SEVEN
I don't even remember how I got into my bed....... but what I did know was today was the day. I woke up and reached out for Tyson only to remember he wasn't there and I wouldn't see him until sunset. I looked at the ceiling and smiled, just a few more hours and Tyson would be mine forever, I rolled over and saw I could get a couple more minutes of sleep and hell I needed it after the bachelor party Tion and Izayah threw for me last night. As soon as my eyes closed my door flew open and I was dragged outta bed, I looked up at my three older brother and my best friends as the stood over me smiling. So much for getting more sleep.
"Get your ass up Seven we got too much shyt to do for you to still be in bed." Zaire said standing over me. "Man what did ya'll do to him last night?" He said shaking his head.
"We didn't do anything nobody told him to drink a whole bottle of tequila but when you see the videos you'll see it was worth it." Tion said smiling. I got up and walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on.
"Look go wait for me downstairs, I'll be down in a few minutes." I said closing the door to my bathroom and stripping completely naked, I stepped in the shower and Tyson's face flashed in front of my eyes, I smiled remembering the first time I saw him. I chuckled because even though he scared the shyt outta me I wanted nothing more than to kiss him in that moment. I finished my shower and threw on some shorts and a t-shirt knowing full well I was probably going to shower again before the wedding. I walked downstairs and everybody was talking except Izayah who was still pissed he wasn't my best man, he saw me looking at him and tried to hide the smile on his face. "Ya'll ready?" I asked.
"Yeah let's do this." Tion said as we all walked out the house.
TYSON
I couldn't sleep last night..... everything in me just wanted to fast forward to the wedding. When I finally couldn't take it anymore I got up and started trying to make myself busy but there really wasn't anything for me to do Tiana made sure of that. So I decided to try and sleep but I couldn't not without Seven, I walked to my over night bag and pulled out one of Seven's shirts I packed, smelled it and smiled, it smelled just like his cologne. I laid in bed using the shirt as a pillow and thought about the love of my life. I thought about the good times as well as the bad, but the thing that stuck out for me the most is the first time Seven told me he loved me. I remember the day perfectly as I drifted off to sleep.
We had been dating for a few months and Seven had come over to see me, we spent the whole day sitting on my back patio just talking, when the sun was going down he said he had to get going so I walked him to the bus stop. The whole time he seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't know how, we got to the stop and waited for the bus.
"Today was fun......." I said trying to start a conversation but he was so lost in his thoughts that I don't think he heard me. "Seven?" I said nervously.
"My bad Ty....... I was just thinking......... but I need to tell you something. Today I realized something Tyson. You're the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with." Seven said and I was stuck, he was so confident the way he said going to spend the rest of my life with, not want to.... going to. "Fuck." He said looking down the street as the bus came around the corner.
"Seven are you okay?" I asked.
"No........ I honestly don't want to leave you Tyson. It's hard not seeing you and for the longest time I couldn't figure out why even though the answer was right here in front of me....... Tyson I love you....... and being away from you is hard for me." Seven said, just as the bus stopped right in front of us. I knew what he was saying because I felt the same way.
"Seven I love....." But he pressed his lips to mine.
"I know....... I'll call you when I get home." He said getting on the bus. Even though I was sleep the memory still brought a smile to my face but it was quickly wiped away when the door flew opened and I jumped out of bed as Tiana ran inside and started throwing all my clothes into a bag.
"What are you doing?" I asked looking at her like she was crazy.
"Look I don't have time to explain, but we need to get you the hell outta here. I can't let you settle for....... Seven." She said shuddering. Once my heart rate went back to normal I stood there staring at her.
"Tiana I'm not going anywhere but to marry YOUR brother." I said rolling my eyes.
"But you can do so much better Tyson." Tiana said sounding like a little kid.
"Do you really believe that?" I asked raising my eyebrows, she pretended to think about it for a moment then smiled.
"Nah not even slightly, just making sure you don't have cold feet." She said laughing.
"Whatever you were probably serious. Are you ready?" I asked standing up, Tiana nodded and smiled as we headed out the door.
SEVEN
I couldn't stop looking at my watch, I was so ready to marry him that I couldn't sit still. I walked around the beach talking to the guest trying to keep my nerves down. I looked up at the sky as the sun started to make it's descent closer to the horizon.
"You alright Seven?" Tion asked walking over to me. I smiled trying to hide my anxiety but Tion could read me like a book. "Nah you're not but you better get it together, this thing is about to start in a few minutes and I paid too much money for you to get cold feet." He said smiling.
