Samuel #2
I brush a strand of damp hair behind her ear.
"But this?" I smile. "You're perfect."
Her smile is small, almost shy, like the weight of the moment has finally caught up with her. She slips her shoes on, glances once at the note on the table, then returns her gaze to me.
“Ready?” I ask.
She looks at me like the answer should already be obvious. “I’ve been waiting for today for my entire life.”
I take her hand, grounding myself in the simple reality of her standing here, choosing this.
Outside, I swing onto the bike before offering her my hand, careful not to catch the hem of her dress as she climbs on behind me. She wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my back.
The rest of the ride passes in silence, neither of us feeling the need to fill it. Before long, we pull into the courthouse parking lot.
Inside, the front door closes behind us with a soft thud. There's no fanfare. Just the low hum of fluorescent lights and the muted murmur of voices somewhere down the hall.
Raven squeezes my hand once, and together we step up to the counter.
Names are asked for. IDs checked. A clipboard is slid across the desk.
“Fill this out and have a seat,” the woman says. “Someone will be with you shortly.”
After a few minutes, we're led into a small cream-colored room that smells faintly of old files and furniture polish. A desk sits in the center, flanked by two chairs, with an American flag standing quietly in the corner.
The justice of the peace looks up at us. “I need to confirm,” he says, looking between us, “that you’re entering into this marriage of your own free will.”
“I am,” I say.
“So am I,” Raven adds, without hesitation.
The justice reviews the paperwork one last time before sliding it across the desk.
"Whenever you're ready."
We sign where he points, our names appearing one after the other in neat black ink.
Samuel Morgan.
Raven Morgan.
The sight of her new name catches me off guard.
Raven glances over at me, her eyes already shining.
The justice smiles before reaching for the papers. "Do you have rings?"
My pulse kicks. "I do."
I reach into the inside pocket of my jacket and pull out the small velvet box.
Raven's brow furrows.
"Sam..."
My mother's engagement ring rests beside my parents' wedding bands, the gold softened with age but no less beautiful than I remember.
"They were my parents'," I say quietly. "I know they're old, and I'd understand if you wanted something different. But..."
"Samuel."
She cuts me off before I can finish. Her fingertips brush over the rings, her eyes glistening as she looks back at me.
"They're perfect." A tear slips down her cheek.
Emotion lodges in my throat. "You really mean that?"
She laughs softly through her tears.
"They’ve already been a part of one love story.” Her fingers close gently around mine. "How could I want anything more beautiful than that?"
My hands tremble as I lift my mother's rings from the box.
"I don't have a speech," I admit with a quiet laugh. "You know I'm no good at those."
Raven smiles through her tears. "You don't need one."
I take her left hand in mine.
"This ring belonged to the two people who taught me what forever looks like." My voice catches. "I promise to spend the rest of my life giving you the same kind of love they gave each other."
I slide the rings onto her finger. They settle into place as though they always belonged there.
A shaky breath leaves both of us.
"They fit," I whisper.
She laughs through her tears. "Perfectly."
Raven reaches into the box for my father's wedding band. "My turn."
She takes my hand, her fingers trembling as much as mine.
"I can't promise we'll always have easy days," she says softly. "But I can promise you'll never face one alone."
She slides the band onto my finger. It fits perfectly. She lets out a watery laugh. "I guess they always knew."
I lace our fingers together, and for a long moment, neither of us says a word. We simply stare at our hands, the worn gold catching the afternoon light.
The justice clears his throat, a warm smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "By the authority vested in me by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
I don't hesitate. I cup her face in my hands and kiss her, slow enough to memorize the moment.
When I finally pull back, she's smiling at me through tears.
"My husband."
The words settle somewhere deep inside me.
Outside, I reach for her hand as we step onto the courthouse steps. Then, somewhere across town, church bells begin to ring.
Raven looks at me and smiles. "I don't think that's a coincidence."
“Neither do I.”
The ache of missing my parents is still there. It just doesn't feel quite so heavy.
I lift her hand, turning it just enough for the afternoon sun to catch the ring.
"My wife."
She smiles. "I like the sound of that."
"So do I."
Before I can say anything else, she reaches into her purse and pulls out her phone. "Wait."
"What?"
"We need proof."
I laugh. "Proof?"
"That I actually got you to marry me."
She steps into my side and holds the phone out in front of us. "Smile."
"I am smiling."
She tips her head, pretending to study me. "You're smirking."
"Close enough."
The shutter clicks. She looks down at the screen, and her smile softens. "Perfect."
"Send it to me."
She laughs. "We're standing right next to each other."
"I know."
A second later, my phone buzzes.
Raven: photo attached
I open the message, and the selfie fills my screen.
She's looking at me instead of the camera.
I'm looking at her.
I slip my phone back into my pocket and take her hand.
"Ready to go home, Mrs. Morgan?"
"Lead the way."