Page 100 of Surrender to Love

“She’s coming,” she utters.

Seconds later, soft music comes through the sound system and my pretty little niece steps onto the end of the aisle. She truly looks like a princess in her lavender dress. The bottom looks like large rosebuds and the same lavender rosebuds are in her hair.

“She’s so pretty,” Quintus utters proudly over the oohs and ahhs of the crowd.

Taking her job very seriously, Niya steps down the aisle on beat. She reaches into her basket and tosses the first round of petals out so high they fly everywhere. Laughter fills the air as she continues to throw them that same dramatic way until she reaches her mother.

“I did it right, Mommie?” she asks Mireya.

“You did. It was perfect,” Reya says in a lower tone than my excited niece.

The song changes again and I take another deep breath to calm my damn pounding heart and nerves, clasp my hands together, and stare at the door for her. When the wedding planner opens the door and steps off to the side, my breath hitches again in anticipation, but nothing, absolutely nothing could prepare me for the vision in white that steps out. My rapidly beating heart and lungs seem to stop working and I freeze in awe. My baby has never looked as beautiful as she does now and the best part is she’s all mine and coming to me.

“Damn,” I mutter. Well, I thought I muttered it but from the reactions of my brothers and her friends and the spread of her smile on her perfect face, I was loud as hell. “Wow!”

She’s a vision in white.

Stunning.

Absolutely gorgeous…

And all mine.

I inhale and exhale, trying to calm my anxiousness and control my emotions. It doesn’t work though because with each step she takes, I feel something bubbling inside me.

She’s getting closer to becoming my wife and I’m the luckiest and happiest man in the world.

She smiles again and my emotions release via tears as I quickly wipe my eyes. She sees me though, and seconds later, she lifts her hand under her veil and wipes her eyes. When she’s less than ten feet away, more tears fall and Quintus pats my back.

“I’m good,” I whisper. She’s almost here.

The last few steps seem to take forever though and I’m getting anxious as hell. I can’t wait anymore. My feet move before I give it a second thought, I step toward her, and the pastor clears his throat. I don’t give a damn because I’m ready to marry my baby.

“I was coming to you,” she whispers, then smiles when I’m in front of her.

“I couldn’t wait,” I admit and lift her veil. “You look beautiful, baby. I’m so fucking lucky.”

As she wipes my cheeks with her white handkerchief, she says, “And you look so handsome.” After carefully wiping her eyes, she exhales then asks, “Are you ready to go up there now?” She motions her head toward the altar.

“After I do this.”

I step closer, removing the little space between us, then thumb her tears away. She smiles and I can’t help it. My lips press into hers and I kiss her lovingly. She kisses me back and we get lost in each other. All thoughts of order, the pastor, and even our family and friends leave my mind. It’s just me and her; the only thing that really matters.

“God, I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says, then returns her lips to mine.

“Mm mm mm aht mm,” the pastor says loudly but we ignore him. “You need to say your vows first.”

EPILOGUE

about nine months later

“Baby, a purple sweater? That’s too much,” I say as I walk into the living room.

“How? It’s the end of November and cold outside. My baby is not going to get sick in this weather. What kind of mother would I be? And I would hope his father would feel the same way,” Kyrah fires back. “Did you grab his bag? I need to add another blanket.”

“Does the sweater have to be purple?” I ask.