Jessica
Luke and Debby stepped around her, blocking the doorway as the music began to play. She walked up behind them and waited for her cue as her grip tightened on her bouquet. She was nervous. Excited. Happy. She wanted to get out there and get married, but also stay here and hide. What if she tripped? What if she messed up her vows? What if she dropped the ring? What if she threw up?
"Go!" Carter prompted from beside her.
And then it began.
Luke and Debby passed through the doorway, Jessica only a step behind. Beside her, their wedding guests came into sight, all staring at her with smiles. Some waved, which she automatically and awkwardly returned; others sent her thumbs up. It happened so fast, and when she looked back ahead, Debby and Luke had moved aside to clear her view and take their positions at the Chuppah. And then there she was.
Ava was flanked by her brothers and sister, as her gaze flickered over their guests before her head turned and her eyes met Jessica's. She looked breathtaking. Her hair was partially braided and pinned up on her head with golden combs. Her dress was an ombre of blue, where Jessica's was green, and embroidered at the top and bottom in the colors of the pansies lining the aisle and framing the altar. The moment their eyes met, Ava's nervous tension left her shoulders as her face lit up with a smile so bright it outshone the sun falling through the windows and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Jessica didn't know how her feet kept moving when her brain had short-circuited, but the distance between them grew ever smaller. She felt hands on her back, pushing her to step up to the rabbi as Ava's siblings did the same for her. She heard the laughter from the audience as they both stumbled with wide, happy grins, and had to steady themselves without dropping their bouquets.
"Hey," Ava whispered.
"Hey," Jessica replied. Her goofy smile stayed in place, even as they were only a foot apart and right in front of the rabbi.
"Are you two ready?" the rabbi asked. She sounded amused.
Jessica nodded, her gaze never leaving Ava's.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate…"
Jessica tuned her out as she stared at Ava, who seemed giddy as she waggled her eyebrows and forced Jessica to bite her lip to hold back a laugh.
'Stop!' Jessica mouthed.
Ava only grinned wider. Jessica shook her head, though her cheeks still hurt from smiling so hard.
"The love between you joins you now as one. The brides now have a few words to share."
Ava's head whipped around to stare at the rabbi. "Huh?"
The rabbi visibly bit back a laugh. "Your vows. You may now exchange them."
"Oh, yes." Ava looked back at Jessica. "You go first."
Jessica burst out laughing and had to fan her hand to stop the tears from smudging her make-up.
"If you need a moment…" Ava teased.
"No, no, I'm okay." Jessica cleared her throat. "You know, I had this whole speech planned, filled with big words and metaphors—"
"Sounds exciting," Ava said.
"I don't think you're supposed to interrupt me," Jessica replied.
"Sorry." Ava looked more amused than sorry.
Jessica chuckled. "But—" she continued with a pointed look "—now that I'm standing here and looking at you, I don't think those vows would be appropriate. I'm not here to show off my ability to sound formal and eloquent, or prove myself to anyone—this is not a job interview."
Ava's laughter rang, brilliant, over the rest of the crowd.
"I'm here because I want to speak from the heart and show the world how much I love you, how much you mean to me, and how every single thing about you makes me long for a lifetime with you by my side. Not a day goes by where I don't wake up in the morning and thank the universe for going the extra mile to bring you into my life. We had our first meeting in the name of love, even if it wasn't our own, and now we're standing here in the name of love. And I think that's one of the few clichés we can both put up with."
Jessica had never seen Ava look happier than she did right then and there. "I'll happily put up with that."
"Good, because that's all I got, and now it's your turn."
Ava's laugh sounded a little watery. "Damn." She fanned her face and cleared her throat. "Okay, here goes." She looked at Jessica as she visibly tried to smother her smile and look earnest. "Unlike you, I didn't have a speech planned. I mean, I tried, but nothing I could come up with sounded right and Google wasn't as helpful as it usually is."
Jessica chuckled. "You tried to Google your wedding vows?"
"I thought interruptions weren't allowed?"
"Apologies."
