Wish Upon a Star (30 page)

* * * *

The clouds and raindrops barely registered as I sat in the
passenger seat on the way to the church.

"Man, this is a sweet ride, E.J."

I glanced at Ryan perched behind the wheel of my BMW and
smiled. "Least I could do since you're pulling chauffeur duty."

We listened to sports radio on the drive, but didn't talk
much. Between Ryan's quiet nature and what I was about to do,
words weren't necessary. We pulled up next to Paul's truck and
headed for a side door. I had my hand on the door knob when Ryan
cleared his throat.

"Hey, E.J.?"

I stopped and turned to him.

"I just wanted to say congratulations. It's been great getting
to know you and Annie. I'm glad we're friends."

It took a couple of attempts to swallow the lump that had
formed in my throat. I went back to him and gave him a hug.

"So am I, man. So am I."

Once inside, I shook Ryan's hand and made for the "groom's
dressing room." On my way, Josh hurried past with a loop of speaker
cable in one hand. He waved, but didn't stop.

I watched him until he arrived at an area to the right of the
altar where the choir was usually situated. Today, the space was
occupied by The Downtowners, who were busy tuning their
instruments. Near the front the church, the wedding planner was
giving two young men instructions on where to put the flowers while
keeping an eye on a woman who was attaching decorative bows to
the pews.

Located in an older part of town, the church had clearly
been built with utilitarian function in mind. Instead of the
intimidating, almost gothic stone grandeur of the church I had
attended growing up, the interior of this one almost said, "Pull up a
seat and let's visit for a while." The single bulb chandeliers cast a
warm glow that gave the cream colored walls a homey feel. At its
capacity, the place probably seated two hundred, max.

A quick glance at my watch told me I had about an hour left
as a bachelor. With a little spring in my step, I finished the journey to
my dressing room.

Paul and Dave had arrived before me and were already in
their matching tuxedos. They'd scrounged up a couple of metal
folding chairs and were watching a college football game on Dave's
tablet.

"So who's winning?"

"It's tied, late in the third," Dave said. A split second later,
they both turned toward me. I held out a suit bag.

"Let's do this."

I slipped behind a partition to change and was adjusting my
bow tie when there was a knock on the door. Gloria stepped in,
dressed in a gray suit with burgundy accents. The outfit went with
Annie's colors to a T. Instrumental music from the Downtowners
flowed in until she closed the door.

"You ready E.J.?"

"Never been more ready for anything in my life." I stepped
from behind the partition.

She looked me over from head to toe, then brought her
hands together. "I'll never understand you Irish people's fascination
with kilts."

"At least he's got the legs for it," Paul said with his
trademark deadpan delivery.

I looked down. My black dress shoes reflected the overhead
light. The white of my kilt hose contrasted with the black of my Brian
Boru jacket and vest. Together, they provided the perfect accent to
the green and blue of my kilt and tie. The pattern was as close as I'd
been able to get to an official McCarty clan tartan.

"Your words, not mine," Gloria said. Dave stifled a laugh
while G checked her watch and stepped back out.

A few minutes later, she rejoined us. "Gentlemen, it's time."
When she opened the door, the band stopped playing. The quiet
caused a few butterflies to start flapping their wings in my
stomach.

Gloria led our little procession to the front of the altar. Paul,
the best boss in the world, followed her. Next in line was Dave, my
best man, and a role model of a husband. A little murmur went
through the crowd as I followed Dave, probably due to the kilt. I
reveled in the moment.

When we were in position, Amy began playing the guitar
introduction to "Amazing." My eyes got a little watery when Missy
came in with the French Horn. Once Tish started singing the opening
verse, doors opened at the other end of the sanctuary. Staci entered,
wearing a smile that could have lit up the neighborhood. Annie's
young friend was positively adorable in her formal, burgundy gown
as she walked up the aisle at an almost leisurely pace. She stopped
about halfway so her mom and dad could take a few pictures and
reached her position to the right of Gloria just as the second verse
began.

