Landon's Desire (Book Three of The Pulse Series 3)

by Rose, Jennifer

TWENTY-FOUR

  ~ You Are Cordially Invited ~

  ~ To Witness the Joining Of ~

  Landon Kyle

  &

  Carlton Ward

  At

  Kelleher Rose Garden

  ***

  Have you seen my blue topaz cufflinks? C

  They are where you left them. L

  And where is that, smartass? C

  Grumpy on your wedding day? That sucks! L

  Tick Tock! C

  On the fireplace mantle. L

  Thank you! C

  ??? what’s wrong? L

  I’m lost without you. C

  It won’t be long now. L

  I love you! C

  I love you more! See you soon. L

  Mikala had insisted on following all the old fashioned wedding superstitions etcetera and not being together the night before the wedding was top of her list. Therefore, Landon spent the night in her guest room listening to Emma fussing for most of it.

  “Now she sleeps,” Landon grumbled, staring into the bassinet, where Emma lay sound asleep. “She’s got a set of lungs on her that would wake the dead.”

  “She takes after her mother,” Mason laughed, filling two coffee cups to the brim, handing one to Landon.

  “Very funny,” Mikala snapped, as she came into the room. “Who’s phone went off, I can’t find mine,”

  “It was Carl, he needed help finding his cufflinks.”

  “You’re not supposed to be talking to him before the wedding.”

  “It was texting, that doesn’t count,” he blew steam from his cup and took a cautious sip.

  Mikala laughed, “He’s not dressed already is he?”

  Landon shrugged.

  “The man’s eager,” Mason said. “Probably been dressed for hours,”

  “Speaking of, I better get in the shower, you boys keep an eye on Emma?”

  “Sure thing,” Landon looked over at the bassinet. “She’ll help distract me, you got Tums anywhere?”

  “You okay Lando?” she asked.

  “Nervous stomach, that’s all.”

  “Not going to back out are you?”

  Landon shook his head, “No fucking way.”

  ***

  Carefully draping his tuxedo jacket over the back of a kitchen chair, Carl pressed the button on the coffee machine to brew a fresh pot, then tucked a tea towel into his collar and smoothed the wrinkles along his chest.

  His stomach was causing him distress as it churned with nervous excitement. He searched the kitchen cupboards for antacids to give him some kind of relief. He gave up and decided to check in the bathroom instead with no luck. Knowing there had to be a bottle downstairs, since he always kept plenty behind the bar, he tore open the door and stopped in his tracks.

  “Are you alone?” his father asked. “I really think we should talk.”

  “I have nothing more to say,” Carl told him, as he turned his back and walked into the kitchen.

  Since his father was showing no signs of leaving, he took two cups from the cupboard and set them on the counter, filling them both with coffee. He placed them on opposite sides of the table and sat.

  “Then you can listen.”

  “Do you think it will make a difference?” Carl asked. “It won’t change the fact that I’m gay and I’m happy with who I am and what I am.”

  Emmitt let out a heavy sigh and clasped both hands around his cup. He stared into the dark brown liquid and blinked several times.

  “Can you forgive me for being a fool, for far too long?” his father asked.

  Narrowing his eyes with his brows drawn together, Carl stared at his father in shock without a word. He was incapable of forming anything coherent and feared he’d start babbling nonsense.

  “I’m an old man from another time, a time when anything other than normal was unacceptable.”

  “Normal?” Carl scoffed.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Where is this coming from?”

  Emmitt finally looked up at Carl. “Your mother and I had…a talk. She made me realize some very important things.”

  “Such as?”

  Carl sat up a little straighter readying himself to hear what remarkable revelation that had affected his father so dramatically. That caused him to be sitting across from Carl at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand, ready to reveal some sort of miraculous epiphany.

  “You are my only child,” his father said. “I may not like that you are gay…that you have sex with men.”

  “One man, Landon,” Carl corrected him and his father met his cross gaze.

  “Yes well, I may not like it,” he reiterated, “but as your mother pointed out, it’s not my life and none of my business who you chose to sleep with. She also pointed out that it’s been long enough that our family has been torn apart…by my pigheaded stupidity.”

  Carl swallowed back a lump in his throat. “Are you and mom coming to my wedding?”

  Emmitt smiled, taking Carl totally by surprise. The last time he saw his father’s face it was twisted with hatred and disgust. Carl waited apprehensively, he wanted to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming, making up a happily ever after in his mind for some strange reason.

  His father stood and held out his hand, Carl stood staring at it. “I’m sorry son.”

  Carl shook his father’s hand and was surprised again when his father yanked him into a long held hug, several minutes later they pulled apart.

  “I should go and let you get ready,” his father offered. “Three o’clock at Kelleher Rose Garden, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I love you, son.”

  Tears started to well up in Carl’s eyes and he blinked them back with a smile. “I love you too, dad.”

  Watching the door close, he waited until it clicked and then ran for his phone.

