Chapter Forty Two
Benjamin
The venue for Felix and Kayla’s wedding is simple and elegant.
A spacious white chapel next to a large, renovated tin building that is now a reception hall with a dance floor.
There are beautiful lilies everywhere—lining the pews, at the altar, at the entrance.
They’re all over the reception hall as well.
The color scheme is white, black, and tea green to accent the flowers.
Of course, Aaron and I stayed in theme—as all good attendees do. Aaron is wearing a standard tux with tea green accenting in the form of his dress shirt, handkerchief and his socks. Felix has banned ties altogether.
I go a more fashionable route which shocks absolutely no one.
My color-scheme placement matches Aaron’s as we both are the best men.
But my dress pants come just above my belly button instead of my hips like the standard and my dress coat is cropped and stops an inch or two above the start of my pants.
Other than that, Aaron and I match. Like boyfriends.
Or a wedding party—but whatever.
Felix wears a white tux with the same tea-green accenting as Aaron and I have.
Tina gifts him cufflinks as his wedding gift—which of course makes him cry.
They’re beautiful little stars. We haven’t seen Kayla yet—obviously, but any minute now we will and I’m dying to see that girl’s dress.
So much of their family is here. One side is crowded with Archers, the other with Andersons.
Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves as they sit in the pews.
Felix keeps turning around every few minutes to look at Aaron and then past him to me with a nervous smile.
“It’s gonna be great.” Aaron whispers to him and Felix nods.
“If she backs out, I’ll just lay right here and cry.”
Right then the music starts. I don’t recognize their song choice but it’s beautiful and intense—most likely from a show or game they like.
Bridesmaids come first—there are three of them.
They take their stand at the other side of the altar, and I swear I can see the middle bridesmaid eye-fucking Aaron right in front of me.
Next comes the Maid of Honor—Kayla’s sister who I believe is named Mya.
She’s dressed in a beautiful tea green dress that hugs her waist and flows down to her feet.
A little girl with flower petals dances down the aisle with a ring bearer behind her—a little boy I’ve never seen before.
And finally—in all of her glory—Kayla walks out on her father’s arm.
Her dress is a white silk, and it hugs her body all the way to the calves where it spills around her like she’s a beautiful little water nymph.
The back is completely open—the dress stopping right at her hips, only continuing in the front and creating a heart-shaped—strapless finish.
There are tea green lace patterns along the bottom and on her white veil.
Her long ginger hair is curled loosely and hanging free. She is fucking stunning.
As she walks—Felix cries. He’s biting his lip to keep from making audible noises but he’s barely holding it together. The closer she gets the more he comes undone and I just know Aaron is two seconds away from crying with him. Brotherly empathy.
Kayla’s dad kisses her cheek and gives her hand to Felix—walking to sit in the first pew with her mom. Kayla hands her bouquet of lilies to her Maid of Honor and uses her free hand to wipe away some of Felix’s tears.
“You’re beautiful.” He tells her in a choked-up voice and she blushes.
The officiant greets the couple and the guests—welcoming everyone to the Archer-Anderson wedding. He goes through your typical spiel on how beautiful everything is and how kind the families are. I don’t really pay much attention until the interesting stuff happens.
“...this couple truly is extraordinary. Now—Felix—I ask you in front of all of your friends and family. Do you take Kayla to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Felix starts crying again and through a very unprofessional—broken sob—he says— “I do. I really, really do.” The crowd laughs and some people are making little cooing sounds at how sweet the whole thing is. Kayla is looking at him like he’s hung the moon.
“And Kayla—I ask you in front of all of your friends and family—do you take Felix to be your lawfully wedded husband?” She’s grinning, bouncing up and down a bit as they hold hands.
“Yep!” She’s like an excited child. The crowd adores her. Felix is laughing.
“And I believe now the couple has vows they’d like to share.” The officiant takes a step back and Felix pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket, hands shaking. After a moment—he puts it away.
“Kay—” He starts, taking a deep breath to ward off the tears.
“I knew I wanted to marry you 5 years and 7 months ago. I know that sounds weirdly specific—but I remember the exact moment. We were at some high-school party at the bottom of the stairs, and you looked up at me and smiled and I remember thinking—wow—she’s so beautiful.
