by Ciara Shayee
“Wha…” Laker lifted his head, blinking blearily at Indie until his eyes came into focus and he realised where he was and who he was laying on. “Cazzo, sorry! Was I squashing you? I didn’t mean to fall asleep, I swear!”
Indie laughed lightly, reaching up to scratch his scalp with her fingertips. His panicked expression evaporated immediately, replaced by pure euphoria as he hummed and leaned his head back into her hand. “It’s fine, Laker. I think we must’ve moved around in our sleep.”
“You could’ve kicked me out, you know?”
The image of Laker and Marley curled together flitted through Indie’s mind. “No. You were exhausted, and it was no problem.”
Marley bounced on her knees before throwing herself on Laker’s back, straddling him and playing the drums on his shoulder blades. “Laker, you talked in your sleep!”
“I did, huh? What was I talking about, Little Sweet?”
Indie grinned, hearing the hint of nervous curiosity in his tone.
“Um…lots of stuff! Salami and cheese…oh! And pela…um, no…peli…Mamma, what was it? The dancing thing?”
“Pelicans, baby girl.”
Marley nodded. “Yeah, that’s it. Pelicans. You were dreaming about pelicans, and they were dancing! What’s a pelican, Laker?”
“I’ll show you, hold on.” Indie reached over to the nightstand and searched for pictures of pelicans while Laker rolled over onto his back, settling Marley on his stomach once he’d made himself comfortable. “Here you go. This is it.”
“Oh. It’s got a really big nose!” Marley squealed with delight—apparently, all the excitement was too much for Bodhi to miss out on. He made a loud sound of annoyance and pulled himself up to stand, clutching the side of the travel cot as he called for his mother.
“Mamma! Mamma, Mamma, Mamma.”
She leaned over, lifting Bodhi from the cot by carefully pulling on his outstretched arms. Laker was ashamed at his inability to look away from her shorts-clad butt as she stretched, and he quickly attempted to distract himself by explaining the few facts that he knew about pelicans.
As she settled Bodhi on the bed between her body and Laker’s, she watched her son laugh with delight when he tumbled over Laker as he was flung in the air and had raspberries blown over his face. While Marley giggled and joined in, Indie couldn’t help but try to catalogue these moments, this precious time—imprinting it all in her mind. She never wanted to forget the smiles on their faces or the sound of their laughter. It was the picture-perfect image of a family morning in bed that she’d often wondered if they would ever get.
As a child, she and Archie lived for these mornings when they’d crawl into their parents’ bed and watch cartoons until lunchtime. Then Penelope would make pancakes, and they’d eat upstairs, no-one caring that they were getting syrup on the bedcovers or that they were still in their pyjamas at midday.
Indie hadn’t ever thought her babies would get to experience that for themselves, yet here they were.
As Laker shot her a wink before telling Marley to ‘get her,’ Indie joined in the tickle and raspberry war, deliriously happy and more content than she’d ever been.
So maybe Marley and Bodhi wouldn’t ever have the exact lazy mornings in bed with their parents that Indie had pictured for them.
But she didn’t care, because this…
This was so much more than she could ever have imagined.
chapter thirty-nine
December 2nd, 2017
The gentle aroma of roses and lavender caressed the senses of everyone in the aptly named Winter Wonderland room. The girls who’d been tasked with arranging the flowers flitted to-and-fro between the scores of guests pouring in through the ornate double doors to take their seats. Fifty white, satin-wrapped chairs had been set up in perfectly neat rows, the matching lilac ribbons tied in pristine bows on the back of each seat. At the end of every other three rows sat silver stands containing potpourri in shades of silver, white, and dusky lilac—curls of white ribbon twisted down around the stems of the stands like vines clinging to trees.
At the front of the room, a four-post canopy had been erected and draped with thin curtains of wispy lace, the aisle merging onto a shaggy white rug around two feet long and three feet wide—just large enough for three people to stand in a loose triangle formation.
