Page 110 of Quasim II: King Inferno

We hugged as Zoya came into the room and stopped short. “Dammit, Blair… I told you that I’m saving my tears for the wedding. Baby, you look beautiful. Eating the girls up, for real.”

“Period,” Jean blurted.

“Mommy, please,” Capri laughed while hugging her mother, laughing at her trying to keep up with the slang.

“Ryder taught me that.” She laughed.

Gams looked at her watch and kissed me once more. “I need to go check in with my boy. Mina, you coming?” She reached her hand, and she took it, and they left the room.

Augusta fixed my hair, and dusted imaginary dust from me as she took me in. “Always been the most gorgeous thing walking. I’m happy thatyouare finally seeing it. Beautiful inside and out, Boop.”

“Thank you.”

She wiped her tears. “Today you hold your happiness in your hand and walk down to the man that makes you feel like a kid on Christmas.”

She held my hand as I made my way out the house. Papa came from the beach, and that’s when I saw Quasim and Elijah was with him. They had Quasim blindfolded.

“He said he not walking down the aisle unless he can pray with you before.” Papa held his son’s hand and guided him up the steps as I looked at him.

Simmy had a fresh haircut, and his skin was glistening. He wore a cream tux with satin lapels, and his rosary around his neck. I don’t know who talked him into wearing a bow tie, but he looked so damn good in it.

Elijah wore the same suit, except his lapels weren’t silk, and his bow tie was a few shades lighter than Quasim’s. He came over toward me and hugged me, while taking me in fully. Elijah was in awe.

“How she look, Eli?”

“Beautiful, Sim… like a princess.”

Sim laughed. “Like my angel?”

“Exactly like an angel.”

“My love?”

“Simmy,” I walked closer to him as Papa put his hands into mine. He rubbed the back of my hands with his thumbs.

Quameer came from the beach and Capri was blushing like crazy. He had the same color suit, and his bow tie was also a different shade. “You and B gonna have to wait because I’m about to marry my wife again… Suga, fucking stunning.”

He kissed his wife and then came over toward me. “B, you look amazing. Like a true angel that has a dark side like throwing k?—”

“Blaze,” Papa warned his ass.

He laughed and put our hands into his. “I told Pop that there would be a time when the sadness and pain would slowly fade. I told him then that I would sing his favorite song and witness him get married to it, and now that shit is here.” Meer got choked up as he squeezed my hand. “This shit is happening for two of the most selfless people I know. I’ve been there for both of you at your lowest, and I can say that this isn’t the highest… this shit about soar, and that’s all I want for you both. I love you both, and I’m always going to be there for both of you. Planning thiswedding was my love letter to the both of you. Love you both.” He kissed me on my head and kissed his brother on the cheek.

Sim held his hand out for Elijah and placed it in the middle of ours. “Father, we stand here today, waiting to embark on forever together. We come before you with our hearts opened, and grateful for this second chance. You have carried us through some dark times, grief that once felt like there was no escaping it, and here we are. Standing in your grace, ready for the future you prepared for us. We thank you for giving us today, tomorrow, and every day after that together. Thank you for giving me this second chance as we become the Infernos. In God’s name we pray… amen.”

“Amen,” I sniffled.

Elijah held our hands and looked at us both. “We’re the Infernos?”

“You already know, Eli.” Sim answered him.

I kissed Sim’s hands. “Now you can go down the aisle and wait for me, baby.”

“You gonna walk down to me, Anjo?” He smirked.

“I’m running, Simmy.”

He kissed his fingers. “My angel… Elijah, we out.”

---