Happily Ever After (13 page)

“I would do anything for your sister.”

“You
r dad said he would keep it a secret?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Ryan sighed. “I need a minute before we go back inside. I can’t see Scarlet right now. She’ll see right through me.”

“She sees through everyone.”

“I’m glad that Scarlet found someone that loves her despite her past.  I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life.”

“I love Scarlet for her, not her humble beginnings.”

“I know it’s still difficult for you. You come from a prestigious family. If word got out about Scarlet, you would probably be ostracized by the community.”

“I don’t like anyone in the community anyway. I really don’t care.”

“I know.”

“And I don’t judge either one of you. If anything, I admire both of you. I’m proud of my wife for making a life for herself, not letting the pain and anguish bring her down. I’m proud of my brother for taking care of her, putting her first.”

Ryan smiled. “We’re going to be related soon, huh?”

“Yep.”

“And now we can all pick on Scarlet even more.”

“That’s the plan.”

“I hope she doesn’t eat anything off the ground tonight.”

“I hope she does. My family would get a kick out of it.”

Ryan nodded. The sun was setting further, making the pastures dim in their vibrant colors. Even though we were on the opposite side of the house, I could still hear the ocean.

Ryan spoke.
“Scarlet didn’t really want to leave you. She was just scared.”

“I know, Ryan.”

“You aren’t mad at her?”

“N
o. She came back. That’s all that matters.”

“I’m really glad you two ended up together. I’ve always been rooting for you.”

“Thanks. I’m glad I got her too. I hate to imagine my life if Penelope hadn’t cheated on me. I thought I was in love but I never was. I just believed it. It’s the most amazing feeling to be in love with someone who’s equally in love with you.”

“Yeah, that’s how I feel with Janice.”

“We show our love for each other in different ways, but having that trust and friendship there makes everything so much better. I’ve never been happier. I’m just glad Scarlet is stupid enough to take a chance of me. I know most girls wouldn’t.”

“She’s never been bright.”

I smiled. “But I like her that way.”

“I think I’m ready to go back inside.”

“Good. Because I’m ready to get married.”

“And I’m ready to
get rid of that annoying brat.”

15

Scarlet

We stood inside the house, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Ryan held onto my arm the entire time, reassuring me he would catch me if I decided to fall.

“So what was in the room?” he asked.

I smiled. It was too personal to reveal to someone else. “It’s a secret.”

“Did it make you want to marry Sean?”

“It made me realize my doubts were misplaced.”

He nodded. “Now I’m even more curious.”

“This one stays between me and my husband.”

He smiled. “I’m finally being relieved of my brotherly duties. It’s a nice feeling.”

Cortland came to me and looked me up and down. “You look like an angel.”

I smiled. “An angel?”

“A beautiful one.”
He hugged me. “Sean is a lucky guy.”

“Thank you.”

Janice turned to me. “It’s so beautiful out there, you won’t believe it.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Janice smiled. “Sean put a thick walkway on the grass so you wouldn’t fall.”

“That doesn’t surprise
me.”

The music started. Harp music started to play.
It was “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. It was one Sean’s favorite songs. I smiled. “I’m ready.”

“It’s not our turn,” Ryan said.

The bridesmaids paired up with their groomsmen and slowly walked down the aisle. Time seem to be moving so slow. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Last time I thought I was going to be sick, but now I felt ready like I never did before. I wanted to marry Sean.

Monnique and Janice disappeared behind the wall with their escorts. The
n, Cortland walked down the aisle, walking alongside a groomsman. The harp ended and violins started to play. It was a symphony so beautiful I thought I would cry.

“That’s our cue,” Ryan said. “I’m so glad I get to get rid of you.”

“Is that the reason why you convinced me to come back?”

“You caught me.”

“Ryan, I love you so much.”

His smile dropped and
his face turned serious. I saw the sincerity in his eyes. “And I you, baby sister.”

“You’ll always be my brother and my best friend.”

“I know. Nothing could ever take me away from you, not even Sean.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay. Now give me away.”