And then you opened your mouth—do you remember what you said?
” Kayla’s grinning as she shakes her head.
“You’re hot—I’ve always been a Loki girl.
” The crowd laughs—me included. No fucking way she said that.
“Oh God.” Kayla laughs.
“I knew at that moment you were just as weird and nerdy as I was—but you just happened to be a super-hot girl on the outside—Scooby-Doo style. My point is—I’ve known for so long now that I feel like I’m in a dream.
I’ve loved you so much for so long that I can’t imagine a life in which we’re not bound together.
I will love you through every up and down, Kay.
In any galaxy.” She’s sniffling as the crowd coos again and I might be wiping tears. Kayla takes a deep breath.
“Felix—you are my perfect Loki. Just a little less evil. I have always been a bit too much for people—I’ve always felt like I was on the outside looking in.
But then I met you and when you looked at me—you looked.
Like you saw something there I didn’t even know about.
You took all of my weird hobbies and interests and either made them your own or already shared them.
You made me laugh every day. I love being the person to calm you down or take over when you go into a princess meltdown. ”
“Hey!” Felix laughs.
“You’re perfect for me in every way and I am so lucky to have found you so early. To have met someone like you and that you loved me so much—almost as much as I love you. Forever. In any reality.”
“Now we will do the exchanging of the rings—please step forward ring bearer.” The little boy runs up, and Felix lifts the beautiful add-on to Kayla’s engagement ring and slowly slides it onto her finger.
Kayla does the same with his simple, silver band encrusted with a set of small diamonds.
“These rings signify the vows made here today—to the loyalty you share—the commitments made. As you go on into the world remember this day fondly by these rings and live happily. Now—by the power invested in me by the state of Arizona—I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Archer! You may kiss your bride!”
Felix lifts Kayla’s veil and grabs her waist—dipping her low as she laughs. He kisses her like he’s dying after and just needs one more. It’s the most romantic sight I’ve ever seen, and I am most definitely crying now.
Everyone is cheering and clapping—throwing little pearls and petals.
“Now—if everyone would follow our newlyweds to the reception hall for the bouquet toss as well as drinks and dancing!”
Kayla and Felix walk down the aisle—laughing and shaking their intertwined hands. Aaron turns to me then, eyes red and puffy.
“I can’t fucking believe that I just watched my baby brother get married.” He proceeds to shove his face in my neck—wrapping his arms around me. I hold him—loving the way he comes to me—needs me, wants me.
“I know. Just yesterday we were playing with superhero toys on the lawn.” Aaron laughs at me. “Come on.” He lets me go and we head toward the reception hall. There’s a stage at the other end of the dance floor for the DJ and round tables with tea green cloths scattered everywhere on either side.
“Bear!” I hear Kayla yell. She looks panicked—standing up on the stage and frantically waving me over with her bouquet.
“What the hell?” Aaron says and we run over.
“What happened? Where is Fe?” I ask—looking around for my best friend.
“Thank God you’re here. I really need you to hold this.” She shoves her bouquet in my hands, and too late do I realize what she’s done. She grabs the mic off the DJ stand. “Winner of the bouquet toss—Benjamin Dickinson!”
Everyone’s cheering and I’m just staring at the fucking lilies like an idiot. Slowly I look back up at Kayla and match her evil little grin.
“You little snake. Thank your lucky stars it’s your big day or we’d be cat-fighting so hard right now.” She snickers, crouching down to be eye level with me.
“It wasn’t my idea, Bear.” She points to Felix who is across the dance floor—slow-dancing with Tina.
“That motherfucker.” I laugh. It’s only then that I look up at Aaron.
He’s been staring at me the entire time.
I can always feel his eyes on me—a caress—a heavy hand.
He seems to be assessing me, gauging my emotions.
I grin up at him and hand him the flowers.
“Well—at least we know he definitely approves.” Aaron laughs, looking at the flowers then back to me, kissing the top of my head.
“Dance with me!” Kayla pulls my arm and she is the bride, so I shrug at Aaron and go with her.
We dance to the now-upbeat music—Felix taking turns twerking on me and Kayla as we dance around in circles.
Several of our friends are here and I swear I see Amber sneak off with some girl—but it genuinely could just be a friend or relative.