam and Jack and a bigger aquamarine in the middle for Ryan.
   "I love it," She said, pulling me into a hug. "And I love you."
   "Thank you for raising the man of my dreams," I whispered to her as we hugged. "Thank you so much."
*
   We pulled up to the church, my jitters swirling as reality set in. We were just an hour out from the ceremony and we quickly tried to get to our room to change before the boys saw us.
   "Aw," Emily said, sitting down in the chair and I climbed into my dress. "Adam just sent me a picture of Ryan tying his tie for the fifth time."
   She went to show me, but I adverted my eyes.
   "Emily," I said, squeezing them so hard that my false lashes stuck to the bottom lashes of mine "it's bad luck."
   "My bad," She laughed, and at that, I heard a knock on the door.
   Audrey jumped from her chair and opened it. Jack stood there in his grey dress shirt with a dark green tie that matched Jess and Emily's dresses, with black suspenders around his shoulders.
   "Hello," Audrey said, looking him up and down.
   "Hello," Jess said, giving her a look that made me laugh. Jess walked to the door to see what he was here for.
   "Ryan wanted me to give Lauren this," he said. "Something new."
   He walked over and handed me a little black box that held new diamond studs. I gasped at the beauty of them.
   "This man," I said and looked up at Jack. I remembered something and ran to my bag to shuffle through it. "Give him this."
   Jack held the pocket square that was made out of the red dress I wore the night we met.
   "Tell him to put it in the inside," I said smiling. "A good luck thing."
   Jack smiled and gave me a hug.
   "You look good, sis," he said and my heart melted. "Welcome to the family."
   I blushed and pulled him into another hug, this time longer.
"Thanks bro," I said, whispering to his as we hugged. He smiled and fixed a piece of my updo he pulled out while hugging me.
He gave Jess a kiss and a wink before leaving the "dressing room" that was scattered with clothes and makeup and hair utensils.
Audrey slumped on the chair and fake pouted like a five year old. We all laughed at her response to Jess and Jack.
"Okay, if these brothers don't have cute cousins that show up, I'm gonna be pissed," She said and we all laughed.
My sister handed me my heels and I slipped them on my tiny feet as my dad entered the room cautiously with his eyes closed.
"Can I open my eyes?" He asked, but Emily stopped him.
"Wait lemme grab my camera. Lauren turn around, I want a video of this."
I laughed and took my bouquet of flowers and greenery from Jess. The train from the dress was behind me, draping towards my father.
"Okay," Emily said, and I turned around to hear my father gasp at me. I fixed my train with one hand while I held onto my bouquet in the other.
"Baby girl," he said hugging me with the one arm he had free. The other held a clothes box that had a dark green bow on it, the color of the wedding. "You look so striking."
Tears started to form at my father's eyes and my own started to form at the sight.
"Don't do that, daddy," I said, wiping my tear away. "You'll make me mess up my makeup."
"Aww," Emily said, then her eyes widened as she stared at her phone. "Wait, Lauren, I posted something about the wedding today on my Instagram."
I turned to her a laughed at her worry.
"I think the fans have put two and two together," I laughed and turned back to my father as she let out a sigh of relief.
My dad handed me the box and I took it sparingly.
"What's this?" I asked, questioning him.
"I, uh, I found this up in the attic of the barn and thought it would be a nice addition to your wedding," he said smiling. "Your something borrowed."
I opened the box, moving the green ribbon. When I opened the lid, a white, long piece of shear lace laid in the box.
"It was your mother's veil," he answered the question he could already see forming. "And your mother's mother, and so on. We wanted the youngest girl we had to share this with her mother."
I wish mom was back here with us, but she was with Ryan's parents greeting guests as they entered the church. My dad obviously snuck off to give this to me.
"Daddy," I said. He took the lace and I turned around so he could place the hair clip into the updo.
"Adam said it's about time to start," Jess said to us, putting her phone on her shoulder, grabbing her bouquet as she did.
"You ready, "My dad asked me. "Mrs. Metzger."
I nodded and my sisters and Audrey ran to be with my family in the church, taking their seats in the pews.
Adam, Jack, and Ryan were already in the room and Emily and Jess followed suit really quick down the aisle.
Once the doors were shut, my father and I stood behind them. I let out a sigh, letting out the nerves that were building inside of me.
"Here we go," he said. The doors swung open in front of us and I saw the back of Ryan as he stood turned away. Jack picked up the ukulele at his feet and started strumming a familiar tune as my father and I walked.
"All I want is you my dear," Jack sang as Ryan turned around and everyone around us stood up. Ryan's parents smiled, his mom shedding a tear, and I began to walk.
Ryan looked up from the floor and made eye contact with me.
I do not believe in love at first sight. I believe in love in a sight. The love that was shared in the spilt seconds of Ryan and I locking eyes could move mountains.
Ryan's hand covered his mouth as tears formed in his eyes, the same ones in mine. I squeezed onto my dad's arm as we walked closer to my future husband.
"I love you." Ryan mouthed as Adam and Jack continued singing 'Big White Bed' by them.
