by Brook Greene
~~~~~~
Hollis
“You look fine, sweetheart,” Avery says as Tessa turns in the full-length mirror.
“Please, Avery, don’t blow smoke up my ass. I look like an Oompa Loompa.” Tessa comes to a stop to look at me and Avery.
Avery holds up her hands. “Believe me, honey, I promise you I am nowhere near your ass, especially after that fart you let rip in the car on the way over here.”
Tessa rubs her belly. “I can’t help it, everything I eat these days gives me indigestion.” She slumps down on the couch between us, laying her head back on the rest. She rolls her head to look at Avery. “You know how it is.” Then she looks to me, holding up both of her very swollen feet. “And I hope you don’t care if I’m barefooted because there’s no way I’m stuffing these sausages into anything other than flip flops.”
Avery leans up and begins pressing her fingers in the skin of Tessa’s foot. “The circulation seems to be fine, but if they get any bigger, you might be put on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. When is your next appointment?”
“Tomorrow,” Tessa says with a sigh. “He mentioned something about that when I was in his office last week, and I’ve been keeping my feet up as much as I can because I don’t want to spend the next month or so laid up in my bed.” I open my mouth, but she holds her hand up, stopping me. “No, Hollis, I’ve told you this before, we’re not postponing this thing for me. I’ll be fine, and you’re getting married.”
Avery leans up and looks around Tessa to me. “I think she’ll be fine if she gets plenty of rest and stays off her feet as much as possible.” Her eyes level on Tessa. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Tessa just rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mother.”
Josie walks out of the dressing room and turns for us. “Skinny bitch,” Tessa grumbles with a smile. “You know I love you.”
Josie smiles back as she leans in and kisses Tessa’s belly. “How are my boys?”
“Regretting the Mexican we ate for lunch.” Tessa shifts on the couch and tries to stand up, but can’t. Josie offers her a hand and helps pull Tessa to her feet.
Piper joins us. “I’m sure. Shit, woman, three fucking burritos? Anybody would have indigestion after that?” She spins and looks at herself in the mirror. The teal colors I’d chosen for Piper, Tessa, and Emily are perfect, and the purple on Josie and Avery is flawless. I smile as my friends and I sit and joke in the dresses they’ll be wearing the day I marry Roman.
~~~~~~
In the weeks that follow, Tessa was put on bed rest, so between working and putting the final touches on the wedding plans, we each took turns looking after her and keeping Jackson while Matthew was at work. It seems that I’ve been going non-stop, and it’s starting to catch up with me.
I walk into the house after another long day, only four days away from the wedding, and find Roman in the kitchen, cooking. He turns when he hears me enter and gives me the biggest panty-dropping smile. “Hey, gorgeous.” The smell of spaghetti and garlic bread fills the air, and my stomach gives an appreciative rumble.
“Hey you too.” Immediately, my arms are around his neck and his hands are at my waist. He leans in to give me a peck on the lips. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” I ask him as I push up on my toes to give him another kiss.
“I do take oral favors as gratitude.” The thought of what happened a couple of weeks ago drifts through my memory and I have to stifle a gag.
He can read me like and book and sees that I’ve traveled back to that completely embarrassing moment. “Shit, babe. Sorry, but I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Yes, I am,” I say on a big sigh, thankful there hasn’t been another reason for me to puke my guts out in front of him, but I’ve also not given him oral since, which is a big stretch for us.
He tilts his head, looking down at me. “You need a day off before the wedding. Let me send you to the day spa in town. You need your toes and nails done anyway.”
Although, most of the time I would argue with him for spending that kind of money on me, like I have been for the past couple of weeks anytime Piper suggests something extra for the wedding I don’t want, a day off the grid sounds wonderful.
“Call Emily and give her a heads-up that you’re taking the rest the week off.” He hands me my phone as he takes out his.
I open my mouth to argue. I’m not leaving my friend hanging like that. We have a full schedule of cleaning until Thursday. “Roman.” He stops me with a finger on my lips.
