8. Harrison
Noel had been over the moon when Emma had shown up on Christmas morning right when she had woken up. Of course, Emma had been there all night, but my daughter had been clueless to that little truth.
“Come on, Em!” Noel said as he pulled on Emma’s hand and guided her to the Christmas tree.
I loved that she had picked up on my nickname for Emma.
Since the benefit dinner three weeks ago, Emma and I had spent every spare moment together that we could.
A good portion of that time was also spent with Noel.
I wanted Noel and Emma to get to know each other a little better, and it wasn’t hard to tell that my daughter adored Emma, and Emma felt the same toward Noel.
“Noel, we have to wait for your Grammy before we can open presents,” Emma said as she let Noel pull her down to the floor.
“Daddy has a pwesent for you before Gwammy gets here! Don’t you, Daddy?”
I made way over to my two favorite girls and sat down on the floor next to them. “I do, indeed.”
Taking Emma’s hand in mine, I smiled at her. “Noel and I had a long talk the other day.”
Emma glanced between the two of us. “You did? About what?”
“Daddy wants you to be–”
I quickly put my hand over Noel’s face and tickled her. “You can’t say it, I have to!”
Noel giggled and bounced around. “Hurwee, Daddy! Pwease!”
Turning to Emma, I sighed. “This is what life would be like if you agreed to be…”
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my grandmother’s engagement ring I had asked my mother for yesterday. Opening the box, I held it out. Emma’s eyes grew wide, and tears instantly sprang free.
“My wife and Noel’s mother.”
A hand slowly came up to Emma’s mouth and she let out a sob.
“It’s fast. Supersonic fast.”
Her eyes lifted and met mine. A beautiful smile spread across her face as she softly said, “You jump, I jump.”
“Me too! I jump too!” Noel said as she stood and promptly started to jump.
Emma threw herself into my body and wrapped her arms around my neck. I fell back and Noel jumped onto both of us.
“What is going on here?” my mother asked from the kitchen where she was setting food down on the counter.
“Gwammy! Em is gonna be my new mommy!”
My mother looked at all three of us piled on top of each other and laughed. “What a beautiful way to start Christmas Day!”
“When can you be my mommy?” Noel asked as she wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck.
“Um, I don’t know,” Emma replied as she looked at me.
“The sooner the better.”
“Harrison. What if Emma wants to have a big wedding?” my mother asked.
“I don’t,” Emma quickly said. “I want something small, with just friends and family.”
She turned to my mother. “Will you help me plan something?”
Mom’s face lit up. “You tell me when and where, and I’ll take care of whatever you want.”
“Tomorrow!” Noel yelled out as we all started to laugh.
“How about we see what Santa brought first, then we’ll talk about it,” I suggested.
Noel scrambled off Emma’s lap and stood in front of the tree. Putting her finger to her mouth, she sighed dramatically. “Where to start!”
I paced back and forth while Preston, Doug, and Finn, Preston’s brother and another firefighter, sat and watched me.
“This is why I’m never getting married,” Finn stated as Doug laughed.
Preston stood. “Dude, you’re making me feel sick. Stop pacing the floor like that.”
“I can’t help it. What if we’re moving too fast? Am I doing the right thing for Noel? No, I know I am. But maybe we’re moving too fast? No, I want to marry Emma with all my heart and soul. Are we moving too fast?”
When I looked at my three friends, they stared at me, each with a different expression. Preston looked confused. Doug looked amused, and Finn, he flat out looked terrified.
“Yep, I’m never getting married,” Finn stated once again.
“When the right woman comes along, Finn, you’re going to change your mind,” Doug stated.
Pointing to me, Finn said, “If I act like that…no, thank you.”
A knock on the door had all three of us turning to see my mother. “It’s time.”
“It’s time,” I softly said as the feeling of anxiety seemed to slip away, and was replaced by a peace I hadn’t felt before.
Doug hit me on the back. “Are you ready?”
I nodded. “I’m ready.”
Preston and Finn walked out of the room following my mother. Everything had been planned so quickly, but it was what Em and I had both wanted. It certainly hadn’t left any time for stressing about venues, or dresses, or guest lists. We kept it small. Family and close friends only.
