All the Money in the World

Chapter 30

Katie awoke the next day, after a long night of storms, to find herself alone in bed and the pack n play empty. She wasn't truly concerned but it was slightly unsettling considering how their lives had been recently.

"Babe?" She called out as she tiptoed into the living area of the cabin. "Hap?"

"I'm out here," he shouted through the open the window.

Moving swiftly she found him on the porch, Nathaniel in his arms, wearing his jeans and white sleeveless tank top. Katie smiled, taking in the scene before her, and felt her heart swell in her chest.

"My guys," she cooed. "Was he up early?"

"Yeah," Happy seemed unbothered by it. "I wanted to let you sleep, you're always up with the kid."

"Thank you," she settled in right beside him on the little bench. "He eat?"

"Yeah, the bottle in the fridge right?"

"Yep," she smiled at him. "Did you warm it?"

"I did," he assured her. "I'm not stupid, Kate."

"I know," she laughed, "Sorry."

"I don't know how they drink that shit," he mused.

Katie cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I got some last night," he chuckled, "Don't taste like anything."

"Somehow that was both gross and sexy," she laughed. "Breast milk is indeed bland but it's free and good for him, and he's a baby, so you know, he doesn't know anything else."

Happy laughed a bit and gestured to the ring on her finger as he handed Nat over to her. "You really wanna do that, right?"

"I do," she said with a smile. "More than anything."

"When?"

Katie drew her head back. "Oh, I don't know. With everything going on I haven't thought that far ahead."

"I have," he admitted. "I wanna do it soon."

"What's going on?" She said, suddenly terrified.

"Nothing," he said defensively. "I wanna marry you. Now."

"Now now?"

"Now," he said firmly. "I know a judge, well Tig knows a judge," he corrected himself. "He can do it."

"Uh, okay," she laughed. "When?"

"Today?"

"Hap," she said staunchly. "What is it?"

"Say you'll do it," he said.

She looked at him suspiciously but agreed. "Yeah. Today. Okay."

Nodding, he got up from the bench and headed back into the cabin. Katie watched him go, purpose in his steps, but knew not to follow. He would be making calls and setting up whatever he needed to for their wedding, and whatever secret had prompted him push for the ceremony.

"Your dad is a nut," she said to Nat. "But we love him anyway."

—

*Early Evening- The Same Day*

"Uh, hey," Tig stuck his head into the bedroom of the cabin. "Hap is gonna stroke out."

"I'm doing my best here," she said, trying to doll herself up with the few things she had packed.

"He doesn't care," Tig told her. "Really."

"Why didn't he come down here himself?" Katie asked, looking at Tig's reflection in the mirror.

"Tradition?" He shrugged. "Or maybe he was scared you climbed out the window?"

"The latter," she laughed. "I'll be right there."

Tig nodded and shut the door again leaving Katie alone with her fear and excitement.  She wondered if nerves were normal, no matter how sure she was of her decision, before simply shrugging.

"Nothing about us is normal," she laughed. "Fuck it."

She left the bedroom in bare feet, wearing skinny jeans and a plain, white, v-neck T-shirt. Her hair was in a messy bun with two random flowers she'd yanked from the behind the cabin. At the time she wasn't sure if they were flowers or just pretty weeds but she was thinking they were most likely actually weeds. The men wouldn't realize and there would be no pictures so she didn't really care.

With Tig acting as their legal witness, the judge started the ceremony rather unceremoniously.

"Happy and Kate, today you celebrate one of life's greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauties of love as you join together in the vows of marriage. Happy, do you take Kate to be your wife?"

Happy nodded slowly, "I do."

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all other and holding only onto her?"

"I do," he repeated.

The judge then looked at Katie. "Kate, do you take Happy to be your husband?"

Katie giggled, her eyes filled with tears, "I do."

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all other and holding only onto him?"

"I do," she beamed at him.

"Oh, shit," Tig handed a sleeping Nat to Happy. "I got you guys rings."

"Bought or stole?" Katie asked with a grin.

The judge shook his head. "I don't need to hear this."

Tig winked at them. "I bought em', no broken laws." He dropped two plain white gold bands into the judge's hand and took the baby back. "Scout's honor."

The judge rolled his eyes. "The wedding ring is a symbol of unity, a circle unbroken, without
beginning or end. And today, Happy and Kate
give and receive these rings as demonstrations of their vows to make their life one, to work at all times to create a love that is whole and unbroken, and to love each other without end. Happy, take this ring and place it on your bride's finger and state your pledge to her, repeating after me."

Happy cleared his throat and repeated the judge's hushed words. "This ring I give as a sign of our constant faith and abiding love."

"Kate, take this ring and place it on your groom's finger and state your pledge to him, repeating after me."

With a shaky voice, Katie repeated. "This ring I give as a sign of our constant faith and abiding love."

The judge smiled at them both. "Happy and Kate, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife. Congratulations, you may kiss your bride."

"Back up," Tig said to the judge with a chuckle.

Katie quickly wrapped arms around Happy's neck and kissed him. He hoisted her up, guiding her legs around his waist, and blindly they stumbled down the hall to the bedroom.

"Are you babysitting?" The judge asked hesitantly.

Tig looked down at Nat and shrugged. "Looks like it."

"I...I don't know if I should leave you alone with a child that young."

"He's ready to get drunk and laid at this age, right?" Tig shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Uncle Tiggy knows what he's doing," he said as he bounced the baby gently.

"Okay, fine," the judge shrugged.

At the back of the cabin Katie and Happy were desperate to get their clothes off, stripping wildly with excited grins on their faces.

"Want me to call you Mrs. Lowman?"

"I don't know if I'm taking your name," she said to him seconds before their lips finally met again.

"Whatever," he grumbled, pinning her up against the wall. "Names don't mean shit. You're mine."

"Forever," she uttered breathlessly.

"Yeah," he said with a growl, his teeth sinking into her neck. "Don't forget it."