by Imani King
“He won’t stop fidgeting,” Dahlia commented. “He’s definitely nervous, but who wouldn’t be? He’s marrying the most beautiful girl in the world.”
“Oh shush. Now you’re overdoing it.” I stepped forward, watching my soon-to-be husband. He kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he rubbed his palms together, looking around like a wide-eyed deer. His best man whispered something into his ear and suddenly, he glanced up at the window.
Quickly, I stepped out of view, startling my sister. “What happened?”
“He almost saw me!”
She shook her head. “Okay, no more stalling. You’re going down there even if I have to drag you myself.”
“No. I’m ready,” I said, taking a deep breath, and readjusting my grip on the bouquet. I could still feel my nerves bubbling up inside me, but I swallowed them back, determined to have the best day of my life.
With Dahlia holding my train, I walked down the stairs. When I reached the back door, I hesitated, my hand lingering on the handle.
My relationship with Braden replayed in my mind. Every moment. Every smile. Every argument. All of it came together as a rush of emotions. We weren’t perfect, but we were perfect for each other, and that’s all that mattered.
“Are you ready?” Dahlia asked.
I nodded.
Carefully, she pulled down my veil, obscuring my face. Through this haze, I stepped into the yard, my heart beating a mile a minute.
Music started to play, announcing my arrival. Everyone turned to look at me. My face felt like it was on fire.
Nonetheless, I continued forward, keeping my eyes locked on Braden. He was the only thing on my mind—the only thing that kept my legs from locking up. I needed to be by his side, to feel his fingers locked with mine.
A few whispers caught my attention.
She looks so beautiful.
The dress is gorgeous.
I can’t believe she’s marrying the Ennis boy.
Weren’t they high school sweethearts?
This is such a thoughtful venue.
I smiled to myself, keeping a steady rhythm. It felt like the carpet would go on forever. I wondered if I would ever reach my groom.
Finally, once I reached the archway, Braden stepped forward, taking me by the hand. “You look gorgeous,” he whispered, his voice breathless.
I looked up at him, tears already forming in my eyes. I had promised myself I wouldn’t cry, but it was all so overwhelming. I just couldn’t believe I was here. A part of me still feared that this was all some sort of dream.
He rested his hands on my hips and pulled me a little closer, our bodies inches apart. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m the lucky one.”
He chuckled. “Don’t kid yourself, babe. You’re way out of my league.” He gently lifted back the veil and leaned down, our lips so close that I could almost taste him.
“Ahem.” His best man, Eddie, cleared his throat. “You aren’t supposed to kiss the bride yet, man. Don’t ruin the moment.”
“Right,” Braden chuckled. “I’m getting ahead of myself.”
Gently, he guided me forward so we were both standing in front of the officiant.
He was an older man with a bright smile and a head full of white hair. He nodded at us before pushing his glasses up the ridge of his nose. They were small and perfectly round, giving him an almost comical appearance. I had to do everything in my power to keep myself from giggling.
“Right, let’s get started then, shall we?” He opened a leather-bound binder, holding it firmly in his hand. “Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. We’re gathered here today to celebrate this holy union between Braden and Adele.” As he began to speak, his words rolled into one another until I could barely understand what he was saying.
Braden squeezed my hand in his.
I looked up and we locked eyes. My heart skipped a beat. He smiled, his thumb caressing the back of my hand. Even through the silence, we communicated with each other in our own little secret language of ours. I squeezed back.
Just then, I felt a tiny kick emerge from my belly. Quickly, I brought his hand to my bump, pressing his palm against the silk of my dress. He cocked his head in question before his eyes widened.
He stepped forward, resting both his hands on my stomach, his eyes shining like a couple of diamonds. It was in this position that we finally arrived at the vows.
“We have come to the point in the ceremony where we’re going to say vows. But before you do, I’d ask you to remember that love will be the foundation of your relationship. It is the rock that cannot be shaken. The one upon which you will build everything together. And yet, no other tie is so tender as that of love.” He paused and looked at Braden. “I’ve been told that you have written your own vows. Would you please read them now?”
Braden nodded. He looked at me for a moment before he reached into his jacket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. His messy handwriting was scrawled all over it. With shaking fingers, he held it up to his face and began reading.
“When I first met you, I was just a freshman in high school. You were the prettiest girl in the whole school and I was lucky enough to have a locker next to yours. At first, we were shy acquaintances. We would say hello in the hallway, but that was the extent of our relationship. It wasn’t until I asked you to the homecoming dance that our relationship really started to blossom. From there, you became my high school sweetheart. But I made a few mistakes and you disappeared from my life…”
He paused to take in a gulp of air. He glanced up at me.
Already, there were tears in my eyes, threatening to ruin my makeup.
