after this night (camren)

13. Camila

and soon the gorgeous brunette would be back by my side where she belonged. 

......

There was no time for a quickie. The moment the photographer had finished shooting the wedding party, the cocktail hour started, as waiters passed out flutes of bubbly champagne. The festivities had moved inside to a gorgeous reception room with a baby grand piano and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the water. The décor reflected the brides' passion for games and animals with the name cards at place settings stamped with Mr. Monopoly, and the centrepiece flowers boasting a wooden cut-out of a hound dog.

Normani tapped a fork against a glass, cleared her throat, and stood next to her new wife by the head table, "First of all, thank you so much for coming. I'm pretty sure I'm the luckiest woman in the world simply because I have this woman as my wife. To also see so many friends and family here makes the occasion all the better, even though I'd have married her anywhere - in a box, on a boat, in the rain, on a train" she said, then paused to look at Dinah. The girl rolled her eyes playfully, "What? It's true" Normani said to her, but loud enough for everyone to hear. She faced the guests again, "Anyway, I'm going to keep this short and sweet, and turn the microphone over to the best man and the maid of honour. And since I'm a ladies first kind of girl, we'll start with Camila. Take it away"

I crossed a few feet to Normani and took the microphone, then turned to the crowd, "It's truly an honour to be here and to be able to say a few words about my favourite person in the world and her  favourite person in the world" I said, stopping to gesture at Normani.

"Hey! You're still a favourite" Dinah called out.

I waved her off playfully, "I'm still a little surprised though as to why Chaucer isn't here to give a toast. Do you all know Chaucer? I asked the crowd. Most of them shook their heads, "Let me tell you a story. Chaucer is out friend's Siamese cat, and he was something of a matchmaker for Normani and Dinah. He's one of those dastardly Siamese cats who likes to make his mark in the world. He did it by breaking a hard drive. But, lest everyone think cats breaking things is bad, this is the rare moment when a wily cat brought two people together. Because when Chaucer broke Dinah's hard drive, she took it to the electronics store to find a replacement. And who would she happen to meet there but this woman" I said, patting Normani on the shoulder, "And Normani, being an industrious and resourceful fellow, and naturally, being completely smitten with Dinah from the second she saw her, gamely offered to repair it" I said, a smile breaking across my face as I told the story. From across the crowd of glittering lights and gorgeously arrayed tables, I spotted Lauren, her eyes fixed on me. Suddenly I felt as if the whole room had disappeared and I was talking to only her. Sharing a love story with my woman, "Of course, it wasn't always easy, and there were some bumps in the road"

Normani draped an arm around her wife and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek, earning a collective aww from the guests.

"But here we are because Dinah realised what a good thing she had in front of her, and that giving up her stubborn ways was worth it"

I locked eyes with Lauren once more, and the lightness of the speech drained away, replaced instead by the deeper possibility of whether I could give up the things I held too tightly. I'd never truly considered it until that moment, but was there a chance I was being stubborn too, by clutching my secrets and shame in my hands? I'd always considered my troubles to be completely solo problems, but they were growing far less solitary given Austin's encroachment on my personal territory lately, from his heated asides about Dinah to sending his heavy with the runny nose to my salon that morning. 

But I didn't want to think about Skunk or any of them right now. I wouldn't let them mar this day.

With a quick swallow, I soldiered on, "And, as anyone can see, they are perfect for each other, from their shared love of karaoke, to their steadfast belief that Miami is the only suitable place to live, to their affection for games, from Candyland all the way to Halo and Q*bert. Because ultimately, isn't that part and parcel of what makes a love last through the years? Common interests and passion, whether it's for adventure" I said, and now I was talking only  to the woman across the room, "or a good crime flick. Or even just the same, how shall we say, preferences" I said, taking a beat to enjoy the way she fought back a naughty grin, "I like to think those little things are also big things. And Normani and Dinah have all of that. So, here's to the brides" I held up my champagne glass.

As Normani's best friend began his toast seconds later, I threaded my way through the guests and clinked glasses with Lauren, "Cheers"

"That was a beautiful speech" she said, her bright green eyes searching mine. 

"I meant every word"

"Every word?" She raised an eyebrow as she took a drink.

"Every single one"

~~~~~~~~~~

sorry for not updating yesterday guys i was so busy, but heres a kinda short chapter