Lily Graison - Blame It On The Mistletoe

The butterflies started darting in erratic patterns in her stomach again. She took a cleansing breath as they started down the steps. When they reached the bottom and walked into the living room and to the fireplace where Sean and the preacher were waiting, she was amazed she hadn't fallen. Her legs were still shaking.

"Don't look so nervous,” the preacher said. “This is the easy part."

She smiled in spite of the fact he was wrong. This wasn't the easy part. This was the hardest part of all. This was the part where everything teetered on the brink of disaster. This was the part where two years of pathetic lying would catch up to her and set into motion a chain of events that would out her for the conniving little liar she really was.

Her father placed her hand in Sean's and she looked up at him. He smiled before squeezing her hand. She was glad he seemed so calm. He looked happy, actually. His smile wasn't forced and to all appearances, he looked… content. She inhaled deeply and let it out in a gush of nervous jitters. His hold on her hand tightened.

"Let's get started,” the preacher said. He straightened his shoulders. “Friends, family, we're gathered here today to join Macy and Sean on this most joyous day. In the years they've been together their love has grown and matured and they've now decided to make their commitment to one another as husband and wife.” He smiled before asking, “Who gives this woman in marriage?"

"Her mother and I,” her father said. He smiled and kissed her cheek before turning and walking to the other side of the room where her mother stood. Macy watched them smile at her before turning back to the preacher.

He talked for long minutes, telling them the definition of a true marriage and the seriousness of the vows they would take. His words were like a slap to the face. She glanced at Sean again and noticed he was watching her. The look on his face puzzled her. He didn't look nervous at all. He looked… well, pretty calm for a man who was about to marry a girl he wasn't in love with. What was he thinking? Was he waiting for the right moment to say something about the license? Was he waiting for her to say something instead? When should she do it? Should she wait a bit longer or stop the wedding now? How far should she let them get? The vows? The rings? She gasped lightly when she remembered the rings and felt a small burst of hope. “Rings!” she yelled and turned to look at Sean. “We don't have any rings, Sean!"

The commotion in the room grew by the second and she turned to look at her family. They were smiling. Why were they all smiling? Her grandmother stood from her chair and cross the room, her purse clutched to her stomach. When she reached them, she opened her bag, digging around inside the black leather before producing a ring box. Macy's eyes widened when her grandmother opened the lid.

"These belonged to your grandfather and I,” she said. “I want you to have them."

Macy opened her mouth three times before she could get the words to come out. “I can't take those, grandma."

"Sure you can. Your grandfather has been gone for a long time now. I'm sure he would love to know you were wearing our wedding rings."

Macy stared at the two plain gold bands before looking back up at Sean. His gaze was darting around the room. He didn't look quite so calm now. Her panic must have finally rubbed off on him. His hand tightened around hers for a moment before his eyes widened a bit. “We forgot the marriage license, too,” he said.

"What?” Macy gasped, playing along. Turning her head to her mother, she stared at her, gaping. “Mom! How could we have forgotten something so important as rings and a marriage license?” Her heart was going to bust out of her chest any minute now. She was dizzy as the adrenaline pumped through her veins and she hoped for this sham to be over quickly. When her mother laughed and shook her head, Macy could only stare.

"Macy, calm down,” Rose said. “We didn't forget anything. Your grandmother offered the rings days ago. It was actually her idea for you to have them. The boys told me Sean had forgotten your engagement ring and when we decided you'd get married here, Grandma Avery offered her rings to us then. Lucky for us, she's had those rings in her purse since the day your grandfather died."

"Oh.” Macy deflated a bit, looking at her grandmother's face. She looked excited and still held the ring box out to her. Macy took the box, closing her fingers around it before looking down at the rings. They were simple gold bands but had spent over fifty years on her grandparents’ fingers. Refusing them would hurt her grandmother more than having to take it from her dead grandfather's hand. She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Grandma. I'll cherish them always."

When her Grandma walked back across the room and sat down, Macy stared at her family. “We have rings but we still don't have the license."

"Sure we do,” Bruce said. “I picked it up yesterday."

Macy's eyes widened. “Huh?"

Bruce grinned and wrapped his arm around Pam's shoulder. “I went to town yesterday and got it."

"But…” Macy blinked at him and shook her head. “You couldn't have,” she said. “We didn't sign for a marriage license."

Bruce's face reddened a bit. “Well, that was a small technicality,” he said. “Luckily for me, Faye Robinson is the clerk of court."

"Faye Robinson?"

"Yeah. You might have been too young to remember her but I dated her back in high school. Anyway, we're still friends and when I told her what we needed, she was more than happy to help out."

Macy looked at Sean. He was watching Bruce with an unreadable look on his face. He must have felt as flummoxed as she did.

"How did you get a marriage license without our signature?” Sean asked.

"Easy,” Bruce said. “We fibbed on the paperwork."

"You fibbed?” Macy asked, incredulous. “You mean you lied? That's illegal, Bruce!"

"So? I have the license. It's been entered into the registry. It just needs your and Sean's signature's to make it legal."

Macy floundered like a fish, her mouth opening and closing several times before she turned to look at Sean. He was still watching her family. “Sean,” she whispered. “What do we do now?"

He looked down at her for long moments, his gaze boring into hers before he smiled. “Well, we tell them the truth… or, you can marry me."

Macy stared at him, speechless. Had he really said what she thought he did? He raised his hand and cupped her face in his palm before smiling. “When you told me about your problem a week ago, I helped you because I wanted to,” he said. “I came up here knowing that I'd get to spend a week pretending to be something I couldn't ever be. Something I was too old to even dream about being."

"You're not old, Sean."

He smiled again. “I'm a lot older than you, Macy. You're young and beautiful and I'm… well, I'm just me. A veterinarian who is creeping closer to forty with every new year."

"I've never thought you were too old for me,” she said.

He shrugged a shoulder and glanced around the room. “Being here with your family has been the best holiday I've had in years,” he said, looking back down at her. “Even with all the problems, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I certainly wouldn't trade what I've been able to share with you. I didn't lie when I asked you to marry me. I did want you the first time I saw you.” He grew quiet for long moments before whispering, “I still want you, Macy.” He smiled, his palm on her cheek moving to cup her chin. “I'm in love with you. I've never been as happy as I've been this week and that's all because of you. Marry me. Be my wife."

Macy couldn't breathe. She stared up at Sean until tears clouded her vision and he became blurry. “You really want to marry me?"