Erik stood on the stage of the opera house in his dress uniform. Kong, as his best man, stood at his side, along with General Davies, Leo, Jace, Grady, and Sam Isaac, all in their dress uniforms as well. Bruce sat at his feet, looking dapper with his bow tie, while Lattimer Wilkes, smiling broadly and dressed in a black tux, stood before him with a leatherbound black book held between his hands.
When Erik and Chloe approached Lattie with the idea of them marrying here, the man had practically burst into song, then he became all business. Gesturing widely, he’d proclaimed he had ideas, grand ideas – he’d need to start a new set of storyboards to plan it all out because this wedding had to be perfect. When Chloe asked him if he’d honor them by officiating, he nearly swooned before grabbing his phone and Googling what he’d need to do to become ordained.
With Lattie at the helm, the wedding turned into a much more lavish affair than they ever could have imagined. Sets had beencreated to make it look like they were in a cathedral with golden columns topped with arches, stained glass windows, huge candelabras, and pedestals draped with elaborate floral arrangements of pale pink and white.
The orchestra played Vivaldi as dancers chasséd and pirouetted through the aisles, tossing flower petals over the guests. In those seats were Chloe’s extended family – many of whom Erik had met when he and Chloe had flown out to her parents’ house in Washington for Christmas – as well as her friends from New York who had flown in for the wedding, and everyone attached even peripherally to the opera house. Erik’s family and friends from Black Bay were also here; at least, those Beasts who were comfortable being seen in public. For those who weren’t, he and Chloe had planned another gathering on base for later, so no one would miss out on the celebration.
As the dancers took their seats, the orchestra transitioned from Vivaldi to a solo pianist. John Madison began to sing “Ideale” by Tosti as the bridal party, dressed in slim, sage green gowns and carrying bouquets of pink and white, made their way onto the stage. The last was Jayla as maid of honor, walking proudly with a beaming smile on her face. Looking at her, no one would know that, not long ago, she’d suffered a debilitating spinal injury that should have left her paralyzed.
The piece crescendoed, John Madison’s powerful voice ringing out as he held the note, and suddenly, there she was, her parentson either side of her, escorting her to him. His Chloe, in an elegant gown of white silk and lace that left her shoulders bare and hugged her figure before gently spilling out around her legs in a train that swept the stage behind her. A glittering tiara topped her upswept hair, and attached to it was a long, lacy veil trailing down her back.
Erik’s breath caught and held. There were still mornings when he woke up wondering how someone like her could love someone like him. His face might be fully healed, with no trace that he’d ever been disfigured – women even smiled at him now and called him handsome – but Chloe had accepted him, loved him, even with the scars. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her, but he’d forever be grateful. She was the woman of his dreams, the love of his life, and more than he’d ever dared hope for.
As she drew closer, he reached out a hand, and with a beautiful smile that shone with all the love in her heart, she took it.