As if they'd rehearsed for weeks instead of doing this on the
fly, Miranda began her walk up the aisle just as Staci's ended. If Staci
was adorable in her gown, Miranda was stunning in hers. It took a
few seconds of searching the crowd, but when I found Ryan, his
cheeks were red, but his smile reached from ear to ear. He was a
lucky man, because as beautiful as his wife was on the outside, she
was a hundred times more beautiful on the inside.

As the Matron of Honor, Miranda took her place between
Staci and Gloria after mouthing "Nice kilt" to me.

The bridge of the song began. I shifted my attention from
Miranda to the back of the church. What I saw took my breath away.
Annie was a vision of ethereal beauty. As she began the walk toward
me, with a grinning Ira at her side, the words to the song The
Downtowners were playing lifted me up and took me to a place
beyond my imagination.

My North Star was perfection in pearl white. Her veil
featured a simple band of lace that accented her cheekbones. Her ear
lobes sparkled with a new pair of diamond earrings. But her
gown...oh, her gown. The photo I'd seen months ago was nothing
compared to what was before me.

The dress had a high neckline of lace that left no hint
whatsoever of what she'd been through these last few months. On
the contrary, it gave off a vibe of old-time Hollywood class. The rest
of the long-sleeved gown looked like it was the finest silk. The bodice
was adorned with tiny sequins that glittered with each step she took.
Her hands were wrapped around a small bouquet of white
roses.

Our eyes met. She gave me her heart-melting smile. My
knees grew weak at her unmatched beauty. With each step,
memories flooded my mind: Union Station in Chicago, Times Square
in New York, the Monon Trail here in Indy.

Annie and Ira arrived to stand before me as the song ended.
He shook my hand and patted me on the back. "You've got a real
jewel here, E.J. Take care of her."

I looked him in the eye. "It will be my honor, sir."

He kissed Annie on the cheek and went to his seat next to
Samantha. I took Annie's hand in mine. It was soft and warm and was
the best feeling in the world. We turned to face Gloria. As the crowd
settled into their seats, Annie leaned into me.

"Cute skirt, McCarty," she said in a low voice.

While I tried to hide a snort, Gloria gave us a stern look.
"We're in the House of the Lord, young lady. Behave yourself," she
said out of the corner of her mouth. Then she winked.

With nervous tension evaporated, Gloria raised her voice.
"Welcome friends, to this most joyous of occasions, the wedding of
Annie and E.J." She said a few more words then read a Bible passage
about love being kind and something. I'll admit it. I wasn't paying
attention. I was too busy gazing upon the most amazing woman in
the world, who was minutes from becoming my wife.

When the reading was finished, Gloria picked up a
microphone.

"We've never done this, but the bride-to-be has asked
permission to sing a song to her betrothed. And who am I to argue
with a best-selling pop singer?"

The crowd laughed as Annie took the microphone and
nodded to Beth. A quiet melody of keyboards and drums began. She
took a breath and began to sing.

I was lost in the
valley
Scared and alone.
You appeared
from nowhere
Who would have
known?
From one act of kindness
The
greatest of loves has grown.

Will you be mine?
Take your time
I
know we'll be fine
Just say you'll be
mine.

When the winds blew so strong
You stood
straight and tall
And held fast to what's
right
When backed to the wall.
You gave
up the gold
To answer the call
And taught
us a lesson
About doing right for all

So will you be mine
Please take your
time
Please trust we'll be fine
Just say
you'll be mine

Now here we stand
The undiscovered
country awaits
The worst is behind
us
Let's swing open these gates
As we
take the next step
And let the past fall
away
I'm yours if you'll have me
By your
side, I will stay

So will you be mine?
And cross that
line
Let our lives intertwine
Please say
you'll be mine

She kept her eyes locked on mine throughout the song. As
the last note faded to the heavens, she raised her eyebrows and
handed the microphone to Gloria.

