by Lila Felix
I have a lot of pride for everything we created for this wedding. The arc in front of everyone was woven with wood and wildflowers. I’ve always loved wildflowers. The chair backs had similar flowers covered with white clothes.
“Ready?”
I beamed with pride at my husband. “I was born ready.”
My dad turned on the speaker as Mark Willis’ “I Do” softly played. Brent and I walked down the small aisle. As Dad stopped the music, Brent and I turned to our family and friends.
“This isn’t a typical wedding, but Viv and I are far from typical.” He joked and squeezed my hand. “We first met in grade school and quickly became best friends. Soon after we began to date. I was thirteen when I realized I was going to spend the rest of my life with her.” He glanced at me and then turned back. “Then she left me and didn’t speak to me for ten years. But I held steadfast and knew someday she would come back into my life. She did. Soon, we were drunk and awoke with rings on our fingers.”
Everyone laughed.
“Then, through my impressive negotiating skills, she came back home with me. It was being back here where our fondest memories are and we were able to rekindle our love.” He sighed. “And then she left me again.”
This time everyone laughed louder.
“But I kept my faith that she would come back and I think it’s what has made us stronger.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“Now, we’re here today to pledge our love to each other again and have some amazing barbecue and sweets.”
Our guests clapped at this. Brent and I faced each other as Mom came up and took my bouquet of flowers. He took my hands in his with the brightest smile on his face.
“Vivian, I’ve never been one to shy away from my feelings. However, there was one time I can remember. We were both eighteen and you left me for the first time. It was then I should have begged you to stay and marry me. I didn’t because I knew you had bigger dreams and aspirations. It’s something I always respected about you. You have always set a goal and reached it.”
I wiped the first tear from my cheek.
“I have loved you longer than I can physically remember. I have dreamed of getting married a million times over because you make me a better person. You make me better at everything. It’s your strength and determination I thrive off of and I love you even more for it. I can’t imagine a time in my life without you and I can’t fathom one in the future. Thank you for being my best friend and wife. I love you.”
He pulled a gold band out of his pocket and slipped it on my finger. Then he handed me a handkerchief and I dabbed my eyes.
“Okay, my turn.” I took a deep breath and pulled myself together. “As an author, I have written several romantic scenes. The only reason I was ever able to do those was because of you. You always seemed to put me on some sort of pedestal and I never understood why. Sometimes I thought it was because you were just being kind. Other times I thought I was dreaming it all, but in fact, it was all true. As I reflect on it now, I realized you were a special human being. You were meant to be in my life to make me better.”
He glanced down at his boots.
“You don’t even know how many times I really wanted to pick up the phone and call you. But I had to find me. A me without you. And you know what? I don’t want a me without you. Every good memory I have is because of you. You are my past, present, and future. You’re my everything and I love you.”
Mom handed me the ring for Brent. I easily slid it on his finger. Brent quickly cupped my face and kissed me with a deep passion.
Love.
“WHY?” I ASKED as Brent loaded the bags into the rental car. “I figured you would want to go anywhere but there for our honeymoon.”
“Not necessarily.” He shut the trunk and opened the car door for me. “Come on. We’re going to your cabin.”
I slid onto the seat but am still confused as to why he wanted to spend our honeymoon in Washington at my cabin. I had only been back one time since leaving and going to Texas to declare my love and life to him. I wasn’t sure if I was going to sell it or what I was going to do with it. Maybe rent it out?
I loved the ride to the cabin as Brent was discussing some new property he was wanting to invest in and I was able to write a little bit on my laptop.
As we pulled up to the cabin, it looked the same and I didn’t feel sad as I had many times before coming here. Yes, I loved this place but there weren’t many good memories here. Just a lot of work and stressful days. Brent gathered up everything as I unlocked the door and pushed it open. Even though it was dusty and almost everything was covered up, it looked exactly the same.
I began to remove the cloths from the furniture and he took our luggage to the bedroom. When he came back in, he helped me fold up everything.
“You know there’s no food here, right?”
He nodded and sat down on the couch. “I know. We can run into town to eat or if you want to cook we can grocery shop for what we need.”
“Why here?” I took the place next to him.
“Because I know you love it here.” He pulled me closer to him. “And I also know you’re thinking about selling it and I don’t think you should.”
“Why?”
“Well, technically it’s your place and you can do whatever you want, but it would be nice to keep this for us.”
“Us?” I pulled back a bit. “What do you mean?”
“This could be our vacation home. Or our weekend getaway home. Whatever you want to call it, but I think you should keep it.”
I leaned on his shoulder and looked around the cabin. Memories of deadlines and late night writings filled my brain and I realized I want newer, happier ones. I picked up his hand and kissed his ring.
“I would love to have this as our getaway.”
He beams. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
About the Author
Lila Felix is full of antics and stories. She refused to go to Kindergarten after the teacher made her take a nap on the first day of school. She staged her first protest in middle school. She almost flunked out of her first semester at Pepperdine University because she was enthralled with their library and frequently was locked in. Now her husband and three children have to put up with her rebel nature in Louisiana where her days are filled with cypress trees, crawfish, and of course her books and writing. She writes about the ordinary people who fall extraordinarily in wild, true love.
Born and raised in Illinois Elle Kimberly has been a day dreamer and writer since childhood. A lover of traveling and avid book nerd Elle took the leap to writing professionally in 2016. She is the author of the clean, inspirational romance series Nashua Tigers (to be published late 2017) and co-author with Lila Felix. If she isn't working on her fictional worlds and characters, she's holding tightly to her paperwhite kindle and trying to copycat Facebook cooking recipes.
