“Yes, well, such as that is, we have a joyous journey to share with Emily and Fang.I’d like to invite the bride and groom to read their statements.”She gave Fang a little nod to begin.
“Statements?”I heard Bess asking from behind me.“Shouldn’t it be vows?”
“We’re nontraditional,” I reminded her.
“You aresoweird,” she told me.“I mean, look at your dress!”
I looked down at myself.Fang and I had decided that if we were going to spend a lot of money on a suit and a dress, we wanted maximum use from them.He got a lovely suit of forest green so dark, it was almost black, while I went for a dark-green cocktail dress made heavy with detailed silver beads, with a wonderfully dramatic scalloped high-low mermaid hem.
I wanted to point out that she was well beyond weird, but figured this was the time to keep that sort of thought to myself.“My dress is gorgeous, and can be worn at any fancy event.”
“It’s not bridal,” Bess muttered, but everyone ignored her.
“So long as you and Fang are happy, that’s what’s important,” Mom intervened, and gestured to go on.
“Can I say again just how much I like your mother?”Fang said softly.“Best mother-in-law in the world.”
“When she’s not obsessed with her latest hobby, absolutely,” I whispered back.
He cleared his throat and, holding one of my hands, said, “Emily, the day you swept into my life and changed everything was the moment my life truly began.You are my sun and stars, my moon and planets, and the poetry in my soul.And since I know this will speak to you, you will please take the equation 2(2X-i) > 4X– 6Uand solve fori.”
I blinked a couple of times, then beamed at Fang.“You sweet talker, you!”
“What on earth is that supposed to mean?”Kathie asked Iain.
“You have me there,” he answered.“Is it something the younger generation says?”
“No,” Clara said from where she stood next to Holly.I’d told her to pick out whatever outfit she’d like to wear, and she chose a flared sundress with giant poppies.Holly and Marla were in matching garnet suits that made me envious.
“It’s an equation,” I explained to everyone.They all looked confused as hell.“Fang knows how to get to a girl.”
“What does it mean?”Holly asked.
“The equation solves toi< 3U.”Everyone continued to stare, their expressions going comical.“I heart you?The greater sign and number 3 make a heart ...never mind.I’ll write it all out for you guys later,” I told them.
“Emily, would you like to read your statement to Fang?”the officiant asked, looking a bit stunned about the eyes.
“I would, indeed,” I said, giving Fang the smile I kept for him alone.I glanced at the small card that Holly extracted from my bouquet of carnations.
“Emily,” Fang said in his best mock-serious voice.“Did you make an exam cheat sheet for your statement?”
“Old habits die hard,” I told him, retaking his hands.“Fang, the best of all men, and the handsomest vet in the British Isles, you have always been here for me, no matter how much life decided to crap on me.”
“Emily!”my mother protested gently.
Kathie, Iain, Amy, and Corbin all stifled laughter.Bess rolled her eyes and murmured something to Monk.
Holly hiccuped, but managed to keep from laughing, as she obviously wanted.
“You charmed me with your sense of humor, you spun my thoughts until they were so entangled with yours that they will never be separated, but most of all, you make me so happy that every day I get up and want to dance and sing and do things to you that wouldn’t be at all appropriate to mention here, but you can bet your bottom dollar that tonight, I’m going to tell you just exactly what I want to do.”
Fang burst out laughing at that point, no doubt due to the sultry look I gave him.He squeezed my fingers before raising them to kiss them as I turned to the officiant and gave her a nod to let her know I was done.
“Since Emily and Fang have decided to forgo further vows, they will now give and receive rings that symbolize the endless circle of their love, both for each other and for those who matter to them.Can the ...er ...ring bearer come forward.”
Holly and Herbert appeared between us, the latter looking sleepy, no doubt due to all the food I’d given him before the ceremony started.
Fang slid my ring on the appropriate finger, and leaned forward to say, “Only you would have a cowboy pigeon at our wedding.I love you so much I may explode.”
