Emilia stood from the table, and my hand rested on her lower back as I guided her out of the restaurant. “Take a walk with me?” I released my hand from her back and led her toward the beach.
“I’d love to,” she said as she removed her heels. Holding on to her shoes with one hand, she entwined the other with mine. I led us down between the restaurants to a secluded part of the beach.
“Wes?”
A few feet away stood Axel, Sally, Leslie, and every other person who cared for Emilia. One by one someone lit the Tiki torches that had been planted in the sand, and Emilia was able to see their faces. She gasped when she spotted Lyra among the crowd.
She peered up at me, the moonlight bouncing off her skin and her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Why are they here?”
“Tonight we are going to light up the sky.”
Before she had a chance to ask anything further, Lyra came running toward us. Scooping her into my arms, we walked toward four burning Tiki torches.
“Thanks for setting everything up.” I kissed Leslie on the cheek.
“What is this?” Emilia’s voice was filled with happiness. It had been so long since I’d seen her like this. So . . . alive.
“We’re all going to write our wishes on this paper and light them up.” Leslie handed Emilia a paper lantern and a Sharpie. “We’ll watch as we light up the sky.”
Lyra drew a rainbow and our family on her paper with the word “Happy.”
Emilia wished for health.
I wished for endless days like today.
Our small group each lit lanterns that slowly lifted off our fingertips and flew into the dark sky. Lyra stood in front of us, my arms over Emilia’s shoulders as we looked upward into the night sky. The most beautiful smile was present on Emilia’s face.
She was lighting up the darkness that lived inside of me.
* * *
We said good–bye to our friends and left One Pico. Leslie, who had surprised Emilia by flying into town, decided to come back to the house so they could catch up. Lyra and my parents said their good–byes before heading back to my house.
The music played in the backyard. Emilia sat on the outside pool chair with her feet up, Leslie in the chair next to her, and they both chatted about work, life, and love. It was wrong to eavesdrop, but it was impossible to stay away from her.
“Monica.” Emilia said to Leslie.
“Monica? Roommate Monica?” Leslie questioned.”
“Yes!” Her lips puckered in annoyance. “I never liked her. I swear we were never good enough for her and her high horse. Remember the night I met Weston, how she threw herself all over him.” Her tone was cool and disapproving.
“Oh, yes!” Leslie reached across and grabbed Emilia’s hand. “She was very materialistic and let’s be honest, a whore,” Leslie said matter–of–factly.
“Yes,” Emilia sneered. “She is number one on my list.”
“What list?” I asked and sat on the edge of Emilia’s chair.
“People you can’t marry.” Leslie raised her beer to mine as a silent salute.
“Marry? Who’s talking about me getting married? Of the three of us, the only one who actually got married was you, Em.” I stared at her and started to laugh.
Emilia kicked my side and laughed. “Whatever. You didn’t stop it, so suck it.”
Leslie snorted. “Awkward!”
“Leslie and I were playing Do, Marry, Kill with boy bands and then we jumped to the conversation about marriage.”
“Boy bands?” I raised my eyebrow. “I’m in a boy band.”
“Shut it.” Emilia tried to pinch me with her toes. “Anyway, we started talking about marriage and I gave her a list of people you can’t marry.”
“Oh, this I need to hear.”
“Monica.” She shook her head. “You can marry anyone you want except her.”
“I don’t get your hatred toward her,” Leslie said.
“She was the first girl I saw all over Weston.” Emilia looked up at me. “And I had claimed him already.” Emilia winked at me and I laughed.
“You, babe.” I caressed my hand up her bare leg. “You’re the only girl for me, you know that. My yellow gel.”
“Please excuse me while I hold back my barf,” Leslie joked, holding her stomach.
“Ignore her.” Emilia brushed Leslie away and sat up to give me a kiss.
“You two are so stinking adorable. And you’re also the two most stubborn people I’ve ever had the pleasure of being friends with.” Leslie shook her head in disapproval. “I called him to stop the wedding.” She pointed to me. “I told you not to marry Jeremy.” Her gaze landed on Emilia. “But did anyone listen to me? No, of course not.”
Emilia laughed against our fused lips. “Whatever, we’re still figuring it out.” She pulled away and gazed up at me. “It took us some time, a secret baby, and a life–threatening disease. But we’re here now.”
“We’re here now,” I mouthed against her soft lips.
* * *
Emilia didn’t lose her hair right away. After every chemo treatment, she stood in front of the mirror and brushed her long auburn curls. She inhaled as she dragged the brush down through her hair and a few strands fell out, but nothing had her gasping.
Until that night.
Leslie was crashing in my old guest room, so it was only Emilia and me. I had walked out of the master bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist. Emilia was lying on the bed, her body covered in silk lingerie and her gaze burning through me.
“You look beautiful.”
“Come here.” She moved her finger, motioning me toward her. The ten–foot walk from the bathroom to the bed felt like a mile. Emilia crawled up the bed, her red hair bright against the cream material.
I stood at the edge of the mattress. Emilia kneeled and our bodies met. Her hands ran up my body and I coiled my hands around the nape of her neck. Her lips crashed over mine, hungrier with every passing second. Emilia moaned and opened her mouth wider. I tugged on the nape of her neck and froze. My body locked as I realized that the hair in my hands was no longer attached to Emilia’s head.
