Page 50 of Dominate
Leslie gives Daphney a nod and she begins playing the Sleeping At Last cover of “500 Miles.” Hayden’s head turns from the ocean, and his eyes instantly land on Vi, who still has Rocky in her arms.
His smile falls.
He doesn’t look happy.
He doesn’t look sad.
He doesn’t look angry.
He’s overcome.
Vi’s shoulders shake with silent sobs as Daphney begins to sing. She squeezes Rocky to her chest and points down the aisle. “Look, Rocky Doll. There’s your daddy.”
“Daddy.” Rocky opens and closes her fingers in a wave, and the look exchanged between their little family seems private and personal, but we’re all here to witness it. To witness their connection. Their love.
Their moment in time.
“Go see your Unky Hayden, Marisa,” Leslie coos quietly and urges her daughter down the aisle.
Everyone’s eyes are diverted to the adorable little redhead in a fluffy pink tutu dress. Marisa’s eyes are wide and wary on all the people looking down at her, but she smiles a big smile the second she spots Hayden. Now in a hurry, she tosses her basket of flowers and makes a mad dash down the sandy beach aisle, tripping once and getting a face full of sand. Several people step out to help her, but Marisa shakes them off, not the least bit bothered as she pauses to spit some sand out of her mouth. She resumes her toddler run all the way to her uncle who’s squatting down with wide open arms.
Hayden scoops up a giggling Marisa who’s still picking at sand on her tongue, and everyone laughs at the tender connection between Hayden and his niece. He pulls his pocket square out of his suit jacket and dabs at her lips as she croaks out a loud, “Yucky.”
Theo reaches out to take Marisa from Hayden, and Hayden resumes his stoic stance, smiling big and staring back at Vi.
“Ready, Rocky Doll?” Dad asks, holding his arms out to her.
“Papa!” she sings happily and falls out of Vi’s arms and into Dad’s.
Vi wraps her hand around my arm and takes her flowers back. Then, she takes a deep breath, bracing herself to watch her daughter be carried down the aisle.
About midway, Dad stops walking and lowers Rocky until her little bare feet touch the sand. Her chubby fingers hold onto his hands as he walks her a few steps before pulling one hand away. We all take a collective breath when Rocky releases his other hand and walks stiltedly by herself for several steps.
Vi sobs beside me as she watches Hayden rush over and crouch down in front of Rocky, holding his hands out wide. Rocky nearly falls but manages to straighten herself and resumes her walk right into an openly crying Hayden’s arms.
“Oh my God,” Vi exclaims, looking at me with red, tear-soaked eyes. “She just walked!”
“Did you know she could do that?”
She shakes her head. “Dad must have been practicing with her!”
“Incredible,” I croak, tearing up myself and finding Sloan’s eyes watching me instead of Rocky. She’s covering her mouth and staring at me with wide, red-rimmed eyes full of so much love, it takes everything I have to not let go of my sister and go to her.
Hayden kisses Rocky, then passes her off into my dad’s arms and swipes at his face to prepare for his bride.
As soon as Daphney starts the chorus, I begin to usher Vi down the aisle to her groom. I look over at her with a wide smile, honoured more than I can explain to be the one giving her away today. We’ve been through so much together. Lots of hard times but far more happy.
This moment—Vi’s moment of achieving her happily ever after—is momentous to all of us. She is our sister—the woman we would all do anything for—and all of her dreams are coming true today. It couldn’t be happening to a better person.
When we reach Hayden, I release Vi’s arm to pull Hayden into a tight hug. We clap each other on the back, then I look into his eyes and give him a nod of approval. Hayden has a dark past, but he’s more than proven himself to be good enough for our sister. It’s a relief because I don’t think I could have given Vi away to anyone else. Before I walk away, Vi surprises me with a wrenching hug around my neck.
“Thank you, Gareth.”
I half smile down at her. “Thank you, Vi.”
We nod at each other and the pastor begins the ceremony. I step away and join Sloan in the back. My entire body aches for hers. My heart, my soul, my hands. Our fingers thread together as we listen to Hayden and Vi recite their vows to each other and make a collective wish as the time hits 11:11 on the nose—a time once only special to Hayden but now equally as special to Vi. They honour Hayden’s deceased sister, Marisa, and our mum with a single white rose that they release out into the ocean while Daphney plays the Sleeping At Last cover of “As Long as You Love Me.”
By the end of the service, my emotions have been raked over the coals. The overwhelming joy is too much for one person to handle. Vi’s wedding is like a happy ending the entire Harris family has waited long enough for.
