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“Time to go,” Christopher says as he hands Normie back to a relative. I take a deep breath and nod, hoping that I look more composed than I feel.
My best friend and I stand under a white lattice arch that’s bedecked with flowers. The crowd goes silent as everyone takes their seats. Christopher and I exchange glances, nod, and smile at each other. Then, the keyboardist begins to play the wedding march, and our brides appear.
I gasp under my breath the moment I see Kara, and I hear Chris do the same when he lays eyes on Bailey. The two girls look so beautiful in their wedding gowns as they move down the aisle together. Bailey is wearing a white, long-sleeved dress that highlights her dark curls. It’s Kara, however, whom I can’t tear my eyes away from. Her dress is simple and elegant, form-fitting, with a train that trails delicately behind her. Her blonde hair is arranged in a simple twist, allowing the pearl earrings I bought her a few months ago to shine. In her hands she carries a bouquet of white and blue flowers that complement the blue of her eyes.
“Holy shit,” Christopher whispers beside me, no doubt breathtaken with his bride, and I murmur my assent. We are two very lucky sons of bitches.
When they reach us, Bailey and Kara hug each other tightly, each woman’s joyful tears mingling with the other’s. Then, Bailey stands at Christopher’s side, and Kara comes to mine.
“Hi,” she murmurs shyly, looking at me under her long lashes.
“Hi, beautiful,” I whisper back. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
The minister leads us through the traditional phrases and formalities, but all I can do is stare at Kara. She’s always gorgeous, but today, even more so. She shines like a star, gleaming with radiance and beauty. Happy tears fill her eyes and every now and then, she looks at me with a loving smile. I can’t begin to fathom how lucky I am to have her, and how lucky I am that she re-entered my life. Not only that, but she brought with her our beautiful, perfect Rosie. I don’t know what I did to deserve such bliss, but I’ll never take it for granted again.
We all wrote our own vows. Bailey and Christopher exchange theirs, and I do my best to keep from weeping openly, like the sap Christopher accused me of being. I always knew that my incredible daughter would marry an incredible man, and the fact that she’s marrying my best friend proves it. Then, they turn to face Kara and I, smiling expectantly.
I take a deep breath as I withdraw a piece of paper from my inside jacket pocket.
“Kara,” I begin, staring into her innocent blue eyes. “I’ve always been blessed to know what an amazing woman and an amazing friend to my precious daughter you are. I am even more blessed to know now that you are the most amazing mother, and I know you will make the most amazing wife. I promise to take care of you, and Rosie, and any future children we may have, until I draw my last breath. And for the record, I hope we have a lot of future children.” The crowd laughs while Kara giggles softly, wiping her tears away. “I promise to love, protect, and cherish you and our family, forever. Thank you for being my best friend. I love you.”
A collective “aww” rises from our family and friends as I take Kara’s hand and press my lips to her knuckles. I’m not a particularly eloquent man, but I meant every word.
Then, my gorgeous bride takes a deep breath. She worked hard at memorizing her vows, murmuring at herself in the mirror for weeks when she thought I wasn’t listening.
“Richard,” she begins, laughing as I cock my head at my full name. “You have always been my hero. I have looked up to you since the day I met you many, many years ago. Even when I was a little girl, I looked up to you and loved you. You are strong, selfless, kind, funny, and brave, and anyone who knows you would say the same thing. You work so hard saving lives at the hospital, and improve all the lives you come across, just by being yourself.”
She pauses to collect herself, pressing a shaky finger to her smiling mouth. “I know you will raise our daughter as beautifully as you raised my best friend, and any child we have will be lucky to have you as a dad. Just like I am lucky to have you as a husband.” She beams at me, and the rest of the world disappears: only Kara remains, beautiful, radiant, and adoring me against all odds. “You are,” she finishes, “my Mr. Right.”
