“I can’t. I’m the Best Man.”
“No, you’re not,” she says, laughing.
“Kalvin just asked me,” I tell her.
“Oh my God, that is seriously the sweetest thing ever.” She places her hand on her bare chest and pouts her lips. “That makes my heart happy.” She smiles and looks down the aisle. “Well, I guess Waldo is back to being the ring bearer.”
“Come on, Scarlett. You’re asking for a disaster.”
“I trained him. I swear.”
“No, you didn’t,” I tell her.
“I did.” She leans down to scratch behind his ears and he sits down, wagging his tail while gazing up at her like he loves her.
“Back off, Waldo,” I tell him. “Okay, it’s on you if he destroys anything. I have to go stand at the altar.”
I give Scarlett a kiss on her cheek and head down the aisle, feeling a little weird as everyone turns their attention to me. Suddenly, the thought hits me—marriage doesn’t look so scary right now.
I turn and face everyone, holding my hands down in front of my waist, and Jack waves at me from his seat next to Scarlett’s mom. I still can’t quite wrap my head around that.
A quartet is starting to play the chosen music, and I spot Waldo walking slowly down the aisle, like right down the center, holding the pillow with his mouth. He’s so agile, and I have no clue in the world how Scarlett managed to train him to do what he’s doing. He walks right up to me and sits down. I take the rings and eyeball him, wondering what the hell is going through his head. Regardless, I pet him on the head and tell him he’s a good boy.
Scarlett slowly makes her way down the aisle with a bouquet of lilies in her hand, and my heart jumps into my throat with the thought that she could be walking toward me like this for our wedding someday. If I wasn’t sure before, I’m sure now that I need to marry this girl. As if she can hear my thoughts, her eyes zone in on me, and her eyebrow slightly arches, as if she’s thinking the same thing.
The music changes, and Kalvin and Brendan walk down the aisle, holding hands. They are completely smitten by one other, and it’s nice to see them so happy.
As the vows are being exchanged, and I’m staring at Scarlett and the smile on her face. Then I remember there’s something hidden within Kalvin’s vows, and it’s going to be a showstopper from the way he made it sound, so I tune in.
“I’m lucky to have you to spend the rest of my life with,” Kalvin says to Brendan. “I can’t imagine navigating alone, especially when we bring our daughter home.”
Holy—record scratch.
Brendan’s eyes look like they’re about to fall out of his head, and I’m not sure what reaction is working its way out.
“What?” he asks.
Scarlett’s shock value is about the same as Brendan’s. She obviously had no idea this topic was on the table.
My heart kind of stops as I wait for someone to say something.
“The adoption agency called and said they found a match for us.” Okay, that must mean Brendan knew.
Brendan tears up and cups his hands around his mouth. “A girl?” he confirms again.
Kalvin takes his hands and takes in a deep breath. “Yes. She was just born.”
“Oh my God,” Brendan says. “I’m going to be a dad?”
“We’re going to be dads,” Kalvin corrects him.
All the guests are cheering and clapping in their seats, and the Justice of the Peace clears his throat to bring their attention back to the ceremony, which isn’t finished yet.
The ceremony concludes in the traditional fashion, and there’s a storm of flower petals shooting into the air as Brendan and Kalvin run back down the aisle.
Scarlett and I meet in the middle. I grab her hand and Waldo’s collar, feeling like we were the ones who just tied the knot.
“That was amazing,” she says.
