Chasing Stars (37 page)

After the ceremony is completed, Will tugs my hand, and leads me into the pastoral office.

“I love the vows you quoted.” He says.

“I wanted to say something special that would encompass all my feelings for you. Mel helped me choose it.”

“Let’s skip the reception.” His arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me to his chest.

“And disappoint the crap out of Maritza?” I draw back and smile. “Not a chance. Let me change, then we’ll go to the reception for a little while.”

“Don’t change,” Will says seriously, his low voice husky.

“Why?” I ask flirtatiously.

“Because, since I saw you in this dress, all I can think is peeling you out of it,” he whispers against my lips.

“OK.” I smile, and he kisses me until we are breathless.

With laced fingers, we stroll to the basement. Unable to contain the thrilling happiness humming through me, I grin. “I’m actually a bit nervous,” I say.

“You look adorable, all flustered like this.” Will grins at me. Oh, my husband is so gorgeous. A wave of primal desire sweeps me.

Before we enter the reception, I hear the happy buzz of our family and friends. As we step into the room, explosive applause greets us.

The cheerful voice of a DJ, who I don’t recall hiring, introduces us. “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Miller.”

The song “Home” sung by Phillip Phillips envelops us. Immediately, I know my husband’s contribution to the reception. I glance his way, and we exchange a smile. He once told me that if he were a songwriter, he would have written me this song. My heart overflows with joy. A colossal explosion of emotions bursts inside my chest. This song does things to me.

Mel and Niki had hired a local wedding planner to decorate the basement. The space has a stunning and intimate ambience. It exudes romance. Strings with thousands of soft lights cascade from the ceiling, recreating a starry night. White, and golden cloths are draped over the tables around the room. Towers of lovely white roses, lilies, orchids are everywhere. The center of the room accommodates a makeshift dance floor.

My cheeks feel hot and my stomach contracts as we stroll through the vast room. Will and I stop by Rick and his wife to thank them for coming. We pass by Stefan, and I stop to kiss my dear friend who has cared for me all these years. We sit at the center table. Mel, sitting next to Will, stands and proposes a toast. She looks at Will and me, and I sense the feeble thread of a bond woven between us growing stronger.

“Will told me once that some souls roam earth searching for a mate. Lame, I know. Portia, ever since I met Will, I know that he has been searching for you. He told me many times, ‘There is someone created for me, I just need to wait, and she will come.’ So yeah, you married a dork. Will not only dared to believe, but also persevered in his wait. Portia, I am glad you came, for in you, he has found the half to complete his whole. Will, I love you, a lot. You are the best brother. Now, hurry and make some beautiful babies to play with Ella. Here is to a life time of happiness.” She raises her champagne flute, and I hear the tinkling of glasses, our cue for a kiss. I can manage that.

As we savor our delicious dinner, I glance around the room at the dozens of people present. Under the glimmering lights, they talk and smile because they are celebrating Will and me. Again, I question if I am entitled to this fascinating life, where the most perfect man I have ever encountered is crazy about me. We are surrounded by this overwhelming demonstration of love. I sigh at the sight of a life where a family genuinely cares about my existence and fills the void that has existed in my heart. Can I ever get used to so much?

Sometime during dinner, Niki stands to make a speech. Before she utters a word, I am teary. Again.

“Will, tonight, you became one with Portia. Through a pact of blood, she has been one with Tarry and me our entire lives. Tonight, you become part of our ‘secret society.’ Welcome to our secret circle, we will love and treasure you, as we do Portia. We will, forever more, be bound to you. Portia, growing up with you, lightened my days in many indescribable ways. Through the years, I’ve held you when you cried and joined you in happiness and laughter. I’ve always clung to the hope that happy days would come to us. I truly believe this is a wonderful world because your happiness finally arrived and no one else deserves it as much as you do. You have fallen in love and the ending of your fairy tale is a happy one. I look forward to writing your fascinating story one day, knowing that each moment we shared and each moment we held each other has lead us here, where Will waited for you. May your love be infinite and last for an eternity.”

Niki then hands the microphone to Tarry. He faces us, and my heart tightens when he begins. “Peaches, you know the way I best express myself is through music. So, if all of you will indulge me, I want to sing a song I wrote for one of the most important people in my life.” The DJ hands him a guitar and adjusts the microphone in front of him. Tarry glances at Niki and me and, I swear, he has tears in his eyes.

Tarry’s fingers deftly strum the guitar. He closes his eyes and his deep, husky voice breathes into the microphone:

There are two girls, a boy, and a train.

More sadness than a soul should sustain,

Laughter is loud, but pain is aware.

Hope slashes in the midst of despair,

Turns to rupture the soul, more than it can flow

Hatred leads nowhere, but stray. Shadows with iron grip behold the pain,

From isolation of the soul

Can hope prevail, in the midst of despair?

