54. Kennedy
Kennedy
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Hades and Kennedy's Wedding Day
Yesterday I went to the Massachusetts prison to see Delores for her weekly visit.
I went there happy, eager to tell her the news about the developments in my case. We talked for an hour, but in the end, when I said goodbye, I was devastated by her request that I don't visit her there again. Her justification was that every time I returned to the prison, I would remember the suffering I had experienced since that night at the beach house.
Having to hide in a cabin in Missouri with Ernest, pregnant and with no memory.
Discovering that I was being accused of a crime.
Being in a coma, and finally, that entire month I was in prison before the judge allowed me to respond to the case while out on bail.
I cried as she told me that it was time to let go of the past, that we would always be in each other's hearts and prayers, but that I had to start over from scratch.
I insisted that she was wrong, that we could make it work, but she was adamant, and in the end, I had no choice but to agree.
"What are you thinking about?" Elina, Odin Lykaios's wife, asks as soon as the hairdresser they hired has put the finishing touches on my bun and left, leaving us alone.
Even though I didn't agree to a big party, I got all the traditions, like the bridal shower and a beautiful white dress. Instead of getting married at the registry office, a justice of the peace will come to the garden of our house. Few people will be present, just the closest family.
Afterwards we will celebrate with an outdoor lunch in tents set up on the lawn, with a band performing, and the children will be able to play to their heart's content.
Only a few minutes ago, my sisters-in-law and Zoe left the room, but as if sensing that I needed to talk, Odin's wife stayed.
“About the past,” I reply. "I never had anything, Elina, and suddenly, I'm with my family and about to marry . . .”
"The man you love?"
"Yes."
"Is it that painful to admit?"
"How many women would be able to forgive what Hades did? Sometimes my mind says I'm making a mistake."
"What about your heart?"
"It always belonged to him."
"Well, in my experience, we shouldn't just follow one of the two. Find a balance."
"Isn't it a little too late?"
"Do you have doubts about marriage?"
"Not about the love I feel for Hades, but my pride screams that I should make him wait longer. I gave him everything, and he didn't even have to sweat that much."
"And making him suffer would be good for you?"
I don't even need to think about it. "No."
"The truth, Kennedy, is that the only one who knows about your life is you. It's easy to give advice about other people's lives because if you get hurt, you'll be the person who suffers, not the know-it-all guru who told you to do this or that. You're not obliged to marry Hades. There are no longer any accusations weighing on you, but just be careful to make the right decision and not end up hurting both of you." She smiles, and after caressing my cheek, she leaves.
I go to the window and look at the sunny day outside.
"Ready?" I hear Ernest's voice ask behind me, and I turn to the door. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Can you call Hades here for a moment?"
"Why?"
"I need to tell him something."
He looks at me, worried. "You don't need to get married today if you don't feel safe."
"Call him, please."
I wait anxiously, and when I see Hades standing in the doorway a few minutes later, the rhythm of my heart is so intense that I start to worry.
"Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony?" Despite trying to sound light, he fails. First, because there isn’t a single soft cell in this man.Hades is the purest definition of an avalanche. Once he enters someone's life, nothing will ever be the same again.
Secondly, because I feel his tension, as if he senses that something is wrong.
I face the man I know I will love until the day I die, and I run into his arms. "Bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? Not in my case, Greek. I love you, and I will be yours forever, just as you are mine too, Hades."
He holds my face. "Are you saying that because it's our wedding day?"
I shake my head.
"Are you marrying me because you want to give King a family?"
I never imagined I would see him insecure one day. "No, I am declaring my love and forgiveness to you. I'll love that King is part of this huge clan you've formed, but my 'yes' today will be for both of us, regardless of our son."
"Do you have any idea how important it is for me to hear you say that? I was willing to love you on my own for our entire lives if I had to. I would never give up on winning you back."
"I was always in love with you, but after you came back into my life, you made me love you. I wanted to give you my forgiveness before we said our vows in front of our family, to start from scratch and . . .”
"I understand," he says and picks me up.
"Wait, what are you doing?"
"Taking you to say that blessed 'yes' before you change your mind."
"Ernest should walk me down the aisle."
"If you don't mind, I'd rather do that. I won't take the risk of you running away." He kisses me as he walks, and any attempt at protest I wanted to make is lost.
"I love you, Hades Kostanidis, and I will never let you escape."
"You don't need to worry about that, woman. You captured me at first glance. I'm yours, Kennedy."
I hear the laughter, clapping, and whistling of our guests as he continues walking with me in his arms to the makeshift altar and only stops when the justice of the peace, with a face red as a pepper, probably from never having attended such a crazy wedding, coughs and asks us if he can start.
Hades kisses me one more time and intertwines our hands during the ceremony.
Just as I'm about to say yes, King walks in front of us, hugging us both at the same time.
I bend down to kiss our son's head and then pull my Greek by the tie.
"Yes," I say right away. "It was always a yes for you."