All Disclaimers apply, sorry this is so short, but it'll hold you over until I finish Unchained Melody's sequel, see author's notes at the end.
This Is It
By Ginger Garland
Eighteen-year-old Diana Lynch sat on Honey Wheeler's bed. Trixie Belden and Honey sat on the floor.
"Well, tomorrow is the big day!" Trixie said cheerfully.
"I know, I'm so nervous!" Di exclaimed, falling back on the bed.
"Why? You're marrying Mart!" Honey told her.
"Yes... But I want everything to be perfect."
"Isn't it? You have a thousand dollar dress, a good-sized rock on your finger, beautiful bridesmaids," Trixie exclaimed with a laugh, "a handsome groom, a house in town, and beautiful weather! What more do you want?"
"I don't know," Di whined. She walked over to Honey's window; the three girls were spending the night at Honey's magnificent mansion. "Something's missing."
Honey and Trixie looked at each other and in unison they said, "What?"
Diana thought for a moment. "Music!"
"Music?"
"Yes, I don't have a song that will play during our first dance."
Trixie burst out laughing. "Mart? Dancing!" She laughed even harder.
Di glared at her. "And, what's wrong with that?"
"I never imagined him dancing, especially ballroom."
"Well, what music do you want?" Honey asked, suppressing a laugh.
"Something cheerful, something romantic."
"Which singer?"
"Well, someone who puts emotion into the song."
"We can always get Sinatra!" Honey said dreamily.
"No, not Sinatra. A lady singer."
"How about the detective duet?" Trixie prompted, Honey and her beaming.
"No. I want a recording."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry, guys. I just want someone who is loved by everyone!"
"Dinah Shore?"
"Too original."
"Doris Day?"
"Too... different."
"I have it!" Honey said, snapping her fingers.
"What?" Di questioned excitedly.
"Judy Garland!"
"Yeah! Judy's loved by everyone!"
"And I have some records down stairs!" Honey stated gleefully.
"This is wonderful!" Di cried, hugging her friends.
The girls ran down the stairs and into the library. They began fingering through the records, and pulled out all the Judy Garland ones. They listened to several including, I Am Loved, Do it Again, Day in Day Out, Come Rain or Come Shine, Just Imagine, Lucky Day, and finally This is It*.
The strong and emotion enriched voice of Judy Garland echoed through the house.
This is it, my great romance
I want to hang on to this one big chance
You're mine, my loneliness dies
I feel fine, with stars in my eyes
Oh, it builds me up to such a height
To know this is so very real and right
And I thought love passed me by
But I must admit this is it!The girls talked during the lively instrumental.
"I love this song!" Di stated. "It's gorgeous and Judy Garland is an excellent choice. Thanks, guys."
"Oh, you're welcome." Trixie smiled.
"That's what friends are for."
Before anyone could say anything further, Judy's voice resumed singing.
Oh, it builds me up to such a height
To know this is so very real and right
And I thought love passed me by
But I must admit this is it!
This is it, this is it.The song ended.
"That's my song!" Di said happily, embracing her friends again.
The next morning
It seemed like a fairy tale wedding; the birds were singing, the flowers bloomed, it was May, and the sun was shining, not a cloud was in the bright blue sky.
Guests were seated in neat rows on the Lynches' lawn. Canon in D began playing. Di's mother began walking down the aisle with Dan Mangan. They were followed by Honey and Brian Belden, and when that couple got to the middle of the carpet, Trixie and Jim Frayne, Trixie's boyfriend and Honey's adopted brother, followed.
Two flower girls stepped on the carpet in unison. They were Di's twin little sisters, 9-years-old Rosah and Stephanie Lynch. When they reached the end of the aisle, Frank Duval walked out with Mart Belden and Peter Belden. Frank Duval was Mr. Lynch's best friend who happened to be a Justice of the Peace.
The wedding march began; excitement filled the guests as they rose from their seats. All eyes fixed on Diana and her father. Diana's sleeveless dress was pure white silk with no train. A veil held up by a diamond tiara draped down her shoulder-length raven black hair. A ruby necklace contrasted with her violet eyes.
They began walking down the aisle; Mart beamed when he saw her. And soon, Di, her father, and Mart were facing Mr. Duval.
"We are gathered here this twentieth day of May to unite this man, Martin Oliver Belden and this woman, Diana Marie Lynch in the bonds of holy matrimony which is an honorable estate. Into this, these two now come to be joined. If anyone present can show just and legal cause why they may not be joined, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
Mr. Duval glanced at the guests, who were now seated.
"Who gives this woman to this man?"
"I do," Mr. Lynch replied, joining Diana and Mart's hands, then stepping to the front row to join Mrs. Lynch.
"Mart Belden, will you have this woman as your lawful wedded wife, to live together in the estate of matrimony? Will you love her, honor her, comfort her, and keep her in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, be true to her as long as you both shall live?"
"I will."
"Diana Lynch, will you have this man as your lawful wedded husband, to live together in the estate of matrimony? Will you love him, honor him, comfort him, and keep him in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, be true to him as long as you both shall live?"
"I will."
Brian, acting as best man, handed Mart the ring.
"Behold the symbol of wedlock. The perfect circle of love, the unbroken union of this man and this woman united here today. May you both remain faithful to this symbol of true love. Please join hands and repeat after me.
"I, Mart, take thee, Diana, to be my lawfully wedded wife."
"I, Mart, take thee, Diana, to be my lawfully wedded wife," Mart repeated.
"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." Mart tenderly repeated.
He placed a solid gold band on Diana's finger.
"Diana, repeat after me. I, Diana, take thee Mart to be my lawfully wedded husband."
"I, Diana, take thee Mart to be my lawfully wedded husband."
"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."
She placed a solid gold band on his finger.
"For as much as Mart and Diana have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company of friends and family, and have given and pledged their promises to each other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands. By the authority vested in me by the state of New York. I pronounce this couple to be husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Mart kissed Di and the guests applauded, Trixie whistled.
After some refreshments and toasts, Mart and Di took to the floor inside the massive Lynch ballroom.
"I picked this song out for us. I hope you like it."
This Is It began to play..
Mart smiled. "I love it, and what's more, I love you, Mrs. Belden."
"I love you, too, Mr. Belden."
They slow-danced to the upbeat tune.
At the punch bowl Trixie said to Jim, "Jim, this is the beginning of a beautiful marriage."
"It sure is," he agreed. "And you know what?"
"What?"
"You have a sister!"
"I do!" Trixie said astonished.
This is It
Author's Notes: All the song's mentioned in this story can be found on "Judy/ Judy In Love" CD set.
*Words by Dorothy Fields, music by Arthur Schwartz, 1939