Guests mingled, their excited chatter reverberating into the high ceiling before bouncing back down to create an air of tense anticipation. It left many of the guests fidgeting as they were ushered to their seats. With the arrival of four men dressed in full morning suits complete with tails and waistcoats, the loud conversations dropped to hushed murmurs. The men paused to shake hands, kiss cheeks, and bestow smiles upon friends and relatives, the congregation craning their necks to see the proud groom as he slowly made his way toward the slightly raised platform where he would soon make his fiancée his wife. Despite the rising air of anticipation, the quartet took their time meandering toward the altar, their joviality putting smiles on everyone’s faces.
Twenty minutes later, once the celebrant had arrived with her twinkly-eyed smile firmly in place, and once the pianist had taken his place on the piano bench, the ceremony officially began.
When a cheerful tune began to fill the room, there was a chorus of ‘aww’s and delighted laughter as the first members of the bridal party began stepping into the aisle to make their way toward the altar. Marley beamed, her silver dress shimmering as she moved, the sparkly hem catching the light with every step. She paused, looking down to her side.
“C’mon, baby Bodhi,” she hissed, her smile widening when Bodhi grinned and began toddling forward with her, their hands linked between them. He’d been dressed in a tiny, charcoal suit, wearing the same waistcoat and lilac tie as the groomsmen—though his was clip-on. Carl-Roman and Chase, who were right behind them, wore matching suits and waved merrily at the congregation as they passed them.
The sweet quartet made their way down the aisle with matching grins, taking their spot beside Archie at the altar. He gave them both high-fives before scooping Chase into his arms as Reagan grabbed Bodhi, then handed them the first of the handful of carrot sticks he’d hidden in his jacket pocket. The idea was that they would be distracted enough by their snack not to demand to be put down; only time would tell whether the plan would work, or not.
The congregation moved their gaze to the end of the aisle once more, just in time to see the first two bridesmaids. The identical twins moved in perfect synchronicity in their tea-length, strapless lilac dresses. The white lace detail and sashes around their waists offset the colour perfectly. Their happy expressions made the groom’s stomach clench with pride. Soon, they took their positions beside the flower girl, groomsmen, and pageboys, all eyes swivelling back to the ornate oak doors as the maid of honour hesitantly appeared in the doorway.
Mint green eyes warmed as they landed on sea-blue. The floor-length dress clung to her healthy silhouette like a glove, a mermaid skirt trailing in her wake while a pair of hidden heels lent her an extra few inches to make her appear taller than her natural five-feet-four. As her long lashes lifted to reveal nervous azure eyes that immediately jumped to Laker’s, he feared he’d swallow his tongue before she made it to his side. Her recently-dyed, long, chocolate brown curls were artfully arranged atop the crown of her head, sun-kissed skin almost glowing under the dimmed ballroom lights. With the burgeoning smile on her face, Indie had never appeared so radiant; Laker couldn’t have stopped his eyes from following her every step toward him if he’d tried.
Finally…finally…after two days apart as some sort of pre-wedding ritual that Laker had abhorred, Indie reached the altar. She paused in front of him, her smile widening, then stepped right toward Archie and her children. Before the pianist could move into the next piece of music, the groom shot him a look and quickly stepped away from the altar to draw her into a tight embrace. She squeezed him back just as hard and placed a kiss on his cheek—they were both tear
y-eyed when they retook their places.
Then, and only then, did the pianist segue into Canon in D, the gathered group collectively gasping as they turned as one to watch the bride make her way down the aisle on the arm of her proud father. He was beaming, his pride unmistakable.
All eyes were on the bride though; or, more importantly, her dress.
It was flawless—white, A-line, and embellished with lace in a delicate, floral pattern. A thin, sparkling belt drew her waist in while a demure sweetheart neckline joined an off-the-shoulder lace wrap. Her veil, too, was white. It flowed down her back and followed her up the aisle as she made her way towards her future. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in the group at the altar. All the people who meant the most to her…they were there. Waiting.