The wedding was being held in the McKim Lobby at the Boston Public Library. When my mother had suggested it, Emma and I both looked at her and laughed. It was the perfect place to get married.
As I walked toward the steps, I was in awe at how beautiful everything looked.
Clear, tall votives with candles lit in each one lined the way to the top.
The flowers were simple, yet beautiful. They were scattered up the steps and served to complement the candles and the surrounding beauty of the building, not overpower it.
Finn, Preston, and Doug were already at the top, and I greeted a few friends and family as I made my way up to join them.
With a deep breath in, I slowly exhaled as I stood and faced the double doors in front of me. The music started to play, and it was a beautiful instrumental version of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” being played by a small orchestra.
My heart raced faster, and Doug bumped my arm and leaned into whisper, “Turn around, Harrison.”
I drew in a deep breath and slowly turned to see Emma walking up the steps holding Noel’s hand.
I couldn’t have held back the tears if I tried.
Both were dressed in white, with Noel holding a small bouquet that matched the larger one Emma was holding.
I smiled at Noel who flashed me a wide grin, missing front teeth and all.
When my eyes landed back on Emma, my breath was stolen.
She looked like a princess as she climbed the steps toward me, Noel on one side, her father, Rick, who had flown in late last night with Emma’s mom, Lynn, on her other side.
We had barely had time to talk to her mother and father, but I could see where Emma got her beautiful looks and kind heart.
As Emma and Noel made their way up the last of the steps, I turned to Doug who handed me a tissue.
“Daddy,” Noel asked as she stared up at me with bright eyes. “Why are you cwying?”
“I’m happy. They’re happy tears,” I said as I reached down and picked up my daughter. Emma faced her father, and he kissed her softly on the forehead before placing her hand in mine.
“Take care of her, she’s my baby.”
Holding onto Noel a bit stronger, I nodded and said, “I will. I promise you.”
When I looked back at Emma, I slowly shook my head. “You look stunning, Em.”
She sniffled and fought to hold back her tears. When one slipped free, I went to reach for it to wipe it away, but Noel leaned over and did it for me. Which only made more tears fall both for Emma and for me.
The ceremony went by in the blink of an eye, and I honestly couldn’t even tell you what was said.
Noel had asked in the middle of the ceremony for Emma to hold her, then for Preston to hold her.
She might have had a little crush on Preston, which made him shower my daughter with attention quietly while Emma and I exchanged our vows.
The reception was held in the Abbey Room with only those who had attended the wedding.
When it came time for me and Emma to have our first dance, I held her close to me.
We didn’t pick a certain song that was ours, and we both left it up to my mother to pick the first song we would dance to.
It was some Frank Sinatra song that Emma had loved, and my mother had somehow found out about it.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Em?”
She smiled up at me. “You have. And have I mentioned how handsome you look this evening?”
I leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips before I whispered, “You have.”
We danced for a few moments in silence before I drew back and looked at her. “I put in my resignation at the firehouse yesterday.”
Emma’s smile faded and she nearly tripped, but I held onto her tightly.
“Why?”
“You once asked me if I was afraid of leaving Noel alone, and I told you every single time. I’m not leaving because I’m afraid something will happen to me, I’m leaving because I want to start a new career.”
She raised a brow. “Please tell me it’s not in politics.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “No. What would you say about the two of us opening a children’s bookstore.”
Emma stopped dancing and stared up at me. “What?”
“A children’s bookstore. You wouldn’t have to leave the library, I know how much you love your job, but what if I could make your childhood dream come true? Would you want to do that? Together?”
Tears built in her eyes, and she slowly nodded before she threw her arms around my neck. “I love you so much, Harrison.”
“I love you, too, Em. More than you will ever know.”
I felt a tug on my jacket and looked down to see Noel. I reached down and picked her up as I started to dance once again with my girls.
“Noel, if you could have your own bookstore,” I asked my daughter, “What would you call it?”
Thinking long and hard, Noel finally lit up and smiled. “Noel’s weading spot.”
I looked at Emma who wore a wide grin and said, “I think we have our store name.”