by J. J. McAvoy
“Am I supposed to guess what you are doing right now?” I asked her.
“No need to guess.” She smacked my hands away, giving me the card, and working on my tie herself. “It’s for your vows.”
“My what?”
“Vows. You know, for weddings.” She dusted off my shoulders and took a step back. She nodded in approval over my clothes, before meeting my gaze. She smiled. “What do you want, me to write them for you? That’s not very romantic, Ethan.”
This fucking madwoman. “Now? Thirty minutes before people are to arrive, is the time you wish to tell me you want to have a wedding?”
“Is it too early?”
“Calliope.”
“What? You don’t want to renew our vows?” She frowned, holding the lapels of my suit, bringing herself closer. “Are you having second thoughts about me? Now, after all these years?”
“I need more than thirty minutes for vows,” I whispered, glancing down to her red lips as they hovered over mine, her eyes softly watched me.
“Just say the same thing you said to me the day you asked me to marry you—the first time,” she whispered back. “I was incredibly touched.”
I didn’t get a word in as she kissed me. Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed her in return, bringing her body closer to mine. Feeling her breasts against my chest, I moved to lift up the hem of her dress when she broke away.
“Later, I need to change quickly, and now, I also need to fix my lipstick thanks to you,” she replied, breaking out of my arms. She brushed her thumb over my lips, which were now stained. “See you out there, Mr. Callahan.”
“Aren’t you changing in here?”
“I left my dresses in Darcy’s room so no one would catch on,” she replied, moving to the door.
“Dresses?”
“You expect me to wear one dress all night? I need at least two outfit changes.” She winked.
I shook my head, saying nothing, instead looking down at the blank card I had dropped. She was truly allergic to doing anything simply; however, I kept following because it worked out. It made sense. People still doubted she was the real Mrs. Callahan. That she was different from Ivy or anyone else who had been on my arm. However, with them all here, as witnesses, they wouldn’t be able to deny her any longer.
She made us go to the church to trick the Italians into inviting themselves here. It would have looked bad if she had sent out invitations as the new Mrs. Callahan and no one showed up due to the current animosity toward our family. The city had calmed down slightly with Miguel Muncha currently severely wounded and in police custody. People felt a little more comfortable coming out. Then there would be those that came just out of curiosity. I’d been too focused on security—seeing as how she all but made it an open invitation—to truly focus on whatever she was planning. The pieces of her puzzle were never clear until she wanted them to be.
Knock.
Knock.
“Enter,” I said.
“Glad to see you two are getting along,” my grandmother said as she entered the room dressed in dark green and long gloves covering the burns on her hands.
“You look nice as always, Grandmother,” I replied.
She crossed her arms. “Why didn’t you tell me this was her plan when I asked you about the party last week.”
“I didn’t know.”
The look on her face said she didn’t believe me. So, I lifted the blank card, “This is apparently for my vows, which I now have twenty-five minutes to write.”
“You really didn’t know?” She stared in surprise.
I shook my head and snickered.
“What’s funny?”
“I simply imagined what look you’d have on your face if you knew when it came to Calliope. I rarely know what is going on until the last minute.”
“And you’re okay with that?” she pressed, walking up to me. “You, the control freak, don’t know what’s happening with the woman who sleeps at your side? I don’t believe that for a moment. You cannot even handle when you do not know who comes into the house. We have a specific delivery man because you are that anal.”
“Nana, I really do have to work on this,” I said coldly.
Her eyebrow rose. “I was coming to check that you were all right with this, but it seems you are perfectly fine.”
I nodded, moving to the desk and taking a seat. I didn’t pay her another glance, and luckily, she got the hint and left on her own accord, leaving me with the blank card. What the hell was I going to say, as the whole world watched? She knew I wasn’t good with this type of shit.
Which is probably why she didn’t tell me till the last minute. Had I known, I would have pushed her to stick with the traditional “to have and have not” script, but then again, nothing about either of us was traditional, either.
Knock.
Knock.
“What?” I snapped. Was everyone going to come to check in on me because of this? The door opened; however, I didn’t see anyone behind it.
“Papa?” My eyes dropped down to the little girl with a bouquet of flowers and a mess of red all over her lips.
“Gigi?” I got up, moving to her. “What is on your lips?”
She frowned. “Sorry, Papa.” She lifted her hands to show me a tube of red lipstick smeared on her hands and her dress. “Don’t tell Mommy. Please.”
I stared down, not sure what to do, but the way she pouted and looked up at me with her big brown and green eyes really had me by the heart. Kneeling down, I took the lipstick from her hand. “Why did you take your mommy’s lipstick?
She shrugged.
“Gigi.”
“Mommy said today was a big day for you and Mommy. I wanna have a big day, too.”
I couldn’t help it; I laughed. Reaching over, I picked her up. “Every day with you is a big day. Come on, let’s go clean up before Mommy makes it our last day.”
She nodded and hugged me. I sighed, knowing her lipstick was most likely now on this suit, too.
