Chapter 35
Ten forty-five sees the four of us, ready and waiting by the front door.
Kean and I decided on light grey suits, and Lyric is wearing the same.
I did think he could wear his funeral suit, but that felt wrong, so I magicked this one up.
The same for River, he has light grey trousers, a white top and a light grey waistcoat.
They both look cute, and lots of pictures have been taken.
Ernest comes bustling down the hall carrying red rose buttonholes. He attaches them to our jackets, puts a little one in Lyric’s top pocket. “We didn’t get one for River. I can do a single one like Lyric’s, if you want?”
“That’s okay, I think River is good without one,” Kean says.
I look Ernest over, he’s in a black suit with a rainbow coloured waistcoat and rainbow coloured tie. “Looking smart there, Ernest.”
He grins. “Thanks. Just so you know, all the family are dressed like this.”
Kean bursts out laughing. “Mum and the other females are wearing trousers suits and rainbow waistcoats?”
Ernest laughs. “No nutter, just the men. The females are in dresses. We’ll do family photos later. Let me just take one of you all here.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and snaps a couple of pictures. “Perfect. TIME TO GO!” His yell brings everyone out of the kitchen.
I move out of the way and open the door, walking outside where there is much more room for everyone to stand around.
We get hugs from everyone. Emily and Nora are both wearing stunning, colourful dresses.
“You two look lovely,” I tell them.
“Thank you, Titus,” Emily says, smiling at me as Nora preens.
“Chop, chop, come on,” Ernest says, holding a floral arch, which he passes to Cassie.
Temp takes the other end, and the two of them walk beside Kean and I, holding the floral arch over us.
We walk in procession to the town centre.
I look at Kean and laugh; it has been decorated to within an inch of its life.
There are flowers everywhere, a rainbow balloon arch, and a table with drinks and covered food, with the town BBQ heating up.
“Okay, you two stay here until the music starts, and then you can walk down the aisle together,” Ernest pauses, “unless one of you wants to go down first.”
“We’ll go together,” Kean replies, looking at me.
“Sounds good.”
“We’re off to call the quarters and then you guys come and join us,” Ernest instructs.
Adhan walks over and looks at Lyric. “You remember what we asked you?”
Lyric gives a big nod. “Parry wing.”
Adhan laughs. “Close enough,” and plucks Lyric out of Kean’s arms and walks off down the aisle that has been set up.
“Pop,” I hear Lyric shout.
“So John’s here,” Kean says as I laugh.
Nix and Sly walk over holding floral headdresses. Nix puts the one he is carrying on my head, and Sly puts his on Kean’s head.
“You both look so preddy,” Sly teases.
“Of course we do,” Kean replies with a laugh.
“See you in a bit,” Nix says, as they walk away.
“Do you want me to take River, or do you want to walk down the aisle with him?” Sion asks.
“No, you can take him, thanks, Sion,” I say, handing him over.
Sion gently cradles River and walks down the aisle.
“We’ll go and sit down as well,” Ben says, and everyone else walks down the aisle until it is only us.
Kean holds his hand out, and I happily take it.
I have a sudden thought. “We should have thought about godparents for River.”
“I had a thought about that, what about Reval and Macy?”
“That’s lovely, we’ll have to have stand-ins for them though.”
Kean shakes his head. “I invited them to the wedding.”
“Goddess, I love you,” I say, leaning forward and kissing him. I jump and yelp as I’m zapped in the arse with magic. “I’m gonna kill Ernest.”
Kean laughs. “Maybe wait until after our wedding.”
“Fine, come on then, handsome, let’s go get married,” I reply, as music floats around the area.
We walk down the makeshift aisle hand in hand, smiling at family and friends. I see Daniel giving me two thumbs up and get smiles from Monica, Chris and Justin.
At the end of the aisle are steps leading up to a stage, for want of a better word. There is an arch of flowers, and off to one side a table, with a bottle on it, for the baby naming and a candle.
Molly is stood in the middle of the stage under the arch waiting for us. She touches both our arms. “Ready?”
“So ready,” I reply, looking at Kean.
