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She nods and brings her stuffed puppy into view. Looks like puppy’s coming to this wedding, too. “Okay, Smalls. I’m turning the phone now, so I won’t see you. Just call out if you want me to come back.”
“Okay!”
“Okay.” I turn the phone as wedding music begins piping through the speakers.
Tink walks in first, much slower and more dignified than the first time, then slowly, with a smile so big I can’t help but smile back, Kit walks in behind her. I turn and watch my brothers; Bobby, then Jon. I watch their eyes as the girls enter. I watch the love they hold for these women.
Despite Jon’s messed up face, there’s no way anyone could accuse him ofnotbeing in love.
I don’t give a shit what he says. I know that his heart beats for that feisty little woman. He’s not ready to admit it yet, but I know what I know. I know he’s in love.
Kit walks the aisle in a cute peach colored dress and her chucks, just like her damn husband, and as she passes near us, she stops and shamelessly lays an indecent kiss on his lips.
With a wolfish smile and gleam in his eyes, he slaps her ass and shuffles her along.
And mom rolls her eyes.
Tink isn’t nearly as obvious. She simply passes by Jon and pretends he doesn’t exist. He doesn’t smack her ass, and yet, Mom rolls her eyes a second time.
My family’s a damn mess.
I work the phone so Evie can watch everything except the groping, and when the doors at the end open a final time, when Iz steps though and each man stands taller, clears their throat, fixes a tie that strangles them, I smile at Evie’s excited cheer screeching through the phone.
Iz stops at the end of the aisle, looks up, and collectively takes everyone’s breath away; she’s stunning, with her long chestnut hair cascading down her back, her bouquet of lilies, and her barely there belly. You can still see a small bump if you knew to look, but to the regular guy in the street, he probably wouldn’t look past her beautiful eyes, or – I’m wigged out to notice – her much bigger chest.
No one would know she was so close to death recently. Her lips aren’t yet back to their usual cherry red, but they’re better than they were a week ago, and for today, her lipstick hides the pallor completely.
She walks toward us slowly, and Jim literally shakes with nerves and excitement. This romance might’ve come out of left field for the rest of us, but the girls swear it was practically written in the stars. They claim it wasoh, so obvious,that they’re made for each other, that they’re truly, stupidly in love with each other.
And they are.
Now that I see, Isee.
I don’t care that they’re young, that their beginning is a little unconventional, that Jim was in a front yard brawl with her brother two hours ago. It doesn’t matter that Bean isn’t biologically his. None of it matters, because he loves them more than he loves his life.
Love like that is all it takes to keep a family together.
Statistics be damned.
They’ll be just fine.
“It’s Wizzy!” I smile at Evie’s tiny little voice. “Mommy, come here. It’s Wizzy!”
It’s tempting to sneak a peek at the mother and daughter duo, but I don’t dare turn the phone. They’re not here to see me.
Jim takes Iz’s hands as soon as she’s within kissing distance. Taking the bouquet and tossing it carelessly at Kit, he smirks when she playfully glares at the flowers tossed in her face.
As one, we turn to the front and face the officiant in all his robed glory. He introduces himself, his accreditations, his ability to marry them. Then with a broad smile and prideful eyes, though we don’t know this guy at all, he nods for Jim to speak.
“Isabelle Hart.” Jim’s voice cracks like he’s back in seventh grade. I swear, it’s surreal that my baby brother’s getting married today. To the girl I always considered my baby sister.
“Bubs, I love you. There hasn’t been a day that I’ve known you that I didn’t know for sure you were my forever. It was a long road to get here, it took a long time and lots of bruises, but thank God, we’re finally here.” He clears his throat. “You’re my best friend, and I swore to you when you were six that I’d always protect you. I’ll make that promise again today, and I’ll extend it to Bean. Toourdaughter. I’ll protect you both for the rest of my life, Bubs. Until my dying breath. Yesterday, you werejustmy best friend, but today and tomorrow and every day after that, you’ll also be my wife.” He reaches forward and thumbs a single tear from her cheek. “I love you, Bubs. It’s really that simple. My heart beats for you.”
Clearing his throat, the officiant turns to Sissy. “Your vows?”
“Jimmy…” Despite the tears shimmering in her dark eyes, Izzy’s smile is breathtaking. “I love you, really, really bad,” she giggles. “And I’m only alittlemad that it took so long to get here.” She takes a deep breath and ends it with a bright smile. “I’ve loved you since I was that six-year-old girl getting kissed behind the shed.”
Jon’s soft eyes snap deadly. “Motherfucker did what?”