My mentor stood for a moment, her head bowed while
Annie's song sank in. She lifted her head and asked Annie and me to
join hands.

"May we have the rings, please?" Dave and Miranda placed
our wedding bands on a small red velvet pillow.

After blessing the rings, Gloria offered the pillow to Annie,
who picked up the wider band of gold.

She slipped the ring on my finger as she spoke to me the
most magical words I'd ever heard.

"I, Annette Suzanne Wilson, take you, Eamon Joseph
McCarty to be my husband, my constant friend, my faithful partner
and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God and our
friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in
sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, in joy as well as in
sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your
goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you,
and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

My fingers trembled as I lifted Annie's ring from the pillow
and looked into those dark brown eyes that had pierced my heart all
those years ago. I stroked her hand before slipping the matching
Celtic knot band over her delicate ring finger.

When the ring passed her first knuckle, I spoke the most
important words I had ever, or would ever, speak.

"I, Eamon Joseph McCarty, take you, Annette Suzanne
Wilson, to be my wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner and
my love from this day forward. In the presence of God and our
friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in
sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrow.
I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals,
to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to
cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

With the rings in place, Gloria took over. "E.J., Annie has
spoken of her true love to you. And I don't doubt it for a minute. Do
you, E.J,. take Annie to be your lawfully-wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Annie, E.J. has spoken of his honest love and devotion to
you. I think we've all seen it. Do you, Annie, take E.J. to be your
lawfully-wedded husband?"

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in me before God and the State of
Indiana, I now pronounce husband and wife. You may kiss the
bride."

I took Annie in my arms and brought her lips to mine.
Fireworks went off inside me when I kissed, for the first time, Mrs.
Annie McCarty. When our lips parted, she gave me a wink that sent
my heart into the stratosphere.

Gloria turned us toward the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen,
it is my distinct honor and privilege to present to you, Annie and E.J.
McCarty."

The crowd stood and applauded while the Downtowners
broke into an upbeat instrumental tune. As we took our first steps
down that aisle and into our undiscovered country as husband and
wife, I leaned toward Annie.

"Think you're ready to have your happily ever after?"

She looked at me, a tear in her eye to match her
heart-melting smile.

"Not my happily ever after, dear husband. Our happily ever
after. And yes. Yes, I am."

I looked up from my book as Annie came bustling out of the
bathroom.

"All right, I'm ready, I think." She kissed me on the cheek.
Even after all these years, I still felt a jolt of electricity go through me
when she did that.

The weather had broken into a perfect late April
afternoon—abundant sunshine mixed with a few puffy clouds. Annie couldn't
keep still as I drove us from our hotel to the Indiana University
Women's Little 500 Bicycle Race. I had countless fond memories of
when I'd competed in the men's event and was thrilled to see it
evolve into a family tradition.

Between Annie's incessant hand wringing and blouse
smoothing, in all our time together, over twenty-seven years now, I'd
never seen her so worked up.

"Good Lord, E.J. I still can't believe my little boy is singing
the National Anthem."

I patted her on the thigh. "I know. You don't think it could
have anything to do with the fact his debut album's coming out next
month?"

"My son, the jazz artist." She rummaged around in her purse
and pulled out a tissue. "I'm so proud of him I don't know whether I
want to cry or do a cartwheel."

We drove in silence. With the convertible top down, the
breeze mingled with the sunshine to create a concoction of spring
bliss. Once we were parked, I went to push the button to close the
roof. Annie took my hand. "Let's leave the top down, yes? It's such a
beautiful day. It reminds me of a certain day a long time ago back in
Malibu, and I'm just..." She shook her head. "This is too much.
Where's the camera?"

I came around and opened her door with one hand while I
displayed the camera with the other. "It's right here. It's got full
power, so you'll be able to take as many pictures as you want."