As Allison and Makenzie walked in front of her, down the aisle of sand littered with bright white flower petals, Emma looked out at the guests in their cane-backed chairs. Every face that met hers was filled with excitement, joy and love. A flood of acceptance, rather than a leering pack of people who were only caring about her dress and what appetizers they put on the table. Truly, her fears had been for nothing.
The light violin music swelled into a crescendo, which was her cue to start the long walk toward Sean. Her simple white-lace gown floated around her as she walked toward the one man who would hold her heart for all time.
Sean stood with his groomsmen under an arch decorated with purple drapery, white roses, and sea glass picked from the beach during the week they had stayed at the resort leading up to the wedding.
Each step toward her future she took a breath of the refreshing, salty air mixed with the perfume of her flowers. Her eyes locked on Sean and there was nothing else. This was simple. Easy.
Seconds later, and she was in his arms.
“Ahem, no touching,” the officiant whispered under his breath as Emma moved from her soon-to-be husband’s warm embrace. “I know it’s tempting, but not until the end, eh?”
Emma blushed and looked at the officiant with a nod as she met Sean’s eyes.
“You look incredible,” she said softly. “Nice tux.”
“I would hope you liked it, you picked it out, remember?” Sean grinned and winked.
The officiant cleared his throat and they were off.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of this man and this woman as they join their hands together in matrimony…”
The rest of the introduction was a blur. All Emma could concentrate on was Sean’s smiling face, glowing as if he had won the lottery. He kissed the tops of her hands that were clasped in his as Emma looked out into the front row to see her grandmother holding Mia. She was squirming and fussing, trying to get to her parents. Her little face was practically purple with the effort and it made Emma’s chest ache to fix it.
She looked back at Sean, who nodded softly in approval—their parenting game was clearly on point today. Quickly, she held up one finger, and the officiant waited as she went out into the crowd and scooped up their daughter, holding her at her hip.
Mia immediately started playing with Emma’s veil, and there were coos and laughter from the guests.
Emma looked down at her giggling child and her ribcage expanded with a joy so physical, her knees got wobbly from the intensity. Her little girl laughed and chattered as Sean played a short game of peekaboo, their favorite together. Until the officiant cleared his throat and they were both jerked back to the moment—their wedding.
“Now, we have come to the part where the couple will read their vows and both Emma and Sean choose to write their own. You may read them now.”
Sean went first, unfolding a piece of paper from his breast pocket and looking down at it briefly before his gaze met hers.
“I love you,” he mouthed, before clearing his throat, clearly fighting back tears.
“Emma, I struggled my whole life to find a greater purpose, but when I found you, I found my true calling. It was only further cemented by the birth of our amazing, brilliant daughter and my convictions grow stronger every day that you will remain my loving partner, best friend, and a wonderful mother to our child for the rest of my days.
“In return, I swear to get you swimming lessons, always allow you to take the lead when planning things, and to always let you have the last say in an argument. I promise to remain devoted, faithful, and steadfast in our honesty to each other, always striving for the best communication, rather than being afraid I’ll hurt your feelings at the risk of bringing about more conflict.
“I know the next few years are going to be an adventure and I’m more than down to take that ride with you. Every step of the way. If you’ll agree to have me by your side today. I’ll even give you a piggyback ride when you get tired.”
The crowd laughed and Emma smiled, unable to hold back her tears anymore. Mia wiggled in her arms and buried her head into Emma’s neck, wiping drool along the neckline of her gown as she burbled and giggled, having a grand ol’ time. But Sean wasn’t finished yet.
“Emma Mahoney, you are everything I ever wanted in a partner and the woman I have to thank for everything that’s good in my life. I’m so grateful to get to raise our baby together and see what the next fifty years together bring us.”
Sean wiped away a tear and held out his hands, and Emma placed their little girl in her daddy’s arms. She cooed happily and bopped him on the nose with her tiny fist, blowing spit bubbles as Sean hoisted her up in the air before settling her into his arms.