“Scar, I’ll never give you away.” He stared into my eyes for a long time before he stepped forward, bringing me with him. We turned the corner and the light from the sunset fell on my face and my dress. I looked up and saw the rows of people before me. The pristine white chairs were decorated with purple and pink flowers. Everyone was standing, smiling at me and snapping pictures. I saw Sean’s grandpa wink at me. That made me smile as Ryan carried me forward. His arm was still as he guided me. I felt him staring at my face, watching me closely.

When I looked forward, I saw Sean staring back at me. His eyes were rimmed with red a
nd they became watery. Seeing him cry made me cry. I sniffed as Ryan carried me forward. He never released his hold even when my vision became blurry. Ryan continued to stare at me, a smile on his face.

When we came closer, Ryan extended his hand to Sean. Sean took it. “Take care of my sister.”

“I will.”

“
And Good luck.”

I chuckled despite the seriousness of the situation.

Sean did as well. “Thanks.”

Ryan placed my hand in his then kissed me on the forehead. He looked into my eyes before he stepped to the side, taking his place as the maid of honor.

Sean held my hand without shaking and he pulled me to the pastor. His eyes were still rimmed with tears. He stared into my face, a look of wonderment and adoration. I never felt more beautiful or loved in my life.

The breeze gently blew through my hair, making it tickle my skin. I felt my dress tighten around me slightly as I breathed. When I listened to the noises of the crowd, I realized other people were crying as well. I wasn’t the only one.

Sean’s eyes never left my face. It was a look I had never seen before. When we made love, he gazed at me like I was his whole world, even more than that. When he told me he loved me, his eyes softened every time like it was the last opportunity he would ever have. The look he gave me now was different. I felt nothing but love and devotion, sheer appreciation that I was the one standing across from him and no one else.

He stepped closer to me, his face a few inches from m
ine. I just looked at him and forgot about everyone standing around us. I wanted a small and simple wedding, something intimate. That’s exactly what I got. It was just him and I.

The pastor conducted the ceremony. Sean looked into my eyes the entire time, saying his vows with
out an instance of hesitation. When it was my turn, he took a deep breath. I finished the vows, saying I do with as much conviction as I could. His eyes grew watery as he listened to me.

“Now for the vows,” the pastor said.
“Ladies first.”

Ryan came behind me and handed me the paper. I just shook my head. H
e stepped away.

I was quiet for a long time before I found my voice. A microphone was pinned to the pastor so I could speak in a normal voice without worrying about being too quiet. I looked into Sean’s eyes as I spoke. “I prepared a speech knowing I wouldn’t use it. When the most important moments in your life come to pass, you never know how you’re going to feel. There’s no way for me to predict what
I feel now. I can’t explain how happy I am that I’m standing here, looking at you.

“
I didn’t grow up with a family, at least not a normal one. My dad has been gone for years and I never had a mother in my life. The only family I’ve ever known is Ryan. It’s never been conventional. He’s the one who always took care of me, made sure I got to school on time, checked my homework, made me dinner when our mom didn’t, and—protected me against other things.” My voice trailed off, remembering the abuse for a moment in time. Sean stared at me, his tears starting to drip. “But now I have what I’ve been missing. You are my mother and my father. You are my family. I know I have everything I’m ever going to need.

“With you, I fe
el safe. With you, I feel loved. With you, I feel whole. When Carl touched me, you defended me. When you were taken away, you put my first, asking me to go to Cortland even though that made you uncomfortable. I knew then that I would always be first. You would always take care of me before you took care of yourself.

“I’ve
known you since college and I never expected to marry you one day. I never expected to get the man of my dreams. I never expected him to be my best friend in the world. There’s nothing that I can’t confide in you. You’ve never judged me for anything, always loving me despite my shortcomings, quirks, and odd habits. If anything, I think you love me more. I’m not sure what I did to get the love of one of the greatest men I’ve ever known, but I won’t question it. I’m just I got it.” The tears fell from my eyes. “I love you so much, Sean.”

“I love you, Scarlet,” he whispered.

“And you’re amazing in bed.”

He smiled wide, a slight chuckle coming from his lips.

People in the audience laughed at my words. I heard Ryan laugh the hardest. “That’s my baby sister.”

