by Xavier Neal
Ignoring that fact I add, “And neither is Grandma Maggie. I figured if the day ever came where Madden woke the fuck up, she would be there to see it. I guess I'm just a little bummed all those people are missing this day.”
Drew pulls around into the parking garage. “I get that.” Surprised at how quickly he agreed, I look over. “But as hard as it probably is, remember to think about all the people who are here on this day and most importantly about the over-sized meat head who is waiting to throw you over his shoulder and take you back to his cave.”
A light laugh is my only response.
I know he's right. Still slightly sucks.
Drew escorts me down the slanted road and around the corner towards the courthouse. We wait together, turning all sorts of heads at the sight of a bride on the corner.
If Ben were here he'd have a million dirty jokes for this.
As soon as we're able to cross, we do, and meet Destin just as he's hustling out of the building. Immediately he says, “Oh thank fuck!”
Baffled Drew asks, “What's the problem?”
“Our big brother,” he sighs adjusting his black t-shirt. “He's flipping out.”
A little bit of dread falls over my shoulders. “Changed his mind?”
“No.” Destin spews, “He's afraid you did.”
I stomp my heel. “Why is everyone afraid of that?”
“Seriously?” Triple D questions me in tandem.
“Do not make me bitch slap you both in a wedding dress.”
“I mean, come on, Knox,” Destin cautiously starts. “This whole thing is a whirlwind of crazy. You got together overnight. Now you're about to be married. For most people-”
“I am not most people,” I quickly remind him. “None of us are. None of us have been and last time I checked that wasn't a bad thing.” After fixing the skirt to my dress, I usher my hands towards the door. “Now shall we get in there before Madden chokes out a court official?”
“It's a possibility.” Destin rolls his eyes. “Right now the only thing standing between him and wrecking a government building is Wrench.”
“Well that's gonna last about as long as a fourteen year old rubber,” I gripe, stomping up the stairs.
Destin stops me before I can open up the door. “One more thing!”
Not sure I can take anything else I growl, “What?”
He holds up a cell phone which has Grandma Maggie's face on the other end. “Say hello.”
“Grandma Maggie?”
“There's the most beautiful loud mouth bride of all time,” she coos at me from the rocking chair in her room. “You look breathtaking.”
“Thank you,” I softly sigh. “You don't think it's a little-”
“Flashy? I think you're just like me. It's your special day, wear whatever you want.” When I smile she adds, “And thank one of the triplets for me. He came in and messed with things and next thing I knew I could see you.”
Looking up at Destin with gratitude gushing from my eyes, I question, “You did this for me?”
“It was Madden's idea,” he confesses with a shrug. “He mentioned something about knowing how much it meant to you, so I went over and set it up for her. This is his phone. He knew you wouldn't have yours.”
“Told you, you were his,” she taunts.
“Not now Grandma Maggie,” I fuss back.
After she snickers, I look at Drew and Destin with a grin. “We should get in there.”
They nod and Drew opens the door. Destin directs us down a couple halls until I can hear Madden's very displeased voice chewing Wrench out.
“Why would I ever think she'd actually marry me?!” He growls harshly. “She's not an idiot! I'm the idiot! I'm the fucking moron who-”
“Let his brother be in charge of driving me,” I interrupt his tantrum seconds before his fist can hit the wall beside Wrench's head. “You know Drew drives like a grandmother in an SUV.”
“I do not!”
“You so do,” Destin disagrees.
“Shut. Up.” Madden demands and slowly heads for me, the weight of a million pounds clearly sitting on his shoulders. The second he's in front of me, his forehead drops to rest against mine. “I was...worried.”
“Obviously.”
“Knox if you-”
“I swear Madden Mathew McCoy if you're about to doubt that I wanna marry you right here, right now, I will knee you in the nuts as a warning to the hell you will be permanently stuck in for second guessing me.” Seeing him smile encourages me to finish with, “Now can we go? We had a scheduled time.”
A low hum comes from him as he pulls away and extends his arm for me to loop mine around. The five of us walk into the area heading straight for where the judge is waiting.
Once we're there the woman sits up straight. “Are we ready to begin?”
I glance over my shoulder to see Destin and Drew each holding up a cell phone. With Grandma Maggie's face in one and Azura's beaming in the other, it settles the sadness that was stirring earlier.
Everyone really is here. Did I thank you for being here yet? Well. It's implied.
“Yes your honor,” Madden says firmly.
In a strong almost stern voice she states, “You two have gathered here to exchange words of love and commitment in front of the court. You are accompanied by those you trust to bear witness to this moment, in which you cease being treated purely as individuals, but as a unit from this point on. Before I proceed to the exchanging on the sentiments, would you like to say your own vows?”
