The off-the-shoulder cape sleeves of her dress are studded with small pearls and crystals that sparkle in the candlelight, along with the pistils in the center of the pearl flowers on the bodice.
When she brushes her long, honeyed waves over her shoulders, my chest squeezes at the sight of the gold, pearl hoops I bought her. They match the slim pearl and crystal star headband, holding her hair back from her face.
My God, she is fucking divine.
Eli’s been right all along. Finleyisan angel.
“Okay, so, here’s your girl,” Christina says, her voice shaky with the tears that glitter in her eyes when she puts one of Fin’s hands in mine and the other in Eli’s. “I know you’ve already been through a lot, and I don’t need to say this. But she’s not just my best friend, Fin’s the sister I never had, and life never goes how we anticipate it… So, even when it gets really freaking hard, be good to her. Just… like… love her harder, okay?”
“Always.” I nod while Eli promises her, “Forever.”
“Okay. Because if you hurt her, I will be here forever to bury your asses.”
Finley laughs at Christina’s teary threat as she rounds us to stand with our family, patting her thigh for Blanca to follow her.
“You look beautiful,” Eli tells Fin, tugging her closer to us so that we’re in a huddle.
“Like a goddess,” I say with a kiss to her cheek.
Her fingers twist with mine, bringing our palms together the same way mine and Eli’s hands are wrapped around each other.
“Oh, God, I missed you guys so much,” she says, burrowing deeper into Eli and me.
It feels like an eternity since we had breakfast together this morning, and then she went to spend the day at the spa with the girls in preparation for this evening. Especially since we’ve spent every second of every day glued to each other since the end of the post-season and all the Playoffs celebrations.
I can’t wait to leave for Europe tomorrow for our month-long vacation before training camp begins. It’s going to be just the three of us, exploring the world and each other.
Heaven.
Wrapping my arm around Fin’s waist, I allow Eli to take his hand back so that he can stand on our girl’s other side when we turn to face our family.
Bibi is already waiting for us with a beaming grin on her face and a small urn of honey cradled between her hands.
“So, you dip your pinkies in the honey, and then you feed it to each other. It’s a symbol of the commitment you are making not to just love and respect each other for the rest of your lives, but also to sustain each other. To make the bitter times sweeter.” Bringing the urn closer, she waits out of reach for us to do as she instructed.
Eli dips his pinky in first, followed by me and Fin, and then, when heoffers me his little finger, I do the same to Fin, and she does the same to him.
The sweetness of the honey is mellowed out by the salty tang of Eli’s skin. It’s such an intimate ritual that I’m glad Bibi suggested doing it now rather than during the handfasting part of the ceremony. It feels too personal to share with everyone.
Handing the urn to Mom, she takes a small bottle from The Sire and spritzes the air around us with rose water before Taylor hands her a mirror that she holds up to us.
“May your future be filled with light and brightness,” she says, leaning forward and placing an almond in each of our hands. Gesturing for us to eat, she adds in a quieter tone, “And many, many babies to fill your big, beautiful home.”
Happiness exudes from her when she turns to face the rest of the family. Wendy, Momma, and Dad are lighting a stick of incense for what Bibi says is to ward off evil and keep negativity away.
“Okay, everyone, we can continue with the rest of the ceremony.” Bibi claps her hands for everyone to get into position for the rest of the procession, and as they disappear through the path woven between the trees, there’s nothing but the rustle of the leaves in the evening breeze.
There’s nothing but peace when Fin’s hand slips into mine, still a little sticky from the honey, and Eli asks, “Ready to make itreallyofficial?”
“So freaking ready,” Fin replies, holding our hands tighter as she pulls us in closer to her side.
Glancing across the top of our girl’s head to his waiting smile, I take the first step forward with a resounding, “Hell, yeah.”
