I know then, we will never see him again.
Disease and decay can never live in the light.
Lex closes the door behind him and pulls me into his arms, telling me how powerful I was and how proud he is of me. “You did good, baby. You told him what you needed to, and now you never have to see his face again.”
Lex takes out his phone and starts calling people while I recoup my bearings. I lean back and look up at him, listening to his voice while rubbing my belly.
“Yes, he was just here… good… thank you… I owe you.” He hangs up. “Roman still had someone placed to watch the house, they followed your father and picked him up a few blocks from here.” He doesn’t tell me more, and that’s probably for the best. I don’t know what they are going to do to him, neither do I care, other than knowing he’ll pay for all his sins.
“Were you serious?” I ask the other thing that’s been on my mind for the last few minutes.
“About what?” Lex asks.
“You called me your fiancée? Do you really want to marry me?”
“Are you kidding? Of course, I do! I even have the ring already. Seb and Rem helped me pick it out. I was just waiting for the right time.” He is grinning as if he has won the mega lottery and eaten the last piece of pie all at the same time.
“I suppose that means—Wait right here.” He runs out of the room, rummages around in what sounds like a drawer, and runs back.
He looks at me, takes a deep breath, and then drops to one knee.
I gasp and clutch my chest with my hand.
“Jude, you came into my life like a shooting star. One fiery, magical night, you lit up my sky, and I have never been the same since. That night, I was destroyed for any other woman and any other life. I only wanted you. Even at your most vulnerable and weakest, I saw your brilliance and strength.
“In the time since, I have come to know the depth of your goodness, your playfulness, and the bravery equal to any of the best Marines I have ever fought beside. I want a wife who is loving and works to embody all of her power, in the face of any foe. Who will fight to live the life of her heart, one she will forever be proud of. That woman is you.
“Jude Abbot, will you make me the happiest man in the world by becoming my wife? Will you marry me?” He holds the ring out, and I take in the vintage band with one large middle stone and two smaller stones tucked in beside it.
Tears are streaming down my face now, and as I wipe them away on the backs of my hands, I nod.
“Yes! Yes, Lex Miller. I will marry you.”
27
Lex
Lily and Jules did a bang-up job on the decorations. Jude did not want a church wedding, and instead, opted for a more intimate ceremony at the house. As I walk through the house and survey the nuptials, flower arch in front of the fort, my heart swells. In just a few short minutes, the woman who captured my heart will be pledging her life to mine, and mine to hers. I am nervous, proud, deliriously happy, and overwhelmed. I was never sure I would reach this day.
Yet, here I am.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see it is Seb, with Rem, my best men.
“Ready?” Seb grins.
I nod. “So damn ready.”
“Let’s go then.”
As we walk out, I hear the music begin to play, and the officiant smiles as we make our way down the aisle to our spots. I turn around and look out at Jules and Lily, who are sitting with Blair, the only non-family member, Jude wanted to invite.
Nods are given, and a new song plays, which ushers Maggie and Kayla out with baskets of flower petals. Their white dresses are sashed with red velvet belts, and they drop red rose petals as they meander down toward us. At one point, Kayla stops and turns her basket upside down, obviously tired of pulling them out one by one, which causes us all to laugh. Maggie prefers instead to toss hers in the air to see how high they will go, some landing on her head or Kayla’s, which creates a different kind of righteousness.
Once they reach the end, they turn to sit with their moms.
The music quietly fades and, because Jude wanted “all the normals,” the stereo begins to play Here Comes the Bride.
The women stand and face the house as Pops waits just outside the door, ready to open it.
When Jude steps out, I cover my heart and nearly fall to my knees. I have never seen any woman more beautiful.
Her floor-length dress has a semi-full tulle skirt with a lace V-neck top and short cap sleeves that provides the illusion of nudity in a fresh, new way. With her hair tucked in a small, loose bun at the nape of her neck, she looks like she just stepped off the pages of Paris runway magazine. If our children look anything like her, I will have to beat off suitors with a stick!
My dad offers her an arm, and they pause long enough to greet each other and exchange a few words. Then he escorts her down the aisle.
She is a vision. One of my brothers claps me on the back, understanding how much this one moment means. They have each married the love of their lives, and now I get to marry mine. My woman and my child are moving toward me so that we can become one and build a family.
When they reach me, Pops holds her back and looks to the officiant.
I turn to face him too.
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
Pops, who has pledged to become Jude’s new father and offered to fill this role today, steps forward, proudly.
“I do.”
I look at them and realize Jude is crying, tears slip down her cheeks as she looks at Pops with awe and adoration.
He moves her hand to mine, and we connect across time and difficulties and lost years and waiting to bring us to this perfect moment that was worth all that came before.
I place her hand on the arm of my dress blues, and we turn to stand under the floral awning together as Pops joins the girls.
“The vows you are about to exchange are sacred, intended to last to the end of your lives, however long that may be. Words offered from one pure heart to another and given in return, create a bond, a sealant that can never be altered or destroyed.
“Jude, from this day forward, your life will never be the same. Do you understand that?”
“I do.”
“Lex, from this day forward, your life will never be the same. Do you understand that?”
“I do.”
“I understand you each have vows to say to one another. Lex, will you go first?”
I say yes and turn to Jude. I release her hand and dig into my pants pocket for my vows. Not finding them, I check the other pocket. Not there either. Rem taps me on the shoulder, and I turn to him, and he pats my chest, which reminds me to check my breast pocket, where I find them. Relieved, I wave them, and everyone laughs.
I look back to Jude. Then I take a deep breath, steadying myself, and begin.
“I made you a promise on the very first night I met you.
“I promised to protect you and keep you safe.
“Since that day, I have tried to live up to that promise, but today, I want you to understand what is behind it.
“My father taught me that a promise is your word, your bond, your pledge.
“It is the fabric of who you are, the fabric of the person you wish others to see you as.
“Without that fabric, you are not a person, a soul, or anything of substance.