Authors: Amanda Lanclos
“It’s just like a really small lobster,” Jameson says as Sam busts out laughing. I turn to see Anna making faces and using her fingers to act like a bug, which in turn has us all laughing again. It’s nice to see Anna coming out of her shell, to see that she has a personality that can outshine others if she would only let it.
“I want to make an announcement.” Roger stands up and looks at us all. I look at him expectantly and wait for him to speak. “Sam and Jameson, I want you to both know that I am so appreciative of being a part of this family and I am excited to be a part of what the two of you are becoming. Having said that, Jennifer and I would like to send you off on your honeymoon. You let us know where you want to go and we will book it within the month.” Well I’ll be damned, that isn’t amazing. I know my parents will give Anna and I whatever we want when it comes to honeymoons. Hell,
they will probably pay for the whole wedding knowing that Anna’s mother doesn’t really have the money.
“Thank you both,” Jameson and Sam reply.
Mr. Roger says something that no one else can hear to Jameson, but I am sure it is something about letting him have a life with Mrs. Jennifer. They both seem to be extremely happy and that is all that matters. We all eat,
drink and have a good time,
then clean up the mess. I smile as I see Sam, Anna and Skylar hugging and saying goodbye. It is great to see all of us settling down. I sure am glad I get along with Jameson and Luke. If I didn’t this would not be a good time. I see Mason staring at us all out of the corner of my eye and I say a little prayer to the good Lord that he finds someone, himself. It would be much better if we all had a partner in life. Even though he didn’t have the best upbringing, he really is a good guy.
~~~~~~~~~~
Four months later and I am standing in front of a church full of people. I’m standing beside Luke as he stands beside Jameson. I am sweating in my tuxedo thinking that one day soon I will be just like this. I will experience this. The doors open to let the first woman through them and my breath halts. Anna has her red hair braided down the side and is wearing a flowing light purple dress. Her eyes are covered in black eyeliner and she looks beautiful. Mason leans over and whispers “Breathe.” Which in turn makes me inhale a breath. I hear a chuckle from Luke and Mason as I try to calm the erection growing in my pants. I think of my grandmother and immediately the beast goes down. I smile when Anna gets up to the alter, she gives me a knowing grin before standing in her spot.
Sam comes out wearing that beautiful dress and looking every bit the blushing bride. They say their vows and I smile when I see Carter tear up a little bit. Once the ceremony is over and we have made our way back down the aisle of the church. We congratulate the new couple on becoming man and wife. We take a few pictures before heading over to the reception hall. When we walk in, they immediately whisk Jameson and Sam away to do their first dance as husband and wife. Anna and I walk over to the bar and grab a drink. I couldn’t be happier for my friend and I pray that he is always this happy.
After their dance finishes, we are all pulled out on the floor to do a wedding party dance. The only thing is, it’s not your typical dance. We all start off dancing to
It’s Your Love
by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, but then it turns into the
Wobble
which took all the guys quite a while to figure out. It
then evolves into
YMCA
which we all laugh as we do it. After that song the original song comes back on and we finish up the wedding party dance. It was kind of awkward having to dance with Skylar. For
one, Luke looked like he was about to take my head off and two, I know Mason isn’t into Anna like that, but I kind of wanted to take his head off.
“Calm down, big boy. I didn’t do anything wrong.” Mason says as he spins Anna to me, before walking off the floor to go over and say something to Kate. Hmmm… I wonder what’s going on with them.
“I like when you’re all alpha when it comes to me,” Anna says and I can’t help but laugh. If she only knew how alpha I could be when it comes to her. I have never been this way with anyone else, but with Anna, she makes me want to put her over my shoulder and carry her back to my cave to do all kinds of things with her. I just smile as I spin her around on the floor.
“You better be careful what you wish for, Sunshine,” I comment as I turn her around on the floor, then pull her to me, my hand going to the small of her back. “If you don’t, I may have to haul you into the nearest bathroom,” I whisper into her ear. I laugh softly as I feel her tense under my hands.
“You wouldn’t.” She looks at me with shock in her eyes.
“Try me.” I retort.
She lets out a gulp, but doesn’t say anything else. We dance for a few more songs before we are called over to toast just
before cutting the cake. I smile as I get ready for my toast. I hold up my glass to Jameson and Sam, then take a deep breathe.
“I don’t know where to start because I can never say enough good things about the two people standing here today. As many of you know, Jameson was in a bombing over in Iraq, but what you may not know is that I was saved by Jameson. He risked himself to pull me away from the bomb that inadvertently killed four of our brothers in combat. He’s an amazing man and an even more amazing Marine. I couldn’t ask for a better friend. As for Sam, well, I haven’t known her as long as some of you have, but it doesn’t take a person long to know she’s special. So let’s raise our glasses and give them a big round of applause. To Jameson and Samantha Carter, may you live a long and prosperous life, filled with nothing but happiness.” I raise my glass to the both of them before taking a long sip of my champagne. Anna smiles beside me, giving my arm a squeeze to let me know that she is there and what I said was exactly what I should have said.
After the toasts, we all eat a buffet of food and fill our faces with cake, which Jameson is still wearing. Sam pushed that cake all over his face, which in turn made everyone laugh. They get ready to head out on their honeymoon as we all file out of the reception hall. We throw sunflower seeds over their heads as they walk the path to the limousine. After we finish picking up all of the trash and things from the reception hall, I help Anna into the Rover. I kiss her nose as she yawns, her hair covered in sweat, but she is still the most beautiful person I have seen in a long time. I walk to my side of the car when I hear a ding. I look down at my phone to see a text from Uncle Trey, I put it back in my pocket with the intention of looking at it later. I smile as Anna reaches for my hand once we start driving. I make a mental note to make sure I buy a ring for her to wear. I was raised the right way and I want to marry the woman who has stolen my heart, who warms my bed at night.
