Burning Wild

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A month later, Jake and I were boarding a plane to attend the wedding. It was a bittersweet journey for Jake. Although he didn't say so, I could tell that he was nervous. He hadn't been back to San Diego since his wife and children passed away. I knew it would be hard for him to be in the city that he had once called home, where he had once had a family, to see the place where so many memories were made.

I worried about Jake and how he would handle the journey. Being back in San Diego would be tough enough, but the fact that he was here for a wedding would guarantee that memories of his marriage with Elena would be at the forefront of his thoughts. I didn't want him to recoil back into the igloo of isolation where he ran from his feelings and closed me out.

But if Jake's mind was stuck in the past, he didn't make it apparent. He seemed genuinely excited to visit his parents again, and to see his baby sister and best friend get married. He put on a brave face, which I suspected was more for my benefit than his.

Even still, I had Jake's hand interlocked tightly with mine during the entirety of the two-hour flight. He never acknowledged the ache buried deep inside, but I knew him well enough to read between the lines. I never brought it up, though. I just held his hand, letting him know that I was there if and when he needed me. He squeezed my hand gently, silently thanking me for my unwavering support.

By the time our plane landed, we had to head straight to the venue to get ready.

I was in awe when we walked through the large wooden doors of the cathedral. The church was gorgeous, a grandiose and historic building that was big enough to fit at least a thousand people, and I knew Mariana would have every pew occupied for her big day. The southern California sunlight shone through the stain glass windows, filling the high arched apse with light and making the room luminous and lively.

I knew Mariana's wedding would be extraordinary- how could it not be when Mariana was involved? But this was beyond even my wildest imagination. She decided on a spring-themed wedding, arguing that just like her marriage, spring was a time of growth and renewal. After seeing the décor of the church, I couldn't imagine a better-suited theme.

The building was full of life and color, almost like a rainbow had exploded inside the church. Everywhere I looked there were splotches of neon blues, deep greens, and vibrant yellows- from the ribbons spiraling up the dozens of columns that led down to the pulpit, to the fresh flowers lining the ends of each pew.

As I spun around, taking in the beauty of the chapel, a small woman with graying hair and a stern face appeared before me. Her face was frantic, and her shoulders were so tensed with stress, I became concerned that she would form a hunchback if she stooped any further.

She gripped her pen and clipboard so tightly her pale knuckles turned even whiter.

"Who are you?" she barked, her deep voice full of authority. She stepped toward me until our faces were only inches away from one another. I fought the urge to back away.

"Erm," I mumbled, caught off guard. "I'm Catalina De la Rosa, and this is Jake Lucero."

The woman stared at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. I felt my face heat. I was beginning to wonder if Jake and I were in the right building after all because we certainly didn't seem welcome.

I turned to look at Jake, but he wasn't concerned like I was. In fact, his face was full of amusement.

"We're the best man and maid-of-honor," Jake rephrased. The woman nodded her head; this she understood. "Where do you need us?" he asked.

"The groomsmen are down the hallway on the left, and the bridal party on the right," she said, gesturing to a door off the side of the sanctuary.  She turned on me and abruptly pointed her pen in my face. "I would hurry. The wedding is only a few hours away, and this one is going to need every possible moment for hair and makeup."