  Have I got a wedding surprise for you! C

  ***

  A rose Arber covered in lovely fragrant red and white roses welcomed Carl when he arrived. Mikala stood smiling and held out her hand. A violin started playing All of Me and Carl blew out a long-drawn-out breath. They walked through the Arber where Landon stood waiting with a perfect bright eyed smile holding out his hand.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Wait,” Carl whispered, as his eyes mapped Landon from head to toe. “I want to remember the way you look and that smile on your face, always.”

  The photographer stepped forward and snapped a shot. “Saved for eternity, Babes.”

  They had chosen matching classic black tuxedos with horizon blue vests and ties. A single soft white gardenia boutonniere graced their lapels and Landon couldn’t stop himself from bending in to give Carl a gentle peck on the cheek.

  A few flashes, and another memory was saved.

  “Ready?”

  “Ready,” Carl reiterated.

  Hand in hand, they walked along a small path until they came to the first row of seats, where Landon’s mom sat to the left all dressed in soft yellow with a gardenia corsage and gave them a tiny wave. Landon’s eyes followed the direction of Carl’s, to the right side. They widened when he saw Emmitt sitting with Patrice and there was an actual smile on his face.

  “Surprise,” Carl whispered.

  Landon tilted his head in question. “What the fuck happened?”

  “Later,” Carl said.

  The music stopped and the minister stepped forward.

  “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Landon and Carlton,” the minister started.

  Carl increased his grasp on Landon’s hand, panic setting in his chest, not hearing a thing the minister was saying for fear he had forgotten his vows. He was holding his breath the entire time. Landon raised Carl’s hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles until he loosened his hold and took a deep cleansing breath.

  “I, Landon, am ready to take you, Carl, as my husband, to live together with you in a growing marriage relationship. I vow to be partners in
life in such a way that together we will meet every situation of life; the peaceful and the chaotic, the routine and the exciting, the sorrowful and the joyful, the threatening and the inviting. I will love you, affirm you, and commit myself to you in a marriage relationship as long as we both shall live.”

  “I, Carlton, ask you, Landon, to be my husband, as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love.”

  Carl sighed, happy he had not stumbled or forgotten his vows.

  “Landon, do you take Carlton to be your one and only, for all the days of your lives, forsaking all others, until death do you part?”

  “I do,” Landon winked.

  “And Carlton, do you take Landon, to be your one and only, for all the days of your lives, forsaking all others, until death do you part”

  “I do,” Carl smiled.

  “The rings?”

  Choosing not to buy new bands, they had a small diamond embedded into their existing bands as a symbol of their wedding day.

  “The wedding ring is a symbol of the vows you have taken here today...a circle of wholeness perfect in form. The unending circle of a ring is a sign of fidelity, the pledged faithfulness of a couple to each other. These rings mark the beginning of an unending journey together filled with wonder and surprises, laughter and tears, celebration and joy. May these rings glow in the warmth and happiness of you both.”

  Once their rings adorned their fingers, Carl held his hand out to see it for the first time, it was breathtaking.

  The minister continued. “There may be times filled with happiness, sorrow, tears or laughter, whatever it may be, remember love has given you wings; your journey begins today; Landon and Carlton, if there is only one thing you remember of this marriage ceremony, remember the love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make your marriage a glorious union, and it is by love that your marriage will endure.”

  I love you, Carl mouthed.

  I love you more, Landon mouthed.

  “Landon and Carlton, as you have consented together in lawful wedlock and thereto have pledged your faith to each other, and have declared the same by joining hands and giving and receiving of rings and exchanged your first gifts as a married couple and by the powers vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you are now married!”

  “Well?” the minister looked from one to the other. “Kiss each other!”

  Landon took Carl’s face in his hands and stopped short of his lips, then whispered, “Thank you.”

  Carl grinned at him confused. “For what?”

  “For making me the happiest man on earth.”

  “I beg to differ,” Carl teased. “I am the happiest man on earth.”

  “Kiss already!” Mikala yelled from her seat.”

  And their lips pressed together, in a long smoldering kiss to end all kisses.

  Click, click, click.

  More memories saved!

  ***

  A groom and groom sat atop a three tier wedding cake, holding hands with their legs dangling over the cakes edge, their heads turned to each other with smiles on their faces. It was humorous but beautiful, the frosting a soft mocha color with black bowties wrapped around each layer.

  Their friends had outdone themselves turning Pulse into a tasteful reception venue. There were white gardenias and blue streamers everywhere. Tulle hung from the ceiling with glowing fairy lights setting a tranquil atmosphere and the DJ played a quiet refined mix of music while dinner was served.

  “What’s with your father?” Landon asked, handing Carl a glass of champagne, while his glass contained the usual, ginger ale.

  “He’s asked me to forgive him, I think he’s really going to try,” Carl said. “I also think my mom may have given him an ultimatum.”

  “Probably more like a death threat,” Landon joked.

  They laughed as they walked to the dance floor and gazed into each other’s eyes, holding tight and swaying to the slow beat.

