by Lee Wardlow
I shook my head. “I can’t say that I blame her for being angry, Ewan. Maybe you should have started off with the marriage proposal and if she shot you down, she shot you down.”
“I don’t know.” He took a long swallow off the bottle.
“How are you going to feel being around Greer all the time?” I asked him.
He shot me a glance. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”
“Nope.”
He gazed out over the lawn that was perfectly cut, by me. I didn’t hire a lawn service like Coll and Brodie did. I wasn’t as lazy as they were. Brodie had an excuse right now but not before the shooting.
“I’m glad they’re happy. I really am. Cheyanne is beautiful and Greer’s where she belongs.”
“I agree but that doesn’t mean that you don’t love her. What did you figure out while you were gone?”
He looked at me without flinching, “I was right to leave. I had to be sure of what I am and what I want. I can be attracted to both men and women. I have been my whole life. I thought I had to be one way or another and I don’t. I love who I love not because of their sex but because of the person.”
“Pretty vague answer. What about Greer?” I pushed.
“I loved Greer.”
“Did you rush into a relationship with Tasha to get over Greer?”
“Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?” I scowled at him.
“That means, I saw Greer with Finlay before I left, and I knew that they loved each other. I had seen it before when we were teenagers but Machara got in the way. I knew it was best that I was leaving. She would always love Finlay more than me. I would always be her replacement for him. What I liked about Tasha…she was nothing like Greer.”
“No connection to Finlay,” I suggested.
“Nope,” he agreed.
“Not petite at all. No dark curls.”
“Tall, blonde and slender. No curves to drive a guy crazy. Didn’t have any drama. Didn’t drink much. Great, job and wanted nothing more than to settle down, get married and have kids. Not even close to being, a wild child like Greer has been known to be.”
“So, she appealed to you.”
“God, yes.” I almost laughed at him, but I don’t think he would appreciate it, right now.
“How many men did you have a relationship with before you met Tasha?” I asked.
He leaned back. “Do you really want to hear this? You were always uncomfortable with my sexuality.”
“I want to be there for you, Ewan. I want to be sure that you are comfortable to talk to me if you want.”
“I don’t need to give you the dirty details but enough to be sure that I am what I am, and I have what I want.”
“You don’t love her though, do you?” I asked him.
“I love her enough,” he told me.
I finished my beer. “I think that is how I felt about Georgie.”
He was about to take a swig. “Really?”
“Yeah, the sex was great. That didn’t hurt.”
He nodded.
“So, when are you moving back?”
“I gave my two weeks’ notice before I came home. I’ll be home in about three weeks or so.”
“You can stay with me and Caz if you want,” I told him.
“You don’t need to discuss this with her?” He asked.
“Nope. She’ll be cool with it.”
“I’ll think about it. I might just stay with Dad and Lorna.”
Now that surprised me.
“Did you know that Bambi and Bobby James hope to be moved here by Fall?” I asked him.
“I had heard something about that from Leo.”
“Still close to him?” I asked.
Ewan sighed. “My relationship with Leo is strained right now too.”
“Why is that?”
“Jealousy,” Ewan responded.
“Leo and Tasha’s?” I asked assuming I was right.
“You got it. I tried to be honest with her about my relationship with him and I think he had hopes that we would become something more when I moved to Detroit.”
“But you didn’t,” I stated.
“I thought we were just friends.”
“Friends who slept together,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, there was that one time,” Ewan agreed. He finished his beer. “I’m tired man. Long drive. We need to get up early. Mind if I turn in?”
“No.”
I was disappointed. I wanted to spend more time with Ewan, but I could tell that he wasn’t up for talking so I showed him to his room, down the hall from Eddie and Ricky. Then I checked on Caz. I leaned over her and kissed her forehead.
She mumbled in her sleep and then opened her eyes. “Did Ewan make it?” She asked.
“He did. He’s moving back to Severe in about three weeks.”
“Did you tell him he could stay here?” She asked me.
I kissed her cheek and smiled at her. I knew my girl, pretty, well. “I did.”
“Good. Night, honey. Tomorrow is a big day.”
“Yes, it is.”
Tomorrow, finally, Caz would be my wife.
Chapter 12
I’m not a superstitious guy but I was thrown out of my house by Eddie as soon as I awoke. I didn’t get to see Caz that morning and Ewan went with me.
We went to Mia’s for breakfast. I soon discovered all my brothers had the same idea. They were meeting us there. They were just as anxious to see Ewan as I had been last night. Their wives and children were heading to my house to do hair and make-up before they went to the park where we were getting married.
The guys and I were going to Dad’s house after breakfast. The clothes we were wearing were already there.
Brodie had a table for eight waiting on us. Like an idiot, I asked who the eighth was. “Dad,” he replied.
I sat down, Ewan right beside me. Dad walked in the door with Gray and Hugh. When they took their seats, I was reminded of that day in the conference room when he gave us the ultimatum to find girls who were datable and settle down or he was disinheriting us.
