Two years and eight months later

I stand at the front of the aisle, waiting, like everyone else. The air smells like lilies and roses. Everything that would stand still in Grandma’s backyard has been draped with layers of white gauze and clumps of white flowers. It looks like a princess’ dream that someone brought to life.

That someone being my grandmother.

I don’t think Momma was totally thrilled about letting her take care of the wedding, but she knew how much it meant to Grandma, so she agreed. My dad wasn’t too fond of the idea either, but he just shrugged and said whatever made my mom happy was fine with him. That’s kind of his thing—shrugging. Well, that and making Momma happy.

It’s really cool seeing them together. Part of me is actually happy that I didn’t know he existed. It would’ve just hurt to know he was out there and unreachable. Plus, now, I get to see him as my dad, but also as the guy my mom fell in love with. The whole dating thing was weird, but I got over it pretty quick. He makes her so happy. You can see it in her face, in her eyes, and in her smile. Anyone who gives even the tiniest crap about her would’ve wanted him to stick around, no matter how creepy the PDA was.

I look over at my dad where he’s standing, tall and strong, waiting for the music that will cue Momma’s walk down the aisle. He catches me watching him and winks. Then he sticks out his tongue real quick at me. I grin. I can’t help it. He’s such a dork. An awesome dork.

I never thought I’d be this happy.

I glance over at Miles. He’s my dad’s best man, which is kinda weird, but kinda not. He’s the boy I met at the hospital in Duke. He was there having a complicated surgery to repair a spinal injury he got playing football. He and my dad hit it off right away. Miles and me? Not so much.

At first we were both pretty grumpy. I was stuck in the hospital for quite a while and it got old fast, but then one day, out of the blue, I noticed how gray his eyes were and how they made my stomach feel when he looked at me.

Things took a much more romantic turn after that.

As luck would have it, he lives in the next town. He came over to see me when we got back to Shepherd’s Mill. Not too long after that, I got my first kiss. After Momma had carefully screened him for signs of cold, flu, or fever, of course. We lovingly call her the Snot Nazi because she’s always asking about runny noses and weepy eyes and stuff. She’s neurotic, but I can hardly fault her for it.

I didn’t tell her, but I’d have risked getting sick just to kiss him. In a way, it felt more important than breathing. I knew she’d understand because she once told me that’s how she felt about my dad—like kissing him, being with him was more important than air.

Now I get it.

I’m young, I know, but I’m still going to enjoy every minute of this as long as I can. It may not work out at all, but it’s not irrational of me to hope it will. It did for my mom and dad. They fell in love at age twelve then were separated for fifteen years, but they found their way back to each other. Seeing them together makes it feel like dreams come true and miracles happen and true love really does exist. They give me hope. Just being in the same room with them gives me hope.

I glance over at my grandmother. Her boyfriend, John, is beside her. My sister, Hope, is on her lap. She’s dressed in a miniature version of Momma’s wedding dress, because Hope was the flower girl. That’s the only thing about her that looks like us, though. She looks like a girly version of Dad, with her dark hair and rust-brown eyes. I smile at her and she waves. She’s a dorky toddler, but I love her.

I hear the pianist strike the first chord to the wedding march. Everyone stands to their feet and turns toward the house, every eye waiting to see my mother when she appears. I saw her before I walked down, though, so I swing my gaze to my dad. I want to watch him for a few minutes first. I want to see his face when he sees her.

I know the instant she appears. I hear him suck in a breath of air and he looks like he just saw the sun for the first time.

I see his jaw go slack for a second and then it clenches. I know he’s holding in all kinds of emotion. I’ve seen him make that face before, but never quite like this.

His eyes are glued to her, and I watch them move as she moves. He looks awestruck. And so very much in love.

The closer she gets, the more I see him relax. I know a few seconds before she takes his hand that she’s near. His face splits into a smile, like the smile, and I know it’s because of her.

I smile, too.

Because I can’t help it.

And then I look at my mother.

As I stare at her, her perfectly coiffed blonde hair and her perfectly hanging veil blur. Her gorgeous designer dress is a fuzzy white silhouette and her one-of-a-kind necklace is a bundle of sparkles, nothing to compare with how beautiful she is. All I can see is her face. I still see it clearly, and I doubt I’ll ever forget it.

She looks luminous.

