Stars Collide (21 page)

After a few minutes replaying the conversation in my mind, I finally cratered. The tears flowed, eventually morphing into full-fledged sobs. All of those pent-up emotions I’d stuffed inside were finally free to come out and play.

I’d talked to my dad. Really, truly talked to him. I’d picked up the phone and called him. After years of wondering what that would be like, now I knew. Had it created world peace? No. Had it started a new chapter in my heart? Maybe. Regardless, I’d finally come to grips with the fact that my past was really behind me. Moving forward, though difficult, would be possible. And I could see so clearly that this man I’d thought about for so long was really just a shell of a person. Not the sort of person I’d be drawn to, anyway.

And yet . . . I also sensed that God saw him as his child, someone worthy of dying for. That put everything in perspective. Though I might never have a genuine relationship with my dad, I’d opened the door for the Lord to work in both of our lives. What happened next was up to him.

I wanted to tell someone. Grandma, maybe? No, she and Rex were downstairs, watching a movie. Really, it only made sense to tell Scott.

I punched in his number on my cell phone, thinking about how different this call felt from the one I’d just made. Thank goodness for real, genuine relationships. No awkwardness here. This was the real deal.

Scott answered on the second ring. Through my tears, I explained what I’d done.

“Kat, I’m so proud of you,” he said when I finished. “How did it go?”

I managed to get my breathing under control before responding. “Well, I delivered a few lines. He delivered a few lines. There were some awkward spaces. Our scriptwriters could’ve come up with a better speech for him to deliver, but it was an attempt on his part.” After a shrug, I added, “At least he didn’t reject me.”

“You took a step in the right direction, Kat,” Scott said. “The rest is up to God. Of course, he’s not going to mess with your father’s free will, but he’s pretty good at tugging on hearts.”

“So I’ve noticed. Mine’s been tugged a few times in recent days.”

“Mine too.”

“Hey, guess what?” I said. “When I asked my dad about his wife, he told me that he’s divorced.”

“That’s sad. What about his other daughter?”

“I didn’t ask. But it sounded like he was off doing his own thing, not really communicating with anyone from his past. Do you think he walked away from her too?”

“Maybe that’s just his MO, Kat,” Scott said. “Maybe he’s a coward. He walks away because it’s the easy way out.”

“Maybe. But I’m not giving him the easy way out this time. I’m his daughter and he’s going to know me. He’s going to know you too.”

“You sure about that?”

“Maybe not ‘know’ in an ‘I love you, you’re my daddy’ sort of way. But I think we need to make an attempt now that I’ve found him.”

“God knew where he was all along.”

“True. And I guess God knows where he is spiritually too.”

“Maybe that’s why you’re supposed to be reconnecting, Kat. Did you ever think of that? Maybe the Lord is going to use you in some way to bring your father to him.”

“Could be.” I paused to think about that. “But you know what? That’s up to God, not me. I’m pretty sure I’ve done what I was supposed to do. The rest is up to the Lord.”

“Amen.” Scott paused, then came back with a slightly more exciting question. “So, do you have a few minutes? We’ve still got some planning to do, you know.”

“Boy, do we ever.” I leaned back against the pillows, ready to plot the next scene in my life. Between the Lord, Scott, and me, this one was sure to be a doozy.

22

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

On Friday morning, the 4th of August, I prepared myself to take the stage for the wedding scene of the century. For days, I’d thought of little else besides this event. Scott and I had schemed, plotted, talked things through with Rex, and tied up loose ends. All in preparation for Jack and Angie’s big day. What fun this was going to be.

I smiled as I thought about the way the shooting would unfold. I could hardly wait to deliver my lines. With all that had happened between Scott and me, I honestly felt we were meant to go through this scene together. And why not add a final touch of drama before the season ended? The viewers would eat this up. So would Grandma.

About three hours before the shooting, Nora worked on my makeup. Her hands trembled more than usual. “I’m so sorry, Kat,” she said. “I’ve never done hair and makeup for a wedding before.” She paused to run a brush through my hair. “You want it up, right?”

“Right.” I gave her a picture from a bride magazine. “That’s what I want. And I’m pretty sure Angie would agree.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Half an hour later, I had the prettiest updo in town. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I gasped. “Nora, you did it. It’s gorgeous.”

She grinned, still chattering nervously as she finished my makeup. In the end, I looked like the real deal—a bride. Now, to get into that dress.

Jana appeared in the doorway, letting out a whistle. “Man. Can’t wait to get you to wardrobe.”

“Me either.”

As I followed her down the hall, Scott’s dressing room door opened. He popped his head out and almost caught a glimpse of me.

“Oh no you don’t!” Jana stopped in her tracks. “The bride and groom aren’t supposed to see each other on their wedding day.”

“But—” He managed to get out one word before she shooed him back into his room. She turned to me with a smile. “I can pretend this is the real deal, right?”

“Right.” I smiled. “Jack and Angie should not see each other before the ceremony. We want to stick with tradition.”

“Of course.”

