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Chapter 51
Phin
Today was a beautiful December day with a slight breeze reminding us of the time of year. I stood anxiously waiting for Lizzie under the covered floral pergola by the pool. Duke gave me a quiet smile, and his meaty paw rested on my shoulder.
"You ready, kid."
"Yep, tired of waiting." I was bouncing on the balls of my feet, unable to stand still.
Everyone was sitting and quietly chatting as I stood trying to stop sweating in anticipation. I was looking for my parents but hadn't seen them; finally, I saw some movement through the glare. My mother was pushing my father in his wheelchair out toward the back of the seats. His nurse was close by; they sat and smiled up at me. The drugs and rest must have helped him because he looked better than he had earlier this morning. I knew he wouldn't make it to dinner but was glad they both could share the most important day of my life.
The hush spread across the crowd as I looked toward the doorway where Lizzie finally came into view. The sight of her took my breath away; I thought I might faint. She was a vision; all I could do was smile at her. Everyone else had faded away, and it was just Lizzie and me at this moment. She was the only one who ever saw me when the rest of the world considered me invisible. I wanted to get this over with, so we could start our life together. I felt my face cramping up from smiling, but I couldn't help it. She was taking forever to get to me. I couldn't stand still.
Duke knew I might embarrass myself by picking her up and carrying her to the end of the aisle, so he squeezed my shoulder to calm me down. She finally arrived, and her dad handed her over to me. The minister cleared his throat and began to perform the traditional part of the ceremony. He asked if anyone objected to our union and then he instructed our nearest and dearest we'd be saying our vows.
"Phineas, please begin your vows to Elizabeth."
All of a sudden, my mouth was as dry as the Sahara Desert. I wasn't nervous about marrying Lizzie; I'd thought about this for a long time, but my mouth and brain were short-circuiting. Now staring at Lizzie, I noticed the lone tear running down her cheek. Letting go of her hand, I cupped her face and pushed it away with my thumb as her smile spread even wider. Her tear was all I needed to remind me what I needed to say to her.
"Dearest Elizabeth, I never thought I'd find a home for myself or my heart. Lizzie, the day you walked into the coffee shop with your busted iPhone swearing like a sailor on leave—" The guests all twittered with laughter. "You took my heart and even when I tried to hide it from you, you always had it. All I can ask is, please let me take care of you, cherish you, love you, and let me clean the house when you don't."
I could hear the guests snickering, but her tearful, happy smile spurred me on.
"I will always be here for you for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, and loving you and our family every day until I take my last breath."
I saw Lizzie's tear-stained cheeks, but she'd never looked more stunning.
"Do you take me to be your partner in life forever?" Now I just needed to wait for her answer.
Lizzie
Phin let go of my face when he finished his vows. He took my hands and held them tight, and I hoped he didn't notice mine were a bit sweaty. His vows to me were amazing and heartbreakingly romantic. I am so glad he went first.
"My Phineas Dunbar, you are my best gift, and you know how much I love presents. I had officially given up on finding someone to give my heart to and was looking for a cat to adopt." Another twitter of laughter sprinkled the air. "The day I met you, my heart felt like it knew the minute you touched me. I promise to love you, cherish you, and always keep us organized within an inch of our lives despite my messy house. Most of all, I promise not to poison you with my cooking." I tried to keep it together as my voice caught in my throat. No ugly crying! I wished I could take out my mom's boob hankie, but I didn't want to let go of Phin's hands.
"I promise to give you children that have your eyes, hair, and smile. Most of all, I hope that our children have your generous heart. You have shown me that despite your history you can forgive and love those who might not deserve it." I almost looked back at his parents, but I knew I didn't need to; my words had made my point.
"Your generosity of love and life will astound me until I leave this planet. I love you more than I could ever show or tell you. Let me vow today to live my life to try."
Phin kissed me, despite the minister not proclaiming us husband and wife yet.
The minister cleared his throat, instructing each of us to put on the wedding rings. "By the power vested in me, I proclaim you are now husband and wife. May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Phineas Edward Dunbar. You may now kiss the bride."
Phin took me in his arms, and his lips hit mine with determination and passion. His kiss let the world know I am his now and forever. Despite our audience, this is our moment. My hands went up into his hair, and he pulled my waist closer to his groin as we savored each other's taste. He finally let me go when several people made whooping noises.
When I pulled back and looked at him, he was smiling, and his dimple was in full bloom. I would have passed out right then if he weren't holding me up. We both stood and looked at our nearest and dearest before we walked forward as husband and wife. I noticed Phin's gaze, and he was staring at his parents who sat in the back smiling and crying. Phin waved his free hand and squeezed mine harder as I mirrored his wave.
"Come on, Mrs. Dunbar, let's party so we can get out of here and start our honeymoon." He pulled me by the hand down the aisle, and everyone clapped as we walked back into the house.
"First things first, I need some caffeine and some chocolate."
