We Just Need Us (Second Generation Book 5)

Chapter 40

ROBBIE

This certainly isn’t how we thought our wedding day would look like when we were talking it over in the weeks after we got engaged. She wanted a small ceremony with mostly just family and a few hand-picked friends. She wanted something in October so that Graham and Akira could attend after his season was over. We even went as far as to plan the colors: marigolds and oranges. 

A few things are the same as they were in those talks. Our wedding cake is apple pie cake, Ember’s specialty. I didn’t understand the cult-following it has in the wedding industry until I tasted it myself. It tastes exactly like apple pie and with the filling of apples and caramel, I was almost ready to cancel the entire day and sit in my suit and tie sharing the entire four-tier cake with Clementine.

Rather than a Fall wedding, we’re sitting here at the end of July. The weather isn’t horrible right now, but that is mostly because we’re having the ceremony at ten in the morning. I’ve never heard of a wedding taking place at 10 am on a Thursday, but here we are. The day and time was brought to us by Graham’s crazy schedule that we tried to work around. He played in a game last night, traveled six hours overnight to be here this morning. The two of them are only here for today. They’ll be leaving this evening, making the five-hour drive to the airport and taking the easiest flight home they can because he has a game tomorrow.

I watch Graham walk down the aisle with Prue and I’m so thankful that he was able to make it. I’m pretty sure he’ll be asleep by noon, but I’ll be forever thankful he made the sacrifice to be here and stand next to me as Clementine and I say our vows. Prue is looking at gorgeous as ever in a bright yellow maid of honor dress. Clem was insistent on still using a shade of yellow for wedding colors so we went with the brightest yellow imaginable. Graham’s navy blue suit matches mine. I can tell that his suit is a bit snug, he wasn’t able to make it for the fittings, but he’s making it work.

As they step up onto the concrete pavilion that is used as an altar, Prue reaches up and places a kiss on my cheek. “She looks stunning, I cannot wait for you to see her.”

Her statement makes me smile and with a quick hug, she goes to the other side of the pastor where she will be standing next to Clementine. Graham goes in for the handshake, but we then end up exchanging hugs. He clasps his hand over my shoulder and smiles, giving me his blessing from the family. 

If my heart wasn’t already in my throat, the sashay of a sassy little six-year-old at the back of the aisle catches my attention. Vivienne is dressed in a poofy white dress with a bodice that was modified to add lace in order to match her mom’s dress. I have to bit my bottom lip to keep the tears from falling as she dances, straight up flows, down the aisle, dropping bright yellow sunflower petals as she makes me way down the aisle. Vivienne runs up the stairs and straight towards me. Without a second thought, I scoop her into my arms and she plants a noisy kiss on my cheek that the entire congregation can hear.

“I love you, Baby Girl. You did such a good job.”

“I love you too, Daddy. Happy Wedding Day.”

I snuggle her into the crook of my neck before placing her feet back on the ground. “Thank you, Vivi. You are so loved.”

“I know,” she smirks and then skips over to Prue. Graham is attempting to stifle a laugh and Prue lets out a snort. My sassy girl strikes again.

The music changes from typical wedding music to a piano version of “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.” From the corner, I see my beautiful bride walk to the center of the aisle. Her dad stands tall and proud beside her. Her arm is safely tucked into the crook of her dad’s arm and the two of them begin their trip down the aisle. For the first few steps, I’m all smiles, but then her eyes find mind and her bottom lip begins to tremble, and as she loses composure, so do I.