“We didn’t tell anyone,” Poppy rushed to explain. “We wanted it to be private… You know, just us.”
Niko felt her words land in his stomach like a sucker punch in the gut. No, more like getting kneed in the balls by He-Man, Master of the Universe, himself.
“Oh, okay. Sorry, I’ll um…yeah. I’ll get out…congratulations.” Niko stepped around them and started walking to his car.
“Niko, no!” Poppy rushed after him. “Wait! You can’t leave! Now that you’re here, I’m so glad!”
“Poppy, it’s fine,” Niko assured her. “This is about you guys. It’s your day, I didn’t mean to mess anything up or?—”
“You didn’t!” she insisted. “I promise. It was already feeling so wrong about no one being here. Honestly, this might sound horrible, but I just didn’t want my mom or my sisters here, for my own reasons, and that’s not changed. But Ididwant Liam here, and Frankie. And Yaya and Arthur. So, if you don’t mind waiting, I’ll call them and see if any of them can come. But, either way, I’dlovefor you to be our witness.”
Niko glanced over at his brother and studied him. He would know with just the tilt of AJ’s chin or the press of his lips, the micro-tension in his jaw, or the way his fingers flexed at his side if Niko was welcome or not. AJ’s face had always been a mirror to his own, but the twins rarely needed words for communication. If Niko’s presence was a violation, AJ would let him know. He braced himself to be rejected, but instead, after a heartbeat, AJ blinked, squared his shoulders, and gave the smallest nod of affirmation, along with the hint of a smile.
“Of course I’ll stay,” Niko grinned. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
No one had booked the courthouse for a wedding that morning, so they were able to fit them in. The waiting room was spare and bleak, with linoleum floors, battered wooden benches, and a dying ficus in one corner, but Poppy’s white dress made the whole place look celestial as she scrolled on her phone. AJ kept adjusting his tie, checking his cuff links, and tapping his palm with his middle finger, which he did when he was stimming, his nerves a silent metronome as they waited.
For a lot of AJ’s life, Niko worried that he’d never find someone who saw him for the amazing, incredible, brilliant, funny, loyal, disciplined, fun man he was, but Poppy saw that man. She had even helped him become more of himself, the best version of himself. From what Niko had observed and heard,Poppy didn’t love AJ despite the different way his brain worked, she loved AJ because of that.
“She’s amazing. I’m really happy for you,” Niko told his brother sincerely.
“Thanks.” AJ nodded.
No sooner had the word left his mouth than a flurry of noise erupted from the corridor, and Frankie burst in, her arms full of flowers.
“Did we make it?” she asked, nearly bowling over the bailiff.
Liam followed behind with Yaya and Arthur.
“You did!” Poppy smiled.
Frankie ran to Poppy and pulled her into a bear hug. “You look like a goddess,” she said, voice wobbling.
“You no get married without me?” She pulled a rolled-up newspaper out of her knitting bag and whacked AJ over the head with it. “What you think? So stupid!”
“Sorry, Yaya,” Aj quickly apologized, knowing better than to argue with her.
She reached up and squeezed his cheeks. “You are lucky you so handsome!”
“I am lucky he’s so handsome,” Poppy smiled. “And I’m sorry, it was my fault we didn’t tell anyone.”
“Oh, no, no, no!” Yaya waved the newspaper in front of Poppy’s face. “First lesson for happy marriage, never your fault. Never wife fault.”
Poppy and Liam both chuckled. Arthur, AJ, Frankie, and Niko all smiled but knew she wasnotkidding.
“AJ Costas and Poppy Davies.”
The clerk called Poppy and AJ up, and the group was led to a small room that contained a few chairs and a podium, behind which the officiant stood while the bride and groom stood in front of it. The vows were simple, to the point. The entire ceremony from start to finish was under five minutes.
When the judge proclaimed them husband and wife, Poppy threw her arms around AJ, Frankie sniffled, Yaya dabbed her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief, and even Liam looked misty, though he denied it later.
Afterward, everyone spilled out onto the courthouse steps, blinking in the thin, alpine sunlight, and different groups began taking photos arranged by Frankie.
Niko took the opportunity to speak to Yaya. He quickly explained the situation and showed her the man’s name on the paperwork. “Do you know him?”
“No, no, no. I not know him, but I know father. This boy give his family so much trouble. Not good boy. Bad, bad habits."
“Bad habits?” he questioned.
