Mike rolled over. "Please, Mom, just five more minutes," he teased before breaking into a grin. He playfully tickled her.
"Mike... Mike, not now," she giggled. "We have to get ready."
Mike's brother was getting married and he was the best man.
"I hope his wedding goes better than ours," Mike said as he propped himself against the headboard.
"Hey..."
"I said the WEDDING not the MARRIAGE. What a fiasco."
They thought back. It had been almost two years since they sat in the kitchen at Michelle's mother's house and listened to her mother and Mike's aunt Lenore arguing about the arrangements. This blue wasn't blue enough. This white wasn't white enough. If they used Lenore's caterer, they had to use her mom's florist. It seemed endless. Finally, Mike had said, "Take a walk with me."
Outside the breeze cooled their nerves. "I thought this was suppose to be OUR day," Mike said, still slightly frustrated.
"I learned along time ago. If you want to plan a wedding wait until our daughter gets married."
"What daughter?"
"The one we don't have yet. But we'll have to if we ever want to plan a wedding. Trust me if we get to pick out one song for the band to play we'll have had a great deal of input."
Mike thrust his hands into his pockets. "Honestly, I don't see what difference it makes who's caterer cooks the rubber chicken. And why a minister AND a rabbi. I was willing to go along with just the rabbi."
Michelle shrugged. "Your aunt wasn't and that's all that matters. Boy, I can just see it now. The two clergymen. 'That was my line. I was suppose to say that. I get to do the pronouncing.'"
Mike put his hands on Michelle's shoulders. "Let's forget them. We've got the license. Let's get married tomorrow."
"You're on duty tomorrow."
"So. We'll get a judge and get married at the station."
"What about my mom and your aunt?"
"They can duke it out. I'll call my brother and you call your sister. But don't let them tell anybody."
"Mike..."
"Look, do you want to marry me?" Michelle nodded. "Okay then. Meet me at the station at ten."
MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS
"Stoker, pal, I have never seen you so nervous." Captain Stanley patted him on the back.
"Yeah, not even at a four-alarm fire," Marco added as he walked by.
Mike looked to Chet who was unwrapping about two dozen Twinkies. "Chet, what is this. I told you to get a cake."
"Hey, back off while I'm creating. It will be great."
"Look who's here!" Gage entered with Michelle.
Mike approached and kissed her cheek.
"Mike, you're shaking like a leaf," she said taking his hand.
"Well, aren't you nervous?"
"No. I'm to scared to be nervous. By the way my sister couldn't get off work on this short of notice. What am I going to do for a bridesmaid?"
Mike glanced at Chet who was putting Twinkies together with pink frosting from a can. "There's a bridesmaid for you. He won't mind. He likes to improvise."
Michelle rolled her eyes. "Is your brother coming?"
"He's bringing the judge. He should be here soon."
MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS
"Michelle!" Tim Stoker greeted his soon to be sister-in-law with a hug. "Meet Judge Durban." She shook his hand.
"Is there a place I can start on these papers?" the judge asked.
Michelle directed him to the kitchen. "There's a table in there."
"So where's my brother?"
"He's in the locker room. And I know he wants to see you."
Mike was standing beside his open locker looking in the mirror. "I do...I DO...I do."
"Practicing?" Mike turned. "You know the judge is signing the papers. The I do is just a formality. You need anything?"
"How about a double dose of courage."
Tim placed his hand on Mike's arm. "Mike, you're a fireman. I don't know too many with more courage than you."
"I know I'm a good fireman. What if I'm not a good husband?"
Tim looked his brother in the eye. "If you're half as good a husband as you are a brother you'll be the best."
Mike hugged him tight. Tim kissed his cheek and pulled away. "Come on. Let's get you married."
MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS
Mike and Michelle stood before the judge, Chet at Michelle's side, Tim at Mike's. The other men gathered around.
"If there is any one who can show just cause why these two should not be married let him speak now or forever hold his peace," the judge began. "Michelle, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded hus..."
BRRRNG, BRUMP BRRAMP!!! "Station 51, Station 115, structure fire..."
"They do!" Captain Stanley shouted at the judge as firemen scrambled to their vehicles.
Mike and Michelle were laughing now at the memory. "I spent the majority of my wedding day at one of the biggest fires of the year," Mike said.
"And I spent mine with your brother eating Twinkie surprise a la Chet."
"Any regrets?"
"Just one. That I wasn't there to see the looks on my mother's and your aunt's faces when Tim told them we'd gotten married without their caterer, florist and color schemes."
They shared another laugh. "Now let's get my brother married."