She shines with love. It almost hurts to look at her, but in a really good way. She’s smiling and crying at the same time, and I realize I’m doing the same thing. I’ve never seen two people more destined to be together, and I’ve never known two people who’ve fought more to be together either. They inspire me. Every day.

Momma takes my dad’s hand and they both turn toward the minister. The swoosh of expensive fabric echoes all around as the zillion guests Grandma invited take their seats.

“Dearly beloved,” he begins, and then goes through the traditional marriage ceremony. I watch with pride and with love, so happy for the two most important people in my life.

I glance at Miles again, and he’s watching me, smiling. I wonder what he’s thinking. Maybe afterward I’ll ask.

I look back to my parents when I hear my dad’s voice. “I loved you before I really even knew what love was, but you’ve shown me what it means to truly give your life to another person, to put their happiness above your own. Until my dying breath, I will be the one to show you that kind of love. I will be the one to sacrifice for you. I will be the one to walk through fire for you. I will be the one to pick you up when you fall, and carry you when you’re sick, and hold you when you cry. I will be the one. Because I’m yours. You have my whole heart for my whole life. You always have.”

Although her back is to me, I hear my mom’s soft little intake of breath and I know she’s fighting tears. She hadn’t heard his vows. He kept them to himself until this very moment. Now everyone knows how much he loves her, including her.

Her voice is shaking when she starts to speak. “You saved me, Dane James. You saved me when I was twelve, and when I was fifteen, and when I was seventeen, and you’ve saved me every day since I came back. You’re my love, my world. You are my rock.”

At that, my dad smiles. I guess it must be some sort of inside joke.

The minister says, “You may now kiss the bride.” My dad is doing it before he can even finish the sentence.

When they turn toward the crowd, hand in hand, Reverend Daniels announces, “Mr. and Mrs. Dane and Brinkley James.”

Applause rings through the air and both my parents turn toward me. Momma holds out her hand and I step forward to take it. She pulls me in between her and my dad just as Grandma steps up with Hope. She hands her off to Dad and then holds out her hand for his free one. Dad situates Hope on his hip and takes my grandmother’s hand just before she reaches for Momma’s hand.

Everyone in the yard is standing, watching, waiting as Grandma turns to speak to the crowd.

“When we moved to Shepherd’s Mill, I thought it would be a place to start over, a place for my daughter and me to have a better life. I wanted to bring her to a town where I could teach her what proper ladies acted like and how women with a good life behave themselves. I thought I brought her here to mold her and shape her and teach her, but she ended up teaching me.” Grandma looks over to my mom, her eyes all sparkly with tears. “I thought she was a willful, stubborn girl, just young and silly, but as it turns out, she was, she is, a much better person than I am. It turns out that my daughter taught me. She taught me everything I need to know about life and love.”

Grandma lets go of Mom and Dad’s hands and cups Momma’s face. Tears are streaming down my mother’s cheeks, but I know she doesn’t care. There’s a kind of happiness, a kind of peace in her eyes that no amount of mascara can enhance. “You grew me up, Brinkley. You showed me what true love is and how money shouldn’t change who you are. Knowing you, watching you live your life, even the years you were away from here, has made me a better person, and I just want you to know…I want everyone to know that I’m so proud of you. So, so proud of you.” Grandma makes a little sobbing sound and draws Momma into a hug. No one says a word or moves a muscle until they pull apart and Grandma reaches over to put her hand to Dad’s cheek, too. “I couldn’t have chosen better for her. You’re the kind of man she needs. She knew it even when I didn’t, and I’m glad she didn’t listen to me. You’re…you’re the only one for her. You always were. And I’m happy to call you my son.”

My dad smiles and leans down to kiss her cheek. Hope gets in on it, too, wrapping her chubby little arm around Grandma’s neck and making a smacking sound like she’s giving sugar.

Everyone laughs.

Grandma turns around to the crowd and, with a big smile, announces, “My daughter and son-in-law. May they find happiness in every day of their forever.”

A few claps start at first, but then more erupt, and soon everyone in the yard is clapping and cheering for my parents. They were the underdogs in this town and, whether everyone realizes it or not, they came out on top.

John comes up, and he and Grandma fall in behind us. Together, we all walk down the aisle.

This is one of the best days of my life.

I know it’s one of the best for my parents.

They’ve found true happiness. They’ve shown me that life is what we make of it. We just have to be determined enough to chase what we want and do what’s right, no matter what other people say or think.

They give me hope, and I think today they gave a whole lot of other people hope, too.