Once we get to the house I pick Anna up from the seat. I smile as her head hits my shoulder as she snores softly. She has been going none stop with Sam trying to get this wedding all done. Garrett has been over here quite a few times,
checking on Anna to make sure she’s really doing okay. If I didn’t like the guy so much I’d be worried he was trying to take what was mine. Anna stirs a little in my arms as I unlock the door. Once I have it unlocked I walk to our bedroom and place her down in the bed. I unzip her dress slowly trying not to wake her as I try to make her more comfortable. After I have her dress off her I hang it back on the hanger, then take off my Dress Blues. After I change into a t-shirt and shorts. I slide on my trusty Nike’s. I grab my headphones and make my way out of our apartment.
I start at an even jog, just really warming my lungs up to the exercise. Since Anna started going to therapy I’ve stopped smoking. Who knew within a year’s time frame, I would be addicted to the evil little things. I wheeze a little as I run, another sign that I should have never picked up the ugly habit. I make the block and keep going needing to exercise my legs. Everything in my life is perfect these days, but for some reason I keep expecting it all to come falling down. I think it all goes back to those men who I killed in Iraq. I know in my right mind that it was survival. If I didn’t kill them they would kill me, but in God’s eye is that the way it will be? I run about another twenty minutes before I notice someone is in step with me. I look over to see my personal sunshine running beside me. She looks great in an oversized tank top and running shorts with her bright ass Nike’s. We run in a peaceful silence together, which is something I can’t say I’ve ever done with anyone other than Uncle Trey. Which reminds me I need to check that message when we get back.
Anna keeps up with me for three more blocks before I finally tap out, putting my hands on my knees and breathing deep breaths. She smiles as we make our way back to the apartment. “So this what you do when you have stuff on your mind?” She asks, which makes me laugh because she tilts her head to the side and her bun on her head goes with it.
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s kind of a stress reliever for me.”
“Me too. I used to run track at school.” She smiles as I wrap my arms around her. “EW! Blake! You’re nasty!” She squeals as she tries to get out of my grip.
“Oh, but so are you. I think we need to take a long hot shower.” I say as I wiggle my eyebrows. She laughs and runs to the apartment with me on her heels. I stop when we get in the apartment to check my phone to see the text from Uncle Trey.
Well, I guess you aren’t the only one the Lord is being kind to. I met a girl tonight.
Well I’ll be damned, I hope that girl knows what she’s getting into because that man is a handful. I put the phone down and make my way to the sound of running water.
I look up from washing my hair when I notice the door opening. I look up to see Blake with his toned body stepping into the shower and I know this is something I will never get tired of looking at. His abs are dripping with sweat and he looks good enough to eat, which is exactly what I plan to do. I reach for him pulling him under the spray of water as I drop to my knees in front of him. I can see the desire flooding his eyes and the way his nostrils flare as I slide my tongue over his straining erection. I moan when his fingers slide through my wet hair and he pushes his dick into my mouth. I look into his eyes as he makes love to my mouth. After a minute he pulls me off him and helps me to stand.
“As good at that feels, I need to make love to you, Sunshine.” He smiles before turning me around and pushing the small of my back until my ass is sticking out towards him. I love when he calls me sunshine because it makes me realize that I have someone that loves me that much. I moan as he slams into me, coming home again and again. He reaches around me and grabs my breasts in his hands, kneading my nipples making my belly tighten again. I moan as his speed increases, letting me know that he’s close. I whimper as I explode around him and he moans out my name.
We get out of the shower, neither of us saying anything so we don’t ruin what just happened here. We both get dressed and fall into bed, where Blake wraps me in his arms and I smile as we both drift off to sleep.
I beat on the door, begging Mary-Beth to open the door, but then something happens. The door opens to a white light, a beautiful white light and I hear a voice. Be Happy, Anna. Don’t let this hurt you anymore, don’t let me hurt you anymore.
I wake up with a jolt gasping as Blake still holds on to me. I can’t sit up or even move very much, but that dream was strange. Not like anything I have dreamt before. I wonder if that was Mary-Beth trying to tell me that she’s okay, that she is finally happy. I curl up into Blake and fall asleep to a dreamless sleep.
The next morning I wake up to the smell of eggs and waffles. I smell the coffee brewing as well and I sit up. I put my feet down on the cold ground, stand and make my way to the kitchen. I can’t help but laugh when I see what is happening in the kitchen. Blake has a spatula in his hand and is singing
Make You Love Me
by the amazing Brant Marks. I smile as I grab my phone to check my email. Just as he notices me, he jumps a little.
“I thought you were still sleeping,” he blushes.
“And miss that performance? I don’t think so. As a matter of fact I believe an encore is in order.” I laugh softly and he smiles.
“It’s nice to see my sunshine back.”
“It’s nice to be back.” I reply honestly. In all honesty, I have missed being Anna. The one who didn’t have to worry about pissing off someone. The one who stood up for what she believed. This is the Anna I want to be. “Sooo…”
“So?”
“You like Brant Marks, huh?” I say coyly as I look at my email from Maci.
“He’s a pretty cool guy.”
“Well, he’s coming to the Bayou Country Bash in a few months. Wanna go?”
“We can, how much are tickets?”
“Maci got four front row tickets from this guy she met online when she was in high school named Brandon and she wants us to go. One of the tickets is his and the rest are for us.” I smile, I’m glad Maci is finally going to meet Brandon, she’s been in love with him for nearly ten years,
now.