Then there was Calan at the front next to Travis. Travis was best man and officiant.
Calan’s cerulean blue eyes tracked me like a laser beam, and I could see an excitable expression there just under the surface as if he could barely contain himself at seeing me. My cheeks heated up. His dark hair was lightly gelled but a curl escaped and hung in his forehead. The smile on his face reminded me of a little boy’s on Christmas day.
To my absolute surprise, the plaid monstrosity he’d planned to wear was nowhere in sight. Instead, he filled out an expensive-looking navy suit that was tailored to fit him like a glove. Despite being surrounded by friends and family, lust-fueled thoughts flashed through my mind at how I wanted to rumple up his perfection. Based on how his eyes darkened when he saw me, he’d likely guessed my thoughts.
Later, his eyes promised.
For a split second, I imagined I had hallucinated all this. But I was always meant to end up here, walking toward Calan no matter what happened. The doubts we had about our place in this world and with each other were laughable now as hindsight cleared my vision to bring into focus Calan’s handsome, smiling face. My heart overflowed with love for this man who was my world. He was my hope and every fantasy.
It was strangely appropriate to be surrounding by all the people who had influenced our lives for better or worse over the years. Though the five Orders were a bunch of pains in the asses, at the end of the day they were all just people trying to fight for what they thought was good and right. They were all so human to me as I passed by them step by step.
When I got to the front, Travis motioned for everyone to sit again.
Travis speech "Most of us are here because we have been entwined with Emma and Calan in some really messed up ways.”
Calan made a pained expression while I suppressed a smile. I couldn’t fault Travis for saying out loud what I’d been thinking as I passed through the crowd.
Travis went on. “They are both part of a prophecy. The Chevalier, a divine Knight of the Light, would find and protect the Propheros, the truth seer. He would protect her up until she would have to sacrifice to the keep the darkness from coming, like a virgin to a volcano.” He paused. “That’s some heavy shit man.”
Whispers mingled along with snickers and uneasy shifting of the guests. I tossed back a look at Krystan who sent me a reassuring smile. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to tell me this got better or if she thought he was killing it.
Travis had been there from the beginning of our relationship, and it felt fitting to have him be at the forefront of solidifying our union. Now I wasn’t so sure of my decision. Had I chosen him just to spite Regina? I couldn’t remember now...
Travis’ smile was way too big and proud as he read from a small notebook. “We need to ask ourselves is it fate or destiny that brought us to this day? Fate is an interesting word. I know because I looked it up. It means a pre-determined course of events will occur either because of your actions or in spite of them. The prophecy I read that one time when I was a naughty boy and helped Calan break in the Luxis’s reading room.” His eyes sparkled even as they landed on Ylang and Violetta who were back to their usual frowns. “It claims Emma and Calan were always fated to meet so he could protect her. But I don’t think Emma and Calan are fated for each other.” Travis dropped the paper he was reading from to look past us into the crowd.
“I think they were destined for each other. Destiny is the predetermined events that we have a hand in shaping. And while most people want to make the world into black or white, good or bad, power or weakness, Emma and Calan have always chosen to see beyond those limitations to shape their destiny. You give them option A and B and they magically create C together.
“I used to think things only ever happenedtous, but Emma and Calan have proved time and time again, things can happenforus if it we view it that way. When we follow our hearts, allow ourselves to tap into our own wisdom and limitlessness, face the hard shit that comes with such a righteously bold path, the way strengthens us, so we can love more, take better care of the world.”
Where the hell had all this come from? My breath caught as his words resonated throughout my entire body, goosebumps rising on my arms. Guests leaned ever so slightly forward in their chairs; Travis holding their attention captive.
Travis lowered his voice and even the cicadas in the bushes hushed as if listening hard to what he was saying. “Emma and Calan, the most radical love story any of us will ever witness. They were fated to meet, but they make their own destiny.” Then pumping his fists in the air, he yelled, “No fate but what we make.”
My snort giggle took me by surprise. Leave it to Travis to slip a Terminator reference in. Calan was shaking his head, but a smile tugged on his lips.
We slipped rings on one another’s fingers, and Calan kissed me, making me his wife. Maybe Regina was right to push so hard for perfection, because I would never forget the way I felt here in this moment with my now-husband.
“And now,” Travis raised our joined hands. “Righteous dudes and dudettes.”
I could tell he threw that one in to deliberately antagonize the old fogeys present. Based on the nose wrinkles, Travis hit it right on the mark.
“Now we party!”
14
The wedding feast was in full swing. When Ylang got up on the dance floor for the Cha cha slide, I had to ask Calan if we had been transported back to the Stygian. He managed to catch on quickly. Jo spent most of his night trying to hit on Astrid who continued to stare at him with a stony expression. Poor girl, didn’t she know that would only encourage him?
When it came time to cut the cake, I honestly didn’t even know which one Regina had decided on in the end. A three-tiered white cake elaborately adorned in ombre purple roses and butterflies had me worried they would fly right in my face. It wasn’t the simple white cake with roses on a wood slice that I had meekly mentioned I’d prefer, but as Calan’s strong grip guided my hand to slice through the confection, chocolate assailed the air.
Regina may have taken over the presentation but kept true to my flavor requests. I was a happy bride. As I shoveled chocolate fudge cake with ganache into my mouth, I honestly couldn’t even be upset about the whimsical presentation.
Krystan passed off the baby to Travis so she could grab my hand and drag me onto the dance floor when her favorite song came on. She rocked back and forth on her heels, still trying to take it somewhat easy after giving birth to another human being. Then Krystan bullied the DJ into playing a Metallica song, though he tried to tell her that wasn’t exactly wedding music. Travis joined us on the dancefloor leaving the bean under the care of Regina.
I stole away to talk to Regina while Krystan and Travis started openly making out on the dancefloor, grossing out several nearby dancers.
I touched her shoulder. “Regina, this wedding is incredible. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done.”
She looked down at the baby as if it was too much for her meet my eyes, but she reached out a hand and grasped my wrist. “I am so glad to have you and Calan in my life. You can’t know what it is like to go through the world without your child and then end up getting your son back and gaining a such a wonderful daughter.”
