Frozen Barriers (47 page)

Today, the early morning sun is shining over the water, and it’s warm enough to walk the beach barefoot and wear summer clothes. Mom and Dad are relaxing on the porch at the cottage. Josh and Courtney decide to head out and do some sea kayaking with a local tour guide, and Emily and I decide to walk along the beach. She wants to search for those baby turtle nests she saw in a movie once. I have no idea what movie she is talking about, but she muttered something about it being filmed just down the road from here.

As I’m walking barefoot with Emily along the soft, almost white, sandy beaches, she notices a wooden swinging seat. The sand crunches under her feet as she heads away from me to sit. Grabbing my phone, I snap a photo of her with the tall lighthouse behind her. Laughing, she kicks her feet out in front of her. There’s no more pain in her life. She’s knocked down every barrier, and she’s finally able to just live her life as she wants.

I walk over to sit next to her on the swing and hear the wood creak under my added weight. This swing has seen its fair share of hurricanes and high tides. I lean back to rest one arm behind Emily on the swing as she watches the shrimp boats float on the water. A few dolphins poke their noses out of the water in the distance, and she gasps with excitement.

“Oh my gosh, Jeremy! Did you see the dolphins? We absolutely have to do one of those tours tomorrow.”

“We’ll see, babe,” I tell her without trying to make her think it’s not going to happen.

“What do you mean ‘we’ll see’? Why can’t we go? Did you have something else planned?” She looks me in the eyes, hoping to find some kind of answer. I tell myself it’s now or never. Stop being a wimp and just do it.

Rising from the swing, feeling my toes sink in the sand, I turn toward Emily and begin the speech of a lifetime. I lower myself onto one knee in front of her. I grab the box from my pocket, the box she almost caught me with until I made sure to distract her with an afternoon sex session. The minute I hold the box out in front of me, Emily’s hands cover her mouth. I see my parents standing off behind her. My father has his arm over my mom’s shoulders, and I can tell she is crying. Josh and Courtney are off to the side where Emily can’t see them. Per my request, their kayak tour
conveniently
took them in this direction. Courtney has her camera out capturing the moment for eternity.

Gazing up into her big, beautiful blue eyes, I take a deep breath and say, “Emily, the day we met something changed in me. When I accidentally ran into a blonde figure skater and knocked her on her ass, she had spunk and a hardness about her that I couldn’t resist. You may have been the one on the floor, but you knocked me off my feet that day. Then, you stole my heart a little bit more in high school with your shyness and gentle ability to work your way into my soul. Your laughter and spirit always lingered within my mind. It wasn’t until you completely came back into my life that I realized I could never let you go. You had to be mine, forever. You made me realize life was more than just hockey. Life was about dreaming large and setting out to conquer your fears. Every day you made me want to dream bigger. Until one day I realized you, Emily Beth Cameron, were my biggest dream of all. Once I reached you, I knew I couldn’t go any higher. You are my life, my love, my happiness every single day. I will not spend another day of my life without you by my side fighting for us.” Tears roll down the sides of her cheeks as I open the black box with the carat and a half cushion cut diamond ring I bought last year. Pulling it from the box, I hold her hand out to me. “Emily Beth Cameron, will you make me the happiest man alive and say yes to becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

Yesterday, while sitting on that swing, I never expected Jeremy to propose. A million thoughts ran through my mind. Was this too fast? Was I ready? What happens if he gets sent away again to another team? Can I handle the pressure of a long-distance relationship?

For every negative, there was a positive. We loved each other, and I loved his family as much as they loved me. We had seen each other at our worst, and yet, still made each other happy. He’s been the only one to see who I really am and made me fight for what I really wanted out of life.

I heard noises behind me on the beach and turned to see the Page family in the distance watching. They all knew he was planning to propose. Apparently, it was the reason for the trip in the first place. I realized I hadn’t answered Jeremy at that point. He was still kneeling in front of me in the sand as waves crashed and seagulls squawked in the distance. I stood and pulled him up with me. The look on his face was that of absolute fear. I leaned in and softly explained my answer into his ear.

Here I am just over a full day later, staring out the window, wondering if I made the right decision. A part of me keeps telling myself I’m crazy for doing this, but as Travis walks in, I know in my heart this is right. It will all work out in life.

Looking at me with tenderness in his eyes, he asks, “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say, grabbing my belongings on the table before walking through the door Travis is holding open for me.

Turning the corner, I see the arched wooden beams and the scrolled bronze chandeliers along the ceiling. My eyes lower to see Jeremy at the end of the aisle, dressed in a tan suit adjusting the cufflinks on his shirt. Courtney is taking pictures, Josh has his phone pointed in my direction, and Grace is smiling as she wipes tears from the corners of her eyes.

Travis grabs my elbow, and we begin walking down the aisle closer to Jeremy. Once I’m in front of him, I turn to hand Grace my flowers before turning back to take Jeremy’s hands in mine. I can tell he’s nervous as his finger starts twisting my ring on my finger. He leans down to my ear, saying, “There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that this is right. You’re the most beautiful woman, and I’m the luckiest man in the world today, because today, you become my wife. I love you, babe. Always and forever.”

I smile as I wipe a stray tear from the corner of my eye. Courtney stops taking pictures to come up behind me and adjust the train on my simple wedding dress. Today, I become Mrs. Emily Page. I’ll have a husband, mother, father, sister, and brother added to my family. I know eloping is the right decision. Everyone I could ever want at my wedding is here now, including Sue and Dave, who are watching from Josh’s phone at home.

When I whispered to Jeremy yesterday on the beach the simple word “yes,” he lifted me and spun me around before slipping the ring onto my finger. Once I was safely back on the ground, he said he had one more request to make this weekend complete, and I’d do anything to make him happy.

He asked, “Marry me tomorrow at sunset.” My mouth dropped to the ground as he waited for an answer. Before I could spew a million questions as to how that was even possible, he said everything was already taken care of. His parents had taken care of booking the tiny island chapel and the flowers. All I needed to do was go to the courthouse, find a dress, and show up.

I found my dress this morning at a little boutique in Savannah, and I showed up, with just enough time for Courtney to handle my hair and makeup and Grace to get the flowers. She always had a strange way of knowing things. I can’t remember ever telling her what Jeremy had given me for flowers on our first date, but when she walked into the bridal suite earlier with the same flowers, I was speechless.

I stand here now as Jeremy and I exchange the rings he picked out himself, repeating the vows the minister is reading to us with our eyes locked. Engraved on the inside of my ring is “Always Fighting for You.”

Once the minister gives Jeremy permission to kiss me, our lips meet for the first time as husband and wife, I know my dreams are no longer my escape from reality. My dreams are my reality. Breaking our kiss, Jeremy’s forehead leans on mine. Since we’re not having a reception, Courtney insists we have a first dance. Only one song seems fitting as we dance in the middle of the chapel lost in our own world. Cascada’s voice echoes through the tiny chapel as I sway within Jeremy’s arms.

When the song ends, he lifts me in his arms as I wrap my arms around his neck, giving him a soft kiss on his lips. He places me back on the ground, taking my hands in his. “You ready to get out of here, Mrs. Page?”

I look back into his eyes with a heart full of love and happiness. “I’ve never been more ready, Mr. Page.”