Three lost souls, where isolation is stowed.

For a girl with deep blue eyes holds the future so bright,

And Nillie’s shy stare dreams and a dare.

Through it all, hope arises.

So today, I reach to you, and vaguely remember, a list somewhere,

As every writer knows what will sell,

Love a better choice as death is a dwell

Can there be hope, when all else carries despair.

Can hope prevail in the midst of despair?

He strums his guitar one last time, and puts it away. I get up and walk over to him to throw my arms around him. I pull him in a tight embrace and say, “I love you so much, Tarry.” Will hugs him too, and I see that Will mutually accepts our silly secret society.

“Take good care of her, Will,” Tarry utters to my husband.

“Yeah, man, I will. And you better be around to help me, you know just as well as I do, she is a train wreck.”

Tarry holds Will in a brotherly embrace. I succumb to the tears, even knowing it will ruin my makeup. But there is something to Tarry’s tone tonight that makes me think of life slowly shifting away from him.

Niki must have sensed it too. She tugs my hand, and we wrap our arms around the two men. This is singled-handedly one of the most significant moments of my life. But fear bites my soul. My arms grip a little tighter, trying to hold onto the moment.

The DJ interrupts us. “How about the newlyweds grace us with a dance? To the dance floor, if you will, please.”

Will guides me to the dance floor. His eyes glint with an exuberant mixture of passion and the secret promises of a lifetime of happiness.

The DJ announces. “Here is a song Will requested for his wife, ‘Moon River,’ performed by Louis Armstrong.” With a foolish grin helplessly planted on my face, I glance up. Will enlaces my waist, pulling me to him. I swoon inside his embrace.

“I love you, y’know,” he whispers in my ear, sending shivers to my soul.

“I love you, too.” I rest my head on his shoulder, dancing to one of my favorite songs.

“I can’t stand to be here for another minute,” he groans in my ear. “Let’s go.”

“But, Will, we can’t just leave,” I say innocently, but deep desire pools in my core with delicious anticipation of what the night will bring.

“Hell yeah…we can.” He lets out a long breath.

I giggle. Other couples join us on the dance floor. Before the song hits its last note, Will tugs my hand and whisks me away. We exit through the back door, and I shiver. But I know it is not because of the cool night air.

“The weather is perfect for what I have in mind.” Will opens the door of his Jeep, and assists me inside.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.” He is so serious and focused.

“And where is that?”

“You’ll see.”

I recline in the passenger’s seat and watch him maneuver the car. He leans back and takes off his tie. A new platinum ring adorns his left hand with the inscription,
‘I belong to my beloved.’

I think of the day we met and my errant life flashes through my mind’s eye. The pain that once controlled my life now seems so distant. As unstoppable as the sun coursing the sky, the old and nagging premonition that something bad is creeping my way, clenches my soul and threatens to ruin my moment. I ignore it.

Unsuspecting of our destination, I gaze at the starry night whispering me hidden promises. Then, I turn to admire Will and try to absorb the sight of him. He is achingly beautiful. Drawing a ragged breath of air, he winds through twisted roads, diving deeper into the woods. I notice his thumb twirls the new ring. He is anxious, and so am I.

Will finally turns into a long driveway, parking in front of a huge and rustic barn. He strides around the car and opens the door for me.

“This is home,” he announces excitedly.

He grabs my hand, assisting me out of the car into the bright night. Will gathers the fluffy skirt of the wedding gown and guides me under the big, round moon in the sky.

“I bought this property with the money from my first exhibition. Dan told me real estate was a solid investment, though I don’t think this is what he had in mind. It was a farm once. Before I bought it, I would drive by and dream of raising a family here.” He guides me to the side door of the barn. “Right there was an abandoned house.” He points to a vacant lot. “But I had it demolished.”

“It is lovely, Will,” I utter.

“I bought the place with the intention of turning the barn into a studio, until I had a family of my own. But since I am always at Dan’s, I seldom use this. It has three acres of land.” He smiles and adds sheepishly, “We could even raise horses here, if you want.”

“With you at my side, Will. I’m game to do anything.” Suddenly, my heart pounds in expectation. I gaze at my husband and listen to his rambling speech. He sounds like a teenager and, honestly, I feel like one, too.

After unlocking the door to the barn, he effortlessly sweeps me off my feet. “Since we can’t go on our honeymoon, I thought this would be a nice place to spend our first night.” He is tense, and I smile again.

“Welcome home, baby.” He steps over the threshold of our piece of heaven.

“Oh, Will, any place is special with you.” Portia trembles in my arms as I step inside our temporary home.

Portia gasps in surprise. I love the expression of awe in her face, and I adore the purity inside her eyes. While she was busy arranging the wedding and helping with the Thanksgiving dinner, I did do a few things of my own.