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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Ninety One
The Final Story Slam.
Six months later.
THE WEDDING
The Quartermaine Mansion. The guests have signed the guest book and made their way to their seats. The groom's party gathers in the study. The groom rocks on his heels confident but scared too. He knew what he wants but the future was opening up to be an adventure. The best man growls in his ear. "It's not too late to back out."
"Let's hope that nobody is telling the bride that." The groom quips back with a twinkle in his eye.
Alan comes to the door and tells the men to take their places. "It looks like there is finally going to be a wedding in this house that goes off without a hitch."
Upstairs the bride looks in the mirror. "This time is going to be different 'cause I'm doing it for all the right reasons."
The matron of honor hands her the bouquet. "You look beautiful. Edward has been growling out in the hall for the last ten minutes."
"Well he can just keep his pants on. He volunteered for this." The Bride nervously runs her hands down the full skirt.
"It's perfect. You'll knock him dead."
"That is NOT part of the plan. Okay, let Mr Q in." The Matron goes to the door and opens it letting in Edward Quartermaine.
"Be nice, You still owe me." She reminds him warningly.
"Whatever. Wait outside." Edward pushs the Matron out her still protesting. He looks at the beautiful mature woman before him in ivory and lace. "It's not too late; we can still sic the dogs on him. It's the only thing I haven't tried yet."
"You're just gonna miss my lemon meringue pie."
"Well it sure as hell isn't going to be that blasted butcher knife." From below the music can be heard beginning to play. "I think that's our cue." He holds out his arm. Cook strings her hand through his and he pats the icy cold and shaking hand reassuringly. "My money's on you. And you know I never joke about Money." Cook laughs slightly the tension easing.
"Lets do this."
Inside the living room where the guests are gathered, Ned sits at the piano playing and singing a duet with Emily. Emily begins speaking softly just over the intro music. She looks down not meeting anyones' eyes. The gathering falls silent straining to hear her words. "I do swear that I'll always be there. I'd give anything and everything and I will always care. Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow, for better, for worse, I will love you with every beat of my heart." Emily takes a deep breath and looking up sings with increasing power.
From this moment life has begun
From this moment you are the one
Right beside you is where I belong
From this moment on.
(The doors open and Rita, in a full length pastal floral gown, enters alone walking up the aisle toward her father. She'd known this moment was coming for the last six months. And she was still in awe that Cook had held out as long as she had.)
From this moment I have been blessed.
I live only for your happiness.
And for your love I'd give my last breath
From this moment on.
I give my hand to you with all my heart
Can't wait to live my life with you
Can't wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams come true because of you.
(Carly steps out onto the carpet smoothing her full length light rose floral dress. She smiles at the Judge and then looks past the best man to where AJ is standing as a groomsman. She smiles. She'd gotten to plan her big wedding finally-- it just wasn't hers. If Cook had her way she and the judge would have been married by one of his cronies at the courthouse. The Judge had protested and so had she. And taking control of the wedding made sure that she got a matron of honor dress that wasn't ugly as sin.)
From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on.
You're the reason I believe in love
And you're the answer to my prayers from up above
All we need is just the two of us
My dreams came true because of you.
(Edward puffs up and patting Cookie's hand one more time steps up onto the carpet. No one can hear his muttered "last chance." Cook just shakes her head and looks toward her future. She smiles at Johnny standing silent and strong next to his father and then looks at JD. The trip down the aisle is a blur as time seems to stand still and the only thing that was real was the man at the end of the carpet.)
From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on
I will love you as long as I live
From this moment on.
Edward takes Cookie's hand from his and offers it to JD who leads Cookie the last few steps to the place before the minister. Edward steps back and takes a seat next to Lila. He automatically hands her his hankie. Knowing Lila at weddings, any wedding, hers was already sopping. Emily murmurs a soft thanks to Ned and then walks over to the wedding party and into the space reserved for her right next to Cook. Carly hands her, her bouquet. As the calm settles over the group the Minister begins to speak. Both JD and Cook hold their breath when he gets to the part about anyone protesting. Neither JD's political advisor or Viki had been thrilled with the idea of the wedding although both were in attendance. After a brief pause, the minister continues. "Do you, John David take Margarita to be your wife..."
"Who the HELL is Margarita?" Edward says his voice carrying over the congregation. Cook winces. Lila shushs him. Smothered laughter comes from the corners of the room but is quickly squelched as JD answers firmly and strongly in the affirmative, repeating his vows after the minister.
"Do you Margarita take John David to be your husband..."
Cookie glares at Edward out of the corner of her eye daring him to make another comment and says firmly "I do." She repeats her vows after the minister intentionally not saying obey when they come to the love, honor and obey part. Both Johnny and JD grin. There had been a non-bet at the bachelor party the night before and both men had agreed that THIS was going to be the departure from the traditional ceremony that JD and Cook had settled on.
