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This may not be my best work, since I wrote it in between phone calls yesterday and then finished it at 2:00 this morning. But I realized yesterday that today, May 19, is the 15th anniversary of Cass and Frankie's wedding in the courtyard in Venice. I have yet to see that for myself, but I really wanted to somehow commemorate the occasion, so this is my take on their 15th legal anniversary, set in my parallel AW universe where none of the major mistakes happened. It's a little different, in that a lot of characters are mentioned, but the main focus is on Cass and Frankie, and hopefully it's in character and fitting for them.

Amy

"ANNIVERSARY WALTZ" by Amy

MAY 19, 2008

"Wow, Mom, you look so gorgeous!" 14-year-old Charlotte "Charlie" Winthrop exclaimed, looking up from her place on the window seat, where she was reading her dog-eared copy of Walden.

"Thank you, baby," Frankie Frame Winthrop replied, walking over to the window seat in her sapphire blue strapless satin sheath dress with matching shawl to hug her daughter. "And thank you for baby-sitting your little brother tonight so Daddy and I can go out to dinner."

"It's your anniversary," Charlie replied, laying her book aside. "Well, your legal anniversary," she corrected herself. "And it's your 15th. That's pretty major!"

The aforementioned little brother, Wallingford Winthrop, known to all as Wally, who had celebrated his 11th birthday the day before, came bounding into the living room then in jeans, t-shirt, and brand-new blue Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, just like Cass's favorite pair of sneakers, his brand-new iPod plugged into his ears, singing along with Brad Paisley.

Charlie cringed comically. "Dean obviously got all the singing talent in the family," she said.

"Be nice," Frankie gently reproached her firstborn.

Wally pulled the ear buds out of his ears. "You're beautiful, Mom!" he exclaimed.

Before Frankie could reply, another voice piped up, "I'll second that!" Cass Winthrop entered the living room in a black tuxedo, his bow tie, cummerbund and pocket square matching the sapphire blue of Frankie's dress and shawl. Frankie beamed at Cass as he walked towards her and Charlie, pausing momentarily to tousle Wally's hair and thank his son for the compliment on how sharp he (Cass) looked before reaching Frankie's side and stopping.

"You look amazing, Mary Frances," Cass said softly.

Frankie smiled at Cass and reached to straighten his bow tie, which didn't need straightening. "So do you, Counselor," Frankie replied softly.

Frankie and Cass were so wrapped up in gazing at each other that they missed the look that passed between Charlie and Wally. "Well, you two kids don't want to be late," Charlie said.

"Yeah," Wally added.

Cass looked at the children speculatively. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get your mom and me out of here."

Charlie laughed, a high-pitched, nervous giggle. "It's not that," she said. "It's just that it's your anniversary. You're all dressed up, you have reservations at TOPS, go out and celebrate. We'll be fine."

"We'll be home by 10," Frankie said as Cass draped her shawl over her shoulders. "We'll come up and say good night then. Lock up before you go upstairs, okay?"

"We will, Mom," Charlie promised. She hugged Cass, then kissed Frankie's cheek. "Have a great time."

"Yeah, happy anniversary," Wally added, high-fiving Cass and hugging Frankie.

Cass and Frankie walked out their front door. As soon as they were outside, Cass said, "You're right, they're up to something."

Frankie nodded. "Definitely. The only question is, what?"

"We could try to figure it out over dinner," Cass offered, extending his arm to Frankie.

"Sounds great to me," Frankie replied, linking her arm with Cass's as they headed to Cass's car.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Wally was shaking his head. "Real smooth, sis," he said. "Any more laughing and you'd be down at the lake with the loons."

"I just want tonight to go well," Charlie said. "And that means you have to go upstairs, take a shower, and change."

"But I took a shower this morning!" Wally protested.

"And you played baseball this afternoon," Charlie reminded him. "You stink. Go hit the showers."

