Mockingbird: a Songbird Sequel

Seven: The Wedding

Colt

I was freaking out. Legs bouncing, hands wringing, heart racing freaking out. The wedding was in four hours, and I had no fucking idea what I was going to do. Nothing was working. I couldn't talk myself off the ledge, but there was one person who could, and for some god unknown reason, we'd let Cora convince us that we couldn't see each other before the wedding. I'd been on my own since after dinner the night before, and it was not doing me any favors.

"You alright?"

I looked up at Beau as he walked out onto the balcony. The nice part of the guys and girls being segregated was that he and I had loads of time together. The night had basically been a little slumber party for the boys, beers (and root beers) and a fire and laughs. It was good to feel like maybe Beau and I didn't live in completely different worlds.

"Still worrying about your vows, huh?"

Kid knew me too damn well. "I don't know if they're good enough."

Beau sighed as he sank into the little loveseat next to me. "Dad, come on," he said with a bit of a chuckle. "It's Lennie. You've been in love with this girl for your whole life. You've built a life together already. There ain't nothing to be scared of. She ain't gonna change her mind if you don't say the exact perfect words."

"I know. I just..." I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "She deserves... everything... and... I want to give it to her."

A little smirk crept its way across Beau's face. "Then there ya go. Lennie knows you're a man of action. She's not gonna be surprised if you trip over your tongue."

"Are you supposed to be helping here?"

"Nah, but I know what might." Beau dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Call her. Have her talk you down. If anyone sees, they'll think it's me."

"You're kind of a genius."

"Remember that the next time you catch me sneaking around," Beau laughed as he got up and headed back for the door.

"Come up with better plans than breaking someone into your grandma's house."

"Deal."

I let Beau disappear before I took a breath and looked at the phone. He had her contact already pulled up so all I had to do was hit call.

"He's freaking out, isn't he?" Lennie's voice answered with a sigh.

"Man, y'all got no faith in me."

I heard a gasp and then some muffled voices before she came back to me. "Hi, baby."

"Hi. I miss you."

She laughed brightly. "We're really not good at this whole being apart thing, are we?"

"I wouldn't wanna be," I stated. God, I was feeling calmer already. Two sentences out of her, and my whole world was right again.

"So, why are you freaking out?"

"Why do you assume I am?"

"Um... because I know you."

I laughed at that. "You're right. I kinda am."

"The vows?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Well," she began, "the only other option really, is the wedding as a whole, and I'm pretty confident I don't have to worry about that."

"Definitely not."

"So, what's wrong with your vows?"

"I mean... probably nothing. I don't know. I guess I'm just kind of worried they won't be good enough."