I thought it was dumb at the time. You can’t rush this sort of thing. You can’t go looking for the right girl. You need to meet her when it’s the right time, at the right place like the Labor Day celebration in the town square.
She’s there with her sister and you’re with your brothers. You’ve spoken to her once and Finlay knows her from the hospital when the twins were born, and you start really, talking. Then you just know, she’s the one.
“Nervous, Davy?”
“Not at all, Dad.”
“Glad to hear it. Cas is a wonderful woman.”
“She is,” I agreed.
Finlay and Coll came in together and we were ready to order. When the server walked away, Dad looked at Ewan and Brodie. “You and Ewan are all that’s left.”
“I have the girl I want and since she’s about to give birth to my child I expect we’ll be getting married,” Brodie informed Dad.
“You know that’s all I wanted was for you boys to see what the love of a woman can bring you.”
Brodie snorted. “You went about it the wrong way, Dad.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“It did,” Brodie admitted. “Lacey and I will be getting married at the courthouse, three weeks from Monday.”
“Why three weeks?” Finlay asked. “I would think you would be getting married sooner rather than later with that baby coming in a few weeks.”
Brodie glanced around me at Ewan. I looked around the table. Dad knew. I could tell but then Ewan did say that he might just stay with him and Lorna.
“Because I’ll be home for good then,” Ewan replied. “He didn’t want me to miss his wedding.”
“What?” My brothers said. They were as surprised as I had been last night.
“I’m coming home,” Ewan repeated.
“Is Tasha coming with you?” Hugh asked.
“I don’t think so,
” he replied.
“I’m sorry man,” Gray told him.
“Me too.” We all knew that they had been together for a while now. “I’m excited though about being back here. Brodie’s rehiring me.”
Gray rubbed his hands across his face and groaned, “I have to put up with you again.”
“That you do,” Ewan replied laughing. “I’ve missed our arguments over operations.”
Gray grinned at our brother. “I’ve missed you too, Ewan.” He clapped him on the back.
We ate our breakfast. The server cleared our plates and Dad looked at his watch. It was ten. “Want to play some golf before the wedding? I think we have time for nine holes.”
We hadn’t played golf together in years. I thought it sounded great, but nobody had their clubs with them. “I’ll rent clubs,” he declared.
Dad was never one to waste his money, but we agreed to go to the golf course for nine holes.
It was a good, time on the course. Brodie had to ride in a cart. Dad rode with him. The rest of us walked.
We talked about old times. When we were young, and Dad worked long hours at the plant. We talked about Brodie’s shooting last Christmas. How far he had come in his recovery. We were all grateful for that.
The subject we avoided was Ewan moving back home. If my brothers were like me, we were thinking about how that would affect all of us. He had been gone a long time. How would he adjust coming back into the fold?
After the golf game, I called Caz to see how she was doing. The girls gave me a hard, time in the background. “Tell them to be quiet. It’s you can’t see the bride not talk to her on the phone.”
She laughed at me. I discovered that was another thing that I loved about her. Caz’s laughter. It was full and happy. You could tell what her mood was by her laughter.
“I love you, babe. Can’t wait to see you at the altar.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Davy.”
“I do,” I promised her.
At the park, we were directed where to go by Shawn. I hadn’t seen him in a while because of his move to downtown Cincinnati.
He told me how much he loved his new church. He was working with some of the inner, city youth, providing them with an afterschool place to go to keep them out of trouble. He still insisted that he and Anya, Hunter’s sister were just friends.
I had to wonder if this was another man who was still in love with my sister-in-law, Greer.
We only had a few minutes until the wedding. Our guests were seated in the chairs by tables beneath the tent. The warm summer sun was blocked from beating down on them by the large, canopy over their heads. Lucky for me and Caz the day was much cooler for June than we expected.
Brodie put a chair on the gazebo, so Caz could sit so she wouldn’t get tired. “Maybe we should get two?” Shawn suggested. “They should be able to look each other in the eye.”
“I’ll get it,” Finlay said.
“I can get a chair,” Brodie grumbled at my brother. He put the two chairs facing each other.
Our violinist was setup and ready to play some love song that Caz would walk…well be carried to me to. Shawn got the signal from Kyle that they were ready. My brothers that were carrying her went to get the litter. My step-sisters all made their way to their seats.
Then there she was. Flushed cheeks because she was very embarrassed that she had to be carried but the contraption worked beautifully.
In her short hair, was a simple flower tucked behind one ear. Her dress was strapless and tight to her hips then flowed to the ground in layers of fluffy material.
I’m a guy, I don’t know what they call it, but it sparkled in the sunlight and my girl looked stunning. I got a little choked up at the sight of her. Ewan patted me on the back. I appreciated him being right by my side.
One day, I hoped to return the favor to him whether he married a man or a woman. I just wanted him to be happy.
On her lap lay her flowers because on either side of her between my brothers was Eddie and Ricky. They each held her hands. I guess they had decided that both men should walk her down the aisle.
Hugh had designed the litter, so my brothers could rest it on the ground. They lifted her out of it then. It was a pretty, stable design but still pretty because the Baird sisters had decorated it so nicely.
