Chapter 24 #2
He caught her and spun her in a circle, both of them laughing by the time he finally put her back on her feet in front of the fountain, where Justin’s father was waiting to perform the ceremony.
Michael Morrison had recently registered to become an officiant in California so that he could marry them.
“I’ve always known how lucky I was,” Michael said, “first to have your mother’s love and then to be the father of six incredible children.
” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a piece of paper.
“Before Lisa passed away, she wrote a note for you both—and she asked me to read it on the day you married.” He smiled at Justin and Taylor’s matching stunned expressions.
“Yes, she always knew that you two would find your way to each other.”
“We all knew!” Maddie called out, making everyone laugh.
His father cleared his throat, clearly already overcome with emotion.
My darling Justin and Taylor, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you have found love with each other.
Justin, I remember the day you came home from college and told me you’d met Taylor.
You wore your heart on your sleeve, and I knew right then and there that it would only ever beat for her.
She was already your best friend, but I knew one day it was sure to become more, even if circumstances made that seem impossible at the time.
Taylor, the first time I met you, I was overwhelmed by how lucky we all were that Justin had found you.
The time you and I have spent together has meant more to me than you will ever know.
You truly are one of the most beautiful, gentle souls that I have ever had the privilege of calling my friend.
I know that you will both cherish every moment you have together, just the way I have cherished every moment I’ve had with Michael.
Justin pulled Taylor close as they listened to his mother’s words. His father had to stop to wipe his eyes before reading the last lines.
Whenever I think of the two of you together, it makes me smile. Thank you for giving me so much happiness. I love you both.
For several long moments, there was silence, broken only by sniffles and noses being blown.
Finally, Justin spoke. “It’s like Mom is here with all of us.”
“It really is,” Taylor said. “I love that she was certain about us, even then.”
“That was so beautiful.” Caroline wiped tears from her cheeks with her husband’s handkerchief. “I’m already a complete mess, and you haven’t even said your vows yet.”
When everyone laughed, it was the perfect segue for Justin’s father to turn their focus back to the ceremony. “Taylor, would you like to begin with the vows you have written for Justin?”
The bride turned to face her groom, both of her hands in his, a smile on her lips and the light of love in her eyes.
“You were my best friend from the very start. I never had as much fun with anyone else, never laughed as hard, or felt so happy with anyone but you. And yet, for so many years, I still believed I needed to keep the truth of my feelings hidden from you. Today, in front of our families, I’m so happy to finally say the words aloud and to know that I will never need to hide the truth again.
Justin, your mother was right, I’ve loved you from the moment we met… and I will love you forever.”
Though they were only halfway through their vows, Justin had to kiss her. Hearing her say I love you in front of everyone who mattered to them rocked him to the very core.
“Justin,” his father said after giving them some time to smooch, “it’s your turn now.”
After giving his father a smile—Justin felt closer to his dad than he had in years—he turned to focus every ounce of his attention on Taylor.
“After growing up with a mother and father who loved each other deeply, nothing but the truest love would ever have been enough for me. From the moment I met you, I knew I would never love anyone the way I love you. I can’t wait to be your partner in absolutely everything.
No matter how easy or difficult, I’m always going to fight your battles, just as I know you will always fight mine.
You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted. I would have waited a lifetime for you if I’d had to…
and I will cherish your friendship, and your love, forever. ”
This time, Taylor was the one throwing her arms around Justin’s neck and kissing him while everyone cheered and threw flower petals over them.
And when Justin looked up at the sky a short while later, he swore the clouds above formed a picture of his mother, smiling down on them for a second before the breeze blew them away to clear blue.
Taylor and Justin had agreed it would be best to postpone a tropical honeymoon until after they’d both fully recovered from surgery and Taylor’s B&B and Justin’s new lab had the kinks worked out.
But they were able to sneak away for one perfect day and night at Safari West, a safari park set on four hundred acres in Sonoma County.
They loved sleeping in a luxurious tent cabin that had been shipped in from Africa and then touring the property in a Jeep to see cheetahs, giraffes, warthogs, and wildebeests.
Even better was their night of breathtakingly sexy—and romantic—lovemaking.
Now, on the day of the transplant, the staff at UC Davis were going out of their way to make them feel comfortable and at ease.
It should have been the most frightening day of Taylor’s life, but with their parents and siblings all there, including her brother, Austin, who had stuck around after the wedding to help out at the B&B for a couple of weeks, it felt almost like a party.
Granted, a recently married couple didn’t normally get stuck with a bunch of needles and sliced open during a party…
Too soon, it was time to head into pre-op. Taylor and Justin held hands as they were hooked up to IVs on side-by-side hospital beds.
The anesthesia was slowly being administered as Justin said, “Don’t be nervous.”
Even as he began to swim before Taylor’s eyes, he was still the most handsome man in the world. “I’m not,” she promised him in a slightly slurred voice. “How many wives get to have a piece of their husband inside of them?”
He grinned, just as she’d known he would. And even the drugs taking hold couldn’t keep the wickedness—or the pure love—from his gaze as he said, “I’m all yours, Taylor. Forever.”
Though Justin’s surgery would take place several hours before Taylor’s, they had asked to share a recovery room so that she wouldn’t have to wait to see him when she woke up.
Logically, he understood he would have to wait several hours for her to come out of surgery—but it turned out that there was a huge difference between knowing something on a rational level and actually having to live through it.
As soon as he woke up from the anesthesia, Justin’s family came in to keep him company.
But even their deliberately cheerful chatter couldn’t change the fact that time had never gone so slowly—or felt so agonizing.
Once three and a half hours had passed, Justin could no longer deny that he was on the verge of losing it.
Why wasn’t Taylor out of surgery yet? Had something happened to her? Was her body rejecting his kidney? Or worse?
At the thought of losing her, he swore his heart stopped beating. Just came to a complete halt. Without Taylor…
God, no, he couldn’t even imagine it. Couldn’t let himself spin out into panic either, not when they were so close to what he hoped would be the end of pain and fear.
The nurses had ushered out his family so that he could rest, but how could he sleep when he was desperate for news of Taylor? He was about to reach for the call button when a nurse pushed open the door.
And wheeled Taylor inside.
Seeing that he was awake, the nurse smiled at him. “How are you feeling, Mr. Morrison?”
His body felt remarkably fine, considering he’d just come out of surgery. But he couldn’t honestly answer her question until he knew if Taylor’s surgery had been a success. “How is she?”
“Your wife is doing great,” she replied as though he should have expected nothing else.
“She will probably sleep for the next hour or so, and then the transplant surgeon will come in and give you both the full update. There were a couple of unexpected complications during her surgery, but it was nothing the transplant team couldn’t handle—and nothing that should have either of you the least bit worried.
Now, why don’t you try to get some rest? ”
But he didn’t want to miss the moment when Taylor woke up. Thankfully, the nurse put their hospital beds directly beside each other. Scooting to the edge of his, he reached across for Taylor’s hand, relieved to feel how warm it was.
Somehow, he managed to keep his eyes open for long enough to see her eyelids flutter open—and a smile curve her lips.
She didn’t speak, but she didn’t need to.
The love in her eyes told him everything he needed to hear.