“Shh, she’ll understand, baby, and I want you well-rested and ready for the activities I have planned for us Saturday night.” He gives me a devilish smile before turning and placing his phone to his ear.
As Roman said, she was more than okay with it, so much so she decided to join me, along with the rest of my girls. By the end of the next day, I’ve been pampered, toes and nails set to perfection, and so relaxed from my massage, I’m as loose as a limp noodle by the time Emily drops me at the house.
Chapter Twenty-two
Roman
I don’t think I’ve ever been this fucking nervous a day in my life as I let Ima pin a boutonniere to the lapel of my tux. I watch her slight fingers fix the delicate rose to my jacket. “Have you seen her?” I ask the elderly lady who’s been acting as a surrogate mother to us for half our lives.
She looks up at me, beaming, and pats my arm. “I have, and she is completely breathtaking.” Leo steps up next and she goes to work on his. “They all do, actually. Hollis did such a wonderful job choosing those dresses.” She has the smile of a proud mother on her face, as she should. She did a wonderful job keeping all us boys in line after the deaths of our parents.
She and Hugh have provided a support system we thought we’d lost, giving us stability when we thought our worlds had been thrown into chaos. The two people who’d been best friends with my parents, had opened their arms for Hollis and treated her like just another one of their children, never blaming or looking at her differently.
“Thanks, Ima,” Leo says as he leans in and kisses her cheek. “I’m sure you’re giving our ladies a run for their money in the beauty department.”
She rolls her eyes, swatting at him lovingly. “That might work on Avery, but I’ve known you too long to let your sweet talking affect me.” She looks around the room. “Dalton.” She motions for him to come and stand in front of her. “You’re next.”
He comes over with a huge smile on his face. “Hey, roomie.” He stands straight but smiles over at me.
I groan. Piper had kidnapped Hollis after rehearsal last night, refusing to let her spend the night with me so they could have a girl’s night, and she sent Dalton over to stay with me. It ended up that all the boys showed up, and we played cards until two this morning, sharing Jack and cigars on the back deck of my house.
When Ima finishes up with Dalton, she moves on to Matthew, who’s holding a tiny tux clad Jackson, then Eno and Cowboy. “There you go.” She stands back, looking at all of us as she takes out her phone. “You all look so handsome.” She snaps a photo of us, her eyes getting glassy. She covers her mouth with her hand, stifling a sob.
I walk over and lay my hand on her back. “None of that. If you cry, Dalton will too, and then Eno will get started, and all our makeup will be messed up.” She smiles up at me, but her eyes are still brimming with tears.
“I just want you to know how proud I am of all of you.” She reaches up, laying her hand on my cheek. “My boys.” She takes in a deep breath and sniffs, waving her hands through the air. “Okay, now I’ve got to check on my girls.” She gives us all one last look and smile before leaving the room.
Eno slaps his hands together. “Now that Momma’s gone.” He produces a flask from his tux jacket and unscrews the top, handing it to me. “The groom first.” He shrugs. “To take the edge off.”
I throw it back, taking a mouthful before passing it off to Cowboy, who does the same, then the rest follow until the flask is empty. I sho
ve my hands into the pockets of my dress slacks and walk to the window, looking out over the beautiful lawn behind the small church. I wish my mother could’ve been here today, and I wish she could’ve gotten to know Hollis and the woman she is today.
She hadn’t been overly excited when she’d found out that we were dating in high school. She’d wanted me to date one of my father’s country club buddies’ daughters. And I tried, but none of them ever held my attention the way Hollis had or still does. I love her jagged edges, rough background and pure will to be better.
Hollis is my Phoenix. She rose from the ashes of a shitty upbringing and bad choices in her early twenties to be the woman who holds my heart and the respect of my friends that have made her family.
