The day of the wedding is finally here. Caden and I were beyond nervous this morning. Scarlet didn’t let us see her at all today; she said it would be bad luck. Somehow, she managed to wake up earlier than us and sneak out to get ready. None of the arguments Caden and I made regarding our premarital status worked; she was adamant. So there was nothing we could do but comply.
Getting ready was a task. Even though the ceremony is small, we knew what we’re doing is unconventional and not many people understand. Caden and I were decently frantic. We had chosen our suits earlier in the month, but once they were on, we kept waffling on whether or not we made the right choice. There was even a moment we swapped suits to see if the other was better. It was all for naught, because in the end, we went back to our original choices. The next hurdle was our ???, but I won’t get into that.
Eventually, we made our way to the clearing. It was in the woods right by our house. It was perfect. Secluded, serene, surreal. Sometimes it feels as if everything is too good to be true, and when I close my eyes, waiting for it to slip away, it never does. Our new life is here to stay. Our few guests are seated. We invited Ginny. Scarlet invited Chloe, who brought along her fiancé, Tom. Inviting Chloe was a breeze for Scarlet. They had reconnected when she returned to Coldgrove, and evidently, Scarlet kept Chloe in the loop about basically everything.
Ginny was a different story. When we first called up Ginny, Caden and I were a bag of nerves. We hadn’t had much of a chance to talk to her in a while, and it didn’t help that it was right after our dad passed away. We know the police had contacted her after he was shot, but the two of us had avoided making any contact. There was much to explain, and it felt easier to ignore it. But Scarlet urged us to call, reminding us that ignoring our problems would only make them worse, and deep down we knew that.
That first call was hard. We didn’t drop everything at once. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but each call got easier and easier. After a few calls back and forth, Scarlet said she wanted to meet her, and we weren’t sure how Ginny would react to our… arrangement. We invited her over for lunch and said there was something important we wanted to tell her. We had decided it was best to talk to her in person, so the plan was for Caden and I to tell her then based on her reaction, we’d invite Scarlet into the room. It didn’t go quite as planned. Ginny arrived earlier than expected while Caden and I were out picking up food for lunch. When we got home, Scarlet and Ginny were already deep in conversation. I still don’t know how she did it, but Scarlet had explained everything to Ginny, and when we got there, the two of them were essentially friends. After that, we were back on good terms with our stepmother, and when we told her we were getting married, she was wholeheartedly supportive.
Now Caden and I are standing, waiting for our beautiful bride. The processional music starts to play and we both simultaneously take in a deep breath. I cast one last look down at my shoes to make sure they’re tied properly, but when I look back up, far in the distance, hidden among the trees, I see someone in a white suit lurking in the shadows. I blink my eyes and shake my head, because it has to be my imagination. When I look again, the man in white is still standing there, and my heart drops into my stomach with my breathing quickening a million miles a minute as sweat forms all over my body. I turn to Caden, who doesn’t seem to notice anything. He turns to me and wrinkles his face as he whispers,
“What’s up?”
“Do you see him?” I whisper curtly back.
Caden does a quick glance around, “See who?”
I look back towards the woods in the distance and the man in the white suit is gone.
“Dude, you’re paranoid. Relax!” Caden hisses.
I take a couple of breaths, which helps calm my heart rate down. Maybe it is my imagination then. I’m paranoid. But I can’t be – not today. Today is my wedding day. With Caden’s reassurance, I push this paranoia to the back of my brain and focus on waiting for our beautiful bride to walk down to us.
Chloe, Scarlet’s maid of honor, walks down aisle, sprinkled with flower petals, to the two of us. She looks fantastic in her dress; it’s as if she’s illuminated. Over the past few months, Caden and I became close enough to Tom that we felt comfortable with having him marry us albeit unofficially. There wasn’t an official legal way for us to be married, so instead we added Scarlet to all our papers, creating a partnership between the three of us. Ginny is our best man. Outside of each other – and now Scarlet – Ginny was the person we felt closest to. So everyone invited was also a part of the wedding.