“I thought I would never see you again, that I’d never be able to hold you in my arms. I was miserable without you.” He reached forward and took my hand. “But then, one day, you waltzed back into my life. You taught me how to see the world in a new light. Everything became brighter whenever I was with you. I started to cherish every moment, trying to commit it to memory so I would never forget. That way, one day when I’m an old man, rocking on the porch with you I can recount our tales of love. I want us to grow old together, Adele. I want to work to create a bond of honesty, respect, and trust between us – one that will withstand the test of time– one that will grow with our relationship. I vow to honor and respect you for all that you are and for all that you will become. I vow to give you all my love for the rest of time. I love you, Adele, till death do us part.”
Braden concluded by folding his piece of paper. A sea of red colored his cheeks.
Dahlia tapped me on the shoulder, offering me a tissue. I dabbed at my eyes, unable to believe the overwhelming amount of love and passion he had put into his vows. “Braden…” I whispered, my voice cracking. I had never expected him to do something so romantic. “I—I don’t know what to say—”
“Just say ‘I do,’ and I’ll be the happiest man in the world.” He locked our fingers together, bringing me closer.
I shook my head. “You deserve much more than that. I didn’t write anything, but…” I took a deep breath, trying to gather all the feelings I had for this man. “Braden, you’ve shown me the life I’ve always wanted to have. Living here with you for the past few months has opened up my eyes to a whole new world. I love tending to the animals with you by my side. I love coming home from the shelter to find you waiting for me, greeting me with a hug and a kiss. The support you provide is one I can no longer live without. You’ve become my rock—the only thing that keeps me stable when all else fails. And I want to be right by your side when our kids are all grown up and our grandchildren are frolicking about. I want to laugh at your corny jokes even when we are ninety-nine. We’ve had our rough patches, but I want to leave all that behind us as we start this new chapter in our lives.” I came to a halt, feeling like I had just run a marathon.
“That was beautifully said,” the officiant commented with a warm smile. “Now, let us pro
ceed to the rings.” He flipped to another part of the binder and looked at Braden. “Will you, Braden, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Braden said, his voice booming with pride. Carefully, I grabbed his right hand, about to slip on the ring.
“Babe…”
“What?” I looked up at him, my heart pounding.
“Wrong hand.”
“Oh.” I quickly dropped his hand and grabbed the other. “I knew that.” With shaking fingers, I finally managed to put the ring on his finger. The gold band glittered in the sunlight, like a beacon of our bright future.
When I was done, I stepped back, smoothing the sides of my dress, unable to keep still. The officiant turned in my direction. “Will you, Adele, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
With my heart pounding, I nodded my head. “I do,” I whispered, my voice betraying me. Braden smiled and took my hand, holding it as if I were made of the most precious porcelain. Reaching for his pocket, he pulled out a glorious wedding band. It wasn’t the same one we had picked out together. This one was decked out with intricate designs and a plethora of diamonds that threatened to outshine the sun.
“Braden, how did you—”
“Shh… I wanted to get my wife something nice,” he said, slipping the heavy piece of jewelry onto my finger.
I stared at it, unable to fully comprehend that I had just married the love of my life. This had to be a dream.
“You may now kiss the bride!”
Suddenly, I was swept off my feet as Braden cradled me in his arms. “I’m tempted to abscond with you in a fireman’s carry, but then I wouldn’t be able to see your pretty face.” He chuckled and leaned forward, gently kissing my lips. Soon enough, it grew passionate and hot as we melted into one.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and tugged at his curls, forgetting for a moment that we were in front of a crowd.
Eddie whistled.
Finally, just when I thought I would pass out from lack of air, Braden set me back down on my feet. He took my hand and together, we walked down the carpet, pelted by rice and rose petals. I laughed, my whole body feeling weightless and free. This was the best moment of my life.
Soon, we were surrounded by guests, offering their congratulations and well-wishes.
When things mellowed down, I leaned into Braden’s chest.
“Tired?” he asked, his arms wrapped around my torso.
“I think my feet are kind of swollen,” I admitted.
“Say no more!” He picked me up and carried me toward the sofa that had been brought outside. Even with the added weight of the twins—nearly fifty extra pounds—he carried me with such ease. I didn’t know how he did it. “Here you are, my Queen.” He bowed graciously before sitting down beside me. “Do you want me to rub them for you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
He didn’t listen to me. Instead, he leaned down, grabbed my foot, and placed it in his lap. Carefully, he took off my high-heeled shoe.
“Why are you so good to me?”
“Because you deserve it,” he answered without a second’s hesitation.
I grinned. “You really think so?”
He nodded. “A girl like you deserves to be treated like royalty and now that we’re married, that’s what I plan to do every single day.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Feeling content, I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment. I nearly fell asleep when the sound of my sister’s laughter piqued my interest. I looked around, trying to spot her.
“Over there.” Braden pointed. “By the oak tree.”
I followed the direction of his finger. Sure enough, there was Dahlia, standing under the shade of the tree, drink in hand. Her kids were playing with the others in the open field.
“What’s she doing?” From my angle, it looked like she was talking to the tree.
