Robin
I climb the stairs after another day at work. This one didn't seem as long; the holiday rush is finally dying down.
I'm surprised when I walk into the bedroom and find Denny getting ready to go out. He's wearing his best pants and shirt and my favorite vest. I spy the white dress hanging on the closet next to him and ask, "Are we going somewhere?"
He turns to me, grinning. "We are. Can I help you put it on?"
"Let me grab a quick shower, if I have time." He nods and I quickly make myself presentable.
The dress is beautiful. It's short and fitted with corset-style bra cups and long puffed sleeves. Instead of a zipper down the back or side, it closes with a beautiful line of eyelet hooks up the front.
Denny does each one for me, softly kissing my skin before he covers it, making me shiver.
"Do you want to get to wherever we're going?" I tease. "Because I'm about to throw you on the bed and have my way with you right now."
Denny chuckles and kisses my mouth this time. "As tempting as that sounds, we definitely cannot be late," he reveals. "Come on."
He loads me and Cooper into the car. I pay attention as he starts to drive, wondering where our destination is.
I glance at him curiously as we pull up in front of a beautiful indoor garden. I can see the plants through the glass walls.
Denny gets out of the car, winking at me as he swaps Cooper's collar out for one with a bow tie on it. Cooper barks and I giggle.
Denny grabs my hand. As we walk into the garden, we pass under a lattice of Christmas lights.
"It's beautiful, Denny," I tell him. "What are we doing here?"
He smiles and gestures to a woman standing at the end of the lights. I don't recognize her, so I wait for him to say more.
He stops, pulling me close to him. Suddenly, he seems uncertain. His hands are shaking. I clasp them between mine and squeeze them soothingly. "Denny, what is it?"
"She's here to marry us," he says quietly.
"Marry us?" I repeat slowly, letting it sink in.
He nods. "I wanted it to be at midnight on New Year's Eve," he admits, "but they were all booked. I only got this time because there was a last minute cancellation." Then he takes a deep breath and starts to ramble. "If you don't want to, we can go," he assures me. "I'll give you the wedding every woman dreams of instead. Big dress, giant cake, huge crowd..." He trails off. "But you're not every woman, Robin," he points out softly. "And I thought that, after everything that's happened with our families, you'd want something small. Just us and Cooper. Our true family."
"That's what I want, Denny. You're absolutely right," I murmur. His face lights up as I add, "Let's get married."
We stand in front of the officiant. Cooper sits just behind us, nuzzling both of our legs encouragingly. She briefly introduces herself, then starts the ceremony.
When she stops and tells us we can now recite the vows we wrote ourselves, I briefly panic. "I... I didn't know... I didn't write anything..." Not that I haven't thought about it. But I'm certainly not prepared.
Denny shakes his head gently and takes my face in his warm hands. "It's all right," he whispers. "I have some." He bites his lip before he continues, obviously nervous, then he begins.
"Robin, I love you," he starts. "More than anything. I never imagined that I would have someone like you, or a life like the one we're planning together. I never thought anyone would want to marry me after what I've been through. I always thought I seemed like too much of a risk." He stares at me worriedly. "I'm just... afraid that I can't give you a perfect life. You deserve a perfect life. But what if something happens to me? What if I get sick again, or need another heart transplant? I... I want you, Robin. Forever. I just don't know if that's fair to ask."
The woman standing in front of us looks a little surprised. She's probably never heard vows before that attempted to talk the other person out of getting married.
Cooper whines and nuzzles my leg again, looking from me to Denny. "Don't worry, buddy," I reassure him. "I got this."
And I do. Now I know exactly what to say.
"Dennison Duquette," I chastise him seriously. Denny grimaces a bit at the use of his real first name, but I keep going. "Do you remember what I always say to you?"
He smiles and nods, squeezing my hands a little tighter.
"I would rather spend one bad day with you, Denny, than a lifetime of good ones with someone else." I've said it before, on multiple occasions, and thought it even more. "You're the one I want, Denny," I finish simply. "You. Nobody else. So whatever happens, we'll get through it together." I beam at him. "Because you're not getting rid of me, Denny. No matter how hard you try."
"I love you," he answers tearfully.
"I love you too."
Cooper barks in agreement and the ceremony continues.
Denny has rings ready. He presses his into my palm so I can give it back to him. I slip it onto his finger, then he removes my engagement ring so he can settle my wedding band underneath it.
"I do," he replies eagerly, holding me against him.
"I do," I respond. My head is resting on his chest, so he reaches down, tipping my chin up to kiss me.
Then we're married.
Cooper starts to bark repeatedly, jumping around us, wiggling his butt in excitement. We both laugh, leaning down to play with him.
"Come on," Denny suggests. "Let's go home."
I nod, taking his hand and Cooper's leash and following him back out to the car.
Back at home, we settle Cooper in front of the fireplace and go to spend the first part of our night alone together.
As we slowly undress, I press a kiss to his lips. "I meant it, Denny," I remind him softly.
"I know, Robin."
He lifts me onto the bed and covers me in his warmth. I hold on tight, my belly tense with excitement as I realize that I'm about to make love to my husband for the first time.
"I'll never stop loving you, Robin," Denny promises. "No matter what happens to me. Wherever I am. I will always love you."
Then we stop talking.
But before I lose myself completely, I send a silent wish out into the universe. I don't believe in much, but I desperately want to believe that there's some kind of karma out there for people like Denny who have been through so much.
I ask for him to have a long, beautiful life. Hopefully with me, but if push came to shove, as long as he's happy, I don't care how it happens. I just don't want him to hurt ever again.
