And yet, when Laiken looks at me, nothing about what we’re doing feels simple at all. Instead, it feels steady. Intentional. Like the beginning of something solid that’s meant to last. A foundation we can build upon instead of a moment meant to impress.
I’ve always imagined marriage as a vow made before friends and family that comes after years of knowing someone you have shared memories with. A future mapped out in advance, built on plans and promises made long before a ring is ever slipped onto a finger.
That’s not what this is.
It’s a leap of faith taken in the middle of uncertainty. We’re choosing each other without guarantees, and deciding that partnership matters more than perfect timing. I’ve realized that safety doesn’t always come from waiting until everything is certain.
I have no idea what the road ahead looks like. All I know is that whatever this is with Laiken feels right.
For the first time in my life, that’s enough to risk taking a chance on.
Laiken slides the ring onto my finger, and the sensation sends a shiver through me as the cool metal settles against my skin.
It’s not flashy or extravagant, but I wouldn’t have wanted it to be.
It’s a quiet promise. One I can feel with every small movement of my hand. It’s a reminder that this is something we’re stepping into together, fully aware of both the risk and reward. As my fingers curl reflexively, the ring banded around it feels less like an ornament and more like a beginning.
“You may kiss the bride,” the judge says.
Laiken leans in until his lips brush mine before deepening it just a fraction.
“All right,” Oliver grumbles. “That’s enough of that.”
Rina elbows him in the side as she sniffles. “Shush. Let them have their moment.”
Elody claps and cheers. My lips curve as I laugh against Laiken’s mouth.
Once we make our way outside, sunlight spills over us as Rina snaps pictures on the courthouse steps, her voice filled with happiness as she tells us to hold still, smile, and look at each other. With everything else racing through my mind, I hadn’t even thought to take photos or capture the moment. I’m glad she’s here to do it for us.
Cars rush past on the street below as someone nearby laughs. Life continues exactly as it did five minutes ago. And yet everything feels different.
Elody wedges herself between Laiken and me as a woman waiting on the steps glances our way. Her gaze lingers as she observes the three of us together, and it hits me that we must look like a family.
Laiken’s hand settles at the small of my back as Elody slips her hand into mine, swinging it while we head toward the sidewalk. The simple, ordinary gesture fills me with contentment.
“We did it,” I whisper, the words strange on my tongue. “We’re married.”
Laiken looks at me, raw emotion flooding his eyes. “Yeah,” he agrees. “We did. You’re my wife now.”
The words burrow deep, anchoring themselves inside me.
I expected the paperwork, logistics, and the legal finality of it all.
What I didn’t expect was for this to feel like a promise or the beginning of something I’m no longer afraid to want.
36
Laiken
We drop Elody off at her grandparents’ place before heading back to the penthouse. Right before we left, she jumped into Kia’s arms and gave her a giant hug. Elody has always been a friendly child by nature, but seeing her take to Kia so quickly and watching the relationship they’re building day by day makes a lump form in the middle of my throat. Kia is so patient with my little girl. And that means everything.
The drive home passes by in silence. It’s not awkward but more thoughtful in nature. It’s the kind of quiet that happens when two people understand the magnitude of what they’ve just promised.
Was getting married so suddenly spontaneous?
Probably.
Do I regret it?
