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Aldric, however, was eager to get some private time with me any chance he got, even if it was just to go on a walk down the beach. I don’t think I had ever been as happy as I was there.
The wedding ceremony was simple, my dress was a satin, lace-trimmed white sundress. It could have been more; it easily could have been as extravagant as my ring was. I wanted something simple for this celebration, and the location was perfect.
During the reception, we would invite the entire village, but the exchange of our vows was just family, despite how large the family was. I walked down the aisle holding Ciro’s hand, someone who was still young enough to be a ring bearer at eight years old. Ciro wanted to give me away and be included in the ceremony. He walked with a straight back and a face of an angel.
He was so proud, and my fingers squeezed his happily as he dropped away from my side to stand beside Aldric in his best man’s position. I smiled softly, they had become so important to each other.
A hush gathered over the crowd as the music stopped and my world narrowed in on the man standing in front of me. Dappled sunlight, tinted the smallest bit of green of the orange tree leaves, fell across his face. He smiled at me, bolstering my confidence in a decision I felt was perfect. Words were spoken but I didn’t hear any of it until Aldric said his vows.
“You, Roseline, are my love, my partner, and my home. No matter where we go, with you beside me, I know what it feels like to belong. Something I have wanted for so long. You lift my spirits, warm my soul, and together we are eternity,” he spoke softly, slipping the ring onto my finger.
I shivered, my voice failed me and before I could find my words, I squeaked out a breath instead. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I refused to let them, instead, I pushed through it.
“Aldric, you have taught me family can be more than just Ciro and I. You have taught me love and acceptance. You have taught me there is something beyond struggle, that there is happiness. I vow to be with you, and you with me for the rest of our lives,” I swallowed thickly as I slid his ring onto his finger as well.
When we were pronounced man as wife, the kiss felt electric, like it was our first all over again. I didn’t even hear the applause or the music until we finally separated. He cupped my cheeks, rubbing his thumbs along the apples of them before he pressed the lightest kiss against the bridge of my nose.
He eventually turned and grabbed my hand to lead me down the aisle, taking his place by my side forever.
The reception was breathtaking, going from the back veranda and spilling out to the orchard. Twinkling fairy lights were weaved between each tree joining tree after tree and expanding deep into the orchard. The branches joined bunched flowers which perfumed the air with soft floral tones.
The veranda was filled with lots of wine and deliciously expensive food, paired with happy smiling faces I didn’t know but loved all the same. They welcomed me as they welcomed long-lost family. Not even Aldric knew all of them, but he laughed more than I’d seen him do in a long time.
The music was loud, and I think I danced with more people than I could remember. I danced until my feet ached even after I ditched my heels. Pictures were taken of everyone, even of the villagers and I don’t think my smile disappeared once. My cheeks hurt just as much as my feet.
“You look happy,” Aldric said quietly as he joined me on the sidelines, where I rubbed my arches.
“I am. I don’t even think I was this happy when I first held Ciro,” I breathed out an awed sigh. “I feel like my little family is finally complete.” I looked up at my newly named husband as he pulled up a chair next to me and his hands took over rubbing deeply into the arch in a way I couldn’t.
I didn’t complain. “I feel like I’ve found everything I’ve been looking for in my life,” he said, rolling his thumb over a particularly tender spot in my heel and smirking when I yelped. “Not so hard,” I hissed under my breath.
He laughed, I wished at that moment that he would never stop smiling, never stop laughing. That he would always be happy. That I could always make him happy.
A few months later his smile would put the one he wore during our marriage celebration to shame. We hadn’t necessarily been trying but I was late, my period hadn’t come at all that month, and it was strange, usually, I was right on time. So, I did the thing that most people did in that situation. I took a test. I stared at the two pink lines with a watery smile. Though we hadn’t been trying I knew I wanted this baby.
I walked out to where Aldric sat, his forearms on his knees and fingers steepled as he stared down at his shoes. His foot jiggled anxiously but when he heard the bathroom door click shut behind me, he looked up instantly.
His eyes jumped from my expression to the white plastic stick in my hand, then back again. His eyebrows raised in a silent question, and I nodded. “Really?” he whispered hoarsely, excitement radiating from his body.“Yeah,” I breathed.
He stood up so quickly he moved our king-sized bed and then he cleared the massive bedroom in three strides and picked me up, only to twirl me around. I squealed, and he kissed me over and over, all around my face, on my lips, and down my neck. He laughed, his smile incredulous and ridiculously wide.
“You happy?” I asked.
“So much so,” he murmured, holding me against him as he breathed in my scent.
“How will we tell Ciro?” I questioned.
“Tell me what?” our son asked as he came into the room, a crayon in his hand while he tilted his head. I glanced at Aldric nervously before I sighed and brought Ciro close to me.
“You are going to be a big brother,” I said without any preamble. There was a moment of silence as he considered the words, likely processing them. Though Aldric and I tensed the longer it went on, eventually Ciro smiled and bounced on his feet.
“You mean I’m getting a little brother or a sister!?” he chattered excitedly.
I nodded, “One of those.”
He giggled, “Wait, but how?” His smile dropped as he wondered about how this had all come about so suddenly and Aldric burst out laughing. The next hour we spent answering why’s and how’s from an eight-year-old all based on my early pregnancy. Explaining to a young boy about life was a minefield and I never wanted to do it again.
However even as I panicked and tried to avoid certain parts of the conversation, I watched Aldric over the top of Ciro’s head. His face had softened and when he looked at me, he practically glowed with pride and affection. He occasionally got a faraway look in his eyes as if he were imagining the future.