Before we know it, the music changes to the song of the brides, and everyone stands up, facing the back. As I join them in looking up the aisle, my heart beats faster, thumping hard to jump out of my chest to meet Scarlet. I steal a quick glance at Caden, and he’s wearing the biggest smile with twinkling eyes. I turn back and see…
Scarlet Russell is gracefully emerging in a vision of white, glowing in elegant beauty. Her hair is delicately pulled back so we can see her vibrant smiling face with makeup that highlights her eyes. Sparkling chandelier-like earrings hang from her earlobes. She’s not wearing a necklace, so her neckline is exposed before it fades behind sheer lace that extends down both of her sleeves, which are decorated with white intricate Victorian patterns. Her fitted bustier erupts into a web of overlapping embellished Victorian patterns, all embroidered in crystals. When her dress flows into her waistline, it fans out into thick chiffon with the intricate patterns untangling themselves. As the skirt reaches for her feet, the patterns entangle themselves again and trail along the hemline.
Wow. I can’t believe how speechless I am – it’s almost like I forgot how to breathe. As she glides down the aisle, my eyes never leave her. Nothing could be better than this moment.
• • •
We didn’t want our vows to be too extravagant, so we kept them simple. When it was time to kiss the bride, Caden and I had already figured something out but hadn’t told Scarlet. We both kissed her on each side of her face on her cheeks. I could feel her smiling against my lips. We end the kiss then all of us go into the backyard for the reception. We had set up our picnic table. Caden, Tom and I fetch the food from the kitchen while guests take their seats. Even though we kept the ceremony simple, we went all out on the food for the reception. I’m surprised we managed to keep it a surprise from Scarlet. When the three of us go back outside with the covered platters, Scarlet’s eyes perk up, curious at what we’re hiding.
“So what’s the big surprise?” She’s been asking us this all week. Ever since we declared that the food for the reception was going to be a surprise, Scarlet’s been indiscreetly trying to get us to reveal the secret. While she can be persuasive, we both managed to hold our tongues.
We’ve placed the platters on the table and gone over to Scarlet, standing behind her. “Why don’t you find out?” Caden tells her to take a peek.
She stands up and goes for the dish closest to her. Adding more gravity than the situation calls for, Scarlet lifts the top with a slow and gentle hand. As it starts to become apparent what is inside, under the cover, her smile widens.
“Did you guys really…?”
“You mean burgers with equal parts barbecue and mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, three pickles?” I start us off, and then Caden says, uncovering the next platter,
“And fries, sprinkled with all-seasoning, with cheese on the side?”
Finally, we finish together with, “The drinks: a blend of fruit punch, lemonade, ginger ale and a splash of Cherry Coke.” We watch as Scarlet takes in the display.
She’s obviously delighted and gives us both a peck on the cheek. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
We all sit down and dig in. I notice Scarlet hasn’t had any wine, but I don’t make a big deal out of it. She’s probably too overjoyed by her special order drink. Or maybe she wants to keep her wits about her and not embarrass herself on her wedding day.
Though reception is small, everyone who needs to be here is, however, there was a moment when I thought about Winston. I have an inkling that Caden also ventured into similar territory. It’s hard not to think about Dad on our wedding day especially when I looked out into the woods earlier today. Given everything that happened with him, a part of me still wanted to have a relationship with him. It’s small, but it’s there. I waited to see if he’d somehow randomly pop up in our lives again after his disappearance, but after a few months, I resigned the idea that we were going to see him again. It seems that letting go of this has allowed me to truly move forward.
• • •
When it’s late, we say our goodbyes to the guests. We had hired cars for everyone, so no one had to worry about driving home afterwards. We wave until we can no longer see headlights then we all head inside and go to our bedroom.
“What a day!” Caden says as he loosens his tie. I follow suit and let out a small yawn. It has been a long day. It’s still surreal that we are now married men. To be completely honest, I never thought marriage was on the table. Outside of Caden and my unconventional arrangement, creating connections wasn’t something I did well, but this past year has effectively increased the amount of people I care about.
Scarlet is looking at the two of us with wide eyes. She wants to ask us something; maybe finding a way to word it.
“Are you two too tired to stay up…?”
There’s a hint of disappointment in Scarlet’s voice as if she thinks we were planning on falling asleep. It has been a long day, but I’m willing to stay up longer for my new wife.
“We’re never too tired for you!” I wrap my arms around her waist and pick her up.
She laughs, surprised by the sudden movement. Looking into her face, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of optimism.