Ava huffed, but her smile still wouldn't leave her. "After the internet couldn't solve my dilemma, I called Sheila. Her husband picked up, though, and he didn't sound happy to be woken up in the middle of the night."
"Don't tell them that!" a voice in the crowd called.
"No interruptions, Enzo! That goes for you too!" Ava called back. The crowd laughed, and Ava looked back at Jessica. "So, when he didn't help me, I went to Zyan. And he told me to just wing it."
Jessica chuckled.
"Here I am, standing in front of you, after you delivered this superior example of a love confession with nothing in my brain except 'oh, wow, she's so beautiful, and amazing, and I can't believe I ever got that lucky.' All I've got left to say is: oh wow, you're so beautiful, and amazing, and I can't believe I ever got this lucky."
Jessica let her laughter bubble out and looked over at the rabbi. "Can I please kiss her now?"
"The rings first," the rabbi reminded her.
"Right." Jessica turned to look at Sebastian, who held out the bright magenta pillow. She couldn't remember him holding it earlier. Had Carter or Zyan come rushing in to give it to him? She couldn't recall.
Ava took the first ring, made of silver and gold, engraved with their names and the date on the inside, and bedazzled with white and green crystals on the outside. Jessica shot her another smile before she picked up the matching counterpart. The white and blue stones gleamed in the sun.
"You ready?" Ava whispered.
"More than ready."
Jessica's skin tingled when their hands brushed as they exchanged the rings and entwined their fingers before they looked back at the rabbi.
"Can I kiss her now?" Jessica asked again.
"Just one more thing," the rabbi promised. "By the power vested in me—" Jessica shot her a pointed look. The rabbi chuckled. "Yada yada, I now pronounce you Mrs. and Mrs. Martin-Lewis. Now you can go ahead and kiss her."
Jessica didn't have to be told twice. She chucked her bouquet over her shoulder at her siblings and grabbed Ava's face to pull her in for a kiss.
She heard the glass break under Ava's foot as she stepped on the bag over the crowd's cheers and applause. There were shouts of "Mazel tov!" and "Good luck!" followed by their siblings singing the first Sheva B'rachot, but it all sounded distant as she and Ava both giggled between kisses and bumping noses.
*~*~*
"I can't believe you're literally going to wait a week to go on your honeymoon just so you can catch the season finale of that stupid show," Zyan said as he unlocked the door for the newly-wed couple.
Jessica, who was holding Ava bridal-style, attempted to shrug but failed. Ava wasn't exactly heavy, but the longer Jessica had to hold her up, the more her arms ached, and it had been a few minutes already. "We have decided—as wives—that it's in both our interest to do it this way, so screw you."
"And you love that show!" Ava added.
Carter wrapped an arm around Zyan's shoulders, looking just as happy as Jessica felt. "Come on, cupcake, don't lie and act like we've never done anything equally ridiculous in our lifetime."
Zyan huffed a breath to cover up a smile still blatantly visible. "Just go ahead and carry her over the threshold."
Jessica grinned at Zyan. "Thanks!" She looked down at Ava. "Watch your head, pumpkin. I'd rather not give you a concussion before our wedding night."
Ava chuckled. "Just go ahead already. I know I'm not the lightest."
"You're perfect," Jessica responded immediately. And she meant it. Ava was literally the most gorgeous woman she'd ever laid her eyes on. And now here she was: the woman of her dreams in her arms, and about to take her first step as a married woman into their shared apartment. Which was about as far as she got before Ava had her arms wrapped around Jessica's neck to push their mouths together.
They were still kissing when Jessica slowly pulled her arm away, allowing Ava to get her feet back underneath herself.
And they were still kissing when Zyan announced that he didn't want to be around for this part and left, followed by the soft click of the lock.
And they were still kissing when Jessica steered them into the bedroom after fiddling with the doorknob behind her back.
And they didn't stop kissing until Jessica got her first look at Ava's underwear. "Are you wearing Hello Kitty panties underneath your weddings dress?"
"I couldn't find my white ones, and it's not like anyone could see!"
"God, I love you, Ava Lee Martin-Lewis."
"Aw, I love you too, Jessie."
"Now, please take those things off. I feel like that cat is judging me."