Take This Man (3 page)

The white aisle runner started at the pool cloister, where Merrick let me out of the cart. “Next time I see you, you’ll be walking toward me, seconds from saying ‘I do.’ ”

I was so anxious, I couldn’t wait another minute. “Let’s get this show on the road then. Seems like I’ve waited forever for this day!” I leaned in his side of the cart and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Move it!” I pointed toward the gazebo. “I might beat you there at this pace.”

His dimples popped and I couldn’t resist putting the tip of my finger in one before he pulled away with a wave, calling behind him, “MJ will bring your mom back. Wait for her!”

I suppose waiting for my mom to walk me down the aisle was a good idea. I stood on tiptoe trying to see the gazebo as the cart turned with the path, but for all the bushes and trees, I could only make out the weather vane on the very top turning gently in the breeze.

I was alone. For one blessed moment, I was alone before my wedding and thought I might burst with excitement. I’d planned and planned, and standing in the bridal room at the Weston Plantation, I’d been running through every detail in my mind, hoping and praying everything went off without a hitch—well, with only one hitch, Merrick and me.

Until this moment, I hadn’t realized how much stress and pressure I’d been under. But now, having a ceremony I hadn’t planned or even expected, there was only excitement. Merrick had known me once again, better than I knew myself. He was giving me the exact wedding of my dreams, one that I hadn’t planned for myself, instead inviting four hundred people I didn’t even know for the good of his future business interests.

He whisked me away for a second time to force me to take what I wanted and needed. A small, private wedding on our island, in our gazebo, was my ideal. How did he always know?

A cart hummed, then turned the corner as it neared. MJ and Mom both waved when they saw me standing waiting for them. I could already tell from ten yards away that Mom was crying. I hoped she wasn’t thinking of Dad and they were tears of joy, but something told me they were tears for the daughter who had to have her mother walk her down the aisle instead of her father.

MJ stopped the cart in front of me, hopped out, and ran around to take my mom’s arm as she stepped out holding my bouquet of yellow calla lilies. The first flower Merrick ever gave me.

“You look incredible,” MJ said, and kissed my cheek. “Sis,” he added, then laughed. “Still weird.”

“Thanks, and yeah, it’s weird.” After thinking of MJ as Merrick’s son for months, to shift gears and accept that they were actually brothers was odd. Good, but odd.

“Gotta get back. You two come when you’re ready.” He hustled back to the cart and took off.

Mom handed me my bouquet. “I’m supposed to say the motherly thing and make sure you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” She rolled her eyes. “I know you would have to be dragged away from Merrick by wild dogs, and I love him like my own son, but my friend June with the women’s group at church said I had to tell you that as your mother.”

I tried not to laugh imagining what Aunt Jan would be saying if she were standing there with us. “Duty done,” I said, “and you’re right, but it would take more than wild dogs.”

A somber expression crossed her face and I knew what was coming. “Did you like the photo of Dad?” she asked.

I leaned in and hugged her, knowing she’d spent hours and hours poring through boxes of old photos to find that one—the one she knew was my favorite. “I loved it, Mom. It was unexpected and perfect. He’s here. Not just the photo. You know that, don’t you? He’s over there at the gazebo wondering where we are. I can hear him now, can’t you? ‘Jesus, Sylvia, what’s taking so long?’ in his grumpy, impatient voice.”

Mom laughed through the tears streaking her cheeks. My own face was damp, and tears dripped from my chin. “He was always such an old grouch, wasn’t he?” she said.

“We loved him just the same, though.”

“Tough on the outside, soft on the inside.” She wrapped both of my hands around my bouquet and straightened the shoulders of my dress as the string notes of Beck’s cello floated down the aisle to meet us, Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major. “It’s time. Let’s pull ourselves together and start our walk. Are you ready?”

“I’ve never been more ready for anything, Mom.”

She gave me a big, watery smile then kissed my cheek. “I’m so proud of you and so happy for you both.”

She hooked her arm through mine, and we began our walk toward the gazebo, my heart fluttering a million miles a minute.