Sean’s smiled dropped and he became serious again. “That’s why I’m marrying you. You’re spontaneous and brave, fun and just a joy to be around. When the sun light
s our bedroom in the morning, it still pales compared to the light that leaves your eyes. You say you’re lucky to marry me, that I’m one of the greatest men you’ve ever known. Well, Scarlet, you’re the most inspiration, bravest, most amazing
person
I’ve ever met. I’m beneath you. But I waited to tell you this until after you said I do.”

A few chuckles erupted from the audience.

“We didn’t start off right. I was an asshole that only gave you a fraction of what you were worth, but that mistake turned out to be the best decision I ever made. Because of it, I’m marrying my soul mate. I don’t know if they exist. I don’t know if destiny exists. But when I think of us, I start to believe in it.

“When I had fallen apart, practically killing myself, you still came back for me, never leaving me behind. Before you were my lover and my spouse, you were my friend, my be
st friend. I’d rather watch the Yankee game with you beside me on the couch. I’d rather split a pizza with you, even though I only get like three pieces, than share it with anyone else. And I would rather make love to you than anyone else in the whole world. I’ve never felt my soul touch someone else’s in the way that I touch yours every night. When I’m with you, the world is absolutely silent and it’s just the two of us. When I look into your eyes, I see my entire world. Without it, I would be left in the dark.

“I can’t believe how far I’ve fallen in love with you.” Tears started to fall down his eyes. “I never thought I would feel this way for
anyone, that someone could make my heart beat so fast. You’re everything to me.

“And you were never second best, Scarlet. I never told you this, but the first time I saw you in college, I thought you were one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. When I went to talk to you, you were already gone. I searched for an hour then gave up, hoping I would run into you somewhere else. When you turned out to be Theresa’s friend, I felt my heart fall. I knew you were too good for me, that you would never give me
a chance because of the asshole that I was, so I settled on being your friend rather than losing you altogether. So don’t ever think I didn’t want you first. We were always meant to be together. We just took a really, really long time to get there.

“There are some odd things about you
that I love. Even though you eat food off the ground, I’ll still love you and kiss you every day. Even though you drink three milkshakes a week, I’ll never tell you to stop. Even though you have a sick codependent relationship with your brother that’s borderline psychologically insane, I’ll still accept you exactly as you are. And even if you don’t have a family, you have me. I’ll be everything you need. I promise that I’ll never let you down—ever.

“And not to mention the other things I love about you. You have a smoking body that makes me want to cry. Your eyes shine in the light when I make love t
o you, bursting like fireworks. You always have sarcastic remarks to mine. You call me out on my shit even when I don’t want to listen to it. You make me recognize my faults and learn from them. And most importantly, you make me want to be a better man, someone who is actually worthy of your smile, intelligence, and beauty. Scarlet, I love you. And I’m so glad that you were dumb enough to marry me.”

Despite the tears in my eyes, I laughed.

He smiled, his tears still pouring.

Everyone awed. I heard Diane weeping in the background.

Sean placed his hand on my waist and held me closer to him, rubbing my nose against his.

The pastor looked at us. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

He smiled at me before he pulled my face to his, sealing his lips over my mouth. He massaged me gently, his hand still cupping my face. Everyone clapped and yelled, shouting their congratulations to us. When Sean slipped his tongue into mouth, he gripped me by the waist and pulled me into a dip, kissing me as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He broke our kiss and rubbed his nose against mine. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“Me too.”

He kissed me again, forgetting about everyone else in the area. It was just me and Sean.

“Alright. We get it,” Ryan said. “You love each other.”

Sean stood up and pulled me with him. He grabbed my hand. “Shall we, Mrs. Preston?”

“Yes, Mr. Preston.”

We walked down the aisle, feeling the rice and flowers fall around us. Everyone clapped and whistled, smiling at us. When we reached the end, Sean kissed me again. “Thank you for marrying me.”

“Well, I’m dumb, right? It doesn’t mean much.”

He laughed.
“I’m dumb too. I married a girl who eats hotdogs off the ground in Manhattan, the dirtiest place in the country.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty stupid.”

“Looks like we’re two idiots in love.”

“Yeah.
I think we are.”