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A bridezilla you definitely were not. You came from a small town and from and even smaller family, so you weren’t looking for anything too extravagant. You didn’t need it. And that suited Marcus just fine.
All you really cared about dropping any major chunk of change on was the dress. Since you were a little girl you’d fantasized about walking down the aisle in one of those big, poofy, ballgown monstrosities.
The dress shopping was in your capable hands, and everything seemed so simple and required little effort to orchestrate. But still Marcus insisted he do something to help plan the big day, even if it was shaping up to be quite small.
“Okay,” you’d finally relented after about the fiftieth time he’d begged you for a job. “How about you start assembling the playlist? After that we’ll select the venue together.”
You and he had similar taste in music, it was one of the many things you loved about him. You were certain you’d love any and all songs he selected to bust a move to on your special day.
***
Marcus eyed the empty Spotify playlist for a solid 20 minutes as he contemplated which tracks to choose first. Ultimately he decided to start simple with some songs for tweens. He intended to invite all of the Heroics, which of course meant that Missy would invite all of the super kids. He selected the “Cha Cha Slide” and the “Cupid Shuffle” to give the junior supes something to boogie to.
Then, of course, he had to pick a special number to sweep his mom across the dance floor to. The only natural choice? The great Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely?” It was one of her favorites; one of their favorites. Marcus couldn’t count on just one hand how many times he’d spun mama around their kitchen as a child, or as a fully grown man, while they’d cooked dinner together. He added it to the list in a flash.
Now the real test began: songs that reminded him of you. Songs that reminded him of his love for you and your love for each other. If he could choose every tune that fell into this particular category the playlist would be 20 hours long. Marcus leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in contemplation. Where to begin? Where to begin?
For starters, you were both big fans of 80s jams, so he’d throw in a few of those. “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears had to make the cut. It was your favorite number of the decade and one of your all time favorite love songs. He loved U2. You both did (thank God for that), but a lot of their older jams didn’t ring true to his feelings for you. He opted for “You’re the Best Thing About Me”, a newer hit of theirs that you were both obsessed with.
Marcus added “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train because he firmly believed that it had been written about you, and “Beginnings” by Chicago because you claimed that it perfectly encapsulated your feelings about him (the thought of that always making his heart leap).
He wracked his brain and added more and more, filling the list with all of your mutual favorites. New songs, old songs, some silly, some sickeningly sweet. “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” by Leo Sayer and “All About You” by The Knocks and Foster the People; “Crazy for You” by Madonna and “Tell Me Soon” by Rooney and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” by Barry White and…..oh, shit.
Marcus had been on such a music high he hadn’t even realized he’d pulled the song until it was staring him in the face from its spot on the playlist. The Barry White classic had always been a favorite. Of his late wife’s. It had played during their first dance at their wedding. And just like that he’d soured his own jovial mood. The pain of her loss had faded some time ago, and your presence had only helped him heal in full, but he couldn’t deny that the former Mrs. Moreno still held a special place in his heart.
After hesitating for a moment, Marcus hit play and let Barry do his thing. That song seemed like such a lie now and he felt almost guilty hearing it again after all these years. She had been his first love, but she hadn’t been his last. Was that unfair to her, to share their treasured song with another woman? Was that being insensitive to you for the same reason?
“Ooooh, Barry White. Good choice, babe!”
Marcus had been so lost in his self-deprecation that he hadn’t even heard you enter the room. He instantly stopped the song and moved to delete it. “Yeah, it’s great, but it won’t make the cut.” Not this time .
“What? Why?”
Marcus didn’t want to be “that guy”, the guy who always brought up his ex. But with you he knew that he could be open about anything, including past love. It hurt to open this particular old wound, but you’d be there to stitch it closed again.
“It’s just that, well, this was my wife’s favorite,” he sighed. “It was our first dance song at our wedding ceremony. It’s always been ours . I just…I’m trying to look toward the future.” He reached over and took your hand. “A bright future with you . I don’t want to be reminded of the past on our special day.”
