Page 85 of Bound By Redemption
Dressed in a black suit, light blue button-down shirt with the first few buttons opened, I stood waiting for my woman to meet me at the end of the aisle, ready to do this. Fuck, I’d never been more ready to do anything in my life. I had left the Marines behind. Not that I wouldn’t always be a Marine, but this was about the man I was now. This was about the life I wanted going forward.
Comfortable.
Family.
So today was casual.
The music started, and my attention went to the end of the aisle where my little girl was standing, a basket in her hand in a beautiful white dress.
“Daddy!” she yelled, running down the aisle to me, forgetting totally to spread the petals down on the walk. It didn’t matter. She was speaking so much better now, and every time I heard ‘daddy’, my heart almost burst from my chest.
Leaning down, I picked up a running Remy and tossed her in the air, then tickling her. “You were supposed to put the flowers down. Remember?” I said on a smile.
She dug her tiny little hand in the basket, grabbed some of the dark red petals, and threw them to the ground.
“Odeer dare,” she said, meaning over there. On a smile, she grabbed my cheeks in her hand and kissed me on the lips with a huge smack. Loved it when my little girl did that.
Laughter could be heard all around, and I joined in.
I held my girl as Katie walked down the aisle, her eyes straight forward as if she were afraid she’d fall. Once making it down, her gaze came to me. “Make her happy.”
I nodded and looked into the audience, reminded of a little old lady saying those words to me. Gladys sat next to my mother with a wide smile on her face.
She nodded at me in acknowledgment. Yeah, I liked the lady as if she were my own blood.
The music changed, grabbing my attention, eyes flying to the opened door.
There she was.
She took my breath away.
Completely vanished.
Ensley was always beautiful. But this … seeing her… I didn’t know why I was so lucky, but I was so fucking glad I was.
Her dress sparkled from the twinkling lights’ glow. It had straps and came down to a V at her breasts. It hugged her in all the right places and poofed out at the bottom. Her dark hair was in curls that were partially up and partially down. She had a small lily in the side of her hair.
Perfection. Absolute and total perfection.
My father stood next to her. Ensley’s hand was on the inside of his arm, and I watched as she breathed in deep and then let it out.
As she made her way down, my gut tightened. Yes. She was mine. This beautiful woman would be mine forever.
When she made it to me, with Remy in my arms, I leaned in and kissed Ensley hard, only stopping when the catcalls became obnoxiously loud.
“You’re not supposed to kiss me until after,” she whispered on a smile.
“Before … after. Doesn’t matter. I’m going to kiss you until the end of time. Love you, Ensley.”
“Love you too.”
Then and there, with Remy now standing beside us, we pledged our love to one another.
We were in this together … forever. My redemption.
THE END..for now.