Braden adjusted my head so I could see Eddie leaning against the trunk, a grin on his face. “They’ve been talking for quite a while now.”
“Looks like she’s interested.”
“How do you know?” Braden asked.
“Body language. Do you see how she leans toward him whenever he talks? She also hasn’t stopped smiling. Her eyes look bright. She’s giggling like an idiot. Yep, she’s totally into him.”
Braden chuckled. “Maybe we should think about setting them up on a date. They would make a pretty good couple.”
“You think so?”
“Eddie has been a bachelor for way too long. He needs a good woman in his life.”
“Yeah, but do you think they would be compatible?”
He thought this over, but before he could answer, Dahlia’s gleeful laugh once again rung out.
“Never mind, it doesn’t matter.” I smiled, glad that my sister was finally giving herself some time to find someone new. She deserved it.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the sofa. I looked up to find a middle-aged woman pushing Braden’s grandfather in a wheelchair.
“Mr. Ennis—” I started, my voice formal and stressed. Even though Braden had made amends with his grandfather, I had yet to truly come to terms with the old man.
He shook his head, holding out a hand. “Please, call me Eunice. We are family now.”
I was touched by his gesture.
“How is the pregnancy going?”
At the question, my hands immediately fell to my stomach. “Pretty well. The doctor says that the babies are perfectly healthy and that everything is going according to plan.”
“That’s splendid, dear. Do you know the genders yet?”
Braden shook his head. “We want to keep it a surprise.”
“Right. Right. You’ve already told me. I think.” He rubbed his temples. “My memory has been eluding me lately…”
I frowned a little, knowing Eunice was going through a lot with his illness. I prayed for a miracle, but as things stood, I knew he didn’t have much time left. I was just glad he had been able to make amends with his grandson before he left us. Hopefully, he’d get to meet his great-grandchildren too.
“You know, the Ennis family has never had twins before. This will be one for the history books.” He smiled fondly. “Fine additions to the family, I’m sure.”
“Do you know why Jamie and Jessica didn’t end up coming?” Braden asked.
I knew they were Braden’s cousins. They weren’t very close, but he had felt obligated to invite them for his grandfather’s sake.
“I think they were busy with something,” he said in an off-handed manner. I knew they had probably avoided the wedding out of jealousy. They didn’t think it was fair that Braden would get the family inheritance when he had already been written out of the will once before. They had said that the Ennis family doesn’t believe in second chances.
I took his hand and smiled. “I’m glad you came. It means a lot to us.”
“Of course, dear. I couldn’t miss my heir’s wedding.”
“I want you to know that I would’ve married Braden no matter what. Money was never a motivation for me.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself.” He gently patted my hand before asking Maria to bring him over to the dessert bar.
“I’m glad your grandfather doesn’t hate me anymore.”
“Me too,” Braden agreed, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close.
I sighed in pure bliss, feeling like everything was finally falling into place. “I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding.”
“Hey, the day’s not over! We haven’t even cut the cake yet and that’s the best part.”
“Better than the vows?”
“Okay, second best part,” he laughed. “What do you say, are you ready for some cake?”
I nodded. Braden tried to slip my shoe back on, but my foot was so swollen that it was impossible. I shrugged and walked along the grass barefoot, enjoying the blades between my toes
.
“Wait here. I’ll get Dahlia.” I nodded, watching him jog over to the oak tree.
Dahlia clapped her hands together in excitement before rushing into the house. The cake had been Braden’s little secret. He wouldn’t allow me any say in it, for whatever reason. I just hoped it wasn’t a giant fire hydrant or something…
Braden returned, holding a scarf in his hand. Before I was heavily pregnant, we used it in some of our naughtier bedroom games. I cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering what was going on.
“We don’t want you to see the cake until it’s properly displayed on the table,” he explained, tying the blindfold around my head.
“I don’t get what the big deal is.”
“Just play along. You won’t regret it.”
“Fine.”
He gently kissed the side of my neck, venturing toward my cleavage.
“Whoa there, you two aren’t on your honeymoon just yet,” Dahlia teased.
“Well, I suggest you hurry up before Braden sticks his hands where they don’t belong.”
“Too late.” His hand was already creeping up the slit of my dress. He found my garter belt and pulled on it slightly. “I’m going to love taking that off you later…”
Braden suddenly pulled away. I imagined Dahlia was giving him the death stare.
“Can I look now?” I asked, desperate to see the surprise. I could hear people gathering around us and I didn’t want to be the only person left out of the loop.
“Yes.” Slowly, I lifted the blindfold.
I gasped, seeing a beautiful, three-tiered cake. “It’s gorgeous!” I exclaimed, my hands pressed to my mouth in utter shock.
It was perfect. It was covered in buttercream frosting. All the roses were made by hand, painted in a soft pink color. The flower chains that wrapped around the base looked so realistic.
Dahlia shoved a cake knife into my hand. “Go on, everyone’s dying for a slice.”