Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
I stroke her hair back from her forehead, damp from her fever breaking. “I was so scared when you didn’t show up at my place on Friday. I didn’t know where you were.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t realize I was sick and just passed out.”
“Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault. I just don’t want it to happen again.”
She hears the worry in my voice, bringing her hand to my cheek. “Aww, don’t worry. It won’t.”
“We don’t know that. If you’re here alone, then how do I know you’re okay? What if you get sick again, or need something in the middle of the night, or God forbid, someone breaks in? What then?”
“No one’s going to break in. Besides, I’ve got Mr. Whiskers protecting me.”
“Emmeline, I can’t do this. I can’t do another two years of this.”
“What do you want to do, then?”
“Marry me. Today.”
Her eyes widen. “What? Today?”
“We live in Vegas, the wedding chapel headquarters of the world. We can do a drive thru wedding if we want. I don’t care, I just want to make you my wife and have you in my house and in my arms.”
“But what about our family, our friends?”
“We can have a celebration later. Fiji if you want. I’ll fucking fly everyone to Fiji and we can rent an island and you can have whatever the hell kind of wedding you want two years from now. But right now, I just need to be with you. I need you with me. And I respect your reasons and all that fuck, but—”
“Yes!” She gives a throaty laugh. “Okay, alright? I’ll marry you. Today.”
Relief floods through me. “You’re sure? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, but you clearly are not.” She kisses my cheek. “Now, get going. I’ve got a shower to take and makeup to put on and hair to do.”
I kiss her. I leave her apartment to go home and shower and change, vowing it will be the last time.
An hour later, dressed in a navy suit with my blue Rawley’s on, my driver pulls up to her house—her old house, I correct myself—and we find her standing out front. She wears a simple, spaghetti-strapped white sundress, a blue cardigan over her shoulders. Curls tumble down her back.
She looks more beautiful than I could have imagined her in the fancy dresses we browsed on the internet. She just looks like my sweet Emmeline. I get out of the car, crossing the lawn to greet her. I hand her the bouquet I picked up on the way, sunflowers and purple irises.
“Thank you.” She stretches up on tiptoe, kissing me. “Husband to be.”
I take her hand. “Ready?”
She gives a nod. “Yes. Let’s go.”
We reach the little wedding chapel, and I’m thrilled to find everyone I’d called was able to get here before us. Miranda and Gabriel, Lexi and Shane, and Darius and Katie. The girls wear the bridesmaid dresses from Lexi’s wedding, Lexi having borrowed a one from a friend in the wedding party, and the men wear the tuxes with the lavender cummerbunds and bowties.
It was Lexi’s idea. She figured, why not get a second use out of them?
Emmeline gives a little squeal when she sees everyone. “How’d you get them all here so fast?”
“I’ve had them on standby since Friday evening.”
“You did?”
“I did.” I think of her flushed face, her glassy eyes, the panic that surged in my chest. “I vowed to myself that night that it would be our last apart. And if you need a commitment to make that happen, then let’s do this.”
I help her out of the car and hand in hand, we walk over to meet our crew. They give us hugs, congratulating us. We all go inside.
The indoor glass garden chapel is more beautiful than the pictures on the internet. I booked it for every day this week, starting today, unsure of when she’d be feeling well enough to come. Lush trees grow along the walls, the ceiling glass, the bright blue sky above our heads. The arbor at the front of the chapel is made of thick, green, flowered vines.
An officiant stands beneath, giving us a welcoming smile.
I grab her hand, and we walk down the aisle, our friends following behind us.
We take turns, repeating our vows to one another, ones I’ve chosen and sent ahead, prompted by the officiant.
On this day, I give you my heart
I give you my promise to encourage you
Cherish you and care for you
As long as we both shall live
You are my love and my life
Today and always
I slip a wedding band on her finger, and she slips on mine.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
A cheer erupts from our small crowd and I take my wife in my arms, kissing her.
Afterward, we take a limo to Little Italy, sipping champagne in the back. I’ve got the restaurant booked for the whole day, just for us. We drink cokes, eat pizza, and fill the jukebox with quarters so we can dance.