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She doesn’t look that different today. She wears dresses like this a lot, she wears her hair up like this a lot, her makeup is basic. But today she becomes my wife.
I didn’t expect that to feel so different. So big.
But it does.
In this moment I’m glad I waited.
I also know if I said that to Dani, she’d understand.
Things between us haven’t technically changed that much since the night Michael proposed. They haven’t changed since the night Nathan decided he wanted to propose. They haven’t changed that much since the night I explained that I wasn’t ready.
I could’ve proposed that night, and married Dani the same day Nathan and Michael did. Our life wouldn’t look different. Our relationship and commitment to one another would be essentially the same.
But this feels better. It feels more serious. I’ve had time to really think about it. I’ve seen all of the off-ramps. All of the ways out. I’ve been reassured by everyone who matters to me that if I didn’t do this, I would still be loved, and the rest of my life would still be the same.
I’ve chosen this.
I’m here today with her because we’ve had the time, gone through the emotions, waded through all of our options.
She’s had the chance to see what her life would be like without me.
And it would be pretty damned great, let’s be honest.
But she still wants me too.
So we’ve chosen this.
When we make these promises to each other today, we’ll both know it’s not because we have to, but because we truly want to.
"Oh my God, this is so fun," she tells me as I help her up into the hot air balloon.
The guy who’s going to be running it for us is the only other person in this basket.
We have two balloons. Both will go several feet up in the air but will stay tethered to the ground. We’ll float there for a few minutes, do our vows and everything, and then come back down.
The other basket will hold Michael, Nathan, and our officiant.
They’re our witnesses, but they’re also the only other people that need to be right in the moment with us.
The rest of the day, however, will be a huge, hilarious, super fun, carnival/over-the-top block party shared with everyone we love.
Our families are here, the entire Racketeers team, including all the behind the scene staff is here, and our whole neighborhood was invited.
By now, they’re used to the antics at the Armstrong–Hughes–McNeill house, so everyone turned out, even those who still give us a bit of a side eye.
We figure the kids will be way too busy with the Ferris wheel and the games and the junk food to even ask their parents what this party is all about. No one‘s going to have to explain how Mrs. Armstrong just got herself another husband.
Once everyone is in the balloons, the operators start lifting us into the air.
I pulled Dani up against my body, nuzzling my face against her neck.
"You used the body spray," I say against her neck. My dick is hardening and I’m going to either throw my new wife over my shoulder and head upstairs for a few minutes after this–which, come to think of it, is a fantastic idea–or I need to keep my hands to myself.
But that’s not going to happen.
"Of course," she tells me, running her fingers through my hair. "My husband-to-be gave me a gift this morning. I had to use it."
I’d found the cotton candy scented body spray online and ordered it immediately.
