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Riley took another slow breath, waiting for his heart to stop racing. Fidgeting with his tie, he tugged at his collar and blotted away the sweat gathering at the back of his neck. This was why he preferred T-shirts.
“Riley, we need you over here.”
Pulling at his gray lapels, he adjusted his purple tie and walked toward Joey at the foot of the Gapstow Bridge. The sky faded to pink as the backdrop of buildings gradually lit, creating a horizon of twinkling lights.
He shifted as his damn pants bunched awkwardly at the cuff. “Do I have a loose hem or something?” he asked, rotating his ankle.
“No worries, I have a needle and thread,” Joey announced, dropping to his knee to examine the cuff.
Riley looked down. “Well, this is awkward.”
“Not from my view.” Joey winked and tapped his shoe. “Cuffs fine.” He stood. “Okay, the musicians are going to start when your guests are seated. Once Emma’s ready on the other side, they’ll shift into Stand by Me. The vocalist will be under that tree. You start to walk at the first line when you hear the word night. Take your time getting there, because Emma wants the entire song.”
“Got it.” He fussed with the knot of his tie some more. “Is this crooked?”
Joey tsked and swatted his hands away. “Straight men should not touch accessories. You’re fine, darling. Once you see her all your worries will go away. Trust me.”
He took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. He wasn’t so much nervous as he was anxious. He’d waited a long time for this day. “Is she here yet?”
“We have her carefully hidden. Relax. Your only job is to walk when the vocalist says—”
“Night. Got it. Is my sister around?” It was difficult sharing his best wo-man with Emma.
“She’s with your bride. Do you want me to get her?”
“Yeah.” His heart continued to pound as Joey went in search of Rarity.
There was a long, low whistle. “Well, well, well, look at you.”
He grinned as Rarity stepped closer, hands wedged casually in the pockets of her amethyst tuxedo slacks. Her hair was parted and slicked to the side, dapper and as cool as Dick Tracy on the scene of a crime.
“Look at me? Look at you. Should I be pissed your tux is cooler than mine?”
She laughed and adjusted his tie, which he’d messed with after Joey’s warning not to touch it. His nerves quelled.
“You look beautiful, Rarity.”
“Thanks, big brother. I feel pretty.” She patted his chest and his anxiety eased some more. “You should see your blushing bride. Stunning.”
“I bet. It’s gonna be hard not to do her on the bridge.”
“Ew.” She tsked and took a step back. “So I guess you sent that invitation after all, the one to Mom and Dad.”
His shoulders tensed. “Why, are they here?”
She nodded and whispered, “They’re sitting next to Lexi’s parents. I’m going to introduce them after the ceremony.”
His brow lifted. “Really?”
“Yup. Life’s too short to combat small mindedness. They can either accept me or not, but they’ll never change me. I love Lexi too much to keep putting her second.”
He squeezed her arm. “I’m proud of you, Rarity. That’s really great.”
“Rarity,” Joey called. “The rest of the guests have arrived. We need you at the center of the bridge.”
She gave him a wink. “I’ll see you up there. Love you, Ri.”
“I love you too, Rare.”
Music started, just some soft background noise as the vocalist played with his microphone. He’d often wondered if Emma remembered him holding her that time they danced in the rain, but now he knew she did. She said it was her weakest moment and his strength was the only thing that got her through. It seemed only right that the song be incorporated in their ceremony as they promised to stand together forever. He’d always stand by her. Always.
The guitar picked up the slow, recognizable beat and he drew in the first steady breath of the day. It was time. Calm washed over him as his feet moved at the precise lyric.
Twinkle lights and luminaries—not light sabers, but bags with little candles—lit his way. The vocalist sang promises to not be afraid and he wasn’t. He was completely at peace. Soft rattles picked up the beat as he stepped onto the bridge and sensed her nearness, every step closer to her helping him breathe a little easier.
This was the first day since last August that he’d gone without seeing her. He would’ve never survived a lifetime of that. It was seven o’clock and he unbearably missed her.
Cresting the ivy covered bridge, his lips parted as he caught the first glimpse of her. She was, without a doubt, the loveliest creature to ever walk this earth.
The moment their eyes met, her smile turned from stunning to radiant. Her dad’s hand tightened, slowing her steps. There was no anxiety left, only eagerness to hold her in his arms. His bride.
She looked amazing. Her dress showed her sexy ankles and calves. It was simple, highlighting her natural beauty rather than competing with it. Her flowers were deep purple and her curls were pinned back with a delicate veil.
Their guests waited in a small grouping of white chairs at the top of the bridge, his parents sitting stone-faced between Lexi’s parents and Emma’s mom. He didn’t understand why their presence meant so much, but it did. He was glad Emma encouraged him to send the invitation. Behind them sat Jake and Emma’s friend, Anna, with her new boyfriend.
Her father kissed her cheek and faced him. “Take care of my baby.”
He nodded, breathing in her familiar scent. “Always.”
She smiled as he took her hands, bringing her fingers to his lips so he could place a kiss there. “You’re breathtaking.”
“You’re very handsome,” she whispered.
He leaned close as the song finished. “I think the wedding planner was flirting with me.”