When we got to the altar, my not breaking my smile as Ryan and I exchanged them.
"Who gives away this bride today to Ryan Joshua Metzger?" The pastor asked, looking down at my father and I. My dad cleared his throat and answered him.
"Well," He said in his country accent. "I've done this plenty of times, so I've got this answer down pact." The room full of Ryan and I'd family laughed. "Her mother Bonnie and I do, sir."
My hand took my hand, so small compared to his, and placed it in Ryan's extended one. When I touched Ryan, sparks surged through our bodies, making a tingle go down my spine.
I handed my bouquet to Jess, my maid of honor, and joined hands with Ryan as the pastor told everyone to sit.
"You look so beautiful," Ryan whispered to me. "I'm so lucky."
I blushed and turned our attention to the pastor who went on about love.
"Lauren, would you care to start the vows?" The pastor asked me. I turned around and grabbed the paper from Jess and unfolded it to reveal my handwriting.
"Ryan Joshua Metzger," I said, you could hear the shaking in my voice. "From the moment I met you, there was something different about you. You saw a vulnerable drunk college girl sitting alone in the corner of the yard and you gave her a night she would never forget.
I had trained myself over the years to believe that I was not worthy of any man's love and that I ruin everything that I touch. You pulled me from that dark place and showed me I could be love and that I was deserving of love, most importantly yours. I'm so glad you chose me, not once but twice, and showed me that you were truly the man for me.
From you singing loudly in the shower to helping me cook dinner every night, I have loved every minute I have shared with you. The good times, and the bad. We have grown as two young people not knowing what to do in life that met at a college party.
Today, I want you to remember the love we have when we have our first fight as a married couple to our millionth. We always come back to each other and always will. Even if we forget each other, we will always find a way to get back to one another.
I am the luckiest woman right now. In just a few short minutes, I will be able to call you, Ryan Joshua Metzger, my forever. You are my future, my today, tomorrow, yesterday. You are my sunshine in the morning and moonlight at night. You are my day and night and everything in between. I can't wait to spend eternity with you, sorry you're stuck with me."
The crowd laughed and Ryan squeezed my hand three times, telling me he loved me. When the pastor said he could, Ryan turned around and took his vows from Jack, giving him a fist bump that made the whole crowd giggle and their mom to shake her head.
He unfolded the paper.
"Lauren Marie Pearson," He said, already choking up. A single tear fell from his eye and I reached over to wipe it away with my thumb, making the crowd awe and Ryan laugh. "That is the last time I will be calling you that. From now on you will be known as Mrs. Lauren Metzger. You will be known as the love of my life.
Just last year, I had forgotten about you and everything we had been through. But what I didn't forget was the love and bond we shared. I knew, when I first opened my eyes, that whatever girl was sitting next to me and kissing and hugging me, was the love of my life, I just couldn't put a name to a face.
You've taught me to love the world and look at it differently. You've taught me that in your arms, it's not a bad place after all. You have this heart of gold that is contagious and your positivity outshines the negatives in your life.
You have been through so much in the last year and only a strong, caring woman like yourself would have survived through it. You are the most brave, most heartfelt person I know and I cannot wait for the next 3 million years with you."
The crowd giggled and so did I. His words made me melt, my heart fluttering and my tears forming. He was so beautiful in this moment that my heart wanted to stay here forever.
"So today, Lauren Marie Pearson, I am so glad to give you the future you deserve and want. I'm so glad because by this time tomorrow, you'll be Mrs. Metzger, officially. You'll be mine, and I'll be yours. I cannot wait until we are old and crusty, arguing over the TV volume or what's for dinner. When I look into my future like that, all I see is you. There is no other space or time where you would not be there. So here's to the future, and most importantly, here's to our future."
He folded the paper and stuffed it into his tux pocket on the inside. He flashed me a glimpse of the red pocket square I had made for him, winking at me.
"Do you, Lauren Marie Pearson take Ryan Joshua Metzger to be your lawful wedded husband?" The pastor asked me, I nodded my head and smiled at Ryan, not breaking eye contact.
"I do," I said, moreso for only Ryan to hear. The pastor asked the same question to Ryan and Ryan was trying to speed up the pastor.
"Hell yeah," he answered the pastor and before he could say we could kiss, Ryan planted his lips on mine, cupping my face in his hands.
"I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Joshua Metzger," the pastor said as Ryan and I ran out of the church to the car that was waiting to take us to the reception venue.
When we made it outside, Ryan kissed me again, dipping me towards the ground.
"I love you forever," He whispered to me, taking me in.
"I love you forever," I said to him and kissed him back. The kiss was interrupted by a familiar voice walking towards us.
I looked over and it was Natalie, holding a three month old baby in her arms.
"Ryan?" She asked and we both looked over at her in horror. "Ryan, I know this isn't a good time but- I'd like for you to meet someone."
Ryan was hesitant towards her, not sure of her next move. And her next move was something none of us could fathom.
"His name is Colton," she said, revealing the baby to us. "Colton Metzger."
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