AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her vows are enunciated slowly and with purpose, and I can’t help but think that perhaps if I were a better person—someone deserving of the love that Iknowshe’s capable of—then this could be real.
“I, Reyna Marquez, take you, Alexander DeMarco, as my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part.”
Reyna blows out a heavy breath and sends me a wobbly smile while a single tear trails down her emotion-stained cheek.
Father Thomas, an old friend from my teen years in the UK, had flown out earlier this week to marry us at the private event that would no longer be taking place later today.
Instead, he’d had a rude wake-up call when Ford had sped to get him from the hotel he was staying at downtown with Liv, Henry, and the boys.
He nods to me now, indicating that it’s my turn. I start out haltingly, but gain confidence as I repeat the words after him.
“I, Alexander DeMarco, t-take you, Reyna Marquez, as m-my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part.”
I look down into Mari’s smiling eyes when Fr. Thomas asks for the rings. I shoot her a wink before pulling the two of them from my jeans pocket.
Fr. Thomas is talking, but my eyes are fixed on Rey, and I hear nothing outside of my own heartbeat as I wait for the moment when I can show her the inscription on her wedding band.
She holds up mine, sliding it onto my ring finger as she repeats the words after Fr. Thomas.
Before I do the same, I hold her wedding band up, showing her the engraving on the inside that reads:
I’ve got you, Sunshine.
Her eyes sparkle with tears, piercing mine, as Penelope, our witness, sobs quietly at the foot of the bed beside Fr. T. I repeat the same words as Rey did previously before easily sliding the band onto her ring finger.
My eyes meet Rey’s as she lifts her gaze from the shining band on her left hand. Her face is puffy, red, and tear stained. Her emotions, her easy display of love, grief, loss, and hope—ofeverything—I’m enraptured by it.
I’m enraptured byher.
“You may kiss the bride.”
Fr. T’s words have barely left his mouth before we simultaneously close the gap, our lips meeting far too fleetingly before we both pull back. Rey’s eyes flicker open, finding mine for a beat as I feed her as much strength as I can muster.
Mari lightly squeezes my hand, drawing my attention from Rey’s wide brown eyes to hers.
“Mijo.”
A lump in my throat makes breathing damn near impossible, and I clench my jaw so tightly I genuinely fear I’m about to shatter my damn teeth.
Rey chokes on a sob opposite me, and I grip her small hand even more tightly as I bend over Mari. I press a kiss to her cheek and take a moment to whisper in her ear.
“Abuela de mi corazón, por siempre.”
When I straighten, her eyes are shining with joy as they shift from my face to Rey’s.
“I love you,mija.”
Rey releases my hand from hers, dropping onto the bed beside Mari as sobs overtake her small body. Her shoulders heave with the force of her grief while tears crest Mari’s lashes, sliding down each side of her face heedlessly, and I’m helpless in the face of love like I’ve never before experienced.
The love between a parent and their child. Because that’s what Mari is to Reyna.
Her mother.
And all I can do is continue to hold Mari’s hand while rubbing a soothing palm along Rey’s trembling back until she eventually succumbs to an uneasy rest.
Mari drifts off to sleep, her right hand somehow finding its way up to rest atop Rey’s head.
At some point, Fr. T and Penelope leave us, and several caretakers take their place as non-invasively as possible.
