vaguely remembered them from the reunion, at least I thought I did. I should, seeing what an odd couple they made.
Hudson nodded and seemed eager to get inside the chapel. I was just as impatient, but Coco had other ideas.
“You’re probably the most unselfish person I’ve ever met,” Coco insisted, her eyes brightening with tears. Turning to her husband, she explained. “Emily and James were engaged, but after the reunion she realized that James still loved Katie. Knowing that, she broke off the engagement.”
Hudson stared at me for an uncomfortable moment, as if struggling for words. I could tell he wasn’t much of a talker. “So you’re the one.”
“So it seems.” I wasn’t keen having attention drawn to me.
“You broke off the engagement?” he asked, as if it was difficult to understand.
“I did.” I didn’t regret the decision, but that didn’t make attending this wedding any easier.
“Katie told me how you stopped by her apartment to tell her what you’d done. Right away I encouraged her to contact James, but she refused. Can you imagine? That girl was crazy. She said if he loved her then he had to come to her. It shocked me but she had the patience and the faith to wait him out. I don’t know if I could have done it. And James left her waiting for several weeks. Weeks!” she cried. “All that time she trusted her love would win out. You have to admire the strength of her conviction. I don’t know what she would have done if she hadn’t heard from him. I don’t even want to think about it.”
“And now they’re getting married,” I said pointedly, wanting to get out of the sunshine and into the air-conditioned building.
Hudson stood holding the door open, and Coco had to turn sideways to get her oversized hat through it.
Once inside, the other woman kissed her husband’s cheek and disappeared. Hudson looked at me and explained, “Coco’s Katie’s maid of honor.”
“Ah.”
Although I didn’t take the time to do an actual count, there were approximately twenty to thirty people in attendance. I slipped into a pew in the last row, hoping to remain as inconspicuous as possible.
Only a few minutes later the ceremony started. They each had only one attendant. Coco for Katie, and James had his cousin serve as his best man. Katie and James stood facing each other, their hands joined as they held each other’s gazes.
Katie looked simply beautiful. Her face radiated joy. I focused on her rather than James. She wore a simple gown and no veil. Coco stood at her side minus the hat. She dabbed at her eyes several times as the couple exchanged vows.
When I dared to look at James, I was nearly bowled over by the love I saw in him as he repeated his vows to Katie. His love was powerful enough to blind me.
That was when my own eyes blurred with tears. I knew I was going to cry; I just knew it, but the tears weren’t for the reasons I assumed. These were tears of shared joy. James and Katie were always meant to be together. I’d never seen James look at me like that. And the truth was I would never have loved him with the same intensity Katie did. But I would for Nick. What James and Katie shared was akin to the way I felt about Nick. The realization nearly bowled me over. I loved Nick. More than anything I hungered to share my life with him.
Once the ceremony was over the chapel emptied, but I stayed behind. Sitting in the pew, I needed a few minutes to absorb the emotion that overwhelmed me. Seeing the love James and Katie shared, I realized how badly I hungered for that myself. But I didn’t know if it was possible.
I was heavy into my thoughts when the door opened behind me. I didn’t turn to see who it was.
“Emily.”
I glanced over my shoulder to find Katie standing there.
“Congratulations,” I said, giving her a genuine smile. “Oh Katie, it was a beautiful ceremony.”
“I’m so glad you could make it,” she whispered. “Having you here is perfect; we both owe you so much.”
While I appreciated her kind words, they weren’t necessary. “Shouldn’t you be with James?” Where she was always meant to be.
“Probably. No worries, though. We’ll have the rest of our lives together. I wanted to thank you again.”
“You have, several times already.”
Katie slipped into the pew next to me and sat. “I don’t think