The doorbell rang then. "Saved by the bell," Wally gloated, sprinting to answer it. "Aunt Felicia, Uncle Luke, Charlie's trying to boss me around!" he tattled when he opened the door to reveal Felicia and Lucas.

Felicia met Charlie's gaze across the room. "Let me guess, she told you to take a bath?" Felicia inquired.

"I'm 11 years old, I don't take baths anymore," Wally informed his godmother and honorary aunt.

"Wallingford Cass Winthrop, go take a shower!" Charlie exclaimed.

Lucas laughed out loud then. "Charlie, you are your mother's daughter, and Wally, you are your father's son," he said.

"Mom and Daddy didn't see you guys, did they?" Charlie fretted.

"Nope, we waited until the coast was clear," Felicia replied. She looked at Wally. "Wally, would you please go and take a shower? We have a lot to do yet, and a lot of people coming, before your parents get home. They're only going to be at TOPS for two hours. Franco's going to call the minute they get on the elevator so we can get ready for them."

"What is it with girls always wanting guys to take a shower or a bath?" Wally grumbled as he shuffled toward the door leading to the upstairs. After he had disappeared, and they heard the shower running, Charlie looked at her godmother and honorary aunt gratefully.

"Thank you, Aunt Felicia," she said.

"I've had years of practice with your dad, honey," Felicia replied as she and Lucas entered the house.

They were about to close the front door when they heard someone calling, "Hey, hold the door! We're here too!" Dean Frame was the one doing the calling, and his wife, Felicia and Lucas's youngest daughter Jenna Norris Frame, was holding his hand. After greeting Felicia and Lucas, and Charlie, Dean and Lucas went out to Lucas's car to get the candles and the cake out of the trunk. Charlie went upstairs to change while Felicia and Jenna manned the front door. By the time Charlie returned to the living room, several more people had arrived, including Rachel Cory Hutchins, who brought several bouquets of roses from her late mother Ada Hobson's rose garden; Bay City Police Commissioner Ryan Harrison and his wife Vicky, who came bearing several bottles of sparkling cider and ginger ale; Frankie's aunt Sharlene Hudson and her husband Dr. John Hudson, who brought streamers and large paper wedding bells that Charlie, Rachel, and Dean started putting up all over the living room; Bay City P.D. Captain Joe Carlino and his wife, Felicia and Lucas's oldest daughter, Lorna Devon Carlino; and Frankie's cousins Josie Sinclair and Jamie Frame with their respective spouses Gary Sinclair and Marley Frame. Sharlene, Josie, Jenna, Lorna, and Marley joined Felicia with supervising the set-up of the hors d'eouvres and the three-tiered, recreated wedding cake. Cass's brother Dr. Morgan Winthrop and his wife Dr. Courtney Evans Winthrop arrived with the huge banner that Charlie and Wally had pooled their allowances to have specially made, and once they arrived, Vicky supervised the hanging of the banner. By the time the surprise guest had arrived and been greeted and briefed on what to do and what to expect, Charlie was pacing around the living room from nerves, looking very grown-up in her emerald green dress with cap sleeves and, after much protesting, Wally was in his good black suit, white button-down shirt, and necktie festooned with the Looney Tunes characters.

Then the phone rang, and Felicia answered it. Sure enough, it was Franco, reporting that Cass and Frankie had just gotten on the elevator and left TOPS. "Okay, places everyone!" Felicia directed after ringing off.

"Hey, Charlie, you okay?" Dean asked when he saw her wringing her hands nervously.

"I just want everything to go well," Charlie replied worriedly.

"It will," Dean assured her.

Wally was watching the door and he suddenly called out, "I see headlights! They're pulling into the driveway!"

"Get the lights!" Felicia said.

Lucas turned out the lights and everyone stood or crouched, waiting silently in the darkened living room.

