Page 184 of Forever

“Because I never forgot you, Matt. I baked so I could smell cinnamon in the air. Watching football reminded me of you. Crisp fall air reminded me of you. Certain songsreminded me of you. I put all my hopes and dreams on you for so long. And that doesn’t just go away. Not even in 16 years.

“No, you’re not the same boy I fell in love with. And I’m not the same girl that you fell in love with. But you still are and always will be the boy I stare at when I think no one’s looking.” Tears started streaming down my cheeks. “I still want your joy to rub off on me. And I still dream of being your wife. Today it feels like all my dreams are coming true.”

Matt reached out and wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

“You were my first love. And my last love. And I will love you until the day I die, Matt. Always and forever. I promise to never run away from what we have ever again. Because you’re worth fighting for too.” I went to slide the ring on his finger, but he pulled me into a searing kiss instead.

God I’d never grow tired of Matt’s kisses.

I heard Rob whistle.

And the pastor cleared his throat.

I put my hand on Matt’s chest.

He slowly pulled back.

The pastor looked down at the ring in my hand.

Oh, I’d almost forgotten. I grabbed Matt’s hand and slid the ring onto his finger. I smiled up at him. That felt like a long time coming. I was so lucky that he’d waited for me. And I meant what I’d said. I’d spend my whole life making up for all the time we’d spent apart. We were finally allowed to be happy. We were finally free.

“Matthew Caldwell,” the pastor said. “Do you take Brooklyn to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold until death do you part?”

Matt smiled down at me. The kind of smile he used to have back at Empire High. Like everything was right in the world. “I do.”

“Brooklyn, do you take Matthew Caldwell to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold until death do you part?”

A thousand percent yes.“I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Go ahead and kiss your brideagain,” he said with a smile.

I laughed.

Matt leaned down and kissed me as cheers erupted from all our friends and family.

Our first kiss as husband and wife.

Sixteen years in the making.

And I was going to make it count. I grabbed the lapels of his jacket to deepen our kiss.

His hands slid to my ass.

And I didn’t even care. I didn’t care who was watching. Or silently judging us. All that mattered in that moment was him and me. The kiss was somehow sweet and sinful, and salty from my tears. And I never wanted this moment to end.

But then I felt something land on the tip of my nose.

I pulled back and stared up at the light snow that had started to fall. Today had been much colder than the original forecast had predicted. And no one had predicted snow.

I smiled. I knew in my heart that this was Miller’s doing.

I lifted my hand and watched a snowflake land on my palm and melt away. I closed my hand in a fist and looked back up at the falling snow. Each flake that landed on me felt like a kiss from Miller.

Miller and I had gotten married in the snow on Christmas day. Just the two of us. The only witness the silent falling snow.

Yes, this was definitely him. His blessing. He’d meant what he’d written in that letter. He wanted me to keep living. To keep loving. To never take a single day for granted. Another snowflake landed on the tip of my nose and I smiled at Matt. “It’s snowing.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Matt said. “We’re married!” He lifted me into his arms and spun me around.

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