I couldn’t take my eyes off of Savannah. She had the widest smile on her face as Pastor Jacobs spoke. I glanced down to see the silver locket that hung around Savannah’s neck. The one I’d given her a year before. She never took it off once I placed it around her neck. She’d added a picture of her mother to one side.
It was her way of having her mother with us on our wedding day.
“We are blessed to be here on this beautiful day, surrounded by God’s glory. In the distance stands Tucker Bridge. A bridge meant to bring both sides of Harlington together. A passageway for the city to become one.”
Pastor Jacobs looked between Savannah and me.
“Today, you two become one. Let love be your bridge. Always remember that love is patient. Love is kind. And yet, it is unyielding. When you find it difficult to come back to one another, remember the love that you share today, at this moment. And you will find your way back home. Back to this union.”
Tears ran down Savannah’s cheeks. I wiped them away, one by one. Then it was she who wiped my tears away after she recited her vows and placed the ring on my finger.
“Ace, you may now kiss your bride,” Pastor Jacobs declared.
The first kiss we shared as a married couple was nothing short of magical. Savannah’s eyes sparkled with joy as I pulled away from the kiss.
“Thank you,” I whispered to her.
“You’re welcome,” she mouthed and laughed.
“I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ace Naiche Townsend,” Pastor Jacobs said, using my full name.
We held our clasped hands up high while Mama and Micah applauded. Our audience was small, but none of that mattered. I knew we’d have problems to face as a young married couple, but the world could bring them on. Our love was ready for anything.
Or so I thought.
CHAPTER9
Savannah
I smiled at the woman sitting before me in one of the examination rooms of Brightside Urgent Care.
“It looks like you have a bit of a respiratory infection. I’m going to give you a prescription that should help with that.”
“How much will it cost?” Mrs. Baker asked while she toiled with a handkerchief in her hands.
My heart squeezed. I knew that look too well. Not only had I seen it on the faces of numerous patients, but I’d seen the same worry in my mother’s eyes when we went to the clinic shortly before her death.
I patted her hands with mine.
“This one is the generic brand of the medication, and your insurance should cover it.”
She still didn’t look too relieved.
“If it doesn’t or if there’s an issue, give us a call, and we’ll see what we can do about it. Okay?”
She nodded.
“I’m serious. Please don’t forego getting this filled. I know you can’t take off work to rest as you should, but the prescription will help you recover. Brightside has a lot of options for our patients. Don’t hesitate to call us.”
“All right.” She hoisted herself from the exam table with a heavy sigh.
Once she left, I took the time to fill out the chart and make a note to give her a call in a few days to follow up. After two weeks at Brightside, I was still working on figuring out the lay of the land.
The good news was that while the clinic was always busy, most of the cases I tended to were minor compared to what I saw when working in the ER.
“I need to see my wife,” I heard his voice boom through the open exam room door.
“Ace?” I said to myself since no one else was in the room. I was sure that was his voice as I got up from my stool and headed in the direction of the lobby.