We walked in silence, Mom sniffing back tears every once in a while. Colorful fall flowers were in bloom and flanked the path. Mom would know their names, but I didn’t. I’d have to learn from her so I could pass the knowledge of every inch of the island on to my kids someday.

Every time I thought of having kids, I pictured a little girl in Merrick’s arms. She had his dimples—all Rochas had the dimples—and dark curly hair in ponytails. She’d be a daddy’s girl, of course. Who could resist Merrick when he put everything inside him into loving you? And he would love her more than anything, maybe more than me in that way daddies love their daughters. She’d be his universe.

We’d have more than one, but so far, she was the only child I could conjure in my mind. I knew she’d be ours. Our first. Someday.

The gazebo came into view, causing me to pause and catch my breath. It was covered in climbing ivy. As in the trees on the path, clear votive holders dangled with flickering candles at different heights. Our unity candle was one we’d inherited from a couple who celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in our gazebo. We reminded them of themselves at our age, and they gifted us with the unity candle from their first wedding. It sat on a small wooden table Merrick had built himself out of scrap wood from the hotel renovation.

Aunt Jan stood behind the table in a white robe. “Mom?” I whispered.

“Your aunt has been studying under our minister day and night to be ordained to marry you today. It took a lot of talking to convince him to take her under his wing, but you know your aunt.”

More tears flowed past my lower lids. My chest was so full, it hurt. All the people I loved the most had come together to give me the most perfect wedding imaginable. It was unimaginable—beyond perfect.

Merrick stood at the bottom of the three stairs that led up inside the gazebo with MJ beside him. Beck was on the end, sitting in a chair playing his cello. The three of them together in their tuxes made a breathtaking trio. On the opposite side, Maddie and Shannon stood in their striking shades of green holding their bouquets. In white wooden chairs on the bride’s side, Joan sat with Mr. Simcoe, Maddie’s dad.

The most shocking surprise was the woman sitting on the groom’s side beside Riley—Merrick’s sister, Heidi. At the end of the aisle, her two kids, Holly and Sam, stood as flower girl and ring bearer, watching for my arrival. Holly’s dress was a close duplicate to mine.

“I had Holly’s dress made when I had the lace added over the bodice of yours,” Mom said, watching me take everything in.

“I didn’t know Merrick made up with Heidi,” I whispered.

“I’m not sure he has, but she’s his sister. I told him he didn’t have a choice.”

I suppressed a grin. Mom being overbearing with Merrick. I could only imagine how that conversation had gone. Heidi’s husband wasn’t in attendance. I wondered if that had been Merrick’s negotiation.

We reached Holly and Sam. Holly gave me a huge smile, admiring our matching dresses. “You look beautiful,” I told her. I gestured to the basket of rose petals she held. “Are you going to spread those down the aisle?”

“That’s what the blond lady told me to do. She said if I didn’t, I don’t get cake.”

I couldn’t stop the snort of laughter from coming out. Joan. Only Joan would threaten little kids with wedding cake.

“Sam’s got the ring,” Holly said, patting the cushion her brother held. Sam gave me a small, shy smile and looked more afraid than any kid should ever look.

“You’ll do great, Sam. You can’t mess this up, so don’t worry.” His chin dropped in a quick, sharp nod, wide-eyed.

“Here we go,” Mom said, and shot Beck a smile, her eyebrows lifted to her hairline.

Beck stood behind his cello. Our guests stood with him as he began the “Wedding March.” As if they’d practiced a hundred times, and they probably had, Holly and Sam started down the aisle with measured steps. Holly spread her rose petals and Sam hung on to his ring cushion for dear life. They were adorable. My heart squeezed seeing Merrick watching the two of them with pride etched on his face. He prized his niece and nephew and spent too little time with them.

When they hit the end of the aisle and parted, Sam walked over to stand next to Beck, and Holly stood on the outside of Shannon. Mom squeezed my arm.

This was it. The moment I walked down the aisle to stand with Merrick and vow to be his wife until death do us part.

I blinked double time keeping the wetness in my eyes from blurring my vision. What a vision it was. My Rachael, my beautiful bride, coming down the aisle in time to the aching cello notes to become my wife.

