Sweet Rome

Suddenly, a loud slam of a door caused us all to look around.

Aunt Alita bolted out of the house, all flustered. “Gabe! Rome! The pastor is here.” She gestured wildly with her hands at the five of us, still in our jeans and shirts, “Ay, ay! You’re not even dressed! Vamose! You have thirty minutes!” Screaming like a Spanish banshee, she reentered the house almost as quickly as she came out.

Austin, Jimmy-Don, and Reece just stared at the now-empty doorway, and laughing, my uncle put two hands on my shoulders from behind. “The joys of married life… something for you to look forward to!”

Even though my f**ker friends snickered at my uncle’s comment, all I could think was that those thirty minutes couldn’t pass quickly enough.

Standing at the altar was surreal, and the friggin’ penguin suit I was trapped in almost choked me. Austin stood to my left as my best man, Jimmy-Don, Reece, and Uncle Gabe as my groomsmen.

Music started playing, some classical shit my aunt had picked out, and it immediately set off the nerves. I wanted to be married. I wanted to marry Molly so much that the reality of this moment was hard for me to digest.

It was actually happening.

Aunt Alita walked out of the house first and my uncle beamed with pride as he looked at his wife. Aunt Alita was Ally in twenty years: long brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin—very beautiful. Even after all these years of marriage, he was obviously still crazy about her. He had walked away from my grandparents and all his family for her, and it was comforting to see that true love could stand the test of time.

Cass and Lexi walked out next, wearing matching pink dresses and holding small bouquets of white flowers. Lexi was stripped of her usual heavy makeup, and Austin shifted beside me, a huge damn grin on his face as he watched her walk closer.

Ally was the last of the bridesmaids—Molly’s maid of honor—and I knew that in just a few minutes, my girl would step out of that door. My heart beat furiously in anticipation.

As Ally took her place next to Cass and Lexi on the opposite side of the altar, I closed my eyes, taking a long, calming breath, and when I opened them again, that same breath was knocked right out of me.

Fuck. Me.

Molly had just stepped out of the house and was walking slowly toward me… and she was so beautiful. Her long, brown hair had been swept away from her face, held up by a white rose. Her dress was white lace, sleeveless, high-necked, and hugged every part of her stunning body. Finally, she held a bouquet of white roses in her hands—and she was gripping onto them as though her life depended on it.

I couldn’t help but smile as she kept her eyes on the floor. She hated attention, even this small affair, but when she nervously darted those golden browns to meet mine, a relieved smile tugged on her lips, her shoulders relaxed, and she never looked away from me as she made it to my outstretched hand.

As soon as her hand met mine, I leaned in and whispered, “Hey, Mol.”

Blushing, she replied, “Hey, you,” and we both broke into laughter, the tension dissipating to excitement and happiness.

“You look beautiful,” I said quietly, and the pastor cleared his throat. His face was humored, and narrowing my eyes at his subtle reprimand, I stepped back, signaling for him to begin the ceremony.

I couldn’t exactly go apeshit at a man of God now, could I?

After listening to the pastor’s advice and prayers, and bible readings from Uncle Gabe and Ally, it was time for the vows. We’d decided to write our own, and, gripping onto Mol’s hands and clearing my throat, I began.

“Molly. Last year, you captured my heart, being exactly who you are—the kindest, most supportive person I’ve ever known. Not only did you make me fall madly in love with you, but you became my best friend and got me through both good and bad times. You’re the reason I smile every morning and you are the person who gives me comfort when I’m down. You believed in me when no one else did, and you showed me how to love when I never thought I could. But most of all, you gave me your unconditional acceptance.”

Reaching out, I wiped a tear from Mol’s eye. “I’m not sure a lifetime is long enough to try to give you all that you have given me, but I promise I will spend all of my days striving to make you happy. I will laugh and cry with you, and if you run, I’ll be right there running beside you. I promise to love you forever, and I promise, when the day comes, that I will be the best daddy a child could hope for.”

Tears blurred my vision, but I needed to finish. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life as I am that we were always meant to be. We are better together than apart, and no matter what happens in our lives, I know that waking up and seeing you each morning will always be the best part of my day.”