“What’s wrong?” Emilia asked when I stopped kissing her. I pulled my hand back between us. My hands were covered with long red curls. Emilia gasped and reached for the spot behind her ear. “Oh, my God!”
“It’s okay.” I balled the loose strands in my hand. “It’s hair. It will grow back.”
“You’re right. I was expecting this, but it doesn’t hurt any less.”
I refused to let our perfect day together be ruined.
I marched away from Emilia and straight into the bathroom. If she was going to be bald, then I would be bald with her.
Rummaging through the drawers, I found the buzzer. “What are you doing?” Emilia appeared in the mirror behind me.
“I told you.” I looked up at her reflection and flicked the buzzer on. “You’re not doing this alone.” I brought the buzzer to my hair and began to shave off patches.
A tear fell from Emilia’s cheek and she slowly nodded. “Do you think you can give me a Mohawk until it falls out?”
That night we stood in the bathroom and I shaved my head down to nothing before I gave Emilia a full Mohawk. She’d eventually lose her hair completely, but that night she was in charge.
She chose to take cancer by the balls and tell it to go fuck itself.
18
September
It was Emilia’s last day of chemotherapy.
We’d made it.
We’d reached the end.
Four months had passed. Four brutal months, but she was alive. She was stronger than ever and, based on her results, she was in remission.
That morning, the alarm didn’t wake us up. Emilia and I both sat in bed staring out the window as we watched the darkness fade and the sun begin to rise in the east. We held each other, thankful and content. Though I hated what she’d gone through, it had made us closer.
“I
can’t believe it’s today,” Emilia said as her hands traced invisible love letters on my chest. “It seemed that four months would be so long and now we’re here.”
I pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “I want to tell you that I’m proud of you.” I paused. “No, proud doesn’t seem like the right word. You are so brave, Em. You’re a fighter, and though these past few months have been hell at times, you never quit.”
She looked up at me. “Because I had you by my side.” Capturing her mouth with mine, I kissed her tenderly. Emilia pulled back and smiled. “We have one more treatment and I’m done. I’m so done. I’m ready for this to be behind us.”
“Today is a new day.” I brushed my hand over her soft skin. “Today we can say goodbye to chemo and continue with the rest of our lives, together.”
“I love you so much, Weston.” She pressed her lips into a fine line. “I love you with everything that I am.”
I kissed her forehead and muttered, “Me too.” My hand grazed up her arm, writing the words I love you over her skin.
After dropping Lyra off at school, we headed toward the cancer center. The first time we had driven there in complete silence, my heart pounding with each passing second, but this time the radio played behind us. I asked Emilia what her plans were now that she would have all this free time on her hands.
I pulled the car into the parking lot and glanced over at her. “I think I want to go back to work.” She pouted her lips. “Maybe go on a vacation. Go to Europe.” She shrugged and threw her hands in the air in defeat. “I don’t know, we should do something fun.” She looked at me with a spark as I held the door for her and smiled. “We should do something fun.”
Walking in, Emilia stopped mid–step and gasped. The nurses and staff members who had worked with us for the past four months were gathered around and clapping as Emilia walked to her recliner. A banner that read ‘Last Chemo Day’ hung above her station.
This was the last fucking time.
Mary, a sweet, elderly nurse who had taken care of Emilia before, hung the chemotherapy bag and inserted the syringe into her port. She would sit by her chair and share stories about her grandchild with us. Though I couldn’t wait for this treatment to be over, I would miss Mary.
Emilia reached for my hand and I brought the back of it to my lips. Four months ago, when we sat at this very spot, I’d wondered if we would make it here. I had no clue what was in store for us, but now a vision of my future was clear in my head. I didn’t want to spend another day away from her. I didn’t want to lose her again.
This time, I wanted her by my side forever.
Emilia continued to talk about the places she wanted to visit while I drew a love letter on her forearm. I wrote the same letters over and over until I caught her attention.
She stopped talking and looked over at me. “What are you writing?”
“You figure it out.” I winked. Sliding my hands over her milky skin, I wrote the letters M–A–R–R–Y–M–E.
Emilia’s eyes widened and she looked over at me. When she didn’t respond, I drew a question mark.
“Are you asking me?” she whispered shakily. I knew her divorce with Jeremy was finalized and there was nothing keeping us apart anymore.
I pushed off the chair and lowered myself to one knee. Digging into my back pocket, I pulled out the engagement ring I had bought earlier in the week. I knew I wanted to marry her from the moment I fell in love, and now that this bump was over, I wanted to start fresh. I wanted to hold on to her and never let her go. We could be a family and give us a real shot. We could put all the bullshit behind us and start over.
I took her hand in mine and cleared my throat.
“Emilia Darcy, you are my best friend, the mother of my daughter, the love of my life, my yellow gel. The story of our love is only beginning. Let’s write our own happy ending. I love you, Em. Marry me?
Emilia’s eyes pooled with tears. With a trembling hand, she caressed the side of my face. “Yes!” Her smile grew wide. “I will be honored to be your wife.”