I think back over the years that have led up to this day, and I can’t believe we’re actually here. I never thought I would see her again after she left me all those years ago. I thought I would be the one who cared enough to go and identify her body at the morgue when it was found dumped on the side of the road and give her a proper burial. Every day I’m thankful that’s not how our story is going to end. For two broken children from different sides of town, whose lives intersected tragically in more ways than one, we get our happy ending, and I can’t imagine mine being with anyone but her.
~~~~~~
Hollis
Ima comes through the door, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, just as Piper shoves the bottle of champagne we’ve been cowboying behind her back, trying to look innocent. Ima waves her hand at us, shaking her head. “Don’t bother,” she says, holding her hand out. “But you can share.”
Piper hesitantly hands her the bottle. “Do you want a glass?”
“Pfft. Girl, please. Do you think you invented drinking from the bottle?” Ima retorts as she lifts the champagne to her lips, taking a very long drink. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she says, “I’m going to be an emotional mess by the end of the day.”
“You kind of already are, Mom,” Emily points out, garnering herself an eye roll from her mother. Ima takes the one unoccupied chair and pulls Caden onto her lap. “Hello, beautiful.” She kisses her on the temple. “We have forty-five minutes till curtain call. Are you ready?” she asks me, igniting the butterflies the champagne had calmed back to life, making my stomach flutter. Not from nerves, but excitement and anticipation.
I lay my hand on my satin-covered stomach, hoping to calm them. “I think so.” Today is something I thought would never happen for a girl like me. I’m still that girl, deep down. The one who’s always on the outside looking in, seeing everyone else get everything they ever wanted while I struggled to just live each hour. But I push those thoughts away because today is not the day to think about them. Today is the day of my happy, when I marry the most wonderful man in the world. A man who’s loved me through all the shit I’ve put myself, my body, and the people around me through.
“Okay.” Ima slaps her leg and stands, placing Caden on her feet. “It’s time to get you girls ready and out there.” Piper has an assistant, but I knew Ima wouldn’t be able to just stand by and let another woman, other than Piper, run the show. I stand too as all my friends, who are wearing the beautiful dresses I’d chosen for them, hug and kiss me, then watch as they disappear out the door. The sounds of the blues music I’d chosen drifts through the now open door, making me smile. I hadn’t seen Roman since the rehearsal dinner last night, and I realize how much I miss him.
I race and empty my stomach of the champagne into the small garbage can sitting in the corner of the room. I stand with my hand over my mouth, looking for something to wash my mouth out with, and my shoulders slump when I see that the only thing to do that with is the champagne that just made me throw up. Scanning the room once more for something else, I’m resigned to the fact that it’s the only thing there is.
I no more get myself back together when Ima comes through the door, placing two calming hands on my upper arms. “You ready, love?” She smiles at me as her touch soothes me.
“Yes.” I’m more than ready to be Roman’s wife, to start a future where I’m not running from anything or fighting for my life. But I can’t shake that slightly empty feeling of not having one blood relative at my own wedding. There were none to be found other than the asshole who’d discarded me and my mother like a used band aid.
“Here’s your bouquet.” I take the bunch of long stemmed day lilies.
I hear a light knock on the door and look up. “Hey, gorgeous.” Cruz, Mose, and Dexter walk through the door. “You’re wearing white?” Cruz asks, raising his eyebrows.
“Shut up. Come over here and give me a hug.” I hold out my arms to the man who’s been almost as loyal to me as Roman.
“Don’t keep her long.” Ima reminds them as she exits the side room just off the church foyer we’ve used to get ready in.
“Yes, ma’am,” Mose replies as she pulls the door closed behind her.
~~~~~~
Roman
The first cords of a blues song I recognize comes through the sound system of the church and I smile. She had found a way to make this day about us both without me even knowing.
Caden skips through the door holding Jackson’s hand, practically dragging him behind her, dropping haphazard piles of rose petals as she goes. When they reach us, they both run to Ima, who’s holding a sleeping Gia, and climb into Hugh’s lap, who are both sitting on Hollis’s side of the aisle.
