June 8, 2013
"Ready kiddo?" Dad asked, holding out his hand for me.
"If it were my choice we'd be down there already." I took my place by his side, all but tapping my foot impatiently. Whose fucking idea was it to make the bride wait until everyone else was in to walk down the aisle? My entire bridal party was already down there with Myles and his groomsmen.
"I was thinking the same thing when I was waiting for Cissy. I was ready to go down and yank her out of the back room myself when she finally came out." He smiled down at me. "Can't believe I'm walking my little girl down the aisle."
"I've been married for almost two years, Dad."
"I know, but this is so much more symbolic." He chuckled slightly. "If you told me ten years ago that this wedding was going to happen I would have laughed at you."
"Me too."
"You know, it's taken a long time for me to see how much he loves you. I've always been able to see what you felt about him, but that man looks at you like you're made of stardust and liquid gold."
"That's because I am made of stardust and liquid gold." He rolled his eyes.
"All right Satan spawn, you know what I meant."
"He's always loved me that much, even if you and I couldn't see it." Our conversation was cut short by our cue finally coming up. We took the slow, measured steps that we'd been forced to rehearse over and over last night down the aisle. The gentle breeze coming off the lake ruffled my hair just a little. I hadn't had the heart to get rid of the wing-shaped clips Myles had given me that first Christmas; I was glad to have them today to keep my hair out of my face.
After what seemed like an eternity, my father put my hand in Myles's. Somehow, even though my dad had long ago accepted that Myles was going to be in my life permanently, this seemed like his final acceptance of our relationship.
"You look beautiful." Myles murmured in my ear as we turned to face the minister. It had been difficult to decide on someone to preside over our wedding. For a while it seemed like we were going to have to borrow an Elvis impersonator from Vegas until we finally found a nondenominational minister who was available. We'd had a very narrow time slot for this wedding: Myles had left the studio in Florida and the day after tomorrow he was going to South Africa for a Kings of Chaos show; we'd stopped the promotional tour for the new Mercyfvcks album, Bones. I'd be headed for Germany with Lola in a few days. But none of that mattered right now. Standing on the shores of Coeur d'Alene with all our family and friends watching us get married was all I needed to care about right now.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Mina and Myles in holy matrimony." The minister said, before going on to give us a blessing that I only half heard. We'd agreed to write our own vows and I was terrified that I was going to forget mine. Thankfully Myles went first, giving me the time to review my own.
"With this ring, I vow my love." He slid my wedding ring back on my finger after his brother David handed it to him. "I promise to be a faithful and loving husband, to cherish you more each day, and to give you the room to grow alongside me. I promise to never be gone too long and to make our reunion sweeter each time. But above all, I promise to love you unconditionally, for as long as we both shall live." These were all things I'd heard him say before, but hearing them now in front of everyone in such a solemn way brought me close to tears. Lola handed me Myles's ring and I slid it onto his finger.
"With this ring, I vow my love. I promise to be a faithful and loving wife, and to love you more each day. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to support you through times of struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad and to cherish you, and," I had to pause to collect myself, "and to put up with your two guitar wielding mistresses." A ripple of laughter passed through the crowd when they realized who I was referring to. "I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."
