Bora Bora Bora

9: Wife and Wife

Lorna's POV

This isn't The Wedding. Not the hetero, capital T and W wedding I've been planning for the last two years. But I don't give a fuck, because this is The Girl, with capital T and G.

Sometime over the last two hours, she became all that matters.

"We shall proceed with the exchange of vows," Sister Ingalls says.

I look nervously at Nicky. I haven't had time to prepare anything. And I'm afraid words will fail me, as they have failed me so many times before, because just like there were not enough words in the English tongue to explain my obsession with Christopher, there are not enough to explain my love for Nicky. Not now, when she looks so great with her bow tie and her cocky smile contrasting with her tear-filled eyes.

She clears her throat,taking the lead.
"Uh-hum, well..." she adjusts her bow tie and her eyes break away from mine for a second to scan the room, "it is a popular belief in this prison that I'm shit with words unless it involves swearing. As much as I would love to prove them wrong, I can't promise to leave out the swearing, but I will say this: this woman right here has made me happier than I ever thought I could be. I've suddenly found myself being happier in prison than I've ever been outside. Now, I do not mean to say that prison is the best thing that happened to me, because it's not-this place is shit. It's probably one of the worst things that have happened in my very sucky life- but within the worst, I found the greatest, most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. I found you. It's sappy and I'll hate myself for saying it, but you have lit a light in my life Lorna, with your kind smile and your eyes and your voice and simple everything you are. You are sweet and pure, and something about you just makes me think, man, if this girl likes me, it must be for real. You are what has kept me alive in this beige box of a prison- and what has made me look beyond the confines of this monochromatic hell. I love you. Always have. Always will."

A waterfall of tears is running down my cheeks, and I thank God my make up is waterproof. Those are the most beautiful words I've ever heard.

"Oh my god," I gasp, wiping my eyes, "I can't go after that!"

Nicky laughs, and a few tears escape from her eyes,too.

"Oh, Nicky..." I take a deep breath, trying to pull myself together. "I'm not as good with words as you are...all I can say is, you're the most wonderful woman I have ever met. You're funny and caring and smart- not book smart, the real smart. A friend of mine once told me that people who aren't smart enough to want to be loved back don't deserve it. I've spent a lot of time loving people like that, but you're different- you deserve it. You deserve all the love in the world, and I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to give it to you. When I'm with you, I don't feel insane. I don't feel like I'm losing my mind-well, not in a bad way that is," I giggle a little and she smiles, "and..." I choke, and she nods, encouraging me to go on, "and even though we're behind bars, with you, I finally feel free."

A sob shakes my shoulder and she leans forward, pressing our foreheads together.

"I love you so much, Nicky Nichols."

I hear Sister Ingalls taking in a deep breath, surely trying to control her own emotions, and then she says:
"By the power bestowed upon me by the Catholic Church (which, by the way, can suck my ass)- I pronounce you wife and wife."

"And by the power bestowed upon me by the State of New York, I too, pronounce you wife and wife. The brides may kiss each other," Brooke Soso shrieks excitedly.

Nicky puts her hands on my face and stares into my eyes, engulfing me in an immensity of hazel before kissing me. I wrap my arms around her hips. She parts my lips with her tongue and the kiss becomes lustful. I moan slightly, moving my arms down.