"By the power invested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. What God has brought together let no man tear asunder. You may kiss the bride." JD frames Cookie's face with both hands and tilts it up. His lips meet hers in a tender kiss. The congregation breaks into applause. The minster raises his voice to be heard. "Ladies and Gentlemen, May I present-- Judge and Mrs Porter." JD pulls back momentarily and then quickly plants another kiss on Cookie, laughing. Together they turn and look at their gathered friends and Port Charles family. Linking hands, they walk together up the aisle. Emily and Johnny follow, then Carly and AJ, finally Rita and Lucas. Outside in the foyer, the receiving line is set up. People offer their congratulations then move on to where the loot is displayed in another room. The aroma of a french sit down dinner soon draws people to their seats. Johnny's chef had unthawed enough toward Cookie to cater the dinner. (Actually he had something to prove.) The wedding party sits at the head table. and voices raise as everyone starts talking. Johnny takes a deep breath and now or never its. He clinks the side of his water glass and stands raising a glass of champagne.
"Well I've never been a best man before so forgive me if I don't get this right, I watched Four Weddings and A Funeral about a dozen times to try to get this right, because, believe me, there isn't going to be another time-- at least not for these two. Both of them take the til death us do part way serious. ." Johnny takes a deep breath and then continues. "I can tell you now that this will not be a peaceful union. My... parents are too stubborn for that and neither has a tolerance for what my mother calls the idiots of the world."
"I'm trying, Johnny." The congregation laughs.
"I know, Ma." Johnny laughs too. "People have been talking for the last six months about the two of you: the scenes in public, the proposals, the set-ups, flare-ups and screw-ups. The police being called that one time..."
Edward mutters, "At least I didn't sic the dogs on him."
"A good thing, Mr Quartermaine, you've got enough trouble with the cops." Johnny continues. "The press has been all over this courtship calling it a whirlwind romance. I'm here to tell you that's not quite true. JD might have been putting on a full court press for the last six months but the ring that my mother's wearing has actually been on hold for over two decades. This has a been a long time coming. And they say the wheels of justice grind slow. " Johnny mock winces. "For all my life, it's been me and my ma, and now I have a family-- or at least a bigger one: the Judge and two bratty sisters." Rita sticks her tongue out and grins; Viki just fumes. "Welcome to the family, JD; I'm sharing with you the most important woman in my life. Treat her right." Johnny raises his glass.
"Here HERE!" Edward declares and takes a sip of champagne. He turns to Lila. "That's the most I've heard the lad say at one time."
"Yes dear, and thankfully he's a bit more eloquent than you when giving toasts." Lila pats Edward's hand.
Reggie wheels out the cake, an elaborate affair decorated with roses and rising on tiers. JD offers Cook a hand up and they stand behind the cake to ceremonially cut the cake and share the first piece. Cook cuts the first piece and offers a bite of it to JD. When it's her turn, she reminds her new husband softly. "Be nice; I know where you live." JD grins and offers a small bite to Cookie. She groans and closes her eyes savoring the flavors: butter cream frosting, light as air cake that melts in the mouth and raspberry filling. "OhmyGAWD Johnny, that is good."
"Thanks Ma. I thought it turned out okay." Johnny preens just a bit. The damn cake had kept him up all night after the bachelor party had wound down.
Cookie hands the knife over to Reggie. "Why don't you let everyone else taste exactly what my son can do." Reggie starts smoothly cutting pieces of cake to be distributed to the tables. The Band begins to play.
"I think that they're playing our song, well not our song exactly but..."
"Shut up and dance." Cook instructs JD
"You got it, Mrs Porter."
When I saw you, I saw love.
And the first time you touched me, I felt love.
And after all this time, you're still the one I love.
Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
(In the cleared area everyone watches as JD and Cookie dance. And grin remembering their own weddings or weddings that they'd been to. Or in the case of those familiar with weddings held at the Quartermaines-- non weddings too.)
They said, "I'll bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong.
(The rest of the wedding party joins the couple on the floor. Johnny smoothly leading Emily around the floor. Edward's eyes narrow on the couple suspiciously. Carly and AJ cuddle close and are preoccupied only with each other. This was after all their six month anniversary. AJ had asked her last night before going out if she had any regrets that she hadn't held out for the big wedding. Carly had just grinned and reminded him of the "reception" that they had received as they had told the family the happy news of their nuptials: Monica's fury, Edward's faked heart attack, Jason's stone silence. She wouldn't have changed a thing: flying down to Maryland with Jerry and Bobbie, Jordan and Emily meeting them there, the little chapel in the woods.)
You're still the one
Youre still the one I run to
the one that I belong to
you're still the one I want for life
You're still the one
You're still the one that I love
the only one I dream of
you're still the one I kiss goodnight
Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we'd be missin
The rest of the guests join the wedding party on the floor. Alan and Monica, Ned and Alexis, Garcia and Irene Chang (who had met over a speeding ticket), Luke and Tammy, Mac and Felicia, Jerry and Bobbie, Taggart and Dara. Jordan offered a hand to Viki. Edward and Lila watch from the sidelines.
They said, "I'll bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong.
You're still the one
Youre still the one I run to
the one that I belong to
you're still the one I want for life
You're still the one
You're still the one that I love
the only one I dream of
you're still the one I kiss goodnight
(As the song comes to a close all the other couples stop and stand aside allowing the newlyweds to finish the song as they had started it-- together.)
I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby.
Music Credits-- Shania Twain off the Come on Over CD.