Leo and Emily are the first couple to walk through the doors and into the chapel. Leo escorts Emily to her place next to where Hollis will be standing and gives her a kiss on the cheek. He offers me his hand as he comes to stand next to me. We both turn and survey the people sitting in the pews of the small church Hollis insisted we get married in, as the rest of my boys escort in the other ladies.
“Is that Kent with Tessa’s mom?” I lean over to Leo and ask.
“Looks that way. Avery did say he was dating somebody.” We both try not to stare, but we can’t help it.
“Oh my God, I’m not sure if that’s creepy or cool. Maybe a little of both,” I whisper back over to him.
Leo begins to pat his lapels. “Oh fuck, man, I’ll be right back.”
“Hey,” I say, stopping him. “You do realize we’re in the house of the Lord, so ixnay on the f-bombs, man.” And now I sound like Emily. He shrugs his shoulders at me as he ducks around the red velvet curtain that leads to the dressing rooms in the back of the church.
“Where did he go?” Cowboy asks after easing up in the space Leo had just vacated.
“I don’t know, said he forgot something.”
“My guess is that it’s the one thing he had to remember, the ring,” Dalton adds as he walks past us to stand next to Eno.
“Old age is a bitch,” Eno chuckles, while Cowboy scoffs at him for his language.
Matthew deposits Tessa, then stops to kiss her mother on the cheek and shake Kent’s hand. “Sir.”
Eno turns, looking at us. “What the hell? Did any of you know about that?”
We all shake our heads no, except for Matthew who mouths, “I’ll tell you later, bunch of gossip queens.” He directs his attention to the back of the church where the doors are closed, meaning the next time they open, Hollis will be coming through them.
My heart actually flutters, and my stomach knots up like it’s in a vise with anticipation. I feel the smile spread my lips and know that it’ll be there for the rest of my life.
~~~~~~
Hollis
“Okay, it’s you next, babe.” The woman Dalton had hired as Piper’s assistant to keep the wedding moving while Piper was busy standing up with me, says.
I walk to her and stop where she tells me to. “Thank you, Eden.” She gives me a quick smile.
“Just like we rehearsed last night. I’ll give you about five, and then when I open the doors, wait until the second bar of the song starts before you walk through, okay?”
I nod and she disappears through a side
door, back into the chapel, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sniffle because I’m alone in this world. The only family I have are the ones who I’ve hurt immensely in the past and taken things away from I can never give back.
The soft sound of a door clicking shut makes my head dart up, and I look to see if Eden has come back, but there isn’t anybody there.
“Hey.” Leo’s deep voice has my head jerking around to the other side of the church foyer.
“Hey,” I reply, wiping my eyes, and the next time I open them, he’s standing right in front of me.
He lifts one of his big hands and uses the pads of his thumb to wipe the last remaining tear from my cheek. “Happy tears?” He smiles at me, and I can see why Avery couldn’t ever tell him no. His longish black hair is gelled neatly back, and his beard is trimmed to just a thick scruff on his handsome face. The lip ring I used to think was so sexy is now gone because according to Avery, Gia likes to grab things, and the first thing she went for was the shiny silver hoop in Leo’s bottom lip.
“Something like that.” I shrug my shoulder, but I know he see right through my feeble attempt at a lie.
“So what is it really?” He turns to look at the closed double doors, and then back to me. “Getting cold feet?”
“No, not that at all.” I shake my head empathically. “Marrying Roman is something I’ve dreamt about since I was sixteen years old.”
“Then what is it?” I press my lips together in a thin line. “Come on, you can tell me.” He places one hand on my shoulder and uses the index finger on his other to tip my chin up to look at him. He has so much concern in his dark eyes, it melts me. Out of all the men, Leo’s the last person I would’ve ever thought would be standing out here with me, wiping my tears.
“I—I’m all alone, Leo. The one man who could’ve been my family called me a whore and paid to have me removed from his life.” My voice breaks a little more with each word, and now I’m full-out sobbing.