For her.
Riley, hovering off to one side. He’d been bashful and shocked when asked him to stand up with them, but he was there, grinning. He had to leave shortly after the ceremony to catch a flight out to a top-secret location, but it was a blessing that he’d been able to even get the time to fly to England for the ceremony.
Archie and his boys.
Sweet little Bodhi with his slow, adorable grin, and Marley with her bright smile and bouncing-on-her-heels enthusiasm. And Indie, her best friend, her soul sister.
Reagan stood proudly beside Laker, their smiles a perfect pair as they gazed at her with tears gathering on their lashes.
Then there he was…her groom. Her love, her soul, her life.
Her Ryan.
The music broke in a stunning crescendo just as the bride and her father reached the altar. Peter inhaled shakily, doing as the celebrant said and placing his beloved daughter’s hand in the palm of her chosen groom. He leaned in to kiss her temple as a tear tumbled over his cheek, then stepped to the side.
Ryan beamed, tears falling without shame as he leaned in and broke tradition by placing a quick kiss on the end of his bride-to-be’s nose.
Cameras clicked, and the guests cooed as he cleared his throat and sighed, his relief plain as day. “Hey, Gracie.”
She giggled, sniffling. “Hey, Ryan.”
~ oOo ~
“Ryan and Grace’s love story brings them here—a time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments that brought them to this point. And a time to look ahead at all the moments still to come. I’m here—we’re all here—because we want those moments for you. We’re here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love is the experience of writing your story. It’s not one moment—not even this moment.”
The celebrant paused, smiling at Ryan, then Grace. “It’s every moment. So today, we have some words about what love is, coming from some of the people who love you the most.” Her eyes moved to the gathered bridal party.
“Carl-Roman, Marley, would you like to come and say a few words?”
The congregation released a collective ‘aww’ as Carl-Roman and Marley stepped forward. Carl-Roman pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, smoothing it out and holding it in front of himself and Marley so that they could both read; Marley’s section was mostly memorised, as she struggled to read some of the words. Grace’s eyes were full to bursting with tears and Ryan chuckled as Carl-Roman straightened his shoulders, puffed out his chest and cleared his throat. He and Marley took turns, taking two lines each of “How Your Children See Your Day” by Sandra Cook, paraphrased to fit the occasion.
When they were done reading, a round of applause put proud, bashful smiles on their faces before they both darted toward Ryan and Grace for cuddles and kisses.
“Thank you, you beautiful little angels!” Grace cried, holding them both tight to her chest.
“You’re welcome, Aunt Grace.” Carl-Roman leaned in, planting a loud kiss on her cheek.
“Hey! That’s my job, Mister,” Ryan teased, shaking Carl-Roman’s hand with a faux-serious expression. “Good job with the reading, you two. You were great.”
“That’s okay, Uncle Ry,” they chorused before stepping back into position. The celebrant beamed, tears glistening on her lashes as she continued the ceremony.
“We now have the final reading before the vows, although I’m not sure how you top that. Indie?”
Indie froze under the weight of the stares that moved to her. “Oh, God…” She whispered under her breath.
Why did I suggest this again?
“You’ve got this, baby girl,” Reagan murmured, squeezing her hand.
She managed a weak smile. If Carl-Roman and Marley could stand up in front of their family and friends, so could she. Besides, her reading wasn’t even half as long as theirs had been; they’d chosen it and insisted upon being allowed to read that exact poem.
Indie cleared her throat quietly, moving to stand beside Grace. They were equally teary-eyed and emotional, and likely would be all day. Both women had already lost count of the amount of times they’d cried just this morning while they got ready. “Grace…you’re my best friend, no—my sister, and I just want you to know that I love you.” Looking between Grace and Ryan, she added, “I love you both.”