This was a reminder that no matter how well you planned, there was still the element of surprise.
WYATT
“She’s a witch,” I whispered over to Helen as every Tom, Dick, and Harry entered the house. Honestly, I’d never seen anything like it. The district attorney was talking to some random local butcher who could not even wear a decent suit. The one he had looked like he’d inherited it from his grandfather and his great grandmother had patched it up during the depression. There was a woman in jeans and crocs videoing our house like it was the Vatican on her way to the gardens. “The only way Ethan would allow these types of people into our house is if Calliope is a witch and she’s cast some sort of spell on him. I think we should call a priest.”
“You are ridiculous.” Helen laughed slightly, but her eyes were focused on the door, waiting for her brother to enter.
I put my hand on top of hers. “He’ll be here.”
“I know.” She smiled, looking up at me, and she seemed to believe it. “I’m just a bit impatient, so I can’t fully appreciate your dramatics.”
“Dramatics?” I gasped, taking my hand to point at the random person feeling and sniffing our curtains. “We are supposed to keep our distance from our clients, not invite them for dinner.”
“I don’t think it’s a drug addict. They are just excited, you snob. Not everyone grew up seeing embroidered, Italian-velvet curtains,” she said just as the woman we were talking about pulled off a leaf from a rose and checked around before sticking it in her mouth.
I looked back at her, and her mouth was open in shock. Reaching over, I helped her close it. “Admit it, a crazy woman has left the insane asylum and is in our house, baby.”
“It’s only five,” she whispered, looking to her watch. “How much longer do you think we have to tolerate all of this?”
“The ball ends at midnight, like always,” the witch’s voice sounded behind me.
However, when we turned around, O’Phelan stood behind me w
ith a phone. I glared at him before moving to take the phone; however, he handed it to Helen.
“Maid of honor, where are you? I need help.”
“Maid of honor?” I mouthed in question to Helen.
She’d only just told me about the wedding or renewal or circus…I guess it depended on who you asked. Because we were all being told different things.
“Uh…I’ll be right there. Just give me a few,” Helen said into the phone.
“Helen, if I had a few to give you, do you think I would be calling you?” she asked me.
Helen glanced at me, frowning. “I’ll be—”
Grabbing the phone, I held it to my ear. “She said she’d be there. It’s not like we can start without you anyway, Calliope. Give her—Ah!”
I flinched away when some horrid whistle blew over the line, nearly making me drop the phone. “What the fuck?” I yelled.
“Do you like it? I call it a bitch whistle. Seeing as how you wanted to play guard dog, I thought it would come in handy for us both.”
“You—”
“Helen, your brother should be walking in…3…2…1.”
We both turned around, and sure enough, Darcy came in dressed in all black, looking thoroughly confused by the people coming in with him. He looked just like he did last week, except his beard was a little fuller now.
“Happy? Can you get yourself over here now? Or do you need to sniff him, too?” she pressed.
“Coming.” Helen smiled, waving to her brother before going to the evil queen witch herself.
Darcy, still somewhat dazed, came to me and asked, “Who the fuck are all these people? There is a line outside as long as heaven to get in here.”
“Better question, where the fuck have you been, man?” I smacked his arm.
“Long story…” His voice trailed off as O’Phelan handed him a rose to pin on his lapel. Darcy looked at me, his eyebrow raised. “Are we going to prom?”
“Ethan and Calliope are renewing their vows.”
“Ah,” he said as if it weren’t surprising.
“Ah? That’s all you have to say? Everyone’s been pretty animated about it since finding out less than an hour ago,” I replied.
He nodded. “After the week I’ve had, a wedding is barely worth the energy. I just want something decent to fucking drink.”
“Then let’s get you a drink, so you can explain.” He had no idea how nervous his family had been. Helen had spent more than a few minutes just illegally checking cameras online.
CALLIOPE
I looked down at my daughter, who was now wearing a white dress I had never seen before, and her hair was slightly off from how I had it before.
“This is how Ethan gave her to you?” I asked Helen.
She nodded, and from the look on her face, she didn’t know what was off. So I looked down at my daughter, who was just looking back up at me.
“Gigi.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
“Why did Papa change you?”
She shrugged.
“Gigi.”
She made a face.
I made one back.
“I messed up my dress,” she finally admitted with her head hung. “Papa got me a new one.”
“How did you mess it up?”
“Oh, quit questioning the girl.”
“Bisavolo!” Gigi grinned wide, turning back to my grandfather.
He laughed, reaching down and picking her up.
“Hello, little pet.” He tapped her nose. “Did you miss me?”
“Where did you go?”
“I had to check on everyone back home. Remember, Bisavola is sick,” he told her, pinching her cheeks.
She made and oh sound. “I’m sorry, Bisavolo.”
“Don’t worry, better days are ahead. Aren’t they Calli?” He looked at me.
However, I glanced over to Helen, who was adjusting the bottom of my dress. “Helen, we should get going. We don’t want to waste any more time. The faster we get this done, the sooner it’s over. God only knows what those people are doing out there.”
