Green Card

25 I Now Pronounce You (Piper)

"I'm sorry," I was saying when Lucas finally set me down. Shaking my head back and forth, I felt the tears starting to fall again. "I'm so sorry. I never should have left. I never should have run away. I hope you can forgive me. I hope—"

"Piper, you were forgiven the moment you left," he told me.

I smiled, staring up into the adoring eyes of the only man I'd ever truly loved.

"I'll testify," I said then. "I'll talk to the judge myself. I'll go get a lawyer. I'll do whatever I need to do. Lucas, just tell me how to keep you here, tell me how to make sure you stay."

He grinned at me, cupping my cheeks in his hands and locking eyes with me.

"You're here, Piper. That's all that matters," he said. I reached up and held the hands cupping my face with my own.

My heart was pounding in my chest, my hands were shaking. I'd never felt this way before. I'd never felt so terrified at the prospect of losing someone. Once I'd decided that I agreed with what Leah had been telling me all along, that Lucas, and whatever this was between us, was worth the risk to my heart, I had been desperate to see him again, to fix things between us. I'd hardly been able to sit still on the plane ride here, I was so antsy. Now, standing in front of him, watching him, feeling him, I finally felt calm. I finally felt home.

Then the doors to the judge's chambers opened and the man himself emerged, followed by both attorneys who had gone with him before. The woman was frowning. I wasn't sure what that meant but I'd been here long enough to gather that she was the one making the case against Lucas so her being upset seemed like a good thing. I couldn't read his attorney's face though. They both stopped in front of the bench while the judge ascended back to his seat.

"Ms. Clark, Mr. Vega, approach the bench, please," the judge called out and we did as we were told, Lucas opening the little gate so that I could come inside and then holding my hand while we stepped forward.

The judge watched us with a shrewd eye for a moment before he spoke again.

"This trial has turned into a bit of a circus," he said. "I've lost control of this court and, frankly, my own patience. So here's what we're going to do, and counsel is in agreement. I am going to ask you a couple of questions. When you have answered them to my satisfaction, I will issue my ruling. No more witnesses, not more outbursts. Just some simple questions. Are we clear?"

Lucas and I both nodded.

"Mr. Vega, do you love Ms. Clark?" The judge asked.

Lucas smiled and answered without hesitation, "Yes, Your Honor. I do."

"Ms. Clark, do you love Mr. Vega?"

I looked over to Lucas. He gave me the warmest smile and the gentlest hand squeeze and I melted all over again.

"Yes, Your Honor," I replied. "I do."

It wasn't the I Do moment that little girls dreamed of. It wasn't the profession of love that I ever thought I would give or get. But it was enough. It was everything.

"Do either of you have any intention of ending your marriage for the foreseeable future?" The judge asked.

"No, Your Honor," I answered automatically and saw Lucas' lips quirk into a wide grin at my response.

"Finally, and I cannot believe I still have to ask this in this day and age, have you consummated them marriage?"

I stared back at him in shock and then lowered my head as my cheeks turned a dark crimson.

"My apologies, Ms. Clark," the judge said, kindly, noticing my discomfort, "I have to ask."

"We have, Your Honor," Lucas replied on our behalf.

"Well then, by the power vested in me by the state of California, I hereby declare you, Lucas Vega, a permanent citizen of the United States with full rights and privileges," the judge ordered, banging his gavel.

My jaw dropped as Lucas swept me up into a hug, spinning me around in celebration.

"Miss Nickles, Agent Ashley, meet me in my chambers," the judge added, tone much harsher.

"I can't believe it!" I cried, wrapping my arms around Lucas' neck and kissing him firmly on the mouth.

"I'm a citizen," he replied, breathless once we had separated. "I'm finally, actually, a citizen."

Then we were being rushed by the horde of friends who had been watching the proceedings from the gallery. Nate and Valencia came first, running up to us, shaking our hands and hugging us. Drew and Reggie were there too, smiling and congratulating us. A few more of Lucas' employees were there, offering him well wishes. And then there was Luisa, Maria, and Kevin who each gave me a hug and a whispered welcome to the family, for real this time.

Soon enough, a pair of court officers were shooing us out of the room, asking us to take our celebrations elsewhere. As our friends shuffled on ahead of us, still speaking to one another in excited, hushed tones, Lucas led me onward with a hand on my lower back and a smile on his lips.

"After you, wife," he drawled with a grin. I smiled up at him like a giddy schoolgirl, in awe that this man was actually, truly, in love with me, excited that our marriage finally felt real for the first time.

I stood on my tip toes, giving Lucas one last kiss on his stubbles jaw, and replied.

"Why, thank you. Husband."