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“I think that can be arranged,” Lydia said with a grin.
Margot opened a large black velvet box, and she held it in a way that displayed the beautiful pink gemstones inside.
“Our family is welcoming a rare gem today,” she started with a comment that I remembered John using when he clasped this same necklace around my neck. “Do you remember this?” she asked, her hazel eyes igniting with adoration as John’s had when he put the string of rare stones on me.
I nodded and returned her lovely smile. “Yes, this is the necklace I wore the night I first met all of you.”
“Indeed,” she held her perfect properness. “And the stones? Did John ever inform you of how very rare they are?”
“He did.”
She glanced down at the pink stones and then at my mother, “They’re Padparadscha sapphires.”
“Very nice,” my mother held up her protective front.
“I haven’t had a chance to apologize to you for the egregious way I treated your lovely daughter in Monaco. I can see you are hesitant of me.”
God, I don’t need this shit, I thought. John’s mom was a direct woman, shooting straight to the point and bringing up the past right before my wedding to her son. I didn’t need my mother, who also didn’t mince words, locking horns with Margot. To be honest, as much of a raging bitch as John’s mom could be, I’d put my money on my mother to win that fight all day long. She dealt with hundreds of rascally school kids for a living, for Christ’s sake, and nothing is more terrifying than that.
I just wished this conversation could happen after the wedding reception and the champagne, the toasts, and the pictures before he and I disappeared for two weeks on our honeymoon that John had secretly planned. Just as long as I didn’t bear witness to it.
“I appreciate you acknowledging that,” my mother returned with as much formality as John’s mom.
“I want all of you to know,” her eyes fell on me, “especially you, my dear, that you are rarer than these stones. We know we were not warm and welcoming the first time, but we have been through so much pain since we first met, and we’ve learned that, in life, all that matters are the things that provide happiness. True happiness. And we see you’ve provided that for our son where we failed. I hope you will receive this necklace as a humble gift of love and gratitude.”
“That’s quite a large gift,” I smiled, not knowing how to receive this.
“You are a gift to us. This is nothing compared to how grateful we are that John has found love with you.”
“Thank you,” I said, a bit overwhelmed by what Margot was saying. “I’ll accept it under one condition.”
“Of course,” she nodded.
“After our wedding, you will keep them in your safe or wherever because I’m honestly a bit intimidated by them.”
She chuckled. “John brought us to the home you’ve purchased, and I can’t say I’m surprised,” she exhaled. “I understand why you believe having these gemstones in your jewelry box might be slightly out of place.”
I saw my mom roll her eyes from where she stood behind Margot as I smiled in response. Good grief. I could only imagine the snark I was in for as part of this family.
“Just a little bit,” I chuckled. “Thank you, they are beautiful.”
I hugged Margot, and then she stepped aside so we could all look at my reflection in the mirror. As I stood there, all my concerns faded about future in-laws and how anyone felt about John and I marrying today and beginning our lives together. In about thirty minutes, I would be John’s, and he would be mine for the rest of our lives.
John
I stood next to the reverend we’d hired to perform the ceremony and spied my parents and Mark, seated in white chairs across the aisle from where Mickie’s mom sat with Lydia in the row in front of our friends. There weren’t many people in attendance, but what each person meant to us was monumental.
I chose not to have my brother stand up with me as a best man because I wanted to receive my beautiful bride standing here alone, as a strong man who was not dependent on anyone as I made this profound step into my future.
Honestly, if it were up to me, we’d be doing this in front of a judge. I didn’t need any moral or emotional support to marry this woman—not anymore, anyway. What I loved the most about all the bad that’d happened to separate Mickie and me all those months was how much I’d grown emotionally from it. With any luck, we’d gotten any stupid and immature shit out of our way.
My mind snapped to attention once the violinist began to play a soft tune, announcing the arrival of my beautiful bride, walking with her hand clasped into the bend of her dad’s arm.
I could hardly breathe as I looked at her. The angel walking on the rose-petal-covered path down to me immediately outshined the ocean that sparkled with the orange glitter of the sun dancing on the waves.
Her tall and perfect body was the most desirous image my eyes had ever fallen on. Her eyes sparkled with the same beauty of the gems my mother insisted upon giving her, laying perfectly on her neck.
I felt a wave of emotions, knowing I didn’t deserve this goddess. I thought I was humbled before, but my God. How was the woman of my dreams walking toward me in the most beautiful setting imaginable?