We entered the dressing room, and I stared at the gorgeous white gown, which Jana had hung from a hook at the top of the door. It simply took my breath away. She helped me into the undergarments first. I’d never realized how much work went into the foundational garments for a wedding. A giddy feeling came over me as she fastened the corset and handed me the petticoat.

I happened to glance up as Grandma Lenora entered the room wearing the craziest peach dress I’d ever seen. It sported large, puffy sleeves and a huge flower at the waist. Frankly, I couldn’t remember ever seeing anything so awful.

“Um, Grandma, I’m almost afraid to ask, but who are we today?”

She giggled. “This one’s just for fun, KK. Jane Fonda wore this very same dress in
Monster-in-Law
, remember? It’s that hideous bridesmaid dress.”

“Is that what you’re planning to wear in the scene?” I asked, dumbfounded. She had purchased a beautiful blue number at Saks, after all.

“Nah. I put this on just to get a rise out of everyone.”

“Well, it worked,” Jana said. “Now please change before I have to put on dark glasses to protect my eyes.”

We all laughed at that one.

“I’m so thrilled I get to be in the wedding, KK,” Grandma said. “It’s going to be so exciting.”

“Yes, it is.”

And if we didn’t hurry, we’d very likely be late on the set for the most important day of my—er, Angie’s—life.

Within minutes, Jana had me properly suited up in the wedding dress. We stood together, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

“I don’t think you could find a better dress if you searched for the rest of your life.”

“I know.” Swishing side to side, I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s divine.”

“What do you think your groom will say when he sees you in it?” she whispered.

“Her groom will say she’s the prettiest bride to ever walk the aisle,” Grandma threw in. “And he will be right.”

I gave her a kiss on the cheek then touched up my makeup as Jana helped Grandma into her real bridesmaid dress. Sure enough, it made her look like a beauty queen. Of all the gowns I’d seen her in, this one topped them all. Perfect.

The bell rang out through the PA system, giving the signal that we would be ready to shoot the scene in fifteen minutes. We’d better get out to the set to meet the others.

“You ready, Grandma?” I asked as I took her by the hand.

“You betcha.” She stared at her reflection for another moment, drawing close to the mirror. “I’m glad I decided not to have the plastic surgery, KK.”

“Oh?”

“I think I like my wrinkles, after all. They make me look soft and cuddly.”

“You are soft and cuddly.” I slipped my arms around her waist. “And in case I haven’t told you in a while, I love you so much. None of this would be possible if not for you.”

“Aw, go on with you.”

When I shrugged, she gave me a little pop on the backside and said, “Go
on
with you. I love the flattery.”

“Of course you do.”

As we walked to the set, I continued to sing her praises. She beamed ear to ear. We arrived to find the cast and crew in fine spirits. Everyone took one look at my dress and gathered around, offering all sorts of accolades about my appearance. I had to admit, it felt pretty good.

Crew members buzzed around in anticipation. Jason Harris and the other guys readied the cameras. All of this excitement seemed to spill over to the audience members, who looked on, chattering and laughing.

I took a look at the chapel backdrop and grinned. The designers had outdone themselves, creating a church with pews and a real aisle.

“Scott’s still in his dressing room getting ready,” Athena said as she passed by. “We thought it would be fun to leave him there until the last minute so he wouldn’t see you.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Athena laughed. “Can you imagine how funny it’ll be if you two end up really getting married someday? We’ll get to do this all over again.”

“Yep.” And what a day that would be.

Athena came closer. “Kat, I just wanted to say something to you. You’re a terrific actress, and I’m so glad I get to work with you.”

“Well, thank you.” Her words caught me off guard.

“We’ve worked so hard on this scene, and I’m grateful you’re the one who gets to act it out. Some of these funny bits might seem a little over the top, but if anyone can pull it off and still make it look sentimental, you can.”

“Ah. Well, I’ll give it my best shot.”

“You know, I’ve never told you this before,” she said. “But we talk about it all the time between the writers. A television show is only as good as its weakest link. When we writers sit in that room and come up with the script, we’re completely dependent on the actors and directors taking the ball and running with it the way we envision. Doesn’t always happen that way. Everyone has his or her idea of what makes a scene good. And hey,” she shrugged, “I have to admit, sometimes other people have better ideas. We lay the foundation, but others add the spice.”

At that moment my grandmother approached. “Mmm, spice.” She grinned. “Sounds yummy.”

“I think you will be happy with my performance today, Athena,” I said. “My lines are memorized. The scene is going to be perfect. Just wait and see.”

“I’m counting on it.” She gave me a hug. “We’ve got a lot riding on this one. Now, go out there and knock ’em dead, Kat.”

I saw Rex leaning in close to Tia, giving her some last-minute instructions. He looked stunning in his black suit and white dress shirt. Grandma sashayed his way as he and Tia wrapped up their conversation. A few moments later, Tia approached, worry creased into her brow. “Rex just told me the actor who’s supposed to play the part of the pastor is out sick.”

“Oh?” I gave her a curious look.

“Rex has a backup. Some guy with a bad toupee. But I guess that’s okay, as long as he can deliver the lines.”

“Thanks for the heads-up,” I said. “I’m sure he’ll do fine. Rex wouldn’t bring someone on board without checking him out first.”

