Page 81 of Inside the Maelstrom: Part Two
The garden was wild but beautiful. Vines grew up the stone walls, and trees reached high above my head until their branches threaded together to enclose the path I was padding along barefoot. Flowers were densely packed into the garden beds, blooming in a rainbow of riotous color that was both untamed and aesthetically pleasing.
The true centerpiece of this tiny little secret garden however, was the giant fucking magnolia tree. Hendrick had thought it was goddamn hilarious, the asshole. He definitely did it on purpose, but I couldn’t fault him. The location was perfect despite the damn tree.
Luckily, in front of that damn magnolia tree were the four men who had my heart, all dressed in black tuxes, looking wildly different but equally as handsome. A cello player was hidden in the foliage somewhere, and its soft music heralded me down the aisle toward them.
My long white gown dragged in the dirt, but I didn’t care. This was perfect.
As I stepped into the clearing, every face turned to look at me. The group was small, but they were all important to the journey that led us here. The Guyers were in the front row, and Letitia was already crying as she watched me walk slowly down the aisle toward her boys. My parents were here too, and while things were still strained, at least they’d come. I hadn’t wanted my father to walk me down the aisle, because I wasn’t a cow to be led to its new owner, and secretly I also didn’t want him to say no. But it was still important to me that they were here.
After the death of Hendrick’s parents, and the subsequent media storm, I’d reached out to them again. I hadn’t wanted my last words to them to be angry ones. We’d started small. I would send them photos of things I was doing. Text them to let them know I was okay. Then I’d call once a week. I’d visited over the winter with just Sampson, which had been strained but much better than the last meeting we’d had.
When I’d told them I was renewing my vows to Hendrick, and having a proper wedding, they’d agreed to come, and that could only be a good sign. Baby steps, that’s what Otto had said.
Tobias and Mitch Goetz were also in attendance. Tobias had the cop from my interrogation a year ago as his date, and I was sure those three could talk shop together easily enough. Mitch had brought his secretary too, which was sweet.
Hell, even Lottie was here, flanked by two dark-eyed boys with shadowed faces who had to be twins. Sampson had kept his word and gotten Lottie a scholarship to the school of her choice. We’d kind of adopted her, weirdly enough. I didn’t know who the boys were, but I would definitely find out before she went home. Or Sampson would.
There were also a couple of friends we’d made along the way as a group, such as Evan’s friend Buck, who was a handsome Australian guy with a grin that could only mean mischief. Even Calypso and Matty were here, covering the story of our wedding, but also as friends. After the way that first interview had ended, it had taken a little while to meet back up with Caly, but we eventually got to finish the interview.
It was now framed on our wall, and Matty had managed to capture a photo where Hendrick and I were looking at each other lovingly, and Sampson and Otto were laughing about something in the background. I didn’t even know when that moment had even happened, but he’d managed to encapsulate our happiness in one photo.
The headline read: “Inside The Maelstrom: How Hendrick Kenley Overcame a Horror Childhood to Make Himself A Family.”
Hendrick had argued that if anyone had made us a family, it was me, but I think I was more on Calypso’s side. Hendrick was a magnet, drawing people to him. But he only kept the ones he truly loved close by, and by the time I came along, they’d already had an unbreakable bond. I’d just filled in the gaps and cemented them together.
I finally reached the end of the aisle, and I turned to the men beside me. Each one of them looked at me like I was an angel, though granted, Sampson looked like he wanted to lay me down in the dirt and help me fall to earth.
“You look so fucking gorgeous,” Hendrick whispered, holding my hand.
Otto’s eyes were big and shiny, and he was definitely going to cry. I mouthed, “Love you,” to him before we had to turn back to the officiant. I couldn’t marry them all, not legally, but they could all stand up here with me as I pledged to love them forever and always.
The officiant started, and I looked up at Hendrick. His hair was combed back and he looked so fucking handsome that he threatened to steal the air from my lungs. His eyes twinkled with mirth as he raised his eyebrows at me, and I knew he was silently telling me that he couldn’t wait for the wedding night, the pervert.
I bit my lip to keep from laughing, and I met the gaze of Evan over Hendrick’s shoulder. He rolled his eyes at our shenanigans, but there was pure love on his face. The people in the ceremony audience would know now that he was part of us, one of my lovers, because the only way to describe his expression was pure devotion.
“Aviva Kenley, do you renew your vow to love and honor Hendrick Kenley, in sickness and in health, in the hard times and the joyous moments, for as long as you may live?”
“I do.” I cleared my throat. “I love you in a way that I was convinced couldn’t exist. With unwavering passion and respect,” I said to them all, then moved my gaze back to Hendrick. “I hated you the first time I met you, when you dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night to come and drink beer by the pool with your friends. It was the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I can’t thank you enough for being an asshole with no boundaries.” A laugh went through the crowd, and Hendrick grinned. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Hendrick Kenley, do you renew your vow to love and honor Aviva Kenley, in sickness and in health, in the hard times and the joyous moments, for as long as you may live?”
“Umm…” Hendrick started, tapping his chin like he was really thinking about it. I kicked his shin, and he smirked at me as the crowd laughed. “Sheesh, okay, okay. I do.” He grabbed my hands and pulled me closer. “Aviva, you’ve seen every broken part of me, all my ugly pieces, and yet you still love me. I won’t just love and honor you. I will devote myself to worshipping you for the rest of my days, because I know how lucky I am to have you.” He rested his forehead against mine. “We’re lucky to have you,” he whispered. He pulled back a little. “Thank you for showing me what love really is.”
The officiant smiled. “I now pronounce you husband and wife—again. You may kiss the bride.”
Hendrick grabbed me, bent me backwards, and kissed me like he wanted to steal my oxygen until the crowd were catcalling us. As I stood up, I looked over at the guys.
They all looked wonderfully happy, and even though I couldn’t have an official ceremony with each of them, I wore a sign of my commitment to each of them right at this moment. Hendrick’s grandmother’s diamond wedding band, a small piece of his family history that hadn’t been tainted by the past. My engagement ring from Sampson, blinking brilliantly in the sun. A simple, thin band of white gold from Otto, delicate and classic. A thicker, more solid ring with the Claddagh symbol molded into it from Evan, two hands holding a heart the way he held mine. I wore them stacked together on my ring finger, bunched close, none greater than the other. Separately, they were all beautiful. But together, they created something truly wondrous.
On my right wrist was the word Nemo, written in Willhem’s familiar scrawl. He was with me forever now, beneath my skin and a part of my adventure. Under his name was one last Verne quote, one last clue on how to live, from a man who died too soon.
If at every instant we may perish, so at every instant we may be saved.