Sucking in a deep breath, Indie called the reading to mind and deliberately left a short pause between each line of the exerpt. She’d chosen this particular reading after weeks of trawling through books and online pages of suggested poems. Indie had eventually decided on the “If You Live To Be a Hundred” excerpt from Winnie The Pooh. She paused to dab at her eyes with the handkerchief Reagan pressed into her hand and sniffled, her smile a mile wide, eyes overflowing with emotion as she looked at her best friend; her sister, her rock. And almost Ryan’s wife.
Choked up and ready to bawl like a baby, Indie breathed out A.A Milne’s “If Ever There Is A Tomorrow” quote.
The entire ballroom burst into tears as the two women fell into each other’s arms and made good use of the waterproof makeup they’d applied earlier.
Once everyone had a chance to compose themselves, and handkerchiefs had been utilised to dry Indie’s and Grace’s faces, the celebrant reclaimed their attention with a gentle wave of her hands.
“Ryan…Grace…you fell in love by chance, but you’re here today because you’re making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You’ve chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile, makes every day brighter, and cherishes you and all that you are.”
“You’re about to make promises to each other that you intend to keep. You’re going to take a vow to take care of each other, to stand up for one another, and find happiness in the other. There’s a simple premise to each of these promises: you’re vowing to be there. You’re teaming up and saying to the other, ‘every experience I am going to have, I want you to be a part of.’”
She smiled and looked to Ryan. He had tears tumbling over his cheeks and the brightest of smiles adorning his face.
“Will you, Ryan McCabe, keep Grace Davies as your favourite person—laugh with her, go on adventures with her, support her through life’s tough moments, be proud of her, grow old with her, and find new reasons to love her every day?”
Ryan’s chest heaved with a deep breath, but his voice didn’t waver as he affirmed, “I will.”
“Will you, Grace Davies, keep Ryan McCabe as your favourite person—laugh with him, go on adventures with him, support him through life’s tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, and find new reasons to love him every day?”
Grace’s smile was radiant as she nodded jerkily, then took note of the celebrant’s pointed look and quickly added, “I will!”
The celebrant laughed quietly. “Good! Will you, Ryan and Grace, be each other’s partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely—for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next?”
Ryan and Grace shared a loaded, love-filled look. It made hearts flutter and eyes leak. Their adoration of one another was clear for all to see
. “We will.”
“May we have the rings now, please?”
Laker stepped forward, rummaging in his pocket. Indie bit her lip to stifle a giggle when Laker visibly shook with repressed laughter—he’d confessed his plan to pretend that he’d lost the rings to her over dinner a few nights ago. As he handed over the matching white boxes without any trickery, he shot her a wink and shook his head slightly. He’d obviously thought better of it.
“Thank you. All right…you’ve both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of these promises that you’ve made. People often say wedding bands are a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end. But these rings did have a beginning. The stones were formed a long time ago deep within the Earth. Eventually, a series of lucky events caused them to rise to the surface, where someone dug them up. Metal was then liquefied in a furnace at a thousand degrees—moulded, cooled, and painstakingly polished. Something beautiful was made from raw elements.”
“Love is like that. It comes from humble beginnings, and through a combination of serendipity and effort, imperfect beings shape it into something extraordinary. It’s the process of making something beautiful where there once was nothing at all. As you look at these rings over the years, I hope you remember that. You’ve created something extraordinary, and just as I know you’ll protect these rings, I’m confident you’ll protect the commitments you’ve made to one another today.”
She turned to Ryan. “Ryan, would you like to place the ring upon Grace’s finger?”
“I sure would, Ma’am.” After sliding the ring onto Grace’s ring finger, where it sat prettily beside her sapphire engagement ring, he raised it to his lips for a lingering kiss.
“Grace, would you like to place the ring upon Ryan’s finger?”
Grace’s hands trembled as she carefully removed Ryan’s simple, titanium ring from its cushion and slid it onto his finger.
“So, to wrap this up before you all fall asleep on me…” a ripple of titters spread throughout the congregation. “I’ll ask you all to get to your feet for the new, Mr. and Mrs. McCabe.”