Mine! Of all the men in the world, this incredible woman was going to marry me. How the hell had this happened? I had no idea—every day was an amazing blur of scents and sounds and warmth and overwhelming love with Rachael. I’m lucky I remembered my name, because I was in no way the same man I was before I met her.

I was so much better for her being in my life. She needed to hurry down the aisle so I could tell her. All the words were jumbling up, fighting to get out. My mind spun with everything I
should
tell her, everything I
wanted
to tell her, and all the things I
couldn’t
forget to say. The only problem was I knew the moment they were out of my mouth, I wouldn’t be able to remember a word I’d uttered.

MJ put a hand on my shoulder from behind. It was what I needed—a firm hand—to ground me in the moment. He and I were so much alike, he must’ve known my head was spinning like a top.

Her descent, which at first seemed to take forever, was over like a flash of lighting.

There she was. Right in front of me.

Sylvia kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear before placing Rachael’s hand in mine and kissing my cheek, hers wet with tears. “Take care of my baby,” she said.

“Always,” I promised.

Rachael took a step forward, joining me in front of the steps. We looked into each other’s eyes and didn’t say a word, but a million words passed between us. I had the distinct impression that she and I had stood like this a million times in a million different places taking our vows as husband and wife. I’d never been an overly spiritual man, but always believed in God, in an afterlife, and standing with Rachael in this moment, I believed in several past lives lived with her. She’d been my wife in many, many lifetimes. This was our path, familiar and worn, that always led us home to each other.

Jan’s voice, true and clear, rang out, calling for our attention. “We are gathered here today to unite Merrick and Rachael in holy matrimony.” She beckoned us forward. Rachael handed her bouquet to Maddie before gifting me with a confident smile and taking the three stairs up to the altar beside me.

I took a deep breath. All of the anxiety and buzzing in my brain stopped; there was nothing but noiseless peace. That was the power of Rachael. She grounded me, plugged me in to the universe, where there was no doubt or fear, only blinding truth and serenity.

“Merrick and Rachael,” Jan continued, “as you prepare to take these vows, give thought and prayer to the commitment you’re promising one another as long as you both shall live. Love and loyalty alone, in the best of times and the worst of times, will serve as a foundation for a marriage that endures. Patience, mutual consideration, kindness, confidence, and affection are the ingredients to future happiness. Give and take equally, respect, leadership, protection, and support. As two become one, you must trust and rely upon one another and never be divided. Know that you do not walk this path alone.”

Everyone—bridesmaids, groomsmen, friends, and family—joined hands, Maddie and MJ reaching out for mine and Rachael’s.

“Call on your friends and family in times of need. To accept an outreached hand is not a sign of failure, but an act of faith. As you take each other’s hands…” Jan nodded to us. I took Rachael’s hand in mine. “Don’t let your grip become intolerable; hold on with tender firmness. Don’t let your grip become too weak; be flexible as you go through change, as such a marriage is made, hand in hand.”

I expected Rachael to cry during our ceremony with her aunt presiding, but she beamed as she took in every word.

“Rachael, will you take Merrick to be your wedded husband, and in the presence of friends and family, do you vow to water and nourish your love so it shall grow stronger from day to day, week to week, year to year? Do you promise to hold him to your heart, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”

Rachael squeezed my hand tight. She still smiled and radiated happiness, but the first tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. “I do.”

Hearing those two words from her was a parachute opening, a life raft in a churning sea. This woman would never stop saving me with her love.

“Merrick, will you take Rachael to be your wedded wife, and in the presence of friends and family, do you vow to honor and protect her, doing your best every day to create a loving, happy, healthy home? Do you promise to hold her to your heart, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”

I slid my hand up her arm and placed my palm over her heart. “I do.”

Jan stepped behind the altar. “As a symbol of your unity, we join two individual flames into one. Merrick and Rachael, as you join your eternal flames, you unite yourselves, body and soul, two into one, for life.” Rachael and I stepped forward and each picked up a lit taper. Together we joined them at the wick of the unity candle and watched it spark to life—our new life—before blowing out our individual flames.

