Black Diaries

22. Second Chance

The double-doors to the chapel opened. I tried to ignore Jill's glower burning into my neck and tried to ignore the eyes focused on me from every direction. But I couldn't ignore my own racing heart, and the fears burning inside me.

What if this wedding, just like the last one, was nothing but a big, fat, humongous mista—

Then I looked up and saw Chuck at the other end of the aisle. He smiled. From that smile, warmth flooded through me. Suddenly, all thought vanished. All fear. All reason.

I started walking. Then I sped up. Then I started running. I heard chuckles from both sides of the aisle, but I didn't care. Reaching the altar, I threw my arms around him and kissed him, passionately, ravenously.

My miracle! My second chance! My new happily ever after! And this time, it really would be forever. I deepened the kiss, binding him to me.

The officiant cleared his throat.

"Um... miss? He's not supposed to do that until I say 'you may kiss the bride.'"

"He's not the one doing it," I mumbled against Chuck's lips, not letting go. "I am."

"Oh."

For a moment, the officiant didn't seem to know what to say to that. Finally, he cleared his throat. "Well, I still think you should wait until after the vows."

"Alright, then." Reluctantly, I broke our kiss and took a step back. My groom's face bore a curious mix of disappointment and radiant happiness that was, I was sure, mirrored on my own. "Let's do this."

The officiator's speech flitted past me like a flock of hummingbirds. I was too busy staring into Chuck's eyes to hear what he told the audience. But when he turned towards us, I suddenly came back to earth. My ears opened up, and I heard every single word.

"Chuck, do you take Cassy to be your wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?"

Chuck leaned forward a few inches, looking directly into my eyes. He wasn't even glancing at the priest, his whole focus on me when he proclaimed: "I do."

"Cassy, do you take Chuck to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?"

It was difficult to get anything past the lump in my throat. But finally, I managed. "I d-do."

"Now," the officiant emphasized. "You may kiss the groom."

To a burst of cheers from our friends and his family, we embraced, and our lips melded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jill throwing the rest of her flowers into the air in a mad explosion of joy, and Lucky prancing around as if she were saying, "There, you see? That's all my work!"

Under a storm of rice from his dozens of relatives, we made it to the car – an eco-friendly electric vehicle, Jill had insisted – and pulled the doors shut behind us.

"Hey!" Chuck held up my bouquet. "You forgot to do the honors!"

"Oh. Of course." Rolling down the window, I leaned out, and hurled the flowers directly at Jill, who ducked neatly out of the way. The flowers landed on a little four-year old girl who grinned from ear to ear and grabbed the hand of a boy standing next to her, her intentions clear. A horrified expression spread over the little boy's face. Laughing, I rolled the window up again.

"Well, Mrs. Benson?" Chuck leaned over towards me, his eyes shining. "Ready for your honeymoon?"

❤☠❤☠❤☠❤☠❤☠❤