Introduction:
It was the last weekend of spring, and the weather was perfect on Cape Cod. The deep blue cloudless June sky blended into the ocean. The beachfront Atlantic Coastal Resort in Chatham was ready for a busy two days. Lauren DiMaria, the Resort’s last June bride for the season, arrived with her wedding party and close family members in tow.
The ladies enjoyed an afternoon of spa and hair treatments. Because Lauren was so certain that her decision to wed Philip was the right one, she emanated a contagious calmness. This was true even in the face of a cast of (sometimes) annoying bridesmaids, not to mention her mom and sister. Of course, at age twenty-seven years Lauren had lots of experience in handling these people.
By all accounts, Lauren was beautiful. Friends and family joked that she was the spitting image of her mom. The bride-to-be's black hair, dark brown eyes, and high cheekbones reflected the very best of her Southern Italian heritage. Her sensuous nature and lust for life could be seen in her love of good food, vacations, and laughter. These same qualities drove her to work hard, exercise at the gym daily, and express love when possible. Phillip, her groom-to-be, was very similar in all these respects. The tall, blonde, muscular Phillip also thirsted for life and longed to experience everything.
As with any group of friends and family, the differences were stark. Apart from also having large, brown eyes, Lauren's sister Jenny was her opposite (we'll see more of Jenny later). Her friends came from very different backgrounds and had different priorities in life. But today was Lauren's day, at least until the end of the reception.
Chapter One: The Newly Weds
The bride and her maids made their way to the beach at exactly seven pm on Friday. Tears welled up in Phillip’s eyes as he watched his bride walk down the aisle and toward a large "O" made of flowers symbolizing the eternal bond of marriage. He was pleasantly surprised when she lifted her veil. As Phillip, as well as all their guests expected, Lauren was radiant. Her makeup artist accentuated her natural beauty. Phillip rightly believed himself a blessed man. The ceremony was quick, and the newly wedded couple couldn’t wait to begin their life together. Guests were invited to assemble in the reception hall while the wedding party posed for pictures.
Phillip waited patiently for the reception to end. All day he'd been anxiously waiting for alone time with Lauren. At long last, it was time for the couple to depart. They thanked their guests and made their way to the Resort’s honeymoon suite.
“May I carry you over the threshold, Mrs. Johnson?” asked an eager Phillip. “I would expect no less,” replied Lauren with a wide grin. Phillip carried his wife to the king-sized bed, laid her down, and started kissing her wildly. Although she was having fun, Lauren told him he’d have to wait. She wanted to wash up. Disappointed, Phillip let out a playful whine. Lauren gently placed her index finger over his lip and promised, “I’ll be worth the wait.” She blew him a kiss as she entered the bathroom.
Phillip could hear the shower running. As he lay there in anticipation, he thought about the path that brought him and his bride to this moment. They were introduced by a mutual friend shortly after Phillip passed the bar exam. Lauren was in the last year of her master’s degree program in biology. Both felt like lightning struck when they first met. Because their feelings were so strong, they decided to take things slowly.