She giggled. “I don’t doubt it. You’re very sexy.”
“I’ve got my sexy pants on,” he joked.
“Good, because I’ve got my dirty girl panties on.”
He groaned, as his sexy pants got a little tighter. “You’re killing me.”
She snickered and the minister stepped forward. “We’re gathered here this evening to witness the union of Emma and Riley...”
He stared into her eyes, as her vivacity breathed life into his soul. His Emma. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve a love as pure and unrefined as theirs. Everything about their relationship humbled him.
“...and now Riley and Emma will exchange vows they’ve written as they promise their lives to one another. Riley.”
He squeezed her hands and smiled nervously. “Emma, you stole my heart with a look, teased me with a laugh, and changed my life with a kiss. Today, I promise that I’ll never ask for my heart back. It belongs to you. You’re everything I am. You’re the air I breathe, the rhythm of my soul, the song to my laughter, and the purpose to my day. Without you, my life would be bleak, because joy only exists when I can share it with you. I promise to love you as deeply as a man can love and every day I’ll look for ways to take that love deeper still. You’re more than the other half of my soul. You’re my heart. And as such, I will love, honor, and cherish you for all the days of my life.”
He glanced at Rarity who swept away a tear and handed him the ring. Emma removed her lace glove, her hands slightly trembling as he slid the band onto her ring finger. She squeezed his hands.
“Riley,” she sighed and swallowed. “You’re the angel that guards me in the night. You’re the friend that makes me laugh when I need it most and let’s me cry when that’s all that can be done. Your endless energy and unbreakable spirit gives me strength when I’m weak and leads me home when I’m lost. In the darkest of nights, you’re always the brightest star. I love you. I promise to be a good wife and never give you less than you deserve. I will always respect you, honor you, and treasure every moment we’re blessed enough to share. I promise to love you for the rest of my life.”
She took the ring from his sister and slid it onto his finger.
“By the power vested in me and the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
He tugged her into his arms and planted a kiss right on her sweet mouth as everyone clapped and cheered. Dipping her back, he whispered. “You’re mine now. Forever.”
“And ever,” she whispered back, kissing him deeply.
“I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Riley Lockhart!”
The musicians started again, this time doing a delightful acoustic rendition of Love and Marriage.
Emma frowned. “What is this?”
He shrugged. “You got to pick the processional song so I picked the recessional. Marriage is full of compromise, cakes.”
“Enough kissing, you two. I need some hugs,” Rarity interrupted, wrapping her arms around them and bouncing with happiness. “I love you two idiots.”
“Riley.” They broke apart as his parents approached.
“I’m glad you guys made it,” he greeted. “You remember Emma, my wife.”
His mother looked at Emma for a long moment, not missing a bit of the changes in her appearance, he was sure. “Congratulations, Emma.” Her words took obvious effort.
His dad tilted his head and glanced back at Riley. Facing Emma he held out his hand. “Welcome to the family, my dear. I think you’ve made a wonderful impression on my son.”
She shook his hand. “Thank you, but he’s the one that’s made an impression on me.”
“Mom, Dad.” They turned as Rarity stood beside Lexi, her dark hickory shoulders showing under her purple gown. “This is Lexi Bardel... my girlfriend. I’ve been meaning to introduce you since we started dating two years ago. Lexi, this is my mom and dad, Sophia and Oliver Lockhart.”
His mother’s face paled and he wasn’t sure what was stressing her out the most, Emma’s transformation, the fact that her daughter was gay, or that she was in love with a stunning black woman. Perhaps it was a combination of everything. Either way, she’d definitely be ordering a cocktail with dinner if they made it that far. Riley smiled widely, loving every awkward moment, immeasurably proud of his sister.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Lexi nodded.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Joey called. “If you’d please take your seats. The bride and groom have decided to share their first dance as husband and wife at the park.”
Where was Emma? He scanned the area and found her speaking to her parents. “Woman! I need you.”
Grinning, she walked to him and he held out his hand as the music started. Her fingers laced with his. If ever there was a song written for him and his wife, it was Pearl Jam’s Just Breathe.
He pulled her close and held her, a complete sense of contentment washing over him as he hummed in her ear and breathed against the softness of her neck. His eyes closed, the intimate way her body fit against his overtaking his senses as the rest of the world faded away and their hearts beat as one.
Everything he needed was in his arms. All he had to do was breathe and bask in the gifts he’d been given and he found a contentment he’d never dreamed.
Just breathe.
There were uncountable moments of stillness infringed by the pressures of life. Some days they lost their balance and some days they stood strong, grounded in what mattered most in this world. Sometimes the world crashed down on one person yet kept spinning for everyone else. If anything, the human soul was resilient.
Emma once told him she dreamed of being a princess dressed in pretty little ribbons, tied up in bows wearing tiny pearls pinned in a row. But the day she celebrated six months cancer free she told him glass slippers break and she’d much rather run and play. Live.
And that they did. She was so alive in everything she did and every day she enjoyed.
Some might call her a victim, but she’d never wear that label to him. She was so much more than a statistic or a survivor. To him, she was and would always be, his hero.