“Right. Well, he suggested we film the wedding scene twice, just so you know. We want to get it from several different angles. And that way if this guy botches it the first time around, we’ll have a second option.”

“Sounds good to me.” I was willing to go along with whatever Rex said.

“I just hope nothing goes wrong with the shoot. Like I said, this is a big one.” Tia looked toward the studio audience. “I understand you have a lot of friends in the studio audience today.”

“Family members too,” I said. Looking out at the crowd, I located Jeannie and Jackie with their kids. They gave me a little wave, which I returned. Jeannie pointed to my dress and gave me a thumbs-up. I couldn’t help but blush. To Jackie’s right sat Carolina. In front of her, Athena’s whole family sat clustered together.

A man in the front row stood and waved, and I grinned.

“Isn’t that Scott’s dad?” Athena asked, drawing near.

“Yes, they’re back in town for the fund-raiser on Sunday. Scott thought it would be fun to invite them today. It will add to their trip.”

“Okay, well, I can understand why they’re here, but what’s up with that reporter?” She pointed to James Stevens from
The Scoop
, who sat in the front row with Scott’s parents. “Since when do we let the media into the studio?”

“You can blame my grandmother for that,” I explained. “He’s been so nosy about our personal lives, we thought this might calm him down a bit.”

“Strange.” Athena shrugged. “And what’s up with that kid?” She pointed to Damian, who settled into the seat next to James. “Isn’t he the one who ratted you out to the tabloids? I remember seeing his picture in the paper.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “You know Grandma, though. She wanted to include everyone.”

“Whatever it takes to pull off a great scene.” Tia looked at her watch. “Speaking of which, we’d better get this show on the road if we’re going through this thing twice.”

She called the others to their places, and I happened to catch a glimpse of Scott out of the corner of my eye as Rex ushered him onto the set. Jana seemed to be doing a fine job of keeping him from looking my way. I’d have to thank her later. Even though we were filming a scene, I still wanted to have the surprise factor.

Tia took her place in the director’s chair, and the audience members were given their cue to remain silent.

We all took our places. Looking over at Candy, I gave a little wave. She looked at me with wide eyes and whispered, “You look so pretty.”

I winked, taking in her flower girl dress, and whispered back, “So do you.”

Her gaze shifted down in embarrassment.

Though my heartbeat now pounded in my ears, I heard Tia call, “Action!”

The scene began. I watched as Scott took the stage, dressed in a tuxedo with tails. He looked yummy. More than yummy, really. Standing there decked out from head to toe, he looked very much the hero from an old movie. One where the boy got the girl . . . and they both lived happily ever after. He glanced my way, his eyes growing wide as he saw me for the first time. Oh yes. Just the reaction I’d been hoping for.

I smiled as the children took their places nearby. They were an integral part of the story, after all. Off in the distance Pastor Garrett stood next to Scott. I wondered if anyone recognized him as the actual pastor of Grace Chapel. Hopefully not. Funny, I’d never noticed he wore a toupee before. Leave it to Tia to catch that.

Overhead,
Pachelbel’s Canon
began to play.

Candy flashed a smile then headed up the aisle, dropping rose petals from her basket. Toby followed, playing the role of ring bearer. The other children entered behind him, one after the other. I couldn’t have asked for more than to include the kids who’d worked so hard to bring the happy couple together.

Grandma followed the kids up the aisle, beaming all the way. From her slow, determined walk, one might have thought she was the one headed to the altar. Oh, but not today. Today was my day.

Grandma took her place at the front of the room, turning to face the audience. The tears on her cheeks caused a catch in my throat.

Deep breath, Kat.

The wedding march began, and I looked over at Rex, who extended his arm. “You ready to go through with this?” he whispered.

“Oh yes.” I whispered, “I love you, Grandpa,” and gave him a quick hug.

Others on the set looked startled and even confused as Rex and I made our way to the appropriate place at the back of the aisle. Likely they were wondering when he had decided to take on the role of father figure in Angie’s life.

Rex held my arm in his, walking me up the aisle as the wedding march continued to play. While the script called for a few antics—me tripping over the flower girl basket, for one—we’d decided to forego all of that. No, today called for something a bit more traditional. Athena would forgive me later. I hoped.

I could still see tears in Grandma’s eyes as we drew near. To her right, front and center, Pastor Garrett offered me a warm, comforting smile. I returned it, feeling the joy of the moment from the inside out.

Scott stepped into place and took my arm. In that moment, the last three years flashed before my eyes. Everything we’d gone through up till now—the characters we’d played, the emotions they’d faced—had led us here. To this precious, holy moment.

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Pastor Garrett asked.

“Her grandmother and I do.” Rex’s words were laced with emotion. He lifted my veil and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Athena thumbing through her script with a perplexed look on her face. Thankfully Tia didn’t yell, “Cut.” I half expected her to, since we were so far off the script.

The pastor nodded. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy.”

A gasp went up from the audience and crew as most finally figured out what was happening. It was exactly the sort of reaction we’d been hoping for. From beside me, I heard Grandma whisper the words, “Who’s Scott?” Thankfully she didn’t say anything else.