“Oh hey there.” I nuzzle in with my daughter. “How are you feeling today?”
Sadie is only five months old, so she isn’t old enough to know what is going on or even remember any of this, but she will see all the pictures. She will know that she was there the moment that me and her mother got married. I think that’s really important.
“Are you going to be okay with Sadie during the wedding?” I ask Mom as I hand my daughter back.
“I can look after a baby, you know.” She rolls her eyes. “I did bring up children of my own.”
“I know you did.” I nod slowly and smile. “And you did an amazing job of it.”
“You need to go and get married to that beautiful girl of yours.”
“Oh, I intend to. I can’t wait for her to be my wife.”
I slide my eyes closed and think about what the future is going to be like for me and Jill. Since we have already been to the edge of hell and back, and we’ve survived, I know that we can get through anything.
“Well, you need to get to the front, because your bride is waiting.”
Mom nods at her phone screen and makes me chuckle. We aren’t having a big wedding, just a little ceremony in our own back yard. That way, we can have everything that we want and keep it intimate.
“I’m ready.” I hold up my hands in a surrendering gesture.
My heart starts to pound as I take my place at the edge of the aisle to wait for Jill. Anticipation floods me, but it isn’t a nervous energy, its excitement, I can’t wait to start our happily ever after …
And then I see her. A vision in a white lacy gown, and angel who is mine, only mine. She is the love of my life. She was beautiful when we were younger, and she has grown into the most stunning woman that I have ever seen. It isn’t the wedding gown that makes her so beautiful, it’s just her. She’s the mother of my child now. The way that I feel for Jill has grown every single day since the day I met her.
“Wow,” I whisper to myself as she glides down the aisle, getting closer to me. “Just wow.”
“Hey there,” she says in a teasing tone as she slips her fingers through mine. “How are you, handsome?”
“I’m much better now that you are here,” I reply with a sharp nod. “You look stunning.”
Our eyes lock and there isn’t anything in the world that could drag us away from this moment. I hear the wedding officiate speaking the traditional wedding scriptures, but I hardly hear any of them.
It isn’t until Jill starts the wedding vows that she has written for me that I snap to attention.
“Garrett Willis, you were my first love and my only love,” she says, her voice consumed with emotion. “I fell in love with you, slowly, as a teenager and it was the sort overwhelming love that only someone filled with hormones can understand.” I laugh and so does everyone else. “But that love hasn’t really changed. It’s still overwhelming.”
I feel myself getting choked up to be honest. I don’t know how I’m going to get my own words out.
“I will love you every single day, for eternity. I can’t wait for the rest of our lives together. You and I, Baby Sadie, and any other children that we might have in the future. Garrett, you are my forever.”
I wipe a stray tear away, nearly laughing because I can’t believe how emotional I am.
“I should have gone first,” I chuckle, trying to give myself a moment to gather myself. “But it’s okay, I’m okay.” I take a moment to suck in a couple calming breaths. “Jill Michaels, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and now the mother of my child. I have never been more excited about anything. Now that I get to call you my wife, I promise I will do anything I can to make you happy every day, for the rest of our lives.” She squeezes my hands tight. “I love you, Jill. In sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, you already know I will be there for you through anything. It took us a lot to get here, but that just shows how strong we are. And together, our family is going to be perfect…”
Jill leans in to kiss me before the whole ‘you can kiss the bride’ thing which isn’t a surprise. She never was one for doing things in the right way, but I guess that goes for both of us.
“I love you,” she giggles against my lips. “Hubby.”
I wrap my arms around her waist and cling tightly to her. “I love you too, wifey. God, I’m so glad that I can finally say that. Wife. Wifey. Mrs. Willis. Mrs. Jill Willis, the love of my life.