Chapter 55
Seth
Everything happens at once. Music starts to play and Jasmine and Jeannie walk down the aisle together. They’re wearing identical dresses in Layla’s favorite color, but my wife looks better in burgundy than anyone on earth. The dresses are long with a loose skirt.
Vickie comes next, holding the hands of both her sons. They’re in black suits and burgundy ties. Vickie is in the same dress as Jeannie and Jasmine.
My heart stops when I see what comes next. It’s Layla, in a long dress that hugs her body just right. The dress is simple but has a long train. Her hair is brushed to the side, and it reminds me of the hairstyle she had when she crashed Jasmine’s baptism.
She’s between both parents and for once, they appear to have put their differences aside for the sake of their daughter. Stella gestures for Donna to come, and they hold hands. The wedding march starts, and the three of them walk Layla down the aisle.
I don’t look away from her for a second. Even when Jasmine takes my hand and pulls on it, I don’t look away from my wife. She smiles shyly at me, and I smile back. For a split second, my world turns upside down, but I clear my head so I can continue to watch her.
The trip down the aisle is much too short, and in no time, she’s in front of me. I take her hand in mine, and I kiss the back of it. She giggles and her nose scrunches.
Our vows are a blur. We keep it traditional, but the entire time, I never break our stare, and I don’t ever remember seeing anyone as beautiful as the woman standing in front of me today.
Once we say our vows, and I’m told to kiss my bride, I pull her into my arms and cup her perfect face. She smiles shyly at me, and I stroke her soft skin. I want to live in this moment as much as I want to kiss her soft lips. In the end, kissing wins, and I finally get to taste my bride. I start slow and just enjoy the feel of her. Then I realize that I’ve missed her in the short time she was upstairs, and I deepen the kiss. She opens her mouth for me, and I forget we’re in a room full of people until I hear the loud cheers.
I still don’t stop. I keep the kiss going, never intending to stop, until I feel a firm yanking of both my pant legs. She finally breaks the kiss, and I look down at Jasmine and Johnny. They both raise their hands up to me, and I pick them up. Johnny leans over and kisses Layla’s cheek, and the room goes wild.