Chapter 10
Ales
I couldn’t believe the day was here. I was finally showing off my marriage to the love of my life. This time, we didn’t have to be by ourselves as we exchanged our vows. It was much more stressful than we both considered, but in less than two months we did it. I looked in the mirror at the hotel we were prepping in with my team, and I was much more nervous than the first time. I inhaled, then exhaled, as I grabbed my hair product using it to pull my hair into a bun. When I was done, I looked at my reflection and smiled as Patro came up behind me with my suit jacket.
I nodded my head as I took it from him.
“You ready to do this the right way?” he asked me.
“I’ve been waiting for the time to finally come,” I admitted. “I haven’t seen her beautiful face for two whole days, and it’s driving me nuts.”
The men I now considered my brothers laughed at me. Jackson, one of the toughest men I ever met, chuckled boisterously.
“You fell in love quick.”
I threw my head back and laughed. These men reminded me of back when I was the warrior and I had a whole army to lead, but these six men made a difference in my life. After I calmed down, I looked at Jackson as he sat back on the bed.
“I’ve loved this woman for a long time coming now. I’d go insane without her. I had to do it once, but I won’t do it again.”
Jackson stood up, walked over to me, and clapped his hand on my back.
“Then, let’s go make sure she knows it, boss.”
I was nervous as Patro and I stood there waiting for my baby to come down the aisle. I gave her the cathedral wedding she’d dreamed of having. When the music began, everyone we invited came into the church. Members of my team, some people I worked with, and some she worked with filled the room. I smiled when a lot of people who were customers Elani had served, or became close to, showed up for her. They all stood up and turned to face where she was at the entrance coming in with her best friend, Stacey. Even if my mother was still part of Stacey, all the memories of Stacey and Elani were still embedded in her subconscious.
I looked at Patro as he stared at Stacey and how she looked. I knew how much it was hurting him to not be with her because of who was in her body. He not only respected me, but also my mother. I knew he was in love with Stacey, and not my mother, who currently resided in Stacey’s body.
I looked back at the love of my life as she began to come toward me. She was breathtaking as she smiled at me through her veil. She looked exquisite in her wedding dress. She looked like a queen, my queen. Her wedding dress swept the floor as she walked toward me little by little. Even though it was long sleeved, her skin that resembled the dark earth shined through the see-through material. I bit my bottom lip as she finally made it up to me. I smiled down at her as her eyes were full of tears.
“Beautiful,” I said to her.
This made her tear up more, and I reached under her veil to wipe her tears. I was at a loss for words as I continued to look at her. I barely heard the priest as the ceremony began. Patro prompted me to start my vows after the priest couldn’t get my attention. I cleared my throat and reached under the veil again to caress her beautiful face. She was glistening even through her tears.
“My love, what can I even say to you that you haven’t heard from me before. I professed my love to you since the moment I fell for you, and now…now I’ll continue to do so. I want everyone to know just how much you mean to me. You are the epitome of love, kindness, compassion and life. Gods, I want to say so much more, but I won’t, because I won’t have you messing up that beautiful face of yours and blaming it on me.”
I smiled when she giggled. I loved that sound more than anything else. I watched her as she placed her hand over mine on her cheek. She looked into my eyes as she said her vows. The moment she started, everyone else in the room disappeared, it was just us two.
“My liege…” She started and chuckled knowing how much I loved when she called me that. “You are my life line. Without you, I know for a fact I would’ve never experienced love. From the moment you rescued me from a fate I didn’t want, you changed the course of our lives, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Like Maya Angelou said, ‘Love is like a virus.’ It can happen to anybody, at any time and for us, baby, it happened twice.”
I looked at the priest and back down at my baby.
“Please tell me I can now kiss my wife.”
I heard everyone chuckle as the priest cleared his throat and we were handed the rings. We slid the rings unto each other’s fingers. I removed the veil from her face and grabbed her face in my hands.
“I love you, my wife.”
Her face glowed as she smiled widely at me. Her smile was so intoxicating, and I couldn’t help it as I kissed her. I felt her tears on my face, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was her and that she was happy. I gave her one thing and would use my entire being to give her everything else she needed.