Premiere: A Love Story (23 page)

Cynthia looked up at him with such hope, just as she had when she still wore pigtails. Peter gently passed her hand to Alan’s and turned to take his seat. Cynthia stopped him, gave him a real hug, and whispered, “I love you and thank you.”

Peter kissed her cheek and took the seat next to his mother. He had no idea where it came from, but Peter held his mother’s hand and kissed it. She looked at him, smiled through her tears. He allowed himself to feel, and in that moment, he wished things had been different.

Peter watched his sister get married and realized his heart broke for the pain they had gone through. Not the pain everyone witnessed, but the pain only they knew, experienced together. The quiet pain of lying in their rooms as already confused teenagers and wondering what happened to their world, how their family was ever going to be whole again. But here they were on this moonlit evening at a very happy time in Cynthia’s life and they were fine. Even though the absence of their father loomed over her walk down the aisle, Cynthia seemed happy, and Peter was alive and feeling again. It was painful, but his sense of calm made it bearable. He glanced back at Sam, took in the evening, the importance of what he had just done, and realized that these times were well worth the messy parts in life.

Sam remembered her father saying Peter’s father “got twisted up.” Looking at Peter’s face now as he lovingly watched his sister, Sam felt sorry for his father, sorry that he could not make it through and be here for his daughter. Could not sit next to his wife and relish in the strong and wonderful man his son had become. The guests stood as Cynthia and Alan sealed their marriage with a kiss. Pretty passionate too, who knew Alan had it in him?

The reception was in the ballroom of the casino. The entire wedding party carried candles and followed the bride and groom along the walk from Descanso to their grand party. It reminded Sam of an old English wedding where the party walks in procession throughout the town. The air became crisp and Peter draped his jacket over Sam’s shoulders. Her parents walked up next to them and Jack put his arm around Peter.

“Great wedding.”

“Yes, it was, exactly what she wanted, and she looks so happy,” Peter said, taking a deep breath.

“Were you nervous up there?”

“I was before the wedding started, but once she took my arm, it was weird, but it was only the two of us.”

“I thought you did a terrific job,” Sam’s mother said, as she tried to keep her candle from blowing out.

“Peter, I’m proud of you and . . .” Jack said as he stopped Peter, pulled him aside, “and your dad would have been too. You’re a fine, fine young man. We may not be able to see him, but he’s here. Looking down on you and your sister, your mom, and he’s so proud. I can feel it.”

Peter hugged him, and right as Sam’s eyes filled with tears again, Grady arrived with the comic relief.

“Can you believe that sexy mermaid above the entrance is your grandmother? Kinda weird, right?”

Sam laughed and Grady put his arm around her.

“Jesus, is this a wedding or a wake? Wipe those tears, gorgeous, and let’s see if we can get Alan drunk.”

Peter came up next to Grady.

“Couldn’t have done it better myself, man. Great ceremony. I mean it,” Grady said, patting Peter on the back.

“Thanks.”

Grady put his other arm around Peter.

“Now, enough with the warm and fuzzies. I need a drink and a lonely bridesmaid.”

They all laughed and walked into the casino, the three of them, together again.

There really were not words to describe the reception. The ballroom looked like a wonderland. April had hired some hotshot wedding planner for Cynthia, and no expense had been spared.

Blush linens draped each table to the floor. Candles, circled with delicate orchids, sat on each table. The candles each guest brought from the wedding were placed in a huge centerpiece at the wedding party’s table. The glow of all of those candles seemed to warm the bride and groom. It was a great touch. The lights in the ballroom were dim and it looked like the entire room was lit by candlelight. All of the floor-to-ceiling doors were open to the circular balcony and the cool night air. There were sheer panels of darker blush framing each door, tied at the sides with more flowers. The balcony that circled the entire ballroom and looked out to the ocean was also lined with candles and bouquets.

The ballroom began to fill with laughter and so many people from the couple’s life: Cynthia’s friends from college, Alan’s colleagues, and a fairly large, older set that Sam was certain were friends of parents on both sides. Sam greeted some guests from Pasadena and recognized several of Cynthia’s friends from the shower. Peter walked over to his mother, who was sitting at the table with the Malendars and drinking sparkling water. She was off to a good start. Peter had spoken with her earlier and she had agreed to not drink at the reception. She’d had a couple of Bloody Marys with breakfast but had fully agreed that she wanted to be present, alive, for her daughter’s wedding and would not drink herself otherwise. She looked lovely in aqua blue. She was laughing at some story Grady’s mother was telling. Peter had faint memories of his mother this way, sober and genuine. She was still a tough character, but he liked her this way, and would miss her when she climbed back into a drink.

Sam ordered drinks with Grady, and they joined Peter at the table next to all of their parents. Peter pulled open his bow tie and Grady did the same. They were different in so many ways, but they shared a familiarity that only boys who grew up together possessed.

“Okay, the maid of honor is off limits,” Grady said.

“Married?” Sam asked, as Peter pulled out a chair for her.

“No, but I’m waiting for our drinks, and we start talking. She seems normal and has incredible legs; I’m off to a good start. She then proceeds to tell me that she loves the bride’s dress and her own wedding dress is quite similar.”

Peter and Sam both look puzzled.

“She’s engaged?”

“Nope, that’s where it turns. Not only is her wedding dress bought and paid for, but the shoes too, and she’s on the mailing list for all the most popular honeymoon spots, that’s what she says. Just waiting for the right guy, she says batting her eyelashes at me. Christ, I started to sweat.”

Peter and Sam laughed.