“More than,” Kean adds.
Molly cackles out a laugh. “Perfect, then I shall begin.”
I feel a lot of magic in the air, especially an enhancement spell, meaning we don’t need microphones.
Molly opens her arms. “Friends and family, we are gathered here for a day of celebrations. The wedding of Titus Compton to Kean Stone, the naming of their baby son, and welcome to the family for their Lyric. Titus, Kean turn to face each other.”
We do, and I hold out my other hand to Kean, and he takes it, his thumbs stroking over the back of my hands.
“Do you, Titus Compton, take Kean Stone as your wedded husband. Do you promise to stand by him in good times and bad? Do you promise to offer him comfort in times of hardship and worry? Do you promise to love him forevermore?”
I look into Kean’s happy eyes. “I promise, all of that and so much more.”
Molly cackles and turns to Kean.
“Do you, Kean Stone, take Titus Compton as your wedded husband. Do you promise to stand by him in good times and bad? Do you promise to offer him comfort in times of hardship and worry? Do you promise to love him forevermore?”
“I do, always for every lifetime.”
I hear a sniff and see a few people dabbing their eyes, including Ernest.
Molly looks over to John. Lyric is sitting on his lap. “Lyric, do you have the rings?”
“I do,” he shouts, waving a rainbow-coloured cushion in the air.
John catches the cushion before anything happens to the rings. He stands up and puts Lyric down, and hands him the cushion. “Remember, be careful with this.”
Lyric nods. “I do.” He runs up to the steps and climbs up. “I come,” he calls.
Kean lets go of my hands and goes to meet Lyric, picking him up and carrying him over.
“I parry wings,” he says, happily, holding out the cushion.
Molly cackles and takes the cushion, just as Lyric starts waving it about again. “Thank you, little man.”
Kean looks at Lyric. “Do you want to go back to the family?”
“No,” he says, snuggling into Kean.
Molly takes the two rings off the cushion and hands one to me. “Sonny, take Kean's ring and slip it onto Kean’s finger, then you can say your own vows.”
I take the offered ring, smiling at Molly. Kean holds his hand out, and I slip his wedding ring onto his finger, and keep hold of his hand.
“Kean, I sometimes wish we had met sooner, but I get it now. Our paths crossed right on time. You came along, with pizza and tight jeans,” I smile as Kean booms out a laugh, “and turned me inside out with your love. Uncovering parts of me I never knew existed. You brought out my joy, my love, my laughter. Not a moment is wasted when I’m by your side.
My goal is to show you how special you are, and to fill your life with love and care, and stand side by side as we raise our wonderful boys together,” I feel my eyes fill with happy tears and give a little sniff.
I hear more sniffing and then a nose being blown. I look and see Ernest, wiping his nose. He holds a thumb up.
I turn back to Kean, whose eyes are shining brightly.
“Tus,” Lyric says, holding his arms out to me.
I take him and kiss his head.
“Tus sad?” he asks, looking concerned.
I shake my head. “No, little man, I’m happy.”
He sighs and rests against me, playing with a jacket button.
Molly turns to Kean and hands him my ring. “Kean, slip your ring on Titus’ finger and say your vows.”
I hold my hand out, and Kean slips the ring on my finger, then bends down and kisses my hand and keeps hold of it.
“My darling Titus, in all our time together, you have become my person. My love, my best friend, my life and my dream. I never thought I would meet my person, marry them, and have a family with them, but then I met you, and my dreams have come true. You and the boys are my life, my world, and I will spend my life showing you and our boys how much you are all loved.” A tear slips down his cheek, and I drop his hand and wipe it away.
Resting my hand on his cheek. “Love you, handsome.”
Kean leans forward, but Molly cackles out a laugh and puts her hand between us. “You can kiss in a moment. Hold hands again.”
I hold my hand out to Kean, and he takes it
Molly pulls out a rainbow ribbon and wraps it around our hands.
“May your love always be as strong as you are bound together. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Titus and Kean Compton-Stone. Now you two can share your first married kiss.” And to claps and cheers we share our first kiss as husband and husband.