Marcus’s finger swept over the trackpad of the mouse and he was just about to select “remove from this playlist” when your hand blanketed his own. His eyes found yours and they were as bright and warm as your accompanying smile.
“Honey, it’s not like I didn’t know that you were previously married. It doesn’t make me angry, or jealous, or sad. I know how much you loved her. How much you still probably love her. She’s Missy’s mother, and I would never ask you to erase her from your heart.”
Marcus didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh, cry, or both.
“I want you to keep the song if you’d like.”
His free hand came up to cup your cheek, and he pulled you close until your lips connected. When he’d lost his wife he believed that he’d never be whole again, that a part of him would always be missing for the rest of his days. How wrong he’d been.
“It is a really good song,” he admitted, turning back to his laptop and deleting it despite your protests. “But I think I’d like to pick one that’s all our own. And I’ve kinda got one in mind.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
Marcus leaned back in his chair, letting his eyes fall closed so that he could visualize the not too distant memory he was trying to conjure.
“Do you remember last Christmas when you brought Missy and I to your hometown for all the holiday festivities? We left Missy with your folks and we went on that date at your alma mater?”
As if you could forget the best date of your life. The college you’d attended, and even went on to teach at after graduating, had been a second home to you. You’d been so eager to show Marcus the stunning campus, and he’d been surprised to learn that a woman such as yourself, with the mouth of a sailor, had attended a catholic university. You’d grabbed lunch from a food truck and then marched down to the dock to dine by the scenic expanse of water located at the rear of the college.
“How could I ever forget?”
“Well, riddle me this. Do you remember the song that was playing while we ate those mac and cheese burgers down by the lake?”
“It was a tune by the King of Pop himself if I recall.”
Marcus typed the song into the Spotify search bar and, finding it in no time at all, pressed play. He watched the excitement and realization dawn upon your face as the first notes of Michael Jackson’s “The Girl Is Mine” filled the air.
“Ever since that day,” Marcus said dreamily. “This song has always reminded me of you. I’d be honored if you’d agree to this for our first dance.”
You rose from your chair, pulling Marcus to his feet along with you. He enveloped you in his arms as you swayed in place to the melody. Oh, yes. This song would be perfect.
Marcus felt your head swivel beneath his chin and he glanced down to see you peering up at him.
“Wait, isn’t this song about two guys fighting over a girl?” You smirked and quirked a brow. “Hmm, do you have some rival for my affection that I don’t know about?”
“Nothing like that. I just-“
“It’s Miracle Guy isn’t it? I knew it. The day you proposed and Missy and I bumped into him at Heroics HQ during the scavenger hunt I could totally tell that he was flirting with me.”
“No, no, it’s-wait, he what ?”
You laughed but he’d almost had a heart attack.
“No. No romantic rivals,” he huffed. “I can just relate to this song is all. Because each and every day I am continuously surprised by the fact that a guy like me landed a girl like you.”
He took your face in both of his hands and dropped his forehead to yours. “ This girl is mine.”
Your lips came together as the music swelled and you sighed your agreement against his mouth. You were his, and you always would be.
“This song is the perfect choice, hon.”
“Glad you think so,” Marcus grinned as he twirled you and lowered you into a dip. “And it’s also given me another idea.”
“And what would that be?” You laughed as he pulled you back up and against his chest.
“Do you think that university of yours will let us get married in the campus church?”
Your eyes went wide. “And we could use the green field for the reception!”
“My thoughts exactly.”
You kissed him again. Eagerly. Excitedly. “Brilliant,” you cheered. “I’ll call first thing in the morning.”
The music and the venue in one fell swoop. Marcus Moreno was the wedding planning champ.
“So, what’s next on the list?” He was ready to tackle whatever assignment you handed him next.
“The dress,” you answered, eyeing him playfully. “But you, mister, don’t get to see that until show time.”
The song began to fade out as he kissed you again.
“Don’t tease me like that,” he chuckled softly. “I won’t last.”