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Going to the Chapel
GunpowderandLeadby Miranda Lambert blasted JT awake. Dani’s ringtone. He’d forgotten to turn the ringer down last night before he’d fallen into bed. He grappled for the phone from his bedside table. “Yeah,” he answered roughly.
“Come open the blasted door, JT, I’ve been banging on it for five minutes!” At that, he heard thumping start up from the front of the house. He disconnected and dropped the phone on the bed.
“Okay, Okay, I’m coming,” he muttered, going to open the door for Dani.
She stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, looking perturbed. “Finally! We’re going to be late if you don’t shake a leg!”
JT ran a hand across his face trying to wake up as Dani pushed past him and headed for the bedrooms. He looked to the front of the house and saw Levi behind the wheel of Pearl. He threw a hand up in greeting.
“What are you talking about? Late for what? Dani!” he called to Dani’s back, struggling to catch up with her and what the hell could be happening.
“It came to me last night after I dropped your mama at her car,” Dani explained as she barged into Maggie’s bedroom, clearly a woman on a mission. “I called Pastor Evans and he agreed so we’re doing it.”
JT reached a long arm out and spun her around to face him. “Doing what?”
“Getting married. At 8:30. In the hospital chapel. I’m not getting married without my best friend so since she can’t come to me, I’m going to her.” She looked at him like he was an idiot when he just stood there with his mouth open. “Chop, chop! We’re running late already. You get dressed and I’ll grab Maggie’s things.”
Dani banged on Maggie’s bathroom door where the shower could be heard running. She heard a muffled curse before the water turned off. “What?” a deep masculine voice called out in irritation.
She laughed under her breath. “Hurry up, Dr. Savage! I have a date with a minister in half an hour and I need you there to escort my maid of honor down the aisle!”
“Dani?” Zane called confused. “What are you doing here? What...”
“I just told you. Married. Hospital. Thirty minutes. Do not make me late for my own wedding, Zane Savage!”
“Jesus! Okay, okay. I’ll be out in five.” There was no stopping her when she had that tone. He knew from experience.
A slow smile started to grow across JT’s lips at the exchange. Before he knew it, he was chuckling and heading to his room to get dressed. He’d have to forgo his own shower. When Dani was determined like this, there was no denying her.
Maggie sat in her hospital bed wringing the white sheets in her hands. Zane had left a while ago to get a shower and a change of clothes while they took her for more tests. She was back now and had nothing to distract her from worrying. She didn’t think they would find anything on her tests besides the ugly bruising and swelling at her throat, but it made her nervous. She was even more worried about missing Dani’s wedding. After all they had been through to get back together, and all the work that had gone into today, and she might miss it. It would break her heart not to be able to see Dani and Levi exchange vows.
She wiped an eye. She was so emotional since the concussion and the new injury apparently made it even worse. She pulled herself up straighter in bed. Get ahold of yourself, Margaret Elizabeth! Zane is not going to come back to find a simpering little flower. You are going to make it to this wedding come hell or high water. She hit the call button for the nurse to come help her get cleaned up and get herself together before Zane got back.
Thirty minutes later, when Zane popped his head back in the door, she had at least gotten washed up, had her teeth and hair brushed and was in a fresh hospital gown, such as it was. She tried to smile brightly as he strode back into the room looking incredibly handsome in pressed jeans and a sage green button down shirt that brought out the gold in his eyes. His hair was still damp from the shower and she could smell his cologne as he came up to the bed. She breathed deeply. She loved that smell.
He placed her small overnight kit on the bed and leaned down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. “You look all fresh and ready for the day, sweetheart. How are you feeling? Tests go okay?”
Maggie nodded. “All done and I even got to wash my face and brush my teeth and hair,” she said with mock excitement. “Zane, you have to get me out of here,” she pleaded, her voice still strained and rough. “I can’t miss the wedding.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to make it,” Zane said, a mysterious smile lighting his face. He started to open the bag and pulled out a pair of pink silk pajamas and matching robe. She had bought them for a girls’ weekend at a spa she and Dani had gone to but hadn’t worn them since.
“Where in the world did you find those?” she asked as Zane started untying her ugly hospital gown to help her into the beautiful silk.
“A little bird told me about them. A little red-headed bird,” he confessed. “Let’s get you in these. We have somewhere to be, and I want you to look nice.”
“Somewhere to be?” Maggie asked. “In the hospital? Not more tests surely.” She couldn’t figure out why she would need dressy pajamas for more tests or where else they could be going.
“You’ll know shortly,” he said with a mischievous grin.
In short order, he had her swathed in silk and in a wheelchair, rolling her down the hall. “Here we are,” he announced as they stopped at the hospital chapel doors. He stuck his head inside and, in the next moment, her brother was at the door holding it open so Zane could push her inside. The sight had her eyes streaming again.
Dani and Levi stood at the altar with Pastor Evans. Levi in a white button down, black dress pants and black cowboy boots. His wide grin could have lit up all of Texas. Dani stood next to him, and Maggie had to stifle a laugh. She had on a white T-shirt with Bridezilla in pink script blazoned across the chest that Maggie had bought for her several weeks ago as a joke, paired with a long, white gauzy skirt and pink cowboy boots. Her riot of red curls was piled on her head in a half updo with red ringlets falling down her back and framing her face. She held a small bouquet of pink and white daisies. Dani’s aunt and uncle, Lu and Eustace sat in the pews along with Levi’s mother, Wanda. Her mother, JT, and Sofia rounded out the party in the little chapel.
Dani met her at the head of the aisle as Zane pushed her up to meet her. “What are you doing here?” Maggie asked, though it was obvious a wedding was about to take place.
Dani leaned down and hugged her, whispering in her ear. “You didn’t think there was any way I was getting married without my best friend, did you?” She stood. “I knew you’d be worrying yourself sick over making it this afternoon, so I decided to bring the wedding to you. Everyone that really matters is here,” she said looking around, her eyes growing soft. She held Maggie’s hand. “We’ll do the ceremony again this afternoon as planned with everyone else, but this is the real wedding.”
Maggie teared up as they hugged again. She was handed her own small bouquet and Zane pushed her to her place in the front next to Dani, wheelchair and all. He kissed her head and smiled at her as he stepped back and took a seat next to her brother and Sofia.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Dani and Levi stood in the little hospital chapel and exchanged their vows.
