Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche

You're Such A Dumb Fuck

"You're so pretty." Dad teared up. "If Kevin was here..."
"Yeah." I smiled, trying not to cry. I couldn't mess up my makeup. "He'd be proud of me."
"Yeah, he would." Ronnie said. "I know you went through some rough patches-"
"If you mention that in your speech I'm gonna hit you."
"I'm tough."
I laughed and hugged him. "I love you, Ronnie."
"Ronnie!" Violet said. "I like your clothes."
"Thank you, Violet." He picked her up. "Ready to carry your Mom and Dad's rings?"
"Yeah!"
"I like the enthusiasm."
"Violet, honey, let's go check in on Max." Dad said, slowly leading her away.
Ronnie smiled. "Wedding, pregnant."
"Yeah. It's an eventful day."
"It is. If it's a boy, what're you gonna name him?"
"When we had Violet, we discussed boy names, too. We both like Liam, or Nathan."
"I like Nathan, too."
"Well, I mean, you don't get input."
"Shut up." He checked the time. "Where's everyone?"
"Here." Everyone had arrived. "Honestly, you guys should all be on time."
"Wait, who's Max's best man?" Ronnie asked.
"It's Monte, we talked about this."
"Oh cool."
And suddenly, all of my friends were gone. Minutes had passed but it felt like a second. Dad smiled at me. "You ready?"
"Yeah." I nodded.
He took my arm and stood before the aisle. The music changed and people stood up. Slowly, we walked down the aisle. Max grinned, tears in his eyes that only I could see. "I love you." Dad whispered, then sat down.
I stood in front of Max. "You're stunning." He said under his breath, so only I could hear.
"Thank you."
The officiator was a friend of Max's. "We're gathered here today to celebrate Max and Ash's union. And they told me they don't want a long, driven speech, so I'll skip right to it." People chuckled. "Max and Ash are perfect for each other, that's all I say. Mainly because I know Ronnie has a long, drawn out speech, and I know he's gonna cover everything. Maxwell Green, do you take Ash Charles to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health?"
"I do." He said, squeezing my hand.
"Ash Charles, do you take Maxwell Green to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health?"
"Of course I do."
"Great. I now have the power to declare you husband and wife. Max, kiss the bride."
Max placed his lips on mine and sweetly kissed me. "I love you. So much."
"I love you too."
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Ronnie stood up and raised his champange glass. "I'd like to make a toast."
"Oh, God." I muttered.
Max laughed and rubbed my back. "Just try to look happy, babe. I'm doing it."
He smiled. "I've known Ash pretty much my whole life. We're only a year apart exactly. So I've grown up with her, I don't remember life without her. I've been with her as her father died and she moved in with me, I've been with her when she graduated middle school, I was there to help her learn to drive. I was the one who introduced her to Max. He doesn't know this, but she'd always beg to come to band practices so she could hang with us, but mostly Max. Just to piss me off, she had posters of our band, Escape The Fate, covering her walls in her room. I hated it, but whenever Max came over, he'd pop into her room and look at the posters, laugh, and say hi. Now. I don't know the story of how they started dating, and I don't think I wanna hear it, but I bet it was everything either one of them could ask for. Yeah, I know I was an asshole to you guys when you were teenagers. But it's only because Ash is my best friend and Max was my friend. And you two broke up back in the day cause of personal reasons. Ash went through hell and back, all of it my fault, and eventually, she ended up dating Max again after I was released from prison. And you guys don't know how proud I am to see you guys together now, as husband and wife, with your child. But just remember... Life has died, and yet we're still alive." It was to show that we had all fucked up sometime in our life, we had left ourselves for dead, but we were still alive here and now.
There was a loud groan from everyone. "Goddamnit, Ronnie!" Anthony yelled.
"It was nice sentiment, it's just..." Max whispered.
"Escape The Fate lyrics." I muttered. "Told you we shouldn'tve let him make a speech."
"Yeah." He laughed. "It was nice. Funny."
Guests were getting up to get food. "Can I tell you something?" I asked.
"Course."
"I'm pregnant."
Max smiled, knowing he couldn't make a big deal out of it here. "Wonderful. Hope it's a boy. Violet could use a brother."
I giggled. "Yeah. She could."
"He's gonna grow up looking like me."
"Has everyone accepted it was a boy?"
"Who else did you tell?"
"Just Ronnie. But he's got all these ideas that the kid is gonna be exactly like him and you."
"He's not wrong."
I shook my head. "You're ridiculous."
"Come on. We gotta like, mingle."