Chapter 50
Jannis
Three months later
“Are you nervous?” Firas grins at me cheekily.
“No.”
Yes, horribly. I’m about to wet myself, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Are you ready?” Nael pokes his head into my old childhood bedroom.
“No, Jannis is about to wet himself.”
“No! Why are you here, anyway? Where’s Louis?”
“David needs help with the boys.”
Firas nods knowingly. “Twins are really exhausting.”
“Speaking from experience?” No one takes offense, and they both laugh.
“You look good. Come on, let’s go. Everyone is already in their seats.”
Our planning committee has indeed done a great job, and everyone is sitting or standing in their place.
We are having a wedding ceremony in my parents’ backyard, after having already gotten legally married at the registry office this morning.
That would’ve been enough for Dayyan and me, but our brothers teamed up with Paps and his friends and in the end, we had no say in the matter.
I see the colorful flower decorations for the first time and smile briefly at the sky. Dayyan’s mother always had the most colorful flower beds, and she would’ve loved that flower arch.
“Do you like it?”
My eyes well up and Luca looks at me sheepishly. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
“I had a little help. Come on, you have to go to the front. Dayyan will be here soon. Don’t look at me like that, the twins decided Dayyan is walking the aisle.” Of course, who else?
I stand in front of the flower arch and wait for my husband, nervously playing with my sweaty hands.
My gaze wanders over our guests, everyone is here.
My fathers, my brothers, Dayyan’s brothers, our nephews, Valérie with their fathers, Nika and élias with Chrissi and Maxi, friends, work colleagues.
I spot the two empty seats in the front row and my breath catches.
There is a photo on each one. What a beautiful idea.
They can’t be here, and yet they are with us, more than just in our hearts.
Danny’s seat is not quite as obvious, not in the front row, but that’s okay.
There is also a free spot next to Luca, and I swallow hard at the thought of the wrecked car and the screams. My brother is joking and laughing with Louis and David when suddenly his expression changes.
I know that look, and I am grateful I get to see it.
Valérie is still missing. If I’m not mistaken, V is being chatted up by two men who are definitely not her type. I’m toying with the idea of rescuing Val when Micki gets up.
The music starts and there he is at the other end of the aisle, grinning at me. Open and lively, and I can’t help but join in.
I never laughed much until I got together with Dayyan. No one ever questioned that, not with my past, but until Dayyan, no one outside my family ever tried to change that.
Now I’m smiling broadly and my eyes may even be filling with tears. My husband looks so good if I didn’t already love him more than anything, I’d fall head over heels in love with him at first sight.
He’s wearing a black, slim-fit suit and a bright white shirt.
No vest, tie, or bow tie, but white sneakers instead.
I look down at myself and realize that someone has made sure our outfits match.
I’m wearing a pine green suit, same cut, same shirt, only I got white Chucks.
If I had to bet, I’d say Valérie had a hand in this.
Flocke walks beside Dayyan as always. Andy Grammer’s “Don’t Give Up on Me” blasts out of the speakers.
Not a slow ballad, not a classic tearjerker, just a song that suits us like no other.
That’s probably why there’s not a dry eye to see when I take a quick look around.
It’s only a few yards, but it feels like an eternity before Dayyan finally stands in front of me.
For a split second, I hear Luca’s voice in my ear. “No kissing before you say yes.” He can’t have meant that seriously. I lean forward, but Dayyan flinches. “Luca has...”
“Since when do we listen to my little brother?” And I press my lips hard against his.
The ceremony is short and emotional, telling our story. None of it is new, we’ve been through it all, we were there, and yet it feels a little more intense hearing it all from someone else. Damn, we can be really proud of ourselves.
Louis and Luca have been discussing for a long time how I’m going to say yes. I never understood this debate, I always have my phone with me anyway. But when it’s time for the question of questions and I have to answer, Luca jumps up, balancing a tray with different signs to hold up.
There’s the classic “yes” and “no”, but also “maybe tomorrow”, “over my dead body”, and “I’d rather have the guy in the third row”. How am I supposed to stay serious? I decide on “Hell, yeah!” and everyone laughs with us.
Once again, “Don't Give Up On Me” plays, and we should be on our way back, but Dayyan remains rooted to the spot.
“They’re here...” With tears in his eyes, he stares at his parents’ seats. “When we were at the magnolia tree this year, I told my mother we were getting married.”
“And what did she say?”
“That she’s proud of us and would love to be there.”