Jingle all the Mitchell Way: a holiday novella(24)

We spent the entire day doing every exhibit, watching the live shows, and picking up little souvenirs that wouldn’t take up a lot of room in the motorhome. They fell asleep on the cab ride back to the RV park, and were so worn out they didn’t even wake up when we carried them to bed.

Much like at home, we ate an easy dinner and played cards, all while anticipating the return of Amber.

She didn’t show up until after midnight. Looking as beat as the night before, she seemed in better spirits, even sitting down beside Jax for a hand of cards and late night snack. She was envious of our trip to the zoo, but thankful we were able to give the girls a fun day.

Since the first day didn’t go as expected, we had to stay for two more nights. That following morning we went on a tour of the bayou. Jax was adamant on seeing as many gators as possible. He wanted to ride on one of those large airboats, but they weren’t safe enough for the girls, so we had to take a regular tour. I held Lex, while Jax kept a tight grip on Olivia. Every time they’d spot a gator, he’d point so the girls could look. Reese was the official photographer, documenting everything so Amber would be able to experience it as well.

On our last day in New Orleans, we took the girls to a park called Storyland, where book characters come alive. My little nieces had the time of their lives, dancing whenever they heard music playing. Each moment I spent seeing them happy and smiling made me feel like this trip was worth the money I was going to spend on the RV. My family might be crazy. My brother might act like a moron, but I wouldn’t trade him. We were making memories, experiencing new places we’d never been, all while staying together. I’m not usually sentimental, but it made me feel like I’d made the best decision. I just hoped Jax and Amber could agree.





Chapter 11


Jax


Eight hours. That’s how long it took for us to make it from New Orleans to Dallas. During the drive, which I took turns with Jake, the girls talked about the movie and the experiences Amber had while on the set.

We even got the girls pictures with Santa, AKA Uncle Jake in a costume, because let’s face it, they weren’t sitting on a stranger’s lap. They screamed bloody murder, but we sent the picture to their grandparents anyway just to say we did.

We’d managed to keep the secret wedding under wraps, and with the family agreeing to meet us in the city, all we had to do was make sure Reese and Jake were up to tying the knot on a whim.

While Amber was away from the rest of us, she made calls to family members, who’d all offered to do their part in making everything come together. We’d booked a church, a hall, and even DJ. The food was being catered by the same company the production company was using while shooting in town, and the cake was being made by our Aunt Van, who loved to be creative, and the ceremony would be officiated by Uncle Colt, who’d become ordained a few years back. I think my wife used the prepping as a release for stress she was under. Filming was taking a lot out of her. She worked long hours, and was often too tired to hang out with any of us. I didn’t regret bringing the kids along, because even if we only got to see her a couple hours out of the day, it was still better than nothing. I would have gone crazy without seeing her for weeks on end.

Since the movie crew had a couple days before production continued, Amber and I used the extra time to get the family settled into local hotel as they all arrived.

My parents got there first; mom feeling like she had to be on hand in case something went wrong. My dad was more interested in visiting all the steak houses in the area, since Dallas was known for having some of the best. As soon as Uncle Colt and Aunt Van showed up, the two men were nowhere to be found. They’d probably eat themselves to death and be on the news for combusting. My sister and her husband arrived later in the day, followed by the rest of the relatives from Kentucky. Reese’s family trickled in the following morning. Because it was supposed to be a surprise, both of the parents got together and celebrated, while Amber and I managed to head back to the RV without giving anything away.

That night, while in bed with Amber, our daughters sleeping soundly between us, we reflected on everything we’d accomplished, and how surprised Reese and Jake were going to be when they saw everyone they loved in that church.

Amber had arranged for one of the interns to pose as a tour guide. We were going to take a cab into the city and start at the church, where the family would all be waiting. She’d also arranged for my parents to bring us a change of clothes, including dresses for the girls, who would hopefully pose as flower girls alongside their cousin, Sarah.

When we arrived at the church Amber took Olivia from Reese, while I carried Lex. Reese stood outside taking pictures for what seemed like forever, especially since we knew the big surprise was waiting inside for them.

The moment the two of them walked into the chapel and spotted family members standing there, they knew what was up. I put my hand on my brother’s shoulder. “We wanted to do something special for the two of you, since you’ve gone out of your way to make Amber’s dreams come true.”

Amber took over. “Reese, I know how much time and detail you’ve put into planning your wedding, so with the help of the rest of the crew we were able to bring everything you wanted here to Dallas. Your dress, the menu, the music, it’s all ready for you.”

Reese covered her face with her hands. It was obvious it was a moment where she was overwhelmed with joy. She finally looked at Jake, who shrugged with an ear-to-ear grin. “Do you still want to do this?”