"Maybe the kids didn't really have something planned after all," Frankie mused as Cass slid his key into the front door. "But the way they were acting before we left, especially Charlie..." She trailed off. "Oh, well. This is our night anyway."

"Indeed it is," Cass agreed, turning from the door to sweep Frankie into his arms, dip her, and then dramatically kiss her. When they were both upright again, and very much out of breath, he said, "Shall we continue this inside?"

"That's the best idea I've heard all day," Frankie said with a grin. Cass turned back to the door, turned his key, and swung the door open.

Then Cass reached for the light switch, and as soon as the lights came on, everyone stood or jumped up and yelled out, "SURPRISE!"

Charlie and Wally hurried forward so that they were standing in the middle of the living room, with the rest of the assembled family and friends gathered around the room behind them. "Happy anniversary!" Charlie and Wally chorused.

Cass and Frankie turned to look at each other, then hurried forward to have a group hug with their kids.

"Look at all this," Frankie said in amazement after she and Cass drew back from the kids and looked around. "Flowers, candles, food, a cake, decorations."

"Where'd the banner come from?" Cass asked. The giant banner proclaimed "HAPPY 15th ANNIVERSARY, CASS AND FRANKIE!" in flowing script letters, and the words were flanked by graphics of two intertwined hearts on each side.

"We had it made special," Charlie replied.

"Uncle Morgan and Aunt Courtney picked it up on their way over here," Wally added.

"And we have another surprise for you," Charlie said. Before Cass and Frankie could ask what their other surprise was, Charlie shouted, "May I have everyone's attention, please? Your attention, please!" When the room fell silent, Charlie smiled. "First, I'd like to thank all of you for being here tonight to help our parents," here she put her arm around Wally's shoulders, "celebrate their fifteenth legal wedding anniversary. As I'm sure all of you know, our mom and dad have two wedding anniversaries: August 1, 1990, when they were married right here in this house, in this very room, and May 19, 1993, when they were married in a courtyard in Venice, Italy...or as they refer to them, their August anniversary, and their legal anniversary.

"When Wally and I first got to thinking about what to do for Mom and Dad's legal anniversary this year, we talked to just about everyone who's here tonight, and we found out that only two people were at both of their weddings: Aunt Felicia, and Mrs. Hutchins. So, in honor of this, their fifteenth legal wedding anniversary, we thought that maybe they might like to renew their vows. Reverend?"

White-haired, 70ish Reverend Stanley stepped forward then, wearing his clerical collar and holding his Bible. "Your children are very persuasive young people," he told Cass and Frankie. "But we don't want to put you on the spot, so if you'd rather not renew your vows, then I'll only be here as a guest."

Frankie looked from her children to the reverend to the gathered family and friends all smiling happily, and then to Cass. "What do you say, Cass?" she asked. "Will you marry me again in front of our family and friends?"

"You're asking me?" Cass asked, surprised.

"Well, it's my turn to ask you, isn't it? You asked me so many times," Frankie said.

Cass just looked at Frankie in wonder. 19 years after their first meeting, 18 years after their first wedding, 15 years to the day that they were finally legally joined in matrimony, and she could still surprise, delight, amaze, and excite him like no one else on the planet. "Yes," Cass said simply.

Frankie's eyes danced with joy. "Yes?" she repeated, a smile lighting up her whole face.

In that instant, Cass was whirled back in time to the moment in the courtyard in Venice 16 years before when Frankie had finally agreed to be his wife again, after numerous proposals following the debacle of Kathleen's return and then, several months later, her permanent departure from both Bay City and Cass's life. Cass knew that Frankie was remembering that night too, and his own smile lit up his entire face as he parroted the words Frankie had spoken on that night: "Yes. Yes, I will marry you."

"YES!" Frankie exclaimed, throwing her arms around Cass's neck.

"YES!" Cass echoed, wrapping his arms around her waist and catching her up in his arms, then kissing her.

"You guys aren't supposed to do that yet!" Wally announced, which made everyone laugh.