We set our candles aside and Jan nodded to Rachael to begin her vows. We’d already said so much in the key lime grove, I wasn’t sure what was left to say, but knowing Rachael, she would have me sobbing on my knees before she was done.

“Merrick,” Rachael began, taking my hands, her voice soft but steady, “before I met you, I never believed there was one person for everyone. One true love. It was illogical to think that out of the entire population of the earth, a person was supposed to find this magical love like a needle in a haystack. Then you came along and I realized I’d never known anything about love, because I became one of the lucky ones who knew the truth—there really is only one person for each of us. Knowing this truth, it’s like a door to the great beyond opening, like being given a puzzle piece that not everyone ends up with. I’m not sure how I became one of the fortunate ones to be granted the piece to my puzzle that makes everything fit—the answer to every impossible question—the other half to my soul, but I’m blessed to have you.

“There are so many years ahead of us, but even if we had a hundred of them, it wouldn’t be enough. My love for you is never ending, so I don’t just promise you today, or for as long as we both shall live. I promise you eternity, Merrick. You’re my one true love for now and always.”

She turned and took my ring from Maddie. My hands trembled in hers as she slid the gold band on my ring finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” she said, and I had to close my eyes for a moment and reopen them to assure myself this was real. I was certain it was all a dream. My life didn’t work like this. Everything good always turned out to be a mirage, but there she was, my Rachael, looking down at the ring she’d placed on my finger.

I pulled her close and breathed in the scent of her hair. Jasmine and ginger. The shampoo she’d first found in my shower here at the hotel, when I was certain my days with her were numbered. Now my days with her were limitless.

“Rachael,” I said, my voice coming out a bit hoarse around the welt of emotion in my throat, “I could say what many, many men have told the women they love over the centuries: you make me a better man. It’s true, but only scratches the surface, because you simply make
me
. You make me complete. You make me strive every single day to be the best man I can be for you. You make me want to be a father someday even though I have no idea how to be one. I know with you to guide me, I can do anything. You make me fearless. You make me proud. You give me peace and hope and faith.” I reached out and stroked her cheek. “You give me more love than I imagined was possible, and you take more love from me than I thought I was capable of giving. But with you, I have an overabundance of unconditional, never-ending love. You make me safe and make our home our haven. You make me happy, Rachael. You make me wish we were immortal and could live forever, because no amount of time with you will ever be enough. You’re my reason for being, for waking up in the morning, for going to bed each night. For trying harder every day, for never giving up. You make me tick. You wind me up and run me down. You make
me
, Rachael, because I’m one half of
us
now. So I’m not a better man than I used to be, I’m a different man than I used to be, because before you, I was nobody.

“Standing here becoming your husband is what I was placed on this earth to do. I promise to be the best half of
us
I can be.”

I held out my hand to MJ, who placed the diamond-studded band in my palm. I kissed it and slid it firmly in place on Rachael’s finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

There was no stopping the tears that slipped from my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, but wasn’t ashamed of them.

Standing on tiptoe, Rachael took my face between her hands and pressed her forehead to mine. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too.”

“By the power invested in me,” Jan said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Merrick, you may kiss your bride.”

I didn’t hesitate lifting Rachael off her feet and spinning her around, pressing my lips to hers—to my wife’s—as her hands still held the sides of my face. Our first kiss as husband and wife was sweet and salty with tears and parted by her giggles of happiness. I set her back on her feet and wiped her cheeks dry with my thumbs.

“It’s my honor,” Jan continued, “to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Merrick and Rachael Rocha.”

Our friends and family applauded and cheered. My mother-in-law’s face shined with tears, and so did my sister’s. Mr. Simcoe stood like a proud father, and he was as close to one as I’d ever had. MJ would be lucky to have him as a father-in-law someday.

As Rachael and I stepped off the last stair onto the ground, they all rushed around us with hugs and congratulations. I’d never felt like I’d belonged to a group of people more than I did in that moment. It seemed my whole life had been leading up to that very second to actually begin.