  “Our moms have already made lunch plans,” Landon announced. “And of course Mik and Eden are up to something devious involving them. I heard them talking about decorating something while we’re away on our honeymoon.”

  “Speaking of, where are we going?” Carl asked.

  “London, Spain, Paris and Italy,”

  “That’s a lot of site seeing in such a short time,”

  “One month, a week in each country, I’d say that’s plenty of time.”

  “A month? How’s Mik going to handle things around here for a month while we’re gone?”

  “Actually she doesn’t have a thing to worry about Babes,” Landon said, reaching into his jacket pocket. “You do.”

  Landon handed him a thick envelope. On the face it was stamped with a Law Office logo and the words transfer of ownership written in fancy script.

  “What is this?”

  “She’s all yours, lock, stock and beer barrel. It’s my wedding gift to you.”

  Quickly Carl tore open the envelope and read fleetingly over the first page.

  “Pulse & Passion is your baby now, to do with as you please.”

  “Oh, holy shit!” Carl yelled throwing his arms around Landon’s neck.

  “You must have broken the news,” Mikala said, with Eden, Mason and Chase at her side. “Good luck.”

  “Are you sure, Mik?”

  She nodded her head without hesitation. “I’ve never been happier and I know it’s what you’ve always wanted. You practically ran the place without me anyway.”

  “We’re all going to pitch in and run the place while you guys are on your honeymoon,” Eden said. “I heard you’re going to Paris, the city of love.”

  “And Spain, London and Italy,” Landon said, swirling Carl in a circle. “Not that we’ll see much, other than the four walls of our rooms.”

  “Ewww…” Mikala whined.

  “Someone sounds jealous,” Carl teased.

  “Our honeymoon fizzled out once Emma was born,” she pouted.

  “I beg your pardon?” Mason said indignantly. “Our sex life is great.”

  “I never said anything about sex, did I?” Mikala asked. “The honeymoon, the romance, the endless hot passion, that’s what fizzles. But the sex is out of this world.”

  “Jesus Christ, anyone else need a drink?” Mason asked, as a server brought over a silver tray of champagne flutes.

  “Join me in a toast,” Chase said, as he held up his glass.

  The others followed suit, each taking a glass and turning to the happy couple.

  “I propose a toast to Landon and Carl, whose love has brought us together today. May you always know happiness, joy, peace, understanding, respect, devotion, fidelity, faith, goodness, kindness and love. May your days be filled with laughter and may your nights be filled with romance. May every day you spend together be even better than the last.”

  “Here, here,” Mason countered. “May every day be happier than the last. Let's drink to love, which is nothing -- unless it's divided by two.”

  “Listen to the romantics!” Eden laughed, giving Chase a shoulder nudge.

  “Thanks guys,” Landon grinned and kissed Carl on the cheek.

  “Yeah, this day might have never happened without your love and support.” Carl added. “A toast to friends, may the saddest day of our future be no worse than the happiest day of our past.”

  “You know, between the six of us,” Landon chuckled, “We’ve lead some fucked up lives, lived through some fucked up experiences and dealt with some fucked up people. Cheers to us surviving all the bullshit and coming ou
t of it virtually unscathed.”

  “Too the six muskateers!” Carl roared. “Cheers!”

  EPILOGUE

  ~Five years later~

  “Uncle LaLa!” Emma screamed, running down the front steps, across the lawn.

  Landon scooped her into his arms and hugged her tight. “Sweet Pea, how’s my birthday girl?”

  “Happy Birtday Uncle LaLa, mommy maked us cake!” the excitement poured from her little heart and Landon beamed with pride.

  “She did? Is it chocolate or vanilla?” he asked, knowing full well it was vanilla, her favorite, but he loved hearing her say it.

  “Banilla!” she grinned.

  Carl stood with a smile on his face watching Landon peppering Emma’s face with kisses as she squirmed and giggled. Carl was holding the biggest pink teddy bear that FAO Schwarz sold. She squirmed out of Landon’s arms and ran to Carl with her hands held out and a bright happy smile spread across her face.

  “Oh Uncle Cawl, for me?” she hugged his leg tight.

  “Yes it is,” Carl squatted down beside Emma until they were face to face. “Where’s my kiss?”

  She gave him a tiny peck and stood with her hand on her hips. Her big green eyes widened and she put her tiny hand on Carl’s shoulder. “Now please?”

  Carl shook his head and laughed. “You are just like your mommy, you become more like her everyday.”

  She grinned with her head held high, “Daddy says so too.”

  “Go put your new bear in your room, honey,” Mikala told her, “and be careful on the stairs.”

  Emma dragged the bear, which was as tall, if not taller than she was, by the head through the grass and heaved it up the stairs.

  “She needed another pink teddy bear?” Mikala asked.

  “Every year for as long as I live, Emma will get a pink teddy bear from her Uncle Carl.”

  Mikala held up her hands. “I get it, but could they start getting a bit smaller, we’re going to have to buy a bigger house to accommodate the suckers.”