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I chuckle. “Your dad said the same thing.”
He narrows his eyes on me before stuffing his hands in his pockets. “You look like you’re going to cry.”
“Rib me for it all you want, mate.”
I see a small smirk slant his mouth before he pulls his hands back out and awkwardly offers me a handkerchief. “It was one of Pap’s,” he explains, shrugging.
I stare down at it, at the gesture. “Thank you, Ellis.”
He takes Sammy from me, tipping his chin as he steps away. “You’re still a pussy.”
I snigger and pocket the handkerchief.
And then I make my way toward the people waiting at the lakefront.
To Elliot, and Charlie, and my mum and sisters.
To Vinny, and Stan, and Ellis, and Sammy, and Ralph.
It’s not a lot of people, but it’s the only people we care about.
When I reach where my mother sits with my sisters and the children, she stands, stepping forward to hug me.
Without thought, I wrap her up in my arms, taking everything from the moment that I can.
“I’m happy for you, love,” she whispers.
My jaw goes taut as I breathe her in on a deep lungful of air. “Thank you, Mum.”
When I pull back, I look down at my sisters, Chloe and Molly. My eyes burn at the absence of Nessa-Anne, and I hate that part of me for caring.
But fuck her.
I choose to turn toward my family instead.
The people I chose.
And when I do, I’m met with the widest, happiest grins on their faces that I think I’ve ever seen them wear.
“Motherfuckers could have warned me,” I tell them.
Elliot steps forward first, taking my hand and pulling me in for a hug. “Where’s the fun in that, Sullivan?”
I push him back, walking the rest of the way to where Charlie stands beside Stanley Dukes—Vinny’s younger brother—who seems to be holding a book and papers.
“I took it upon myself to be your best man,” Charlie announces. “I didn’t have the stiffest of competition, but I’d like to think I’ve done you proud.”
I tap the bottom of my fist to the centre of his chest. “I’m sure you went beyond expectation, Charles.”
He nods once, a silent, heavy promise he made and kept and keeps.
I turn to Stan, his broad shoulders barely contained in his suit. “Dukes, you look more nervous than me,” I say with an emotion-filled chuckle.
“I have the pleasure of marrying you today,” he explains. “I apologise in advance.”
Everyone laughs.
The string quartet quiets, the song changing. I turn as Elliot moves in front of me, ushering the children into their seats.
