Becca ripped off her headset and handed it to her assistant mere seconds before the doors opened for the processional to begin.
She followed the others and walked up the aisle when it was her turn, somehow forcing a smile for the camera and the man behind it. It was like she walked toward the altar for him, and her mind ran rampant with images of her in a beautiful dress and Zack in a black tux like the one he now wore.
Zack remained in position and Becca had to walk by him to get to her spot. She couldn't be certain, but as she passed she could've sworn Zack murmured something like my beautiful Becca.
It was her imagination. It had to be. She and Zack hadn't spoken in days except for brief, professional exchanges about certain photos Kaity wanted taken.
Becca watched Eli shyly hurry down the aisle carrying the Bible tied with faux rings. Once at the front, he ran the last few steps towards Becca and stood close by her side, his face turned into her long skirt.
Kaity made her grand entrance and walked beside their father down the aisle. Her father winked at Becca along the way, and she smiled, vaguely aware of Zack moving along the shadows capturing the moment.
The ceremony began and, as the minister asked Kaity and David to say their vows, Becca found her gaze wandering to the man behind the camera then on to the man sitting beside her mother on the front pew.
Her chest squeezed and she fought off the wave of unease that filled her. Elliot wanted her but, truth be told, she wasn't sure she could ever trust him. She could trust Zack, but he obviously didn't care as much for her as she did for him or he wouldn't have walked away so easily.
"Becca?"
Becca snapped to attention when Kaity whispered her name. Her sister had turned to retrieve her bouquet but in her dazed state, Becca wasn't letting go.
The receiving line was endless but finally the last of the guests walked through and the wedding party quickly reentered the sanctuary for family photos while the guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and drinks at the Wickersham until the bride and groom arrived.
Zack remained professional, even when Elliot insisted on crashing one of the family portraits because he would soon be family again.
Becca was mortified. She wouldn't allow Elliot to push his way back into her life unless she wanted him there, but she wasn't going to cause a scene here. It was only one picture, after all.
Eli needed to go to the bathroom and Elliot volunteered to take him. Becca continued to pose for the many photos with the bride and her family, and finally Zack completed the long list of must-have shots, releasing them to go to the reception.
"I'll go get Eli," Becca said. "Elliot must be having trouble with him or they would've been back by now."
Becca hurried toward the bathroom area but several knocks and even pushing the door open to call into the room proved pointless. They weren't there. But where were they?
She moved further down the hallway, not stopping until she heard cheers from the end of an adjoining hall. She followed the noise, pushing the already open wooden panel into the room to see Elliot and several of the ushers, a combination of Kaity and David's younger cousins, standing in front of a large television.
"Yessssss!"
"Now that's what I'm talking about!"
"Pay up, loser," Elliot said to one of the eldest, holding out his hand.
"Yeah, yeah."
Becca visually searched the room but didn't see Eli anywhere. "Elliot?"
The guys turned as a group, all of them wearing guilty expressions.
"Is it time to go to the reception?" one of them asked.
She nodded, the group scattering around both sides of the couch to leave the room. "Where's Eli?"
Elliot counted the money in his hands, grinning. "He's around here somewhere."
"He ran out," the youngest of her distant cousins murmured to Becca as he approached her and the door. "Elliot yelled at him and he started crying."
"Yelled at him for what?" she demanded in a low voice.
The young man grimaced. "Eli had an accident."
Becca stood where she was, hands fisted, fuming, waiting for the room to clear. The moment she was alone with Elliot she asked, "You didn't take him straight to the bathroom?"
"Oh, come on, Becca. He's old enough to hold it a few minutes."
"Yes, he is. He's also four and he'd held it during the last several hours. How could you yell at him when you're the one at fault for not taking him to the bathroom like you said you would?"
Elliot pocketed the money, a put-out expression on his face. "He's fine. You can change his clothes at the reception."
She could? Why wouldn't Elliot do it since he was the one who created the problem in the first place? "Where is he?"
Elliot looked around the room and shrugged. "Probably in the bathroom."
"I just came from there. He didn't answer me when I called."
A huff of a laugh left Elliot.
"Like that's unusual. Come on, I'll help you look."
Elliot's lack of caring and consideration, his lack of empathy, tore through her. "You haven't changed at all, have you?"
"Oh, come on, Bec. Are we really going to do this now? I'm sorry I yelled at him, okay?"
"No, it's not okay because you don't mean it. It's just words to you. You've been on your best behavior here, trying to win us back, but nothing has changed. Stay here and count your money. I'll find him. You've done more than enough to us both already."
"Hey. Don't take that attitude and walk away from me. Becca!"
"We're done," she said, relief flooding her body. It was like a weight had been lifted from her and she was able to breathe for the first time since Elliot had reappeared in her life. "I should've known better. I’m an idiot for letting you get by with putting on such a show! Go home, Elliot."
"Becca, he had an accident. That's no reason to call it off between us."