“Oh, my god! Wait, wait! Put me down! I have something to tell you. It’s important.”
Hmm. I wonder what it could be. I rack my brain, trying to think of the type of news Scarlet could have. Going through every corner of my mind, I can’t think of anything. I set her down and wait to hear what she has to say.
Scarlet
The day swept me up in all its wonder, and now that it’s coming to an end, I know now is the time to tell the boys the news. It’s quite nerve-wracking. I’ve kept it to myself all this time, because I couldn’t find the right time to tell them until now. I mean, now is honestly the perfect time. The joy of the day secured that fact. I take a deep breath and wear my best calm face.
“So… I wanted to wait until after we were married, so it wouldn’t be something we were worrying about during the preparations and ceremony. But I want to let you guys know that…” The next few words find themselves choked and locked in my throat. I swallow hard to set them free, “I’m…” I breathe in deeply. “That I’m…” Another deep breath. “Pregnant.” I manage to get the words out and let go of the fire burning in my chest. I must’ve been more anxious than I initially thought.
The boys haven’t said anything yet. I can see them processing the information. I know when I found out, it took me a second to completely wrap my head around the fact that I was, indeed, pregnant. I didn’t believe it at first. I took multiple tests and went to see a doctor to be one hundred percent sure.
“Are you happy?”
“Are we happy?” Caden answers my question with question. His tone doesn’t give away much, so I wait to hear what he has to say next. “Of course we’re happy! I mean, I can’t believe it! You’re pregnant! You’re freaking pregnant.” Caden wraps me in a hug then kisses the top of my head. He spins me around and our laughter fills the room. Oliver gives me an equally reassuring hug. I’m put back down on the floor, and Caden and Oliver give each other a brotherly hug and a pat on the back.
I take another deep breath, expecting one of them to make a move, given what night it is, but neither does much. I guess the news was so shocking that they’ve forgotten anything else.
“Is that all?”
They give me a confused look. “What do you mean?”
I almost laugh at their cluelessness. They can’t figure out what night it is. “Well, it is our wedding night. Aren’t you going to help me out of this dress and make passionate love to me?” I immediately cringe at the wording. I do an internal face palm and hope that neither Caden nor Oliver notice how awkward my sentence sounds.
“Passionate love?” That gets me a lifted eyebrow. Of course they noticed. The wording is much, but I feel the night calls for that.
“You know what I’m talking about. Now, come on.” I turn around and lift my hair so one of them can get to my zipper. I hope they catch my drift, which they do. After a few seconds, I feel hands on my back, slowly pulling down the zipper. It’s the only sound in the room besides our collective breathing. I hold the dress from the front so it doesn’t fall to the ground. Once I’m unzipped, I face the boys again. I also got a surprise for them as well. I’ve been thinking about it all day, and I’m excited to show it to them. I tell them to sit down, and once their butts are down on the bed, I let my hands fall to my sides, making my wedding dress drop to the ground. Both Caden and Oliver gasp, and I know I made the right choice. A few days ago, Chloe and I went out to a lingerie store, and even though it took a while, I found the perfect one: a strapless deep scoop black lace fitted corset with black chiffon frills hanging just over my belly button, which hide black straps connecting to the black lace underwear.
Caden stands up then gets behind me, stroking a finger on the straps on my stomach.
“When did you get this?” Caden snaps one of the straps against my body, and I flinch, enjoying that he’s started to play with me.
“When I went out with Chloe the other day I-”
Caden snaps the strap again, causing me to lose my train of thought. Oliver is still seated and watching us. Caden then rubs his hands over my shoulders and massages them. I let out a sigh, content with Caden’s hands on my body. He puts his mouth to my ear and whispers,
“So that’s what you were doing, you little minx.”
I have a laugh, because I love their dirty talk.
“Finding ways to get my blood boiling. Have my body on edge with desperate need for you.” As he talks, his hand travels down my body, sweeping across my stomach where he pauses for a second and gets serious. “You need to tell us if we’re getting too rough.”
“You will, won’t you?” Oliver adds.
