I met Joel in the central area to find him dressed in a black and white tuxedo.
“Rarely do I wear one of these things.” He looked me up and down. “But you kids are worth it.”
I took his arm and he escorted me back to the car. I knew what our next stop was.
The car ride was silent as we drove to where Ace and I first became husband and wife. I thought about riding in that cab with Ace’s mother, feeling nervous and uncertain. This time around, there was no fear.
When we arrived at the parking lot, I could see the gazebo where Ace and I said our “I do”s.
Most of our family and friends now surrounded it.
Ace stood in the center.
Thankfully, Joel was there to wrap his arm around mine and help guide me toward my husband.
“I wasn’t there for this part the first time around,” Joel said. “Glad I am for this one.”
He walked me to the pavilion. In my periphery, I spotted Micah, Gabriel, their wives, Jodi and Lena, and Reese with my other co-workers.
Ace turned to face me, beaming. He looked dapper in his dress blues.
He nodded before pulling his father into a hug. My heart squeezed, happy to know they’d finally mended the rift in their relationship.
“I would only do this for you,” Ace murmured in my ear.
I assumed he meant all the extravagance, but when he told me to stay put, and went over and retrieved a microphone from a table set up behind the gazebo, the waterworks started.
The opening chords of a song started. When the guitar strings began playing, I recognized Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.”
Ace parted his lips and the sound that came out caused my knees to buckle. He looked me directly in the eyes as he sang about finding a love, beautiful and sweet. He slowly approached while singing about refusing to give me up.
The words felt like they were written just for us.
After the first chorus ended, Ace turned and handed the microphone to Lena Clarkson, now Lena Clarkson-Townsend. I realized this was the duet version of “Perfect” that Ed Sheeran did with Beyoncé.
Ace took me into his arms and we danced as Lena sang. I stared into my husband’s eyes and mouthed the words to the song, feeling as if they came directly from my own heart.
The song was the perfect description of our relationship. I wept like a baby as Lena finished singing.
“Thank you,” I whispered to Ace.
He leaned down and softly kissed my lips. “Anything for you.”
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a ring box.
I covered my mouth when he opened it.
“Years ago, I told you that I would buy you the type of ring you deserved once I could afford it.” He held the beautiful square-cut diamond in a white gold setting out to me. “It’s about time I made good on that promise.”
He wiped another tear that ran down my cheek. “You ran out of tissues, didn’t you?”
I nodded.
He laughed and slipped the ring onto my finger.
“Let’s get married,” he said. “Again.”
“Okay.” I could barely speak.
