“No,” she says, turning to look at Linc over her shoulder.
I thought we were nailing this whole grand gesture thing, but now I don’t know what the fuck is going on.
“I don’t want to wait,” she says. “We can’t get married legally anyway, so what’s the point? We all know this is what we want, so let’s just do it. Let’s say our vows out here on this cold sidewalk and then march in there and get our bands tattooed on our fingers to bind us together forever.”
“I know you can’t get married to all of us officially,” I start. “But we can still have a ceremony and all of that.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t need that. I’ve never dreamed of the wedding I would have one day. I just dreamed about the life I would have—the marriage, family.” Linc holds her a littletighter. “I found all of that, and I want to start living it right now.”
“Then let’s do it,” Linc says, kissing her neck from behind.
My mind is reeling, but it’s always kind of like that. So, what’s new? It’s actually perfect because real life is messy, so is love.
At its core, it’s honest and real. It tears you apart and puts you back together anew. It makes you a better person just by existing inside of you.
“Let’s get married,” I say excitedly.
We all turn to look at Kane. “Of course I’ll marry you now, sweetheart. If this is what you want, then that’s all I give a shit about.”
Linc reluctantly lets Abby go when she steps out of his hold, so we’re all standing in a circle. “I have to go first, or I’m never going to make it through this,” she says.
We all laugh quietly as she takes a deep breath. I know she won’t be the only one crying by the end of this.
“Everyone gets two,” Linc says. “Two vows… or we’re going to freeze our asses off.” He points at Abby and me. “You two would make promises until the sun comes up tomorrow morning, so that’s that.”
“Agreed,” Kane says.
“Fine,” Abby and I both huff at the same time, smirking at each other. “I’m still going first,” she says, holding up her hand.
“Go for it, beautiful,” I tell her.
She glances down at her scrubs and runs her hand over her messy bun.
“I guess it’s kind of poetic that this is what I look like when we get married because it’s exactly how it started.” She looks right at Kane.
His whole face softens at what I’m sure is the memory of the first time they met.
“I promise to lean on all of you, even when everything inside of me is screaming to handle it on my own. I know we’re better together, and to make this work, I need to let you guys in… all the way in,” Abby says. Tears glisten in her eyes. “I promise to love you with everything I have for as long as we’re all blessed to be here together.”
All their eyes turn to me.Fuck. Okay. Here we go.
I look around the circle at all three of them. “I promise to make you all laugh when you take life too seriously or have a bad day, but I also promise to be a shoulder to lean on when those bad days are a little too much.”
“That was two,” Linc says when I open my mouth again.
“Fuck you. It was one,” I snap.
Abby’s hand covers her mouth as she laughs.
“Fuck… whatever,” Linc says, rubbing his hands together. It’s getting colder out here. Maybe his two-vow rule wasn’t that stupid. There are four of us, after all.
I look right at Abby. “Your dreams will be my dreams, and I promise to do everything in my power to make them come true for you.”
She bites her lip as a single tear falls down her cheek. She mouths, “I love you.” I do the same in return.
“Your turn, bossy pants,” I tell my brother. He rolls his eyes, but his fists are clenched tight at his sides. I know he’s a little nervous.
With a heavy exhale, he turns to look at our girl.
