“Good grief, will you cool it, man?” Kayson said as he hiked his hip onto a table and sat. His brothers let out a laugh.

“Oh, just wait, Kayson. You are going to be just as crazy in a few months when you and Ariel get married,” Damon, Kayson’s oldest brother teased. “Welcome to the family, Carter.”

Turning, I looked into the mirror and then paced the tiny vestibule room. “Why couldn’t we just go to the Justice of the Peace? Or Vegas? Wait . . . never mind, I understand why no Vegas. But still—a Greek wedding. Do you know how many times I watched the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding just so I’d know what to expect?”

They all let out a laugh.

“I swear that if anyone chases me around with a sheep’s eyeball, I’m grabbing Sophie and the girls and we are going to Georgia. There isn’t a waiting period there.” I looked over to see Eli and Aiden, who were dressed in matching suits, just as their faces turned pale at the thought of eating eyeballs.

“No worries, the eyeballs are diced and sprinkled on the food. You won’t even know that you’re eating them,” Ian assured me. “Well, except for the fact that I just told you, so now you’ll know.”

I turned to give Kayson an is-he-shitting-me look, and he shook his head and then nodded. Fuck, what did that mean? A low rumble of laughter erupted, and I turned to see Tristan.

“Ian, you’re an asshole.” I punched his shoulder.

Everyone laughed, and in the small room, it sounded like a thunderclap.

“Seriously, though, do you have everything?” Tristan asked with all sincerity.

“Kayson has the rings. Harlow is carrying the book with the papers in it. God, I hope that Sophie is going to be okay with all this.”

“Really, dude?” Kayson gave me a wry smile.

“Have any of you seen Sophie or the girls today?” I asked nervously. Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and my sister came in.

“You boys care if I have a few moments with my brother?”

They all cleared the room, Tristan being the last through the door. He thought he was sly as he reached for her hand, but he wasn’t. “So, are Mom and Dad here?” I asked.

“Yep, they’re already seated, and they both brought dates. So, all seems right in their worlds. How about you, how are you holding up?”

“I’m good. How’s Sophie?”

“She’s breathtaking.” Stella leaned across the table she was sitting on and snagged a tissue from a box. “I love you so fucking much, but more than that, I’m proud of you. I can’t believe that in just over six months, you’ve found the love of your life again, become a father three times over, and converted to Greek Orthodox.”

“Hey, you converted with me. What’s up with that anyway?”

“I figured that since my brother is Greek Orthodox, my best friend is Greek Orthodox, her soon-to-be husband and your soon-to-be wife are, then I might as well join in. But seriously, I love your life. I never thought I’d be at my brother’s wedding or that I’d be an aunt, but I’m so happy and proud.” She wiped away more tears and then waved her hands frantically in front of her eyes, trying to dry the wetness on her lashes. 

I stepped toward her and pulled her in for a tight hug. “I love you, Stella. Now, go get my bride for me.” When we broke away, I held my baby sister at arm’s length and stared into her eyes, which were identical to mine. I wanted her to find love. Exactly like I had with Sophie.

She nodded and then left the room.

I took a few seconds to get myself and my thoughts together. This was all going to work out; I was doing the right thing. Not once had I wavered in my commitment to wanting to have Sophie for the rest of my life. 

With one last look in the mirror, I straightened my navy-blue tie, then opened the door, and headed to the alter.

I stood in the front of the church, waiting, taking deep breaths, and listening to the piano. When Aiden and Piper began their walk down the aisle, followed by Everly and Eli, Vivian and Damon, Ian and Ariel, Tristan and Stella, and then finally, Kayson and Leo, my heart picked up speed with each pair. 

Any moment, she was going to come down that aisle to be mine forever. The ladies were all in yellow dresses with the same dark blue accents as my tie. Well, everyone except Leo, who was in a yellow dress with more dark blue accents than the others. I liked how Sophie put both of our favorite colors together.

The music changed a bit, and Sophie’s mom came out carrying Avril. Harlow, who was carrying a white book was next, and last was Gianna, who was carrying a basket full of white rose petals. 

When Gianna saw me, she stopped tossing the petals into the air and ran toward me, shouting, “Daddy!” But Harlow stood in place, hollering for Gianna to come back and finish her job. 

“Yep, she’s just like Stella,” Tristan whispered, and I laughed. Unfortunately, Stella heard that and stuck out her tongue.

When the music changed again, everything in me seemed to freeze, and even my heart ceased beating the moment I saw her. 

She was stunning. 

With her hand on her Uncle’s, she glided down the aisle. Someone grabbed me, and I looked over my shoulder and saw Kayson’s arm holding me back. I hadn’t even realized that I had taken a few steps toward her. I was just so eager to get to her.

When they finally reached the front, I trembled as I held the woman of my dreams in my hands.

Father Alexios performed the service, and when he pronounced us husband and wife, I signaled for Dion to bring the girls up. 

Taking the book from Harlow, I opened it and then turned the whole thing so Sophie could see the documents.

She slipped it from my grasp, and I picked up Gianna, who automatically reached for Sophie, but I held her back. Wrapping an arm around Harlow’s shoulders and tugging her into me, I said, “We want you to sign those. Well, that’s if you want to.”

“If you sign them, then I can tell everybody that you’re my mommy. I’ll still have my mommy that I can’t see, but I’ll have you that I can see,” Harlow explained.

Sophie had tears streaming down her face. “Is that what you want, Harlow?” Harlow nodded. “How about you, zoi mou?” Sophie asked Gianna, calling her “my life.”

“Mama.”

That was it, that one word from Gianna had Sophie scribbling her autograph on three sets of legal documents. Today, we didn’t become husband and wife, we became a family. 

“This is almost perfect,” Sophie said, pulling Harlow closer to her while I held on to Gianna.

“Almost?”

She turned and took Avril from her mother’s arms and held her close so that all five of us were together. “Now it’s perfect.”

~ The End ~