"But it is. You put a game and betting ahead of your son. You yelled at him, and then yelled at me, when you're the one who's at fault. We don't need that in our lives."
"You're not going to take my son away from me."
"You gave him away, remember? I have the papers to prove it."
Elliot locked his jaw until a muscle began to twitch.
"This isn't over," Elliot growled.
"Oh, but it is," Zack said.
Becca turned, only then realizing Zack stood behind her and looked every bit as angry and upset as she felt.
Elliot cursed and stalked toward them and Zack gently tugged her backward so that she stood behind him and the huge camera bag he had hanging from his shoulder.
"Stay out of this," Elliot said to Zack. "You're only here because you're paid to be here."
Zack shrugged off the camera bag and removed a file folder from within the depths, shoving it against Elliot's chest. "You're done. Stay away from Becca and our son."
Zack heard Becca gasp at his words and watched as Elliot reluctantly accepted the file and glanced inside, a red hue flooding up his neck, into his face.
"Have I made myself clear?" Zack snatched the file back so Elliot wouldn't be tempted to destroy the evidence.
"Is there a problem here?" George asked, joining the group.
"Not anymore," Zack said. "It's been handled thanks to your research."
"Elliot was just leaving," Becca added, her voice hoarse from the strain of her emotions.
Elliot scurried away like the rat he was, and Zack came face-to-face with Becca.
"Research?" she asked, motioning to the file.
"It's nothing," Zack and her father said in unison.
"Oh, you will show me that," she stated unequivocally.
"Later," Zack promised. "It can wait until later. Let's go find Eli."
"This church is huge. He could be anywhere," she said. "He gets very upset when he has an accident. Elliot yelling at him would've only made it worse."
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and Zack could only imagine all of the emotions rolling through her at the moment. "You check around here," he told George. "I've got an idea of where he might be. Come on," he said to Becca.
Zack took her hand in his and tugged her along behind him through the twists and turns of the large church, not stopping until they made it to the rear near the office where he'd left Moses.
"It's empty," Becca said. "Oh, where is he? Should we call the police?"
Zack heard a low thudding noise and lifted his finger to his lips to silence Becca. "Listen."
They followed the sound of the noise, crossing the room toward the large desk. Zack had to move the heavy chair out of the way, but once he did he saw fur--and two tiny dress shoes sticking out from beneath the edge.
Zack knelt down, Becca bending over his back, to see Eli hiding beneath the desk hugging his knees. Tears stained his little face and he smelled a bit, but Moses had curled protectively around the boy.
Moses' tail thudded against the privacy panel of the wooden desk in greeting, and Zack automatically reached out to pet the dog. "Good boy, Mo."
Eli sniffled and lowered his legs as though to climb out from beneath the desk. Zack helped him by scooping the boy up and holding him so that his mama could shower him with kisses without mussing her dress.
"I'm sorry," Eli whispered.
"Oh, sweetie. I know it was an accident. Let's get you changed, huh? Then we'll go to the party and have cake and you can play with Moses as much as you want. Does that sound fun?"
Zack watched as Becca wiped the tears from her son's cheeks and kissed him until Eli smiled and nodded.
His heart tugged at the sight, and he couldn't wait until things between them were settled so that he could kiss Becca with just as much enthusiasm.
Becca allowed Zack to lead her out of the ballroom and into the cold night air of the balcony. He didn't stop there, though. Holding her hand, he tucked her against his side and steered her down the concrete steps toward the beautifully lit fountain. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere where I have you to myself."
"Hmm... I'm not sure that's allowed since we're both working."
He stopped at the edge of the fountain and drew her against his chest.
"Are you cold?"
"Not with you here to warm me."
Zack apparently liked that answer because he lowered his head and kissed her.
"Becca?"
“Mmm?”
"I love you."
Pure joy filled her and flooded her body with warmth. "I love you, too. I didn't realize it before... I focused on all the mistakes we've made and how dark that time was. But I should have been focusing on how far we've come."
Zack lowered his head and kissed her again, staying forehead-to-forehead and nose-to-nose when it ended.
"I can't believe I was so stupid. I was going to give you up again. All because I thought it would be better for you. But all I want is to spend the rest of my life with you and Eli. Becca, will you marry me?"
She opened her mouth to respond but nothing would come out. The words, her voice--they weren't there. But she knew her answer. Knew that babbling questions and fears would get her nowhere and this was probably God's way of keeping her from screwing things up--again.
"Becca?"
A laugh burst out of her and the tears in her eyes leaked out as she nodded vigorously.
"You will? That's a yes?"
She used her hold on his neck to tug him low and kissed him with all of the intensity she couldn't express verbally. Yes, she would marry him. Yes, she wanted to spend her life with him. Yes, yes, yes!
Maybe Eli had it right. Maybe words weren't always needed. Maybe, sometimes, she needed to be quiet, and listen. Otherwise, how could she see the second chance she’d been given?