“Wyatt called you a witch because of this guest list.” She chuckled, handing me my bouquet of roses.
“Did he now?” My eyebrow lifted. “Any witch in particular?”
“Nope. He was too busy pointing out a guest eating our plants.”
I cringed, shaking my head in disgust as I smoothed out the silk of my gown. It took a lot of effort to get this white silk. I loved the mermaid fit. But it was very plain on the front. It was the back that was the most important—it was covered in jewels draped over my spine.
“Gigi, don’t forget your flowers,” I said, handing her the basket. “Remember what I said?”
“Not too fast,” she repeated. “Not ‘til we are outside.”
Helen took her hand to help walk forward, while my grandfather came over to me and offered his arm.
“Is this your way of telling me whose side you are on?” he whispered as they opened the doors and we walked out.
“Aren’t I at your side?” I whispered back.
“I asked for a body. You give me a wedding,” he muttered.
“You gave me a week,” I said as we made our way down the stairs.
“And your week ends today.”
I glanced at him. “Have I ever failed you?”
He looked back at me.
I just nodded.
He wanted a body.
He would get a body.
But first, I would get this…I looked out to the crowd, finding my sisters…and my mother, as well as my stepfather like I’d ordered. All of them were grim-faced. Ethan’s family was also there, watching, confused, but at least more pleasant looking. Finally, my gaze landed on Ethan, who was waiting under the canopy of roses, a million lights above him. His green eyes were the most beautiful thing out there, though. Before I unleashed chaos, I just wanted to have this moment, this simple moment where he and I were perfect…and I could say he was mine.
22
“If the house of the world is dark,
Love will find a way to create windows.”
~Rumi
ETHAN
How many people were here?
Two hundred? Three hundred? A thousand?
I didn’t know.
I didn’t care.
Because I didn’t notice anyone else but Calliope and our daughter in front of her as she threw roses into the air, which fell back down on top of her to her own amusement. She was cute and innocent. While her mother was the picture of that and everything else. Calliope really looked like the muse poets wrote of and painters dreamed of putting on canvas. It did not look like she was walking but floating, slowly drifting to me. The only problem was how slow it all went. All I could do was stand there and try not to make a fool of myself.
“If you need a napkin for any tears, let me know,” Wyatt whispered beside me, but I ignored him. “Or holy water and an escape hatch,” he added, but still, I ignored him, stepping forward and to reach her.
She took my hand with a smile that actually left me breathless because it was real. She beamed, radiating warmth, even though it was cold as hell just a minute ago.
I felt as though I could watch her walk for hours, if not forever. Without even realizing it, I had reached for her when she was close enough to me. Her eyes shone as she grinned wider.
“I look beautiful, don’t I?” she whispered.
“Your ego makes it very hard to compliment you,” I muttered.
“Your ego is what makes it hard. You could just agree with me,” she pressed.
And I really wished to know who, out of the both of us, did she think had the bigger ego here. I turned slightly to lead her forward, toward the unfamiliar priest, standing ready to marry us.
“Family, friends, loved ones, it is a pleasure to share today’s very special occasion with you, in which this man and this woman stand before us all to reaffirm their love and commitment to one another, under God,” he began, but
honestly, I just wished to skip to the end of this.
Hopefully, she told him to keep this short, I thought. The sight of her took me back. Calliope, my Calliope, was so good at masking her emotions that it felt like she had multiple personalities. It was only after years of being with her, years of collecting the broken puzzle pieces of her that I had come to understand her. Even when I had my doubts, even when I wasn’t sure where some pieces fit, I was always certain of two things: when she was truly terrified and when she was truly happy—and from the look on her face, the shine of the moisture in her eyes, she was really happy.
“What?” she whispered, glancing back over at me, noticing me staring at her.
“Yes, you look beautiful,” I muttered back, forcing my focus front, causing her to snicker and mumble something I couldn’t hear.
“If you listen to fairytales and read the great love stories, you’ll see that marriage is always the final step in all romances. Two destined souls search for the other in a sea of souls. And no matter how far apart they may be, or what obstacle they must face, they search until they become one—that oneness being marriage. And once they find it, they live happily ever after, the end.” He stared between us. “But we do not live by fairytales but by the word of God, and he said, they shall become one flesh, in Genesis, and that is just the beginning of the book.
“Marriage is not the end but the beginning. It is the beginning of a grand adventure, the joys, blessings, and yes, pains and challenges. And in the face of all of that, today Ethan and Calliope stand ready to reaffirm their commitment to working together to make their marriage grow and blossom in the years to come. Take this moment to remember the vows you took as husband and wife on your wedding day. Remember all the stresses and battles you have suffered to reach this moment and once more reaffirm your bonds as you both look to each other.”
When we turned to each other, she winked at me and pulled out a small scroll from the pocket I didn’t realize she had in her dress. She carefully undid it, and when it fell, it fell to the ground, making everyone, even the priest, chuckle.