“We would,” Madden answers and turns to me. He takes both my hands as his eyes meet mine. “Knox, you know me. I don't believe in saying a bunch of bull-”
Drew quickly clears his throat.
He glares at first, but soon realizes the mistake he almost made.
Could you imagine how hilarious he would be trying to not to curse in a church?
“I don't believe in saying a bunch of BS that doesn't mean anything. Especially not for something that really matters. So, I will say this. My father taught me behind every great man is a phenomenal woman. The truth is I'm not a great man. I haven't done great things. I...” A small sadness seeps into his eyes. “I have done things no decent human being should. Throughout all of that a phenomenal woman never stood behind me.” Prepared to snap I clench his hands tighter. “She stood beside me. Through thick and thin, through the good, the bad, and the very ugly. You are that woman, Knoxie. I plan to spend the rest of my life not only continuing to do the same for you because you are the reason I open my eyes in the morning, but because you deserve a lifetime of devotion I have been too stupid not to deliver in the past.”
Tears creep into the corners of my eyes and I stomp my foot. “Seriously, Madden! I'm gonna knock you out for making my mascara run.”
The guys chuckle while Madden simply lifts my hand and plants a kiss on the back of it.
Trying my best to push aside the tears I say, “Everything I've ever needed to know about loving you, I learned in Kindergarten.” A slightly baffled look causes his head to tilt. “I learned you would never let me go hungry, even if it meant you had to. I learned you would always keep me sheltered and warm, even if it meant you were wet and cold. I learned you would always protect me whether I asked for it or not. That you would always go with the instinct to save me first and deal with the consequences later. I learned in Kindergarten that you would always put my needs before your own. There has not been a day that has gone by that I have forgotten that. There will not be a day that goes by that I ever will. But the time in between, I want you to know not only am I thankful for it and appreciate it, I will do everything I can to do the same for you.”
All of a sudden the grip Madden has on my hands tightens and he sniffles away whatever emotions he's refusing to share in front of everyone else.
If they weren't here you know he would cry.
The judge leans forward. “It is time for the exchanging of the sentiments of your choice. Will they be r
ings?”
“Yes your honor,” we say in unison.
When she gives us the nod, we face Triple D who have passed the phones to Wrench to hold. They each fiddle around in their pockets until the objects have been found. In tandem they offer them to us.
Once we each have them in our hands, we turn back towards the judge.
She nods at Madden. “Please state your full legal name and the promise to uphold the vows you have made in the eyes of law and the witnesses that are standing here with you today.”
Madden’s eyes meet mine. “I, Madden Mathew McCoy, promise to uphold the vows I have made in the eyes of the law and the witnesses that are standing here with us today.”
Very carefully he slides the band on my hand beside the ring.
The moment his eyes look back up into mine I repeat, “I, Knoxie Elizabeth Thompson, promise to uphold the vows I have made in the eyes of the law and the witnesses that are standing here with us today.” My hand shakes in the process of trying to slide it on Madden's finger. He keeps his hand as still as possible giving me the metaphorical cue I need through the nervousness.
“The court acknowledges the union that has taken place here today. We wish you the best of luck in the journey that lies ahead. And it will be a journey because the union of two people becoming one requires work, energy, and endless effort. By the power bestowed upon me by this great state, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
“Thank god,” Madden grumbles and yanks me to him.
His warm mouth, which is always feisty and anxious to devour mine makes no exception in this moment. Passionately, he engulfs me with both arms. My tongue swirls around his almost forgetting we have an audience.
This is definitely the happiest day of my entire life.
After ending video calls, signing paperwork, and making sure we filed it at the right places, the five of us head to a well-known cafe about two blocks over. Taking up a table close to the entrance, I make myself comfortable in Madden's grip, which hasn't lifted since we said 'I do'.
Do you know how hard it is to sign paperwork with him attached to me like an appendage? No. Of course I'm not bitching. I was just saying. Damn.
Shortly after we're seated, the waitress comes by to gather drink orders. All it takes is one glance for her to croak, “Oh my gosh! Did you just get married?”
Nope. I wear this shit to go grocery shopping.
Madden's hand strokes my arm as if he heard my thoughts. He answers for us, “We did.”
“Congrats!” She squeals. “Definitely a round of drinks and desert on the house. Bottle of champagne?”
“I'll have sparkling water instead,” I correct.
Madden cocks an eyebrow. “You sure?”
Quietly I coo, “I wanna remember everything about this day with an untouched mind.”
