Chapter 34
I fanned my face as I tried to get my tears under control.
Stanley Dillinger was going to be the death of me. A proposal and a wedding? I couldn’t even see the backyard, but I knew it had to be something because this man didn’t half-ass grand gestures.
“Ma, you’re about to go out there with a wet ass face in a minute,” Deuce said.
I slapped his chest. “Shut up, Stanley! I’m trying to get it together.”
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed my eyes.
“You gotta calm down, ol’ lady. Take a deep breath.”
I did as he said and took several. He smiled as he peered down at me.
“You look beautiful, Ma. Pops was tripping with that damn split, but you look amazing.”
“Thank you, baby.” I pulled him in for a hug. “And thank you for giving your blessing.”
“Your happiness means the world to me, Ma. Clearly that bald headed ass man has more game than I thought he did to pull you back in after all these years. He told me he could have you and he proved me right.”
I giggled. “He did.”
The back door opened and I turned to see Daxon in a suit that mirrored Senior’s.
“Dax!”
I damn near yanked him into my arms. He laughed as he hugged me back.
“Hey, Mama.”
“Hey, baby. What are you doing here?”
“Dad said you guys couldn’t get married without us. I get to give you away, too.”
“Oh my God!”
That started another round of tears. When Sevyn came through the door, I was just no good as I pulled her in for a hug, too. She looked so beautiful in her dress with her hair all pinned and curled. She handed me a bouquet of red roses.
“I’m not giving you away, but I wanted you to know I was here,” she said, squeezing my hand. “You look beautiful, Ms. Stephanie. Mr. Stanley is very lucky to have you and so are we.”
She kissed my cheek, making me smile.
“We are very lucky to have the both of you, too,” I said, cupping her face. “Look at you. Just as pretty as a picture.”
“She a’ight,” Deuce jested.
“Shut up, Stanley.”
Now that made me laugh. Deuce couldn’t help but laugh too.
“Yeah, you’re gonna fit in just fine,” he said. “Go on back out there and tell them to start the music so we can get this show on the road.”
She nodded. After giving me one last hug, she left the same way she came.
It wasn’t long before I heard the smooth sounds of “Forever Mine” by The O’Jays playing.
A smile broke out on my face as I took my sons’ arms. This used to be our song…
one of our man, many songs. The double doors opened, and we stepped out into the backyard which had been transformed into a romantic oasis of red and white.
Rose petals littered the pathway to the gazebo.
Fairy lights were strung along floral archways.
Dozens of red roses lined the base of the gazebo as well.
Our family was dressed to the nines, lining each side of the aisle.
My man stood under the gazebo with his mother.
The smile on his face couldn’t be missed and neither could the tears.
Ms. Rebecca grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
That only seemed to make the tears flow harder.
“I love you,” I mouthed.
He touched his chest and mouthed the words back.
The closer I go to him, the faster my heart beat.
I’d known this man damn near my entire life and I’d never been so anxious to get to him.
Finally, I came to a stop in front of him as the music faded out.
Deuce took my flowers as he and Daxon placed my hand in their father’s.
Senior helped me up onto the platform as they went to take a seat. No sooner that I was directly in front of him did he cup my face and kiss me.
“We ain’t at that part, Senior!” Maceo said loudly.
“Ol’ thirsty ass!” Smoke added.
“Y’all better leave my father in-law alone,” Salima threatened. “Kiss your wife, Daddy!”
Several whistles filled the air as this man kissed me until he got his fill.
“All right now,” Ms. Rebecca said. “We’re gonna get to that part, son.”
He chuckled as he pulled back. “Sorry, Mama.”
“Now. Dearly Beloved… we are gathered here today to witness the union of Stanley and Stephanie. I think I speak for us all when I say, it’s about damn time.”
A round of Amens went up around the room, causing both of us to roll our eyes.
“Please bow your heads for a word of prayer.”
Everyone followed along.
“Father God, we come to You today, asking You to bless this union where two hearts become one. Grant this couple the patience to see it through the hard days, the humility to forgive, and the courage to be soft even when things get hard. Father, I ask that You fill their home with nothing but love and laughter. Guide and protect them as they enter a new, yet familiar journey as parents.”
I could hear the snickers in the background, and it made me giggle inwardly.
“Watch over them as they build the life they deserve. These and all blessings we ask in Your name, Amen.”
“Amen.”
Ms. Rebecca smiled and reached for both our hands.
“I have been around to witness this love from the very beginning. My son has always been crazy about this woman. Told me he was going to marry her at sixteen years old. The older they became, the more I realized this wasn’t puppy love.
He knew he’d found his soulmate. Life has a funny way of throwing us off the path we forge for ourselves.
You wanna make God laugh, tell him your plans.
I will say this. No matter how much time passed, no matter what happened, these two remained friends even when they couldn’t be together.
“That’s one of the secrets to a lasting relationship.
A solid foundation. You can move away or start something new.
But when the foundation is solid, you can always come back to it.
That is what we’re witnessing today. It’s an honor to marry two of my babies.
I put in a lot of work with these two, so if anybody was gonna marry them, it was going to be me. ”
I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Mama,” I said.
“I love you more, puddin.” She smiled as she palmed my face. “I’m gonna turn it over to you two. Stanley, I can tell you’re anxious, so you can go first.”
Senior grabbed my other hand. For a long time, he just stared at me like he couldn’t believe we were here. Shit, I couldn’t believe it either.
Finally, he opened his mouth to speak.
“Stephanie Ann Micheals, you are the culmination of every hope, every dream, everything I could ever wish for and more than I deserved. I have carried you in my heart for what feels like a lifetime. You’ve seen me through so many phases, and I’m honored to enter the next phase as your husband.”