The wedding party was seated. A woman in a great Armani suit, who Sam assumed was the wedding planner, asked everyone else to take a seat for the speeches. The best man, a tall redhead with glasses, made a brief and funny speech. After the applause, Peter sensed he was on, took a deep breath, stood, clinked his glass and said: “Thank you all for coming tonight. It certainly is a happy time for our families and close friends to join Cynthia and Alan as they begin their lives together.”

Peter cleared his throat and willed his nerves away.

“Cyn, being here on Catalina brings back so many great memories. I can hardly believe, looking at you now, that you were that little blonde tagalong I rowed around this harbor. You’ve grown into such a beautiful and loving woman. You make our family proud every day. We love you.”

Cynthia blew him a kiss. Peter didn’t realize at first that he did it, but his hand went to his heart as he looked back at his sister. Their father used to do that. He would say his “heart ached with love.” Peter let the chill hit his spine and continued.

“Alan, first of all, who knew you had that passionate kiss in you? Wow, man, nicely done!”

Everyone laughed, and Alan blushed.

“But seriously, you are a good, honest man, and those are harder and harder to come by. You respect and love my sister and for that I thank you. To quote one of my favorite American poets, Nikki Giovanni, ‘We love because it’s the only true adventure.’ May you both cherish what makes the other unique and share a life built on love, trust, and that kiss.”

Laughs again and with that Peter raised his glass, and they all toasted the bride and groom. Cynthia dried her tears.

Following dinner, they ate cake and Mr. and Mrs. Ferrimore danced their first dance to “Awake” by Josh Groban. The sounds of the orchestra spilled out of the ballroom as Cynthia and Alan twirled around the dance floor. It was such a winsome image that Sam felt for a second like she was in a dream. They both looked so in sync and delighted with each other. If this evening represented marriage, everyone should be clamoring for the altar. The realist in her knew love was complicated and didn’t always work out, but for tonight she enjoyed the magic of two people finding each other and having the courage to start the adventure. It was a phenomenal wedding.

Peter led Sam onto the dance floor, placed his hand on her lower back to pull her close. Peter nestled into her neck and gently led her through a dance.

“I feel like I’ve barely seen you all night. Have I told you you’re stunning, yet?”

“You’ve been busy with the wedding and the guests. Speaking of the wedding, my God, did you see the sunset right as the ceremony started?” Sam sighed.

“I love weddings, beginnings, but sunsets are my favorite time of day. Doesn’t make any sense, does it?”

“It makes perfect sense. You love it all, Sam.”

Her cheeks flushed in the night air and Peter tried to remember how to dance as his throat knotted. She was so free, open, and in spite of it all, in love with him. For an instant he wondered what he had done right in his life to deserve her again.

“Oh, and to answer your question, yes, you did tell me I looked stunning, right before the wedding started. You never fail to make me feel cherished these days.”

Peter took a deep breath.

“Making up for lost time.”

He squeezed her in closer.

“Let me know if I start slipping.”

“Oh, believe me, I will.”

They both laughed as he swept her past the orchestra. Peter looked into her eyes. They were still dancing as he cradled her face. He looked into her, hoping he was giving her whatever she needed to calm her heart and allow him to stay.

“I love you. I love you so much,” he said, hovering near her mouth.

He kissed her. A tender, pulling kiss that had most of the people at the wedding turning from the bride and groom for just a moment. Many of these people had watched them grow up together. Many now saw them in a different light. It was such a long time coming for Sam that she simply kissed him back. In that one dance, that one kiss, the past slipped farther away.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

Chapter Twenty-Six

W
rapped in a blanket and still in their wedding wear, Peter and Sam played Scrabble on his patio after the wedding. She played a word worth eighty-nine points, and then Peter stood, swept her into his arms, and took her to bed. Normally Sam would argue he was being a sore loser, but curled into his neck, she couldn’t care less.

Peter slowly took off Sam’s shoes and moved his way up her body. It wasn’t urgent or restless, but the slow, relaxed touch, caress, and ecstasy of two people letting each other into places no one had ever been. Peter took his time exploring every inch of her in the glow of moonlight. He held her face, stroked her hair, and kissed her slowly, deeply. Her entire body let go. Right when she thought she had given him everything, she gave him more. Their bodies melted together in perfect unison and then slipped over the edge.

Sam lay on top of Peter, her head resting on his warm chest. She could barely hear his breath. His heart thumped quietly in concert.

“Sam.”

“Hmm . . .”

“Remember when I asked you if you’d ever thought about marriage?”

He could feel her body tense. When she didn’t respond, Peter gently rolled her next to him and pushed the hair off her face.

“What?”

“It’s so all of sudden, you know. I mean, a couple of months ago, I was trying to figure out how I was going to see you again without passing out and now . . . now we’re here. I’m with you, I love you, but I can’t help feeling like somewhere a shoe is going to drop and I’m going to be left picking up the pieces.”

Peter sighed and rolled on his back.

“I can’t help it. I mean, you still live in New York. I live and work in Pasadena. I heard you on the phone last week talking about finishing up your next play.”

Peter touched her and she sat up clutching the blanket to her chest.

“How is this going to work, Peter? Don’t feed me flowery words or questions about my thoughts on marriage. Tell me how we are going to move this forward, in real tangible ways. How am I not eventually going to be standing in some doorway or at some airport saying goodbye?”

“Sam, we just got back from a wedding. We’re naked. What do you want me to do, break out the yellow pad and start planning?”

She didn’t laugh, so he pulled her back down, and hovered over her. Sam closed her eyes.

“Hey,” he said, kissing her.

He could see a tear pooling.

“Hey, look at me.”

Sam opened her eyes.

“I don’t have a plan right now. I’m working and you’re working. We will figure it out. I’m here right now.
Looking In
hasn’t even opened yet. We will make a plan. I’m flying back and forth. We can continue to do that for a while.”