Mary and Halley (sequel to When Mary Met Halley)

forty

Seven months later, we stood together on the beach, surrounded by our loved ones. 

Joey had walked me up the sandy aisle, because I didn't really see how it should be my father's privilege, and now he sat with Char and Nate on the enormous blanket we'd rented. The three of them wore identical summer suits in a pastel aquamarine color that matched my soon-to-be-wife's eyes, bow ties accenting them. Our brother Noah was with them, having left NASA to their own devices for the day. 

Nearby were Paramjeet, Gwen, and Ruby, all wearing dresses in our wedding color. My niece and nephews were scattered here and there; my dad, mom, and Leif's mom were amongst the small group behind them, Natasha and Mara included. 

Caleb, of course, hadn't been invited.

Pachelbel's Canon in D, a song both of us loved, played in the background. It was the Fourth of July and the weather was perfect, a cool breeze off the ocean making it just the right temperature. Seagulls rode thermals above us but didn't dare make a mess on our ceremony. Something to do with the threatening air Poe gave off, no doubt. His perch was set up next to the place where I stood, and his cat was rolling around in the sand on leash and harness. It hadn't seemed right to get married without them there. After all, the crow was my best man.

Leif had gotten ordained and now stood before us, his grin as cheery as ever, holding his notebook with its yellow and blue and pink cover. "Queerly beloved," he began, pausing to look out expectantly at the still-murmuring crowd. He winked at me as they quieted, and continued. "We are all lucky to be gathered here today to celebrate the formal union of the greatest romance many of us has ever known, or ever will." 

I barely heard his words, Halley's proximity rendering all my senses weak. She was stunning in her white gown, which was lacier and more fluffy than mine, her makeup accentuating her Disney ocean eyes. She squeezed my hands in hers; cold hands that had always been the opposite of her heart. 

"Traditionally next would come the definition of marriage and love and all that, but those of us who know these two have only to look at them together to see it. I myself had the honor of watching them fall in love, from the first day to the first kiss, and it's a story I'll never tire of telling. Watching destiny unfold is a magical thing indeed."

He could definitely be eloquent when he wanted. And he did tell only facts. 

Hank, just two, grew tired of waiting and toddled over to us. "Annie Hay, pick Hank up," he told her, reaching.

"Oh, you want to get married too?" She hoisted him up and settled him on her hip, darling in his tiny suit. 

"Hank dit m'ay too," he agreed with confidence. "Hi, Annie May!" he said brightly to me. "Hank dit m'ay too."

I kissed his chubby little cheek. 

"All done, eat cake now?" he coaxed us. "All done, Unc'," he included Leif in his repeat. 

"I'm almost done, big guy," Leif assured him. "Let's see, since we don't give an eff if anyone has any objections and the fireworks are about the start, let's move on to the good part. Do you, Tug, swear to take Rapunzel, to have and to hold, for better and worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, in parenting, in love, and in life, never to part?"

I took her free hand again, watching her hair blow, held back by the glittery tiara Char had found. This incredible, amazing love of my life. "I do," I whispered around the sudden lump in my throat. 

His smile widened. "No surprise there. Do you, Rapunzel, swear to take Tug, to have and to hold, for better and worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, in parenting, in love, and in life, never to part?"

She kissed the back of my hand. "I do, so much." 

"Hank do!" the toddler chimed in, beaming as we all laughed. Poe chuckled along with us. PK was busy sharpening his claws on a driftwood log.

"Where is our ring bearer? Ring bearer, your services are required," Leif announced theatrically.

Shiloh jumped to her feet. She hadn't wanted to be a flower girl, and had renounced the tradition of male ring bearers because it was sexist. "Me, it's me, I have them!" she said, holding the little turquoise box up as she neared us. "Here they are," she said breathlessly, offering it carefully in both hands. 

"Thanks, sweetie," I said, accepting it with a hand that wasn't quite still as Halley set Hank down for Shiloh to take with her. I flipped the lid up and we each took one of the white gold rings. "I love you," I told her, holding her eyes with mine, feeling like the luckiest person to have ever existed as we slid them onto each other's fingers. 

"I know," she said, grinning, adorable and mine. "I love you too."

"You may now kiss the bride," Leif told us belatedly as the fireworks overhead began, because we already were, holding each other tight as everyone cheered.

The kiss was majestic and would have lasted even longer than the fifteen seconds it did, but we were interrupted by a frantic voice carrying on the wind to us. "Wait! Stop! Hold on!" 

We broke apart and turned along with everyone else to see none other than Our Ex Caleb, limping as fast as he could toward us in the growing darkness. "What in the actual fuck," I muttered to Halley, more amused than anything else. The crow cawed in annoyance at the intrusion, though he was unperturbed by the booming above.

"Mary! Hal! I just want to--" he started to say, as he attempted to leap across the four-foot wide freshwater trickle that led down to the water. 

Instead he caught his foot on the edge somehow and fell face-first into the soupy mixture of mud and sand. 

"And he deserves no less," my wife said in satisfaction, merriment in her eyes as we laughed helplessly at the sight of him covered in sludge. 

"I got this," Leif told us, kissing me on the forehead and doing the same to Halley. "Welcome to the family, Rapunzel. Again. Still. We love you." He took off across the sand to detour his twin.

We kissed again. "What's on head radio?" she asked, smoothing a strand of hair off my cheek.

I tuned in. Look inside your heart and you'll find love, love, love, love love. "I'm Yours," I answered, the truest words ever spoken.

And we lived happily ever after.

THE END

October 19, 2018 - August 30, 2020  

a/n Holy shit!!! One of the only good things to come out of this year y'all! I can't believe this book is finally done. It's shorter than the first one but still pretty long at around 75k words, and I may add a chapter here or there at some point. It feels so good to wrap this up, thank you for ALL of the support and encouragement along the way and I'm sorry it's taken so long! I appreciate everyone for reading and hanging in there to hear Mary and Halley's story. It never would have happened without everyone loving them so much. <33

Look for my  my newest book now on my profile, Love and Other Magical Adventures, which I will be updating regularly as it's nearly complete!