“No more tears,” I promised him as I let H.R. go with one last hug. “Swear it.”
Only, half an hour later, when the dozens of black chairs strewn over the lawn in a small clearing at the side of our property were filled with Fallen brothers, family, and friends, I started regrettin’ my promise. Seein’ the faces of the people who’d been instrumental in my life smilin’ and eager to witness me marry the love of my life moved me in a way that felt like lava wakening in my gut, flooding through my system so hot it felt as if I was bein’ burned alive. Old Sam from the record shop was there, old friends from Entrance Bay Academy and even older friends from Entrance Public, all the Old Ladies sittin’ together already cryin’, and their men tryin’ hard not to be moved by the moment and failin’.
It was a lot to process for a man with an admittedly sensitive heart who felt too much for himself and too often for others. The very air felt thick and sweet as honey with happiness and a degree of relief that the day was finally––even after everything that had happened––here.
And then the bridal party came.
Benny and Carson together, the only men, linkin’ arms and beamin’ like proud fathers.
Rainbow, then Tayline, walking to the rhythm of “The One” by Kodaline as Lion strummed it on his guitar, accompanied by Eugene who played on a giant piano that’d been a pain in the ass to drag out on the grass.
Then Harleigh Rose in all her glory wearin’ a black dress with her yellow hair flowin’ down her back.
Loulou came next, her cloud of moonshine waves like a halo as she glided toward us; her face serene and so beautiful it made my heart ache to think Z was missin’ out on the sight of her like that.
The song changed to “Love Me Tender” by Elvis, and I swallowed thickly as I spotted a flash of white through the trees, and Cressida rounded the corner.
My nose itched with the burn of tears as I looked at her, alone and proud, gorgeous in a way that literally shook me, my hands tremblin’.
She was a fairy tale come to life or like somethin’ out of a dream. The dress was sorta sheer, highlighting the movement of her sweet form through the webbing of lace, and it hung over her shoulders precariously like one puff of wind would expose her. With all’a her hair done in a fancy mass of waves and braids and her heartstoppin’ face done up just enough to make her eyes fuckin’ glow and her mouth a deep, crushed berry colour that begged tastin’, I didn’t think I’d ever see anything or anyone more beautiful.
Struck by her, quaked by the force of love that moved through me and fucked my equilibrium, I was unprepared for the playful wink she shot me as she drew close.
Laughter bubbled up through the fault lines and erupted. I laughed long and low as she grinned at me and started to walk up the steps, only, I decided as she did that I didn’t want to wait one more fuckin’ second to hold her. So I lunged forward and took her arm as she climbed the last stair. Surprised, she paused and tipped her head to look up at me, then lost her train of thought to something she found in my face.
So we stared at each other, suspended on the edge of the stage, locked in each other’s gaze.
“Knew the moment I saw you across Mac’s Grocer parking lot you were the one for me,” I whispered just for her. “Knew it like you were made from me, for me, and you were just slottin’ back into place inside me. Adam’s rib returned to him.”
Those huge whiskey eyes warmed and went wet as she stared up at me with that expression I lived for, that one that said I was her hero and her fuckin’ haven, her bad boy with a good heart that beat just for her.
“I can hardly breathe for loving you right now,” she admitted.
“It’d be a shame if you died on our weddin’ day,” I joked, but I felt the same.
My heart beatin’ too fast and too hard in my chest as if it was tryin’ to break free to get to her.
“If you could tear your eyes away from each other for one fuckin’ moment, Priest could marry ya,” Nova called out, and a ripple of laughter worked through the crowd.
Cress blushed, the dusky rose sweeping over her cheeks and chest so that I just had to reach out and feel it under my fingers before I tucked her into my arm and led her to Priest.
It shocked us both, I think, when we turned to look at the man who would marry us, an ordained minister despite his detestation of religion, and found him smiling.