That Wedding by Jillian Dodd Page A

concerned, Philip. We heard about Cancun. How she pushed you away. How she's never had a serious relationship."
    "I haven't had a serious relationship either. And you know why that is," Phillip says sternly.
    Phillip is pissed. I like it.
    He's standing up to his mom for me. It makes me love him more, which I didn't think was possible.
    "She went through a lot with her parents' death. I don't think she ever dealt with it. I love you both. I want your marriage to work. That's why I talked to him."
    "She is me," I say. "Don't talk like I'm not here. I did deal with my parents' death, and if anyone knows that, it's Phillip. He's always been there for me. And just for the record, I don't feel like my parents abandoned me."
    Phillip stands up quickly and glares at his mom and dad. "Did you say that? That her parents abandoned her?"
    Phillip's dad says, "We would never say that."
    "Pastor John suggested it. Suggested that I have abandonment issues. Maybe your mom is right, Phillip. Maybe I'm screwed up, and you shouldn't marry me. Which is fine, then I won't have to deal with all this bullshit."
    I get up.
    I want to run. Run away. Run home. Hide under my blanket.
    Phillip pulls me into his arms and looks straight into my eyes. "We're getting married, Princess. Whenever we want, however we want. I don't care what anyone thinks. If my parents don't want to be supportive, then we'll go to Vegas or some beach and get married by ourselves." He turns to his parents. "Do you want to be part of our wedding?"
    "Yes," his mom says.
    "Then remember it's our wedding, our life. We make the decisions. I'm not putting up with this shit."
    His dad says, "Phillip, calm down. We get it."
    Phillip sits down, pulls me onto his lap, and wipes a few stray tears from my face. I tried to hold them in, but I lost the fight. A few managed to sneak out.
    "You still okay with moving up the wedding?"
    I kiss his cheek. "Yes."
    I can't wait to be Phillip's wife.
    I really can't wait.
    His dad says, "So December or January it is. Your parents got married in January, JJ. That's kinda cool, huh?"
    "I kind of forgot that. You're right though, it is cool."
    Mr. Mac gets down a picture of my parents' wedding day from the family room shelves and hands it to me. Mr. Mac is the best man. My dad looks so young and handsome. My mom was a beautiful beaming bride.

    We didn't stay long after dinner. Phillip always tries to protect me, even from his own family. I'm sitting on the couch, leaning on his shoulder, and watching Sunday Night Football. My mind flits back to the picture of my parents' wedding. I get up quickly, run into the guest bedroom, flip open Mom's hope chest, and dig out their wedding album.
    If I'm going to get married near their anniversary, maybe I could find something. I'm not even sure, some little detail from their wedding that I could incorporate into mine. A way to honor them and a way to inspire me.
    I take the album with me and plop down next to Phillip. We flip through the pages together.
    The first time I flip through, all I really notice are their faces. How young and happy and so in love they looked.
    Those faces that I miss so much.
    I lose the fight with more tears. They trickle gently down my face. I wipe them away quickly, so Phillip doesn't notice.
    When I flip through the second time, I start to see details. The way mom's dress fit her perfectly. Her pale pastel flowers.
    I turn another page and see the bridesmaids all lined up. Their dresses had fitted black velvet tops with full purple taffeta skirts.
    "Phillip, purple was my mom's favorite color."
    "It's one of your favorite colors too," he says, but my mind is racing. I'm picturing the menu card we saved. The black and white damask, the black scrolly lettering, the deep purple accents.
    I get up, run to the huge stack of bridal magazines stacked in the corner of the dining room, and flip through page after page of pictures until I find it.
    I run the picture over to Phillip. "Look at