"If you think I'm going to get cold feet you must be crazy, I just need to see him." I said looking to the parking lot expecting to see the limo pulling up with my other half but all I saw was a blood red Corvette. "Excuse me for a second." I said walking towards the car as Dominic and my little brother Amir stepped out. "What's up?" I said looking at Dominic.
"Amir didn't want to miss his big brother's wedding....... and I...... I just wanted to say I'm happy for both of ya'll Tyson got himself a good dude." Dominic said reaching down and grabbing Amir's hand.
"Thanks I really appreciate it, well it's bout to start so just take a seat anywhere." I said walking away. I got back to Tion who was holding my son Ala'ven and smiled. "Ayy little man I need you to be really good for the next few hours an you do that?" I asked looking him in the eyes, that were so much like his mothers, he smiled back at me and pushed his chubby little hand to my face. "My man." I said kissing him on the forehead.
"I'm about to give him to dad we need to get in our places." Tion said walking away as I walked up to the front. I looked around and smiled I couldn't have imagined a better place for us the get married. The sounds of the water washing up on the beach, birds were singing, and the sun was finally starting to set. I looked up as an all white limo pulled up and couldn't stop myself from smiling. I looked to my left and saw my brothers Tion, Dallas, and Zaire all smiling, I out into the crowd and saw Izayah, Iran, Jackson, and Gino all smiling at me as well, I saw Dominic and Amir, looking happy together and my dad sitting there looking proud but annoyed as all his grandchildren kept doing what kids do but when I heard the door to the limo up the lost all my attention as I turned my focus to the only person who mattered in that moment.
TYSON
I got out the limo with Tiana and the first person I noticed was the only person who mattered in that moment, even from this far back I noticed Seven's million dollar smile. It took all my restraint not to take off running for him. I walked slowly down the aisle with Tiana, Dalisa and Zakiya right in front of me, and had to keep counting to ten to keep myself from pushing them out of my way, until I realized I was standing right in front of Seven. He reached his hand out and pulled me towards him.
"We are gathered here today......" The minister said but I drown most of it out Seven's eyes told me everything I needed to hear. They told the whole story of our relationship the ups, the downs, the loss, everything that led to this point. "Now I understand that you've each written your own vows Tyson, you may go first."
"Seven Alexander Hayes, I love you more with each passing second. You've been the one constant thing in my life, my best friend, my everything. I promise to love you through everything no matter what. You are and will always be my good luck charm, my lucky number seven. I love you." I said looking into Seven's eyes as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"Tyson Leander Brown we didn't meet in the most conventional way..... but the feeling that hit me the moment we made eye contact in that day in your room....... it was so immediate and powerful, far deeper and inexplicably beyond any calculation of time and place. You don't describe a feeling like that. You also can't replicate it or force it. You just let it flow in and around you. You go where it takes you, and today it's brought me here to you and I promise to give you everyday of forever. Because I love you too." Seven said wiping the tears from my eyes.
"After that there's nothing left to say but kiss your......" We couldn't let him finish Seven pulled me into his arms and off my feet kissing me as if our lives depended on it, just was the sun had finally set and and fireworks lit up the night sky. The crowd cheered as we walked away to get inside the limo.
SEVEN
We sat in the reception hall laughing our ass off as everyone told stories about me and Tyson. I held onto his hand never wanting to let it go as Tion stood up to give his best man's toast.
"Umm...... everyone who knows me, they know I'm not really a talkative person. So I'm not going to say anything I'm actually going to let my baby brother say everything for himself... go ahead and play it." Tion said as we all turned our attentions to the screen and I covered my face as a video from my bachelor party played, I looked up at the video and watched as I was leaning on Tion's shoulder crying.
"T..... I love him so much man..... I just wanna be marry already." I said wiping the tears off of my face. Tion took a deep breath and shook his head.
"I know Seven, you'll be married in a few hours, calm down." Tion said trying not to laugh.
"But I wanna be married now...... I'm.... I'm about to call him and tell him to elope with me." I said drunkenly as the video cut off and everyone was laughing as Tion grabbed the mic again.
"See I've always been the shoulder that Seven's leaned on whenever he needed it, but right now I'm here to tell you it's not my job anymore, Tyson.... take care of my brother and Seven take care of Tyson. Always remember to love each other more than you do right now, never go to bed mad at each other, and always keep a smile on each others face. I love you both and I wish you nothing but the best." Tion said patting me on the shoulder. We had a good time, we laughed, we danced, we partied hard. The night was winding down and Tyson pulled pulled me to the outside balcony.
"I love you Seven Hayes." Tyson said as I looked into his eyes.
"I love you too Tyson Hayes." I said smiling. He shook his head and I pulled him into a kiss. For us nothing more needed to be said, our love transcended everything. Our story was over just as our lives together began.