That thought only repeats when I hear the piano music start. I’m standing under an arch of roses on the dock. The minister is here as well as Torch, who is serving as my best man, and Tucker, who is standing up for me, too. He’s not walking Beth up the aisle; that was her choice, but she still wanted him to be part of the wedding. It works for me. Besides, I like the bastard. Go figure.
“I did this right by eloping. This fucking tie is about to get me,” Torch whispers. I tear my eyes away from the area the women are supposed to march in from to look at him. He’s pulling out a bowtie, which is attached by a piece of elastic around his neck, like an idiot.
He’s wearing tux pants, like me. His shoes are shined and he’s even wearing the suit coat with long tails, but he’s not wearing the standard white shirt underneath. He’s wearing a black and white t-shirt which has a cat lying on its stomach, all four legs bent, with the words “Need someone to pet pussy” above it. There’s a man beside it wearing a tux that says “Best man for the job”. Christo!
I tear my eyes away from him as the music picks up tempo. A horse-drawn carriage glides up. I’m giving Beth a princess wedding that even Cinderella would be jealous of. Out first is Katie. She’s wearing a soft pink dress, her brown hair brushed straight until it glows and one white rose pinned in her hair. She walks slowly, giving me a brief smile, but then shifting all of her attention to Torch.
“Fuck me. Maybe I should rethink this and do this whole wedding thing,” he whispers and I grin. I dreaded it, but even I have to admit the thought of seeing my woman walk up the aisle to me is something I’m looking forward to. When Katie is in place, the music shifts again.
Another carriage pulls up outside. And slowly, my woman is assisted down. She’s bent over and I see our daughter beside her, holding her mother’s hand. My girls. My world. They start walking along the white silk path that has been created. Gabby drops little pink rose petals, and she’s dressed almost exactly like Beth, except her dress is pink like Katie’s.
Beth. Dios mío. She takes my breath away. She’s wearing a white dress that hugs her curves. It’s all white silk. I’m a man, so I know shit about these things. It hides every inch of her, but at the same time, lets a man know that the valleys and curves underneath make men find religion and pray to God to touch.
Her face is hidden under a veil, but my daughter’s is smiling broadly. When they make it to me, I reach out my hands to both of them. My family.
“I threw flowers, daddy!” Gabby says.
I laugh. “You sure did,” I tell her, picking her up for a kiss. “I love you, calabaza.”
“Pumpkin!” she giggles.
“That’s right! You’re daddy’s pumpkin. Happy Birthday,” I tell her, kissing her again before Katie takes her away.
Now I turn my attention to Beth. Carefully, I raise the veil showing me her beautiful face. She’s smiling, and the happiness in her eyes—knowing I’m the one who put it there—means the world. There’s a few tears running down her face. My thumb shakes as I wipe them away.
“I love you,” she whispers shakily.
“Mi cielo, tu eres mi mundo,” I tell her. “You are my center. My compass. Without you, I lose my way. Without you, I merely exist.” As I say the words in front of all of our friends and family, in front of my club, Dragon and his men, Diesel and his new woman Violet, and even the Saints, I have no shame when my own eyes cloud with tears. My heart is too full. Finally, I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
“My world,” Beth whispers, reaching up to kiss me sweetly, and we turn towards the minister—toward our future.
“I do,” I whisper.
I’m having trouble catching my breath. My heart is beating crazily. I think I’m coming down with the flu, but I wasn’t about to let anything rob me of this day. The wedding, everything Skull has done, is like something I used to dream of as a child. When I hear his deep voice whisper, “I do,” I tighten my hand against his. I’m finally his wife.
The priest motions for us to turn around. As I turn, the world begins to spin. I fall to the side against Skull. He smiles down at me, thinking I just stumbled, but that’s not it.
The world starts spinning and I lurch forward this time.
I hear Skull yelling my name. I feel his arms go around me and then… the world goes black.
“I don’t give a fuck if she’s being examined! That’s my wife and I want in there!” I yell at some wet-behind-the-ears security guard. I’m about ready to rip his goddamn head off his shoulders.