I stood and captured her lips with mine. Tears of joy dripped down her face and applause erupted around us. Pulling my lips away, I rested my forehead on hers. She was going to be my wife.
“I love you.” She beamed up at me.
“When we got here today you said you wanted to do something fun.” I joked and gave her a chaste kiss.
“I don’t want to wait.”
We don’t have to.” I pulled away from her and slipped the ring on her finger. “I’ll marry you tomorrow if you want to.”
Emilia laughed and showed her ring to Mary. “Tomorrow I might be a little sick. How about in three weeks?”
I nodded and leaned forward, resting my head on her legs and closing my eyes. Thank you, God, for not taking my girl.
* * *
The scent of roses and lilies wafted through the house. Emilia had requested that I not see her until she walked down the aisle, so I sat on the bed in the empty guest room with my arms resting on my knees as I stared at the pattern on the carpet. It had been four weeks since Emilia’s last chemo treatment and today would be the most beautiful day of our life together.
The day I married the love of my life.
I would vow to love her and cherish her all the days and seconds we had together. There would never be enough time with her. I could have seventy years with her and still that wouldn’t make me happy. I wanted her for all eternity.
“West?” I heard my mother’s voice on the other side of the door before she pushed it open. “Oh, my child.” She cupped my face as I stood to greet her. “I can’t believe my baby is getting married.”
“Mom.” I held her hand and kissed her palm.
“Almost everyone is here and I wanted you to have something before we started.” My mother placed a jewelry box in my hand. “My father gave this to me when I turned sixteen.”
I pushed back the lid and was greeted with a diamond eternity band. Each small diamond looked as if it was floating on its own. “I know she asked to use the ring Mama gave you and I know you can give her something much more beautiful and more expensive than this, but I’ve been holding onto this ring for you. I didn’t know when exactly to give it to you, but I figured it was now or never. You can give her this one if you want. I’ve had it sized to fit Emilia’s ring finger.”
“It’s perfect.” I held the small band in my hand.
Axel knocked on the open door. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Walking over to me, he reached for my shoulder. “You ready?” His eyes were glassy.
My mother leaned up and kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you out there.”
Axel cleared his throat again. “You need me to hold that?” He pointed to the band. “I think that’s what a best man is supposed to do.”
“You okay, Ax?”
“Bloody hell.” He threw his hands in the air. “I’m a little emotional, okay!” I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t laugh. “I feel like I’ve been in this relationship since the get–go and it’s about time you two got your shit together.”
I laughed and tapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sorry it took so long to figure it out. I hope I didn’t inconvenience you.” I handed the diamond band over to him and nodded. “Let’s go see my wife.” I said.
When Emilia told Leslie we were getting married, Leslie insisted on being in charge of the decorations—it was her maid of honor duty. Emilia didn’t argue. We wanted to be married. Nothing else mattered.
Beautiful flower arrangements were scattered throughout the house, and candles covered most surfaces. Twinkling lights were strung through the air, setting the sky alight with infinite stars, and swirls of rose petals led down the steps of the deck to an arch of roses on the other side of the lawn. I stood to the right of the arch waiting for Emilia. Axel stood behind me and the string quartet began to play the Pachelbel Canon in D Major.
Leslie came out first, smiling through her tears. She walked down t
he aisle and stood across from me. Pure joy was present on her face when our eyes met.
“Shit, I’m such a baby when it comes to weddings, especially this one,” Axel muttered in my ear.
Everyone stood when Emilia appeared at the door. A crown of small flowers rested on her head, and a lace dress hugged her body. With a bouquet of pink flowers in one hand and Lyra holding onto the other, she walked toward me. She was my queen. She was perfection.
My everything.
My beautiful bride.
My soulmate.
She took her time as she strolled down the aisle, savoring every moment. “Hi,” she mouthed when she finally approached me. Handing her bouquet to Leslie, she reached for my hand. Lyra stood between us holding both of our hands.
“Dearly beloved,” the minister began once everyone took their seats, “We are gathered here to join Weston Carter and Emilia Darcy in holy matrimony.” He continued to speak as I stared at the stunning woman beside me.
“Do you, Weston, take Emilia to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Pastor Curtis asked.
“I do.”
“And do you, Emilia, take Weston to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Emilia’s smile grew. “I do.”
“The ring?” he asked.
Lyra handed my band to Emilia and Axel handed me hers. I took Emilia’s hand. “Emilia, I promise to always be the person who earns your love. You are my best friend. You are the one I love the most. We’ve shared so much together, but I know that the future holds so much more. I promise to learn from you, to cherish you, to care for you in sickness and health. I promise to be your family, to be your friend, and to love you always.”
Emilia brushed a tear from her eye and reached for my hand. “Weston, you gave me no choice but to love you. You call me your yellow gel but, in reality, that’s who you are to me. You have the purest heart and the most beautiful soul. There are days I look in the mirror and wonder why you picked me.” She bit her lower lip to hold back her tears. “In front of our daughter, our family, and our friends, I give you my heart, my promise that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, and loving, together. Forever.”
Endless Love Letter (Love Letter Duet Book 2) Page 11