He twitches a smile before saying to the waitress, “A glass for everyone and sparkling water for her.”
“I can do that,” she scribbles on her pad. “Do you want anything to start?”
“We gotta have that cheese dip stuff,” Wrench excitedly demands. “You know with that stick and the stuff?!”
“Fondue,” Drew informs. “You want cheese fondue.”
“Yeah!” He looks up at her. “We want an order of that.”
“Sure,” she scribbles. “All on one tab?”
Madden nods. “Bring the check to me.”
In unison Triple D object, “Madden-”
“Shut it. My wedding day. I'll pay.”
Their faces scrunch and a brotherly argument breaks out. The sound of it is background noise as I stare at the jewelry on my finger. They're so much more than symbols of finally getting the guy I've been waiting for. These two bands are a sign of the end of a life filled with running and hiding. A bold reminder of the future that lays ahead.
About the time our early dinner starts winding down is when the next part of our plan catches my eyes. Giving Madden the subtle signal, he glances the direction I'm looking and swiftly raises his glass.
“A toast,” Madden says loudly, grabbing the attention of the bald headed, toffee colored man. “To the future of the McCoys. May it be filled with more happy than sad memories as we grow towards something new and better.”
“Here, here,” we echo as he approaches the table.
He slides a hand in his pocket. “McCoys.”
“Commissioner,” Madden greets him in return after finishing a sip.
“Surprised to see you here,” he states, glancing around the table. “And celebrating from the looks of it.”
“We are,” I hum. “Got married today.”
“Huh,” he sounds suspicious. “Where?”
“Courthouse,” Drew answers.
“Congratulations,” the word comes out with a hint of sadness to it.
What the hell is that about?
With a quick clearing of his throat he says, “Didn't want a long engagement?”
Madden shakes his head. “What's the point in that?”
“So that your family-”
“It was all there,” Madden cuts him off. “We're not as big as we used to be.”
The hurt in his tone causes me to give his thigh a sympathetic rub.
The Commissioner looks like he's biting his tongue. “Well congratulations again. You picked a good restaurant to celebrate in. The food here is fantastic. Have it at least once a week. Usually on Fridays.”
Smiling I sigh, “The cake was amazing.”
“Fan of that myself,” he confesses with his own smile.
“Well I should go,” Destin announces right on schedule. “I have a hotel room to decorate. Apparently that's my job.”
The Commissioner lifts his eyebrows at us. “No honeymoon?”
“Decided on a small in town getaway for the weekend until we can decide exactly where we would like to vacation,” I answer.
Madden shrugs. “I do what the woman who carries my last name says.”
He nods as Destin disappears. “I will let you get back to enjoying your evening. Again, congratulations McCoys.”
“Thanks Commissioner,” Madden states firmly.
With one more hard look, he turns and strolls back the direction he came. While Madden's eyes stay plastered on him, Wrench mumbles, “He seems like a blast to hang around.”
Drew chortles under his breath, “Bro, you have no fuckin' idea...”
“He's a good man,” Madden comments, his eyes finally drifting away from him. “Even if we don't see eye to eye on everything.”
A small hush fall across the table.
I couldn't think of a better way to describe him myself. Well...maybe add something about him being rather intimidating for a man with a badge of power and an unquenchable thirst to take down the same person we are. However, I'm not sure you could tie that into the description and have it sound as kind.
Madden
Knoxie and I make a loud entrance at the hotel by doing things to grab attention. My hand wanders across her body and she squeals pretending she wants me to stop.
Not all this is for show. Just so we're clear.
Arriving at the counter, I wrap my free arm around her waist and kiss her neck as she says, “Check in for McCoy.”
“Ah,” the girl behind the desk says. “Newlyweds.”
“Yeah,” Knoxie giggles and elbows me off of her. “Is it the dress or the groom stuck to my neck like gum on my shoe that gave it away?”
“Be stuck to something else in a few,” I state in a groan, teeth nipping at her earlobe.
The girl behind the counter blushes. Her fingers type on the keys quickly. In a stutter she requests, “I just need your-”
“Card,” I finish her sentence while offering it to her.
“Actually no. The room and all charges have been taken care of. I just need your signature.”
Damn it, Destin...I don't know why they insist on trying to pay for shit. I can afford it on my own. It's my job to ta
ke care of them, not the other way around.
After I sign the paper she offers, “Do you need help with your luggage?”
“Nope,” my denial is followed with Knoxie turning around in my arms. “Only thing I need help with it-”
“Madden McCoy!” Her fake fussing makes me smile. She gives the girl an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
