Page 135 of Fighting For Light
“Dad, if you had questions, why didn’t you ask them earlier?”
He shrugs and pats my hand. “You probably think that I’m not aware of the Coldwells, baby, but I am. One day, Esmarie told me a few things when Kai was young and she had to leave him during practices. I did my own research. I may not knoweverything, but I know who you married. I also know he’s a good man. But most of all, I know you both have loved each other since you were kids. You just weren’t ready for it.”
The doors swing open, and I feel a slight breeze blow my hair back.
“We are now, Dad,” I whisper as we take the first step through the doorway.
White and pink roses line the aisle of the satin runner sparkling in the light. Classical music plays in the background, and we walk past people I don’t know. At least the team is here, including my mom and her husband.
I see my husband at the end of the aisle on the steps in his tux with his perfectly styled hair. Love bursts from my chest as I take him in. It doesn’t matter if we’re doing this again. It feels like the first time. We walk past the last few pews, and I look at Esmarie holding Theo in her arms. My eyes well at the sight. He’s wearing his little custom-made Brioni suit to match his father’s.
Dad hands me over to Kai, and Kai helps me step up each stair.
“You look beautiful, gem,” he whispers in my ear.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I say and wink. He chuckles, and we face the pastor. We don’t have a wedding party. It’s only Kai and me.
The pastor asks us to share our vows and steps to the side. We’ve already shared them before, but we’ve been through so much since then. It feels like new words need to be given to each other as a vow to never give up on our love and on the commitment we are making to one another.
He smiles widely. “Here we are again.”
“It’s like déjà vu, only with a lot more flowers.”
He chuckles and lifts my knuckles to his lips. “I thought about how I wanted to say this to you or what I could have said better at our first wedding. I know we’re doing this a second time for a lot of reasons, but I didn’t want to squander the opportunitywe have. Cordelia Coldwell— can I say that since we already got married?”
I giggle. “Come on, we don’t want to be here all night,” I whisper.
He grins and kisses my knuckles again.
“Love can’t be rushed, gem. What we have was built, fortified, and nurtured over the years. You already know this, but I’ve loved you from the moment we met. We were kids, so I don’t think I understood at the time, but it didn’t take me long to figure it out. Do you remember that one summer when I had finished high school and you had one more year?”
I nod.
“I remember wanting to kiss you when we were hanging out around the bonfire. Your dad had asked me to go pro, and I told him yes because I wanted to do something that was just for me. But I wanted you more than anything. I remember telling myself that I had no right to take you. Yet all along, you were meant for me, and I was meant for you. We only had to be brave enough to take the leap. You are the love of my life, Cordelia, and I promise to give you, our son, and our soccer team of kids a life full of joy, happiness, and safety. I promise to keep adding the best things to your list. I love you more than life itself, and I have never been so proud to call you my wife.”
I swipe my tears and glance at our son. “I don’t have much to say, but I do know this. Like you, I fell in love with you the moment boys weren’t so gross, which didn’t take long. I’m still and always will be in awe of you. You’re an amazing father, and I don’t ever want to live life without you again. I just can’t do it.”
“You’ll never have to, gem, not until we take our last breaths, and even then, I’ll meet you again,” he says.
My heart flips around as butterflies flutter their delicate wings, tickling my stomach in excitement.
We return our attention to the pastor, who tells us to put our rings back on. Not having mine on made me feel naked and exposed. I don’t want to feel that way again.
The pastor recites a few more words that sound like waves on the ocean because all I can focus on is how Kai looks at me. Then he finally says, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Kai grabs my face and hauls my lips to his. He kisses me like there’s no tomorrow, only there is. There is an entire future full of love and happiness. It will overshadow any bit of darkness following our family. We will make our way out of the tunnel. Wewillsee the light.
The crowd of strangers cheer and stands as we walk hand in hand down the aisle. Kai stops right before the doors and dips me into a kiss. Before he pulls away, I pull on his lower lip, and he grins.
“I love you, gem, forever and always.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper. He stands me back up and then holds out his elbow for me to take. The photographer snaps away, guiding us into pose after pose. Esmarie brings Theo over to us for more pictures.
Kai grabs him and holds him across his chest with one large hand while I hold Kai’s arm close and look up at him. It is possible I might spontaneously combust because of it.
As we make our way out of the chapel to the main stairs, I overhear Mom whispering about a celebrity she recognized. Then Kai halts his steps and grabs me, pulling me behind him. He puts Theo in my arms and shields us with his body. My heart drops out of my stomach, confused about what’s happening, and I can feel the adrenaline pump through my veins, ready to take off to get our son to safety.
“Father,” Kai says.