Emma grounded herself with a deep breath and turned to grab a notebook from Allison. She opened to the page with her vows and looked at her family as they played and looked back at her with love and affection written all across their faces.
“Sean, you are the father of my child, the man I never knew I needed, but the one I want in my life for the rest of my days. From the moment you pulled me out of that water that day I’ve been amazed by your kindness, your positivity in a bad situation, and your ability to protect me at all costs.
“Though we’ve had our differences, I’ve always known there would be no one other than you, Sean. I’m happy today to finally take you off the market, to make you mine. Forever. In return, I vow to always have your back when times are hard, to protect your heart as deeply as you’ve protected mine, and to never walk away from a fight again. I choose you, Sean. Today, tomorrow, and always.”
Emma sniffled and wiped under her eyes, handing back the notebook as she grappled for Sean’s hand and held it steadfast within her own two hands. It was hard not to notice they were both trembling and she took comfort from the fact that she wasn’t the only one. She would never be alone again. In a less than two years, she had gone from a workaholic, jaded by men and unconvinced that she would ever be fulfilled in life, to a woman with a full heart, a brilliant man, and a family with a clear purpose shining through it all.
As the sun set, she knew tomorrow when it rose, everything would be different.
“…and do you, Sean, take Emma to be your wife?”
“I do, absolutely.” He grinned so hard it must have hurt and he squeezed her hands.
“Do you, Emma, take Sean to be your husband?”
“Yes, I do.”
Sean had Mia hold the ring as they both guided it onto Emma’s finger and she broke into quiet sobs.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Emma didn’t wait for Sean to wrap his free arm around her—she went to her family and kissed Sean sweetly before kissing their daughter too as the roar of clapping and cheering mingled in her ears with the dulcet tones of the violin. A swell of mixed emotions made her lightheaded as she took her husband’s hand and they both walked down the aisle together as the night surrounded them.
“You look utterly amazing,” Sean muttered close to her ear, nipping her earlobe.
He popped Mia on his hip and grinned. “Mommy and Daddy are official now, my little munchkin. We’re going to have so much fun spoiling you and loving you and taking care of you.”
“And what do we have to teach her right now, Sean?” Emma laughed as they and all their guests walked toward their reception space.
“We’re going to teach our baby girl a little about her Daddy’s favorite pastime, isn’t that right, Mia?”
“Which is what? Exactly?”
“We’re going to teach her how to party!”
He lifted their daughter up in the air and blew a raspberry on her little stomach as she gurgled and wiggled in approval, Emma unable to do anything but laugh at their hijinks. They were going to be the dynamic duo when their daughter grew up and she couldn’t wait to witness the little daddy’s girl Mia would become.
“Sure, we�
�ll start her off with a shot of apple juice and work our way up from there to the hard stuff, sound good?”
“Sounds very reasonable. Your mommy’s very smart, you know that? That’s why she chose me in the first place, isn’t that right, baby girl?”
Mia giggled and smiled at them, oblivious to whatever her parents were talking about as Emma glanced at the entrance to the tent where the reception was being held. Everyone else in the wedding party had already been formally announced by the DJ and now they were the only ones left outside having their quiet time together as a family while the moonlight clung onto the edges of ocean tide shifting in and out across the sand.
“Kiss me, Mr. Fisher. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment and I want it to be memorable.”
Her husband switched their daughter to his other hip and cradled Emma’s face with his free hand, touching their noses as he looked into her eyes.
“The first kiss of so many more, Mrs. Fisher.”
Sean eased into the kiss before he took her breath away with a seductive dance of lips and tongue that left Emma dizzy with butterflies in her stomach. When he pulled back, she held onto her husband’s free arm for support as she grinned up at him and her daughter.
“Are you ready for the next chapter, Mrs. Fisher? We have a party waiting for us.”
“Let them wait for a little bit longer. Right now I’m enjoying the view.”
She watched her husband as he turned to look over his shoulder at the moonlit beach, caught off guard when she wasn’t looking the same way. She was looking at her family.
Tonight, she only had eyes for them.
The End
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