I stood at that makeshift altar with my baby brother across from me as we both watched the Prez walk Willow and Nova towards us. I'm not a crier, but I'm not a liar neither, both Tank and I shed a tear of pure happiness as those beautiful women took our hands.
I'd never seen anything more beautiful than Willow that day. She was wearing the perfect dress, Ivory, silk, short lace sleeves that wrapped around the top of her arms, hitting the floor, and showing her little baby bump.
I was awed by her.
So much so that I didn't really take much notice of Nova, but I knew she'd be just as beautiful.
The priest, because Draven insisted we do something right, asked all to repeat after him. Then we each said our vows, and soon we were married, and as I kissed Willow for the first time as my wife, I knew that I'd finally found my true home. She is everything to me, nothing will ever threaten what we have, no one will ever try taking her from me again. I can trust in that if nothing else.
I might have gotten away with the biker wedding, but Draven wouldn't allow Avery to have anything but the traditional Italian wedding her father always wanted for her. I may not have known her father, but he sounded like a good dad. I know Avery wished he could be here today. As every young girl would.
Ghost couldn't make Avery his wife before now because it's taken her months to recover from what she tried to do to herself. Mentally, I mean. Draven had her seeing professionals to help get it all out of her head and help her heal.
She may have protested and said she was fine now that she had Ghost back, but Ghost told Draven about Avery's nightmares, how she was scared Draven was playing a trick on her, and that he was gonna kill Ghost and make her lose their baby.
That hurt him. I saw it in his face when he confided in me what Ghost had told him. I urged him to sit Avery down and explain things to her. Told him just why she'd be thinking that way. I don't know, I seem to have the magic touch when it comes to Draven and getting him to understand things.
He did speak to her, and she agreed to see someone who would help her get past it all. It took a couple months, but it really helped her. Now here we are watching Ghost and Avery exchange their vows, about to become man and wife in front of the whole MC, the Mafia, and the whole Vidal family.
A shit load of them came from Italy for this. Draven introduced me, they all seemed to like me. The old women seemed to love me and want to mother me, none caring that I'm a biker. They even took Willow into their hearts like they'd always known her.
Not to mention they were taken by Tank. Most women are. No matter the age.
“Do you, Daniel Ghost Vitali, take this woman, Avery Arianna Vidal to be your lawful wedded wife?”
I'm at the front of the church, Draven requested it as I'm family. I can see every expression that passes between the Ghost and Avery. Never thought I'd see Ghost so damn smitten with someone. The fucker is now family. Great.
“Damn right I do.”
“And do you, Avery Arianna Vidal, take this man, Daniel Ghost Vitali to be your lawful wedded husband?”
I watch the smile on Avery's face spread wider as she looks at Ghost. “I do. And I'm going to keep him forever.”
Everyone chuckles under his or her breath. The priest ain't liking the way they ain't sticking to his script. But fuck him, this is their wedding.
“By the power vested in me by God and the state of Tennessee, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the...” Ghost already has his lips fused to Avery's, her arms wrap around his neck, and I think this is bordering on pornographic for a church.
When he finally pulls away from her, he turns to face everyone, he raises their joined hands in the air and yells, “My beautiful wife, Avery Vitali!”
Everyone cheers the happy couple and watches them leave in a hail of confetti and rice, but I grab my wife and pull her against me. She smiles as I rock her gently from side to side. She looks beautiful in that blue dress.
I cup her face and lean down to kiss her softly. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you, too. Ouch!”
She leans over holding her stomach, and I fuckin' panic. “Willow, what's wrong?” Eyes wide, I look around the church, but I can't see who I'm looking for, dammit!
She suddenly stands up straight, laughing cheekily. I'm so fuckin' confused. “He kicked me, Sam. Our baby kicked me!”
My eyes widen, a shocked smile on my face. I place my hand on her swollen belly and instantly feel my son kicking his mother, kicking at my hand. Fuck, that's amazing!
Her little hand covers mine. “He's saying hello, Hammer. He already knows his mommy and daddy.”
“This is the most amazing thing I've ever felt, Will. We made him, and he's letting us know that he knows us.” She nods while laughing. I wrap her up in my arms and just hold her.
I deserve this. I deserve my little family. No matter what happened in the past, it's gone. But there's just one more thing I need to do before I can fully put the past to rest.
It's a cold December. Really damn cold. That's why I didn't bring Willow here. I sent her off to celebrate with everyone else while I came here alone. I needed to do this alone.
I get down on my hunches and just look at the grave in front of me. “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. I know it's been a while, but there's something I want to tell you. Your grandson kicked me for the first time today. Well, he kicked Willow and felt him. It was amazing, Dad, just like you used to tell me, and I can't wait to meet him, to hold him and tell him how much I love him.
“That's what you did for me, isn't it? You held me and told me how much you loved me even though you knew I wasn't yours. Wish I could tell you this face to face, Dad. Wish I could tell you how much I love you and how thankful I am for everything you ever taught me. And you taught me a lot. I don't hate you for keeping the secret you kept from me. I know you only did it to protect me from that man.
“I wish I'd have known before you died. I wish I had because I would have told you how amazing you were, what a wonderful father you were, and I'd tell you every damn day how biology doesn't matter a damn because you always were and always will be my father.”
I hang my head for a second. Nothing in my heart will ever change the way I feel about Titus. I love that man still to this day, and I will tell my son all about the brave man he was.
“Mom, I forgive you. I forgive you for not telling me the truth. I was angry for a while, but Draven set me straight on a few things. You were right to keep me from that man, Mom, he would have turned me into someone I'm not. You and Dad raised me right, and I wish I could tell you right now how much I love you.
“I'm gonna tell my son all about you, just as Tank tells little Ember all about you. You'd both be so proud of Tank, he's grown into an amazing man, husband, and father. He's an asset to the club just as you always knew he would be, Dad. I miss you both so much.”
“I miss them, too.” I wipe the tears from my eyes and get to my feet. Didn't know Tank was standing behind me, fuckin' stalker. “We'll never forg
et them, Hammer, and we won't let our kids forget them either. We'll tell them all the time, every damn special occasion just how amazing our parents were. Because, regardless of blood, you have always and will always be my brother in every way. You might be part Vidal, but you'll always be a Marshall.”
I grab the fucker to me and hold him tight. He's right, he's always been right. Cocky bastard. But I can put the past to rest now, I've made my peace with my parents and the secret they hid from me my whole life. Now I can move forward with the woman I love.
I take a deep lungful of December air and smile at the sky. “Today is a good day, little brother.”
“Today is the day you really start to live. So yes, I'd say it was a damn good day, brother.”
The end!