summer child // joshler

50: epilogue (cont)

tyler's point of view

*8 months later*

i turn to my mom, my eyes wide. "mom, i don't know how to tie a tie. how did i not learn that before now? why did i not think to-"

"honey, i can do it." she laughs a little and stands from where she was sitting to come up and take the fabric from my hands. "this is your big day. don't stress too much. i'm here to help, okay?"

i nod and take a deep breath, trying my best to relax as she ties it around my neck.

"there. perfect." she steps back and lets me turn around to look at it.

"thank you, mom. for everything." i hug her tightly, feeling my eyes water.

i never thought i'd get here, able to marry my best friend. i'm so unbelievably lucky.

and after a few more minutes of me rambling anxiously to my mother, it's time for me to walk.

she links her arm through mine. "ready?"

"ready."

we step forward, making our way down the aisle. we decided to have a small wedding, a few friends and family members sitting on the benches as i walk by, all with supportive smiles on their faces.

when i get to the end, i kiss my moms cheek and she sits down.

josh looks... amazing. he looks perfect. every single time i look at him, i fall in love all over again. we smile at each other, listening to the officiant until it's time to read our vows.

josh goes first.

"if you would have asked me in the second grade who i thought i'd be marrying, i probably would've said scarlett johansson. if you asked me in the ninth grade, i probably would've said no one. but if you had asked me at two years old on a warm, summer day in my backyard, i would've said you, tyler. i didn't quite know what marriage meant back then, but i knew i didn't want to be without you.

"you mean so much to me. after all these years, running through sprinklers in your backyard, all the halloween's we spent trading candy, all the evenings spent watching the sunset from your mom's rooftop, all the nights you climbed in through my window, graduating both high-school and college with you, you're still the only person i want to call when i get good news. you're still the last thought on my mind before i fall asleep and you're still my favorite thing to wake up to in the morning.

"every little detail about you is tattooed into my brain at this point. you see all the flowers in the weeds, you're scared of the dark when you sleep. you always say you like the summer, but you don't really love the sun or the heat. your favorite color is green and you love the ocean, but not the sand. i've known you for my whole life, ty. and i can't wait to spend the rest of it with you." he finishes his speech with one tear falling down his cheek and a smile still resting on his face. i bring a hand up to wipe the tear away before wiping the few of my own that had fallen.

"tyler?" the officiant looks to me.

i nod and take a deep breath. "joshua, i'm almost positive you know me better than i know myself. you're the best person i've ever met. you're kind, considerate, caring, creative, funny, smart, and everything else i could have ever wanted in a partner.

"even just looking at you now, all that you are is all that i'll ever need. my best friend, my favorite person. the way your eyes light up at your favorite things, the way you smile so wide your eyes crinkle at the edges. the way your entire face still scrunches up at the taste of alcohol, the way you pretend to like my cooking, even when it's bad. the way you kiss me like i'm the only person in the world and the way you hug me like no one else matters. you're my everything.

"and you've always been so patient with me. whether i'm getting dressed before we go somewhere and changing eight times, fucking up the rice i was trying to make for our dinner, all the way to figuring out who i am and what i wanted, you were always there, waiting with that soft smile. you've been there for every single milestone, every big moment, and every small one. i'm so honored and so thankful that i'll get to stand by your side for the rest of all our moments, together.

"i told you once that my five and ten year plans always included you. i told you i'd follow you anywhere. i meant it. you're my forever plan, j."

we're both crying by the end and the officiant clears his throat. "the rings please?"

laura steps forward and hands the box to josh.

"joshua, please place the ring on tyler's finger and repeat these words: 'tyler, with this ring, i take you as my husband.'"

he smiles and places the ring on my finger with a steady hand. always grounded. always calm. he repeats the words, "tyler, with this ring, i take you as my husband."

"tyler, please place the ring on joshua's finger and repeat these words: 'joshua, with this ring, i take you as my husband.'"

"joshua," i repeat, sliding the ring onto his hand, "with this ring, i take you as my husband," i say, like it's easy. because it is.

everything is easy with him. everything makes sense. he is everything and all of the in-between.

"may your marriage bring you all the excitement a marriage should bring. may you have happiness, and may you find it by making each other happy. may you have love, and may you find it loving one another. now, having spoken your vows to one another and sealed them with the giving and receiving of rings, it is my honor and privilege to pronounce you as husbands."

josh brings his hands up to cup my cheeks, his wedding band cool against my warm skin, and kisses me. it's the real beginning of our forever, of everything we've wanted and waited for for so long.

"i love you, tyler robert joseph-dun."

"i love you more, joshua william dun."

my summer, winter, fall, and spring. my earth, moon, sun, and stars. my everything. my husband.

my happily ever after.

the end.

(an: this book means so much to me for so many reasons. there are pieces of me in every chapter, memories and feelings poured into each word. i love this book, as boring as some people might call it. my newest baby. my summer child. thank you for reading. thank you for caring. i love you, i love you, i love you. endlessly and always.)