Page 49 of Dominate
“Thank you. Now will you please walk me down the aisle?”
“Vi, no. Dad would be crushed. I just stopped fighting with him. I don’t want to start again.”
“It was his idea.”
“What?” I ask, my eyes wide and jaw dropped.
“He said he would love to walk Rocky down the aisle and it would make him extremely proud to see you walk me down the aisle.”
“Vi, you’re his only daughter.”
“I’m aware.”
“He won’t have another chance at this.”
“I know,” she replies, her eyes firm on mine. “Gareth, a lot of what you said at dinner the other night is true, and I want you to know we haven’t forgotten any of it. All of our best childhood memories are because of you. You’ve always been there for us. You’re the one who started Sunday dinners after all.”
“What are you talking about?” I scoff as I unbutton the suit jacket that Sloan made me and put my hands in my pockets. This is a conversation we should have had last night, not minutes before Vi is supposed to walk down the aisle.
“Don’t you remember those picnics you made for us every Sunday? We ate them at the park behind our house.”
I shake my head. “Of course I remember, but that wasn’t—”
“Those were Sunday dinners, Gareth,” she interrupts. “You’ve kept our family together all these years, and there is no one else I’d rather have give me away to Hayden.”
Her eyes well with tears as the gravity of what’s about to happen sets in on both of us. I pull her into a tight hug, my lips pressing to her hair as I murmur, “You were a mini mum the second you were born, Vi. Don’t you dare sell yourself short.”
“Fine, we’re both amazing.” She laughs and pulls back, adjusting her long veil that stretches the entire length of her dress. “Now, let’s go get me married before I change my mind and pull a runner.”
I shake my head at her joke. “And what name will you be getting married under today?”
She inhales deeply, a look of peace flitting across her face. “Vilma Harris-Clarke. The one and only.”
I nod and take her arm in mine. “It sounds perfect.”
The ocean air is warm as Vi and I make our way down to the beach where the ceremony is taking place. In front of a large set of rustic, double doors draped in pink and white flowers, we spot Dad holding Rocky beside Leslie and little Marisa. They are huddling close to the doors to conceal themselves from everyone else on the other side, waiting for Vi’s big entrance.
Vi is already crying as she approaches, her face lighting up at the sight of our tiny Rock Star in a fluffy pink dress. She pulls her arm out of mine and hands me her pink bouquet to reach out for Rocky, who instantly reaches back.
Vi pulls her into a tight hug, but Rocky’s more interested in marvelling over her mummy’s pretty dress and hair. She tugs on the white veil laying over top of Vi’s long blonde curls. “Mummy pretty,” she says, her eyes full of wonder.
“Adrienne pretty,” Vi croaks, sniffling back her tears. She leans down to two-year-old Marisa who has her chubby arms wrapped around her mummy’s legs. “Marisa pretty, too,” Vi adds with a smile and tugs on one of Marisa’s red curls.
Dad and I make eye contact and exchange a meaningful look of respect. He gives me a silent nod of approval that would have grated on my nerves less than forty-eight hours ago.
Now, it brings me peace.
Dad looks at Vi as she stands up straight and fixes the strap on Rocky’s dress. “Are you ready, Vi, my darling?” he asks, his voice deep and full of emotion.
Vi nods and turns to me. “Completely ready.”
Leslie squats down next to her daughter, fussing over her dress as she says, “Okay, Marisa, you’re first. Do it just like we practiced.” Leslie hands Marisa a tiny basket of pink flower petals.
Dad nods at them and pushes the double doors open to reveal our family all standing in the sand, lining the entire aisle and staring at us with big smiles on their faces.
On the right is Hayden’s brother, Theo, and their parents, Winifred and Richard. On the left are my three brothers, their partners, and Sloan, who’s standing closest to the door and is dressed in a stunning long, black dress. She looks every bit as beautiful as she always does.
At the end of the aisle is a large wooden archway draped in a waterfall of pink flowers. Beneath it is the pastor, Hayden, and his sister, Daphney, who has an acoustic guitar strapped to her chest.