"You tell him, Wally," Felicia called from her place beside Lucas.

"Just for that, I'm not asking you to be my best man," Cass informed Felicia after he set Frankie on her feet again, his arms still around her.

"Well, if it's not Aunt Felicia, then who's gonna stand up for you, Dad?" Wally asked.

"I was hoping you would," Cass said.

"Me? Really? Me?" Wally asked excitedly. Then he looked at Charlie. "You were right, sis, I did need a shower. I'm gonna be Dad's best man! Cool!"

"Charlie, will you be my maid of honor?" Frankie asked her daughter.

"You bet I will!" Charlie exclaimed happily.

Dean had made his way over to the stereo and was flipping through the short stack of CDs he had pulled out of Cass and Frankie's CD cabinet earlier. Rachel gave Cass and Wally each a rose for their boutonniere--Cass's was red, and Wally's was white--and hurriedly assembled small bouquets of roses for Frankie (a mixture of white and red roses) and Charlie (a mixture of white, red, and pink roses), explaining as she did so that red roses stand for deep, passionate, everlasting love, and also respect, courage, and passion; white roses by themselves stand for purity, innocence, and peace, and communicate that love is spiritual and soulful; and white and red roses mixed together symbolize unity, while pink roses carry the message of happiness, gentleness, and gracefulness.

As the strains of Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary filled the room, Charlie walked down the makeshift aisle first and then stopped when she was standing across from her father and brother, caught her father's eye, and smiled at him. The music reached a crescendo as Frankie appeared, carrying her bouquet of red and white roses, and made her way down the aisle, only having eyes for Cass. When she reached his side, Dean stopped the music, and Frankie handed her bouquet to Charlie before turning to face Cass, wink at Wally, and then take both of Cass's hands in hers as they stood looking into one another's eyes before Reverend Stanley.

"Dear family and friends," Reverend Stanley began, "it is my honor and privilege to stand here today and officiate as Cass and Frankie renew their wedding vows." He paused, then said, "Would you like the traditional vows, or would you prefer to say your own?"

"We've never exactly been traditional, Reverend," Cass said with a laugh. "And there is something I'd like to say to Frankie."

"I'd like to say something too," Frankie replied. "But you go first, Cass."

"Okay," Cass agreed, gently squeezing Frankie's hands before opening his mouth to speak. "Mary Frances, you are the best thing that ever happened to me, and the mother of the other two best things that ever happened to me. When I think about my life, there is a very clear dividing line. There is my life before you, and there is my life after you. The life I had before you...well, it wasn't really much of a life. I had the two most incredible friends anyone could ask for, and I still have them...one in this room, the other forever in my memories. I had wild adventures, some really crazy times. I knew how to get into trouble, and most of the time I knew how to get out of it. But all those years, something was missing. I knew something was missing, but I didn't know what, exactly, that something was.

"And then you came into my life. And when you did, all the lights came on, and the whole world just opened up like it never had before. I saw the man I was, and I saw the man I wanted to become. I realized that you were what was missing from my life, and I fell in love with you with a depth and a certainty that I never knew I was capable of. I know that I am meant to be by your side forever. You are my heart, my best friend, my partner, my soulmate. I will love and cherish you eternally, and I will be your strength when you falter, your comfort when you are sad, your reassurance when you are scared. I wasn't really living until you came into my life, and you've given me a better, richer life than I ever dreamed was possible. Thank you for loving me, and for marrying me, and for being exactly who you are: my Mary Frances."

All of the women were misty-eyed, and Dean, Ryan, and Lucas all had telltale bobbing Adam's apples from swallowing hard to hold back their own tears.

"For so long, I wondered if I would ever find you," Frankie began. "Deep down, I believed that you were out there somewhere, but part of me was really scared that I wouldn't find you. And then I did, and I realized that you were the one I'd been looking for all that time, the man I was meant to be with for all time. And then THAT scared me, because I wondered if you would be able to love me for who I am. That didn't happen a lot in my life...until you. You have always accepted me unconditionally for who I am, and loved me unconditionally just for being me, and that is a gift beyond measure.