He shook his head as tears streamed down his face.
“I’m not ashamed to admit that I am a flawed man.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I’ve hurt people that didn’t deserve that from me.
I’ve hurt you and that is my biggest regret in life.
No… that and losing you was my biggest regret.
No matter how I tried to move on, no matter how deep I searched for you in other people, there’s never been anyone quite like you.
And that’s nothing against them. My heart can love, it just doesn’t know how to love anyone the way it loves you.
“I love you with my soul… with everything I am and everything I will be. You are my best friend, the love of my life… you’re my fucking soulmate, Stephanie.
In every lifetime, I’ll try my hardest to get back to you.
I’ve worn many hats over the years but my top two are being a father and now being your husband.
“I wake up, get on my knees and thank God every day for bringing you back to me.” He kissed my hands.
“My love… I’m so sorry that you had to experience heartbreak to get to this point but believe me when I say I’m here to heal you.
I’m here to restore you and carry you through every storm in every single season.
“I’m honored to have the privilege to spend the rest of my days loving you, creating memories with you, and raising an ever-growing family with you.
I’m not a perfect man, but I promise to always put you and our family first. I promise to communicate…
to respect you, to protect you and our children from all forms of harm, even if it means laying down my life for you.
“Most of all, I promise to never give you a reason to question that my love for you surpasses time or common sense.”
That pulled a chuckle from the crowd.
“I love you, Steph. Nothing but God himself will ever take me from you again.”
He cupped my face and wiped away the tears as they just kept falling.
“I love you,” he whispered, kissing them. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”
It took me a moment to gather myself because my heart was so full that it was spilling over. I couldn’t hold back the tears.
“Take your time, baby,” Ms. Rebecca said, rubbing my back.
Deuce stood and took a stance beside me, grabbing my hand. Like his little shadow, Daxon came and grabbed the other hand. If that wasn’t enough, Sevyn came and wrapped her arm around my waist.
“You’ve got this, Ma,” Deuce said. “Tell this nigga how you feel.”
“Shut up, Stanley,” I said with a chuckle.
I took a deep breath and looked up at my man.
“Stanley Jordan Dillinger Sr. My sweet, caring, and loving man. God knew when He put you in my life, that I would never be able to get rid of you.”
Snickers rose from the crowd.
“I owe much of my life to you, Stanley. You and this family took me in when my own mother put me out. You all have loved me, protected me, and nurtured me into the woman I am. You’ve seen me through every hard phase of my life, whether it was as my man or my best friend.
Life may not have given us the chance to grow as one, but it’s been a blessing to watch you grow from the sidelines.
You are deserving. You are worthy. You are a beautiful…
beautiful soul, Stanley. It’s an honor to know and love you. ”
Tears streamed down his face, and he bit his lip as he turned away from me. I cupped his chin and forced his eyes to meet mine.
“Look at me, baby. I speak life into you because you are a man that will take on everything so those you love won’t have to suffer.
I know you have carried the weight of the world on your shoulders for so many people for so long.
Look at me and understand that I’m here to carry that weight with you.
I will carry it for you if I have to, baby.
No matter what misconceptions others may have of you, I know you to be the most passionate, loving, and caring man that stands ten toes down behind the ones you love most.
“Knowing you has changed my life forever. Every trial and tribulation has led to this moment. If I’m being honest, I didn’t think that we would get here, but you did.
You have always had the most faith in me and us, Stanley.
This moment… above every moment we have shared, feels full circle.
You promised me the world and you’ve given that to me, even if you had to do it in stages.
“You loved me enough to let me go, without any promise that I would return. I’m sorry it took me so long to come home, but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere ever again.
You are the love of my life. You’ve always been my safe space and my protector, but now you are my peace, my provider, my confidant, and shield in the face of every storm.
I take you as the father of my children, the head of our household… my husband.
“There is no moment, no matter how stressful or exhausting. No matter how many tears we’ve shed. No matter the disappointment or frustrations, I will never leave your side again. I choose to fight with, for, and beside you.”
I leaned forward and kissed him. “My man, my man, my man.”
A grin broke out on his face as he peered down at me.
“I know that’s right!” Shar yelled as the other girls clapped.
“You better say that shit, Mama!” Salima added.
Ms. Rebecca smirked as she waited for things to calm down before clearing her throat.
“The rings?”
I was surprised when Deuce handed me a wedding band.
“I figured you would need this,” he said. “Just a placeholder until you can pick out the one you want for him.”
This was an expensive ass placeholder. The band was made completely of diamonds. Senior produced one similar to this one in a smaller setting.
“Repeat after me,” Ms. Rebecca said. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, faithfulness, and of the vows we have made today. These rings are a symbol of wholeness and perfection, linking these two souls forever.”
We repeated the words and slipped the rings on each other’s fingers.
“I’m not even gonna ask if anyone objects.”
“Cause their biggest opp is standing up there,” Titan said, laughing, causing everyone else to laugh.
Deuce threw him a glare.
“By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
“Watch how you kiss my—” Deuce started.
“Shut up Stanley!” Senior and I both said, making everyone laugh.
Senior gripped the back of my neck. “Come here, woman.”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me with raw unfiltered passion. I didn’t even mind when he got a little handsy. The cheers and claps from our family masked the moan that slipped from my lips. When we finally parted, Stanely looked down at me with the biggest grin on his face.
“Mrs. Dillinger…” he said. “I finally got your ass. You’re stuck with me now, baby.”
“Well, Mr. Dillinger… there is no place I’d rather be.”