I laughed and replied, “Your words, not mine. Seriously, though. Falling in love with you all over again has been so easy, Bryson, and so worth it. I think I was getting burned out on life, and you’ve pulled me back into this place that I cannot resist. You make it easy being here. The way that I can be emotionallyvulnerable with you and comfortable being in your presence is all new.”
“We have to gradually work to get to where we want to be. You’re worth it to me, Kenni. Ever since we took that trip, you’ve allowed me to see a softer side of you. You’re warm and compassionate, and you genuinely care about how I feel.”
“Maybe we needed that.”
“No doubt we needed that, beautiful. I think we’ve learned how to appreciate each other and be genuine with one another.”
“I would agree. This time around is so different than the first. We were all fire and sizzle until we almost burned out. This time, though, it feels like . . . a soft fall into love.”
“Well, we’re going to keep falling, baby. I love you.”
“And I love you, too, Bryse.”
Kennedi
ONE YEAR LATER – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH
“This day almost didn’t happen, but thanks to elements beyond our control, we learned that we were destined to be. Kennedi Rachelle Barre, with this ring, I commit my life, my heart, and my very being to honoring you and giving you the life you deserve. I vow always to place your interests above mine, to wipe away your tears, and join in with your laughter. I promise to compromise and work toward understanding so that you always feel heard. I vow to create a safe place for your heart to feel comfortable falling, for your mind to roam free, and for your spirit to be free to be the best version of yourself. I vow to provide, care, protect, and love you for life.”
He slid the ring onto my finger, and I took the ring from the pillow that his nephew, Jayden, held.
“Bryson Fuller, my partner, my lover, my friend, I am so glad that I have had this last year to grow to know you again and to experience the gradual, comfortable progression of falling in love with you. With this ring, I commit my life, my heart, andmy very being to honoring you and providing you with the home you deserve. I vow to trust you and to care about the things that matter most to you, to rejoice with you, and be your support system against the world. I vow to compromise for the greater good of this marriage and our family. I promise to always listen to and hear you, as well as validate your feelings. I vow to be that safe space that your heart can securely trust in, that your confidence in me will never be shaken, and to travel with you on the journey for self-discovery. I vow to honor, submit to, trust, and love you for your life.”
I slid the ring onto his finger, and he caressed my face.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. Bryson, you may kiss your bride.”
My husband leaned toward me and cupped my face before he sweetly and softly kissed my lips.
“I love you, husband,” I stated with tears in my eyes.
He smiled and wiped the tears away before he kissed me once more. We turned in the church, and I held my bouquet up in the air as we made our way down the aisle among the roaring cheers of three hundred guests. As we made our way out of the church and down to the car, crushed red, gold, and bronze leaves were tossed up in the air all around us.
We laughed as we escaped the cheers, the happiness, and the celebratory leaves raining down on our heads. I slid into the back of the limo with my husband, going around to the other side. Our driver rolled our window down so that we could wave goodbye to everyone, although they would be meeting us at the reception hall.
When we arrived, Bryson and I both changed into clothes that were more comfortable for dancing, but still just as elegant as our wedding attire. We danced out onto the floor as the deejay introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. Bryson Fuller.
When it was time for me to toss the bouquet, all of the ladies gathered around. Sylvie tried everything to catch it, including almost knocking an elderly woman over. But in the end, it was Lupita who caught it.
We danced, ate, danced some more, and socialized. It wasn’t until the end of the evening that things took an interesting turn. All the speeches had been made, but as we were preparing to say goodbye, my mother got up to speak.
“I am blessed to witness the two of you join your lives in a holy matrimony. I believe that the favor of God rests upon you both, and nothing but blessings will pour down on you from this day forward. When you all gave your speech earlier and thanked the Graces for bringing you two together, I thought it was awfully ironic that you mentioned people who shared my grandmother’s maiden name.”
I frowned, wondering what my mother was talking about.
“You never met your great-great-grandmother, Faith Lanie Grace-Wells, but she loved and adored family and me. She inherited property from her parents, and it has been passed down through the years to each firstborn girl upon her marrying because the property is for family, happiness, and home.
“My grandmother, my mother, nor I did anything with it, but I’m certain that you will find a way to restore it to its former glory.”
“Mama, what are you talking about?” I asked as she approached our table with an envelope.
“This is the deed to the property that was purchased over a century ago by our ancestors, James and Marion Grace. The land was supposed to be passed down to their daughter, Hope Grace, but she died tragically on the same day as her mother, so it was passed along to her daughter, and your great-great-grandmother, Faith Lanie Grace-Wells.”
I gasped in shock as I opened the envelope to find the deed with those names on it, and mine included. It could not be. How had my ancestors come forward to rewrite my life’s story?
I turned to show Bryson as he stared on in amazement with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Thank you, Mama,” I whispered.