“I will, but trust me, I’ll be fine. Come on, I want to get started. It’s my wedding night.” I can’t see Caden, but Oliver gives me a small smile as I feel Caden’s hand begin to travel down again. He reaches the edge of my panties and slides his hand in. I grab hold of his bicep to steady myself as he puts his finger into me. I bite my lip and dig my nails into Caden’s arm. He moves around slowly, creating a soft tingling on my skin. He continues his slow pace, not allowing me any satisfaction. I start to get annoyed and let Caden know, “You can go a little faster, you know…”
“What’s that? You want me to go faster?”
I can feel his warm breath going down my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
“Well, maybe I want to get you in a frenzy. Maybe I’m teasing you. Maybe I want you begging for a release that only I can give you.” He buries his head in my neck, kissing it passionately. He lightly grazes his teeth at the crook where my shoulder meets my neck. As he kisses my neck, he finally moves his fingers faster, adding two more to stretch me out.
I feel my body tense up more with a growing pressure in my lower stomach. He applies light pressure to my clit and then makes circles against it with his thumb. I wriggle against him, my back flush against his chest.
“Does that feel good?” he breathes against me.
“Yes! Dear god, yes.” I feel his erection on my bum, and my mind fills with thoughts of what’s to come. “I’m so close, Caden. I’m almost there.”
He applies even more pressure on my clit and I feel my orgasm. The first orgasm is soft and slow, but one of the best I’ve ever had. It rolls over my body in waves. I lean back on Caden and catch my breath.
“Why don’t you go sit with Oliver?” I instruct him as I fully stand myself up and go over to the bed. Oliver has pulled Caden to the back on the bed, so I crawl over to Caden and kiss him square on the lips. He grabs the back of my head and applies pressure, so our kiss deepens. We break apart, and I get a slap on the bum from Oliver. Then, in a flash, Oliver turns me over so I’m on my back,
“Are you good? I’m not being too rough?”
“You’re fine. You’re fine. Keep going, keep going.” I have a feeling they’re going to keep asking me this. Oliver unclips the lingerie straps and pulls my underwear down then gets on top of me. I place my hands on his upper arm and give them a squeeze. He slides his length into me with an excruciatingly unhurried pace that I almost fall apart. As he creates a rhythm, I tighten the grip on his arm. Once he finds the perfect pace, he keeps it. It would seem the word of the day is “slow.” Pleasure comes, bit by bit. I give Oliver the line I gave Caden,
“You can go faster.”
“No worries, darling. We have all the time we need. Let’s savor it.”
I place my hands on both sides of Oliver’s face and pull his face towards mine. I give him a kiss, dripping with hunger. As he pumps in and out of me, I have a heightened sense of his body and mine. Every ridge and bump grinds against my walls, and I lift my leg so Oliver can get a better angle. Right before I orgasm, I kiss Oliver again and moan into his mouth as I ride it out.
The rest of the night moves forward in a similar fashion, Caden and Oliver taking their time coaxing orgasms out of me, delaying my pleasure until I can’t hold it in any longer. They test my limits with how much control I have over myself. Everything is better than I could have ever imagined. At the end of our escapades, we lie on the bed, out of breath, exhausted, but satisfied. I’m on my back, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about the day.
“Do you have any names picked out?” Caden is on my left, his usual spot in bed. He has my hand in his, drawing circles on my palm with his thumb. I can barely keep my eyes open, but I’m not quite ready for this perfect day to end yet. I have begun to think of names. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I’d been thinking about our future baby; what they would look like, how they would sound, their first words, walking, running, going to school, everything.
“I have been thinking about names. There are so many possibilities. But I think I want to wait. I feel like I’ll know the name when I see their face for the first time. Like they’ll tell me somehow.” I’m lazily rubbing my stomach, trying to see if anything feels different. I know it’s still too early for there to be any noticeable differences in my body or for me to feel the baby, but something has to feel different. There’s a new human growing inside me at this very moment. It amazes me that in mere months, I’ll be holding them.
“What are you thinking about?” Oliver is on the other side of me with his hand on top of mine on my stomach. He’s also making small circles with his thumb. I’m breathing heavier than normal, and it’s not completely due to our previous activities. Thinking about the future is making me emotional. Raising a child is going to be a whole new experience.
“I’m just thinking about everything that’s going to happen in the future and how excited I am for it.”
Caden and Oliver chuckle but don’t say anything else. Instead, Oliver turns so my back is against his chest, and Caden turns towards me so my hand can rest on his chest. We all fall asleep, ready for whatever comes next.
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