When I saw how they had to get her out of it, I almost laughed. My brothers each took a side and lifted her, carrying her to the end. It was the only way to get her out.
“Do you have my dress?” She asked.
“We got you in,” Finlay reminded her. “We’ve got your dress.”
“Thank you,” she said embarrassed that they had to do this.
“We’ll just carry you to the reception. It will be easier,” Hugh replied.
She smiled at his remark.
They sat her carefully on the chair that was opposite mine. Then they moved the litter to the side and lined up by Brodie. Lacey stood behind Caz. She glanced over her shoulder to be sure her sister was there.
Our wedding parties were uneven, but we decided that we didn’t care. She just wanted Lacey with her and I wanted all my brothers.
I sat down facing Caz and reached over to take her hands. She smiled at me. At least she wasn’t mad at me about the litter.
“We’re gathered here today to join Davy and Caz as husband and wife. This was no easy feat since the bride is in a cast from her hip to her toes,” Shawn teased her.
“I was honored when Davy asked me to marry them. When two people love each other as much as Caz and Davy do it’s a pleasure to officiate their ceremony.
“I’ve known the Bairds and the Stewards for a while now. I’ve officiated at a few of their weddings now. I’m proud to call them my friends. They welcome people into their lives and into their hearts. They did this with Caz and Lacey Chapman. Bodhi James and his family. Hunter Cole and his family. To marry a Baird or a Steward means you become one of a large clan.”
Shawn looked at Caz. “You’re one lucky lady. You are inheriting with this marriage a father-in-law who will treat you like a daughter. A mother-in-law who adopt you like an eighth daughter. Six brothers who will always look out for you. Six sisters who will now include you in their…well in whatever they do. Davy wasn’t sure about what they do.”
Everyone laughed.
“Also with this marriage, Caz, you inherit all his nieces and even though Fox isn’t his blood nephew, he calls him Uncle Davy, so you are now, Aunt Caz to him and Gage.”
She smiled at me. Shawn guided me, but I had written this speech for him a million times until I thought I had it right.
“Davy also wants you to know that Eddie and Ricky always have a place to stay if they move here permanently or just visit more often which he hopes that they do because he knows that you miss them a lot.”
She glanced around looking for them. I saw them too. Sitting side by side, holding hands in the front row. I wanted this for my brother, to be that comfortable with his sexuality when he moved home that if he wanted to love a man he felt free to do so in the open.
I turned my gaze back to Caz she was trying to hold back the tears.
“He also wanted you to know that if Lacey ever needs a place to go, there is a place for her with you and Davy too because your family is just as important to him as his family is.”
“She won’t need it,” Brodie interrupted.
I had to laugh. I looked over Caz’s head and Lacey was rolling her eyes at him.
“You are never alone,” I whispered to her.
“Thank you,” she replied. Caz leaned over to kiss me. I leaned towards her and met her half way. Our lips touched, and I didn’t care that there were about seventy-five people not including children watching us. I don’t think she cared either. We were lost in each other.
“I haven’t gotten to that part yet,” Shawn teased us.
We laughed against each other’s lips. We continued to hold each other’s hands while we recited the
vows that would bind us together I eagerly waited for the moment that Shawn said the words, “You are now, husband and wife.”
We waited for him to tell me to kiss her. He didn’t so I looked up at him. “You didn’t need me to tell you before, so I just assumed you would do it again,” he told me.
I shook my head. “A bunch of comedians.”
Then I kissed my wife. She couldn’t stop smiling but then neither could I.
Later, after we danced our first dance. It was more like rocking back and forth in place. It was all that Caz could manage. After my brothers brought the cake to her. I was shocked it got to her in one piece. After we toasted each other as man and wife. Lacey wanted to make a speech.
She rose from her chair. I had my arm around Caz. We watched her twist her fingers around her glass of lemonade. She couldn’t drink obviously.
“My sister had to grow up before she should have. Our parents weren’t the best parents in the world. We had a great uncle in Eddie who with his partner Ricky showed us what love is supposed to look like.
“They have been together since high school. They have filled in where they could when I’m sure they would have preferred to be out acting like two young, men would act not being home taking care of two, young girls.”
Caz nodded. Lacey took her hand.
“My sister had to be my mother when my mother couldn’t. She was the one who told me about the birds and the bees.”
“I think she messed that one up,” one of my brothers hollered.
Lacey scowled in that direction. “No, she didn’t, Coll. I know that was you.”
Everyone chuckled at her.
Caz laid Lacey’s hand against her cheek then held it while she listened to her speech.
“I guess what I’m trying to say, is that even though there were fights through the years even when I stayed in Severe and you moved downtown you have never been far from me.” Brodie handed Lacey a napkin to wipe her tears. “I love you best,” she told Caz.
Then she hugged her sister. They were both crying now. “Cheers,” Brodie said since Lacey had not.
“Cheers.” I clicked glasses with my wife then turned to Ewan who was sitting next to me.
“Should I make a speech?” He asked. “Isn’t that traditional for the best man and maid of honor to do?”