by Alexa Land
“I love you too, Dad,” I told him. He was dabbing his eyes with the back of his index finger as he took his place at the front of the crowd beside Cory. To his left stood Nico, who’d borrowed Colt’s laptop and had gotten hold of Gianni and Zan. They were both on the screen, Skyping via web cam from some sunny tropical location, looking tan and incredibly happy. They smiled and gave us two big thumbs up, and I grinned and waved at the screen before turning to face my soon-to-be husband.
The entire audience had joined in on the song, serenading Finn and me as we laughed and joined hands. I felt like I was in a movie. When they finished the song, everyone applauded and whooped, and we turned to face Nana.
She began with, “Gentlemen, ladies, and gentlemen who are also ladies, thank you for being here. Neither of these boys knew today was gonna be their wedding day when they woke up this morning, but just take a look at all the love and joy on their faces and you’ll see why they didn’t want to wait to tie the knot. These two are meant to be together, and meant to be a family along with these two cute kiddos right here.” Nana beamed at Colt and Elijah. Jessie handed her a pair of big, round glasses and his phone, and she said, “This is my first time officiating, but I’ve thrown plenty of weddings, so I know how this is supposed to go. Just in case though, I had Jessie pull up some nontraditional wedding vows on his phone so we don’t skip something important.”
Finn and I held each other in a loose embrace and smiled at each other as Nana skimmed the screen and said, “Let’s see. Dearly beloved, yada yada yada…gathered here to witness the union, well that’s pretty obvious! I guess we should probably do this part: does anyone object to this marriage? If you do, you’re gonna have to answer to me!” She adjusted her glasses and squinted at the crowd menacingly, and I snuck a quick look at Zachary, who I really hoped wasn’t uncomfortable with all of this. He gave me a smile, and I grinned in return.
“Okay, here’s the meat of it,” Nana said, turning her attention back to the screen. “Do you, Finn Nolan, take Chance Matthews to be your lesbian life partner?”
“Oh shit, sorry,” Jessie said, stepping up quickly and taking the phone from her. He scrolled past a few screens, handed it back to her, and flashed a big smile and a thumbs up at Finn and me as he returned to his spot.
“Ah, okay, this makes more sense,” Nana said, putting the screen right in front of her face. “Do you, Finn Nolan, take Chance Matthews to be your husband, in sickness and health, in good times and bad, as long as you both live?”
Finn smiled at me. “I most definitely do.”
“Chance, same question,” Nana said.
“I do, absolutely.”
“I know you didn’t have a chance to write any vows, but do you two want to say a few words?” she asked.
Finn nodded. “I’ll go first.” He took my face in his hands and looked in my eyes as he said, “I feel like I came to life the first time I held you in my arms, Chance. Before that moment I was only existing, never truly living. I was lonely and unhappy and pretty much suffocating in the closet, and then you came along and pulled me into the light. You taught me what it feels like to really, truly love and be loved, and I’m going to make sure you know, every day, that you’re absolutely cherished. Thank you for showing me what it feels like to be a part of a loving family, and for the incredible gift of getting to spend my life with you. I love you beyond words.”
I clutched his hands to my chest as I said softly, “Before I met you, I used to watch the world through a camera lens without really being a part of anything. My life is so different now, all because of you. Thank you for loving me, and for this home, and for making us a family. I never thought I’d have any of that, and I never dreamed I’d find a man like you. I’m so incredibly grateful for you and the love and devotion you show me, every minute of every day. I adore you, Finn, and I’m so excited about the life we’re going to build together.”
Nana sniffed loudly and pulled off her glasses. Jessie swapped out the phone with a tissue, and she said as she wiped her eyes, “You’re both such good boys, and I’m honored to pronounce you married. Now kiss your husband already!”
Finn and I gathered each other in an embrace and he smiled at me before kissing me. The kiss was so sweet and tender, full of love and promise. I forgot about everything but him as I returned the kiss, running my fingers into his short hair as he tipped me back and held me securely in his arms. When he finally pulled back a couple inches and looked at me, his eyes sparkling with happiness, I whispered, “God, I love you.”
He swung me upright and hugged me, and after a moment I realized all of our family and friends were cheering and applauding. A bubble of laughter slipped from me, and he said in my ear, “I love you too and I’m so happy to be your husband.”
We joined hands as we faced the audience. Then I reached for Colt’s hand on my right, and Finn took Elijah’s hand on his left, and our family walked back down the aisle together as the DJ, who was dressed like Marilyn Monroe with a full beard, played The Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun. There were even more hugs and congratulations, and we posed for some photos as Skye continued to act as our photographer.
One hell of a party followed, with lots of champagne and laughter and dancing and a wedding cake that was randomly in the shape of a rainbow-colored princess castle. Bearded Marilyn, who turned out to be a bakery owner named Phil, explained that it was the best of what he had on hand that night, an order that had been cancelled after it was already made. I thanked him and assured him it was perfect, which it really was.
Finn and I danced until dawn, amid family and friends and cops and drag queens. It was the most wonderful wedding I could possibly imagine. Finally, as the sun rose, casting a golden glow through the warehouse, my husband and I curled up together on the couch.
I looked around at our family, several of whom had opted to crash in the warehouse instead of driving home. Colt and Elijah were asleep in an upholstered chair, cocooned in each other’s arms, and Shea and Christian were asleep in the other chair with Christian curled in his husband’s lap. Nana was stretched out and snoring on the couch across from us. She still wore that huge bouffant wig, which jutted from her head at a sharp angle, and her stockinged feet were on Jessie’s lap as he slept on the other end of the couch. Tony, Cory and Zachary had gone upstairs at some point and claimed the red, orange and yellow bedrooms. One of them was also snoring, oddly in sync with Nana. Jamie and Dmitri slept facing each other on the area rug with Lily between them, their arms draped over her and over each other protectively.
There was so much love in this house, and my heart was so full. But none of it made me happier than my sweet, beautiful husband, who drew me into his arms. Finn kissed my forehead and I put my head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath my cheek, his clean scent familiar and soothing. I knew without a doubt that I was right where I should be. We both were.
I smiled and whispered as I let my eyes slide shut, “I’m finally home.”
The End
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The Firsts and Forever series will continue with Nico’s story in late 2015.
That book’s timeline will overlap with the one in Coming Home as we travel to Italy with Nico, Nana, and Jessie. Badly burned by his last relationship, Nico Dombruso has learned to keep the world at arm’s length and guard his broken heart at all costs. When he meets a gorgeous, mysterious stranger on vacation, he decides to make an exception and enjoy a summer fling. It’s just sex, after all, so what’s the harm? He’s shocked when he finds himself able to open up to this man, and for the first time in years, Nico starts to consider the possibility of trusting his tattered heart to someone again. But when a secret is revealed that shakes him to his core and threatens to tear his family apart, Nico retreats, so far and so fast that no one, not even the man who was starting to make him believe he could love again, might ever be able to reach him.
The Firsts & Forever series will continue into 2016.
Thank you t
o my readers, who keep asking for more!
For information about Alexa Land and her books, please visit
http://alexalandwrites.blogspot.com/
Find Alexa on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008216261875
And on Twitter @AlexaLandWrites
Books by Alexa Land Include:
Feral
The Tinder Chronicles
And the Firsts and Forever Series:
Way Off Plan
All In
In Pieces
Gathering Storm
Salvation
Skye Blue
Against the Wall
Belonging
Coming Home