"We have been through so much together, Cass, some of it tragic, some of it scary, and most of it so incredibly wonderful. When I found you, I found the home I had looked for all of my life. You are my heart, my home, my best friend, my confidant, my only love, and the father of my children, and I will love you and cherish you, comfort and defend you, and always be by your side, forever."

All was silent for a moment, and then Reverend Stanley said, "Cass, do you take Mary Frances to be your lawful wedded wife, 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, honor, and cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"And beyond," Cass said. "I do."

"Mary Frances, do you take Cass to be your lawful 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, honor, and cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

"And beyond," Frankie replied. "I do."

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife again," Reverend Stanley said. "You may--" He stopped suddenly because as soon as the words "I now pronounce you husband and wife" were out of his mouth, Cass and Frankie were kissing. "--go on kissing the bride," he finished.

As caught up as they were in the kiss, Cass and Frankie still heard all of the applause from everyone.

After Sharlene had taken a few pictures of Cass and Frankie together and as a family with Charlie and Wally, Dean, Lucas, Ryan, and Jamie, who had been pouring glasses of sparkling cider and ginger ale while the pictures were being taken, started passing out the glasses. When everyone had a glass, Felicia spoke. "Although Wally was the best man, I've been elected to give the toast," she began. "Cass, Frankie, everyone here tonight loves you and celebrates this milestone with you. I had the privilege of seeing the two of you fall in love, the frustration of watching you fight your feelings, and the joy of watching you let your love flourish and rule your life, and find your way back to each other during the tough times. I'm proud to be your friend, and I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we all wish you many, many more years of love and happiness with each other and your children. If ever there was a match made in Heaven, it's the two of you. To Cass and Frankie."

"To Cass and Frankie," everyone echoed, raising their glasses.

After the cake (a low-carb carrot cake) had been cut and served, and everyone had congratulated Cass and Frankie, their friends and family members all said their good nights and left. Finally, only Charlie, Wally, Felicia and Lucas remained. Cass and Frankie were surprised when Charlie and Wally returned with backpacks slung over their shoulders. Before either of them could ask what was going on, Charlie said, "We're spending the night with Aunt Felicia and Uncle Lucas so you two will have the house to yourselves."

"You don't have to do that," Frankie said.

"It's the other part of your anniversary present," Charlie said.

"Yeah, I get to sleep on the couch!" Wally said.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Cass asked Felicia and Lucas.

"It was our idea," Felicia assured Cass. She and Lucas said their good nights, Charlie and Wally both hugged and kissed both of their parents, and then Cass and Frankie were alone in the house.

"Alone at last," Cass said. He loosened his bow tie, and then headed over to the stereo. He shuffled through a few CDs, and after finding the one he wanted, putting it in the stereo, and hitting the play button, he returned to Frankie's side. "May I have this dance?" he asked her.

Frankie recognized the song. "Cass," she said. She moved into his arms.

"It's true that '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' and 'The Best of My Love' have special meaning for us, but tonight I want to dance with you again to the very first song we ever slow danced to," Cass said as he and Frankie slowly swayed to the music.

"'What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?'" Frankie said on a happy sigh.

"Spending it with you," Cass replied seriously. "Happy anniversary, Frankie."

"Happy anniversary, Cass," Frankie replied as she rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes, and they lost themselves in the music and in each other's arms. It was a very happy 15th legal wedding anniversary for the Winthrops, indeed.

THE END

Here's what made me think of writing this: my favorite version of "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?", the version that I envisioned Cass and Frankie dancing to at the end of this story: Chris Botti and Sting (live in concert).

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gSMuthk9XBU
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Made by Dean_FrankieCass_addict