Her Inked Heart

Chapter 13

"How many more weeks do you have until the wedding?" John asks, Clara sitting at the front desk, the two of them closing up the shop for the night. Clara was checking any last-minute emails, as well as checking her schedule for the next day.

"Mine or Nathan and Lauren's?" Clara asks, John letting out a chuckle. Clara turns her chair to look at John, John shifting himself, something on his mind, "You ok?"

John took a deep breath, making Clara nervous. The two of them haven't had any conversation this tense in a long time. The last time they had a tense conversation, the mention of Clara's father was brought up, John saying how he didn't feel like he would be as good a mentor to her as her father was to him when getting into the art of tattooing.

"Just been thinking," John says, before looking at the photo on the studio's desk, one where Clara's dad and John are standing next to each other, the day John's apprenticeship was complete, "Vincent's just been on my mind a lot lately."

With tears forming in Clara's eyes, she turns to look at the photo of her dad on the desk, a smile running across her face. Her father would be happy to see Clara in love, happy, working her dream job, and living her full potential. Taking a deep breath, she could smell her father - the smell of bourbon and sandalwood.

"He'd be proud of you," John says, a tear falling down Clara's cheek. Clara grabs a tissue, lightly wiping away the strand tear, looking up at John, "Really, he'd be so proud."

Staying quiet, Clara just nods to John, before standing up. Looking at John, all she wants to do is hug him. The man stepped up more than any family friend could when it came to Clara, especially after her father died.

"I know that his organs were donated," John says, Clara's eyes filling with tears, her looking at him, surprised, "Your mom and I didn't want to talk about this with you until we felt you were ready, but I can't hold this in any longer."

Clara instantly knew what John was going to talk about. She saw the scar that John had from an open heart surgery. She didn't know what happened, but she knew that he must have her father's heart.

"Around the same time that Vincent died, the left part of my heart was dying," John says, tears forming in his eyes, Clara finally letting hers fall, "Doctors couldn't figure out why, but all I knew was I needed a new heart. The night he died, doctors told me what happened, told me his name and everything. Instantly, I knew it would've been what he wanted, so, with your mom's permission, I was given your father's heart."

"He's always around me," Clara says, a faint smile running across her face. Even when it didn't feel like it, her dad has always been right beside her.

Without thinking, Clara instantly wraps her arms around John, holding him in the tightest hug she's ever given another person. John slowly wraps his arms around Clara's shoulders, holding her close.

"Thank you for telling me," Clara says, John holding her closer, tears falling from his eyes, "This makes this question even more meaningful to me."

With a pause in the air, all John wanted to know was what Clara was going to ask him. Clara just lies her head on John's shoulder, trying once again to hold back her tears.

"Will you be the officiate at my wedding?" Clara asks, John's face growing a faint smile, "I would ask you to walk me down the aisle, but Nathan's already doing that."

Chuckling, John kisses the top of Clara's head, before he pulls her away from the hug, cupping her face with his hands. Moving her head to look at him, all Clara sees is John smiling at her.

"I couldn't think of a greater honor," John says, Clara now smiling as well, her tears once again freely falling.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"We are gathered here today to bring together two families, two people, and make them one," Clara stood at the altar, smiling at her brother, staring into Lauren's eyes. Lauren hasn't looked more beautiful, but Clara knew this was exactly what the two needed. She looks across from Nathan's shoulder, seeing both Adam and Rockstar standing behind him.

"The bride and groom have chosen to speak their own vows," Clara watches Lauren unfold a piece of paper she's holding, smiling brighter than ever before.

"Nathan," Lauren begins to say, taking a deep breath. She turns around, looking at Clara, Clara placing her hand on Lauren's shoulder in reassurance, "I spent so long trying to find the words to describe my love for you, but there aren't any. I haven't been able to find the words to describe how much I love you. Not a day goes by where I don't question the love you have for me, and not a second goes by where you aren't in my heart. From day one, you have been a better man, a better love, and the bestest friend I could've imagined for myself. I love you so much, and I know my love will only grow stronger for you."

Clara and Adam looked at one another, a smile on both of their faces. Both of them can't wait until their moment when they become one.

"Lauren," Nathan says, "You and I have been through a lot together. You have stood by my side from day one, embracing all my flaws, telling me that you didn't want anything else because everything you wanted in a person was me. I remember the first time I had an episode, screaming from the PTSD of my father's accident, and instead of being scared and running away, you comforted me, saying that no matter what, you wouldn't leave. To this day, I can't believe you kept your word, and I can't wait for the future."

Clara smiles, the voice of the pastor slowly fading, watching her brother and best friend finally getting married. Her heart began to beat quickly, seeing Lauren and Nathan exchange their rings, before they slowly leaning in to one another, kissing for the first time as husband and wife. Holding back tears, Clara, along with everyone in the room, began clapping with joy, no dry eye in the room. After a few seconds, Clara moves her eyes to look at Adam, who is staring at her, a smile on his face. Knowing that soon, she and Adam will be sharing that kind of joy, a smile runs across her face, directed at Adam.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Swaying with Hannah, Adam couldn't help but begin to take deep breaths. Clara was helping Lauren in the restroom, so Adam felt it appropriate to let Hannah dance with a partner.

"I want to thank you," Hannah whispers, Adam looking stunned at Hannah. A bright smile on her face, Adam's look of confusion brightens her smile even more, "I don't know how you did it, but you brought back my sister, so I can't thank you enough for that."

A smile runs across Adam's face, before spinning Hannah lightly, before the two of them look at each other once more. Adam's heart kept filling from Hannah's compliment, so he takes a deep breath.

"Well, I have to thank you for sharing her with me," Adam whispers back, "She's my better half, and I can't wait to see what'll happen next."