Page 75 of This Love
I shouldn’t think of this now, not with Tucker in front of me, the sun shining down.
I’d seen this moment dozens of times, photographed it for others. I sensed rather than heard Vinnie’s camera taking frames.
The officiant asked me to repeat after him. My memory was good enough for this.
“I, Ava Roberts, take Tucker Giddings to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, as long as we both shall live.”
Harry passed me the gold band. But I hesitated.
Tucker noticed and tilted his head. “You okay?”
“Why do you love me, Tucker?” I asked. “For a good chunk of our lives, I may not love you. Why do you keep coming back?” I didn’t know why I was asking now. It was way too late for doubts. But I wanted to know.
He grasped both of my hands, his gold band clenched between our palms. “Ava, I love every part of you. The fiery side that comes out when you know you need to be strong. The frustrated version when you want to know everything yesterday. The kind part who cares about other people. I don’t need you to love me to love you. My love is unconditionally yours because of who you are.”
My breath caught. How often did this happen? When did someone love another person like Tucker did me?
I glanced around. Gram was dabbing her eyes. Dad sniffed, his hands clasped tightly in front of his suit jacket. Amanda and Jennifer were a blubbery mess. Even Harry rocked on his heels and cleared his throat.
They believed. This was something big to them.
I reached inside for that voice old Ava always told me to listen to. I was starting to have faith in it. My memories of Tucker were still young, less than a year old. But there were so many. His smiles. His patience. His willingness, actually, his eagerness to help, to solve problems, to be what I needed.
I pulled my hands away from him to shift the ring so that I held it between my fingers. “I believe you,” I said. “I will always do my very best to come back to you.” I looked up at his face, his kind, sweet face haloed in sunlight. “I know you are the one who came to keep me safe.”
I slid the ring onto Tucker’s finger. For a moment, everything went still, as if nature itself was witnessing this long-delayed moment.
Then, the officiant leaned forward with a broad smile. “Other left.”
I laughed and slid the ring off again, transferring it to Tucker’s other hand. “It won’t be the last thing I get wrong,” I said.
“And it won’t be the last thing you both laugh about,” the officiant said. “Today’s mistakes are tomorrow’s great stories.” He smiled at us both. “Tucker, you may kiss your bride.”
As the man stepped aside, Tucker drew me close. I closed my eyes to the bright yellow light, still seeing its golden glow through my lids.
When I felt Tucker’s lips on mine, something clicked into place, like the universe had orchestrated this moment. Do not be afraid, it seemed to say. Everything is going to be all right.
Our small party cheered.
Tucker smiled against my mouth. I couldn’t help but grin back. This had been the easiest moment since the day of the pregnancy test. Tomorrow would get scarier, but as each day passed, and the medicine held, it would get better.
We turned to our friends and family.
“We should have a nice dinner,” Dad said. “Follow us to Uchi.”
I leaned in close to Tucker’s ear. “Isn’t that a sushi place?” I whispered. “I can’t eat sushi with the baby.”
He nodded. “How about we go back to the Oasis?” he suggested. “It will be sunset by the end of the meal. It’s our happy place.”
“Oasis it is!” Dad rubbed his hand together. “I’ll give the first toast to this day finally happening.”
Tucker had just taken my hand to help me off a rock when a woman stormed toward us in a long cotton dress in the same dusty red as her face.
For a moment, I didn’t recognize her. Her hair was cut short. She was overexerted, like she’d run up all one hundred steps.
But then Dad lunged in front of us. Tucker frantically pulled me behind him.
“Ava!” the woman exclaimed.
