It Begins With Us

46.

"Henry." Mama smiles down at him and gives him an encouraging and gentle push forward.

"Here you go." He says with his sweet soft voice, holding up the ring.

I fall to my knees in front of him and pull him into tight hug.

"I love you." I whisper to him over and over in his ear and he stands unsure, in my embrace. "Thank you." I breathe in deeply and pull away.

I delicately take the ring from his small fingers and the sight of his small hand against mine sends another wave of longing through me. I put my hand up, palm facing him, and he places his palm against mine. I lace our fingers and stand up. 

I'm sure everyone just thinks I'm being emotional because it's my wedding day, if only they knew.

"Thank you." I whisper again and turn around my fingers interlocked tightly with his. Ryle watches me with a melancholic gaze and I shake my head.

"I'm happy, so happy." I start. "I want to you to know, and always remember that somewhere out there, there is an Alba. She will be crazy in love with you. She might not know your name, or even have met you yet, but one day, everything of her's, it will all lead to loving you. So much so that when she finally meet's you, at a hockey game, she'll know instantly." I say and reach out for Ryle's hand with my empty hand. "Alba will know, that Ryle is the one and only for her."

He steps closer to me, comforting me, as I slip the ring onto his finger.

"Thank you." He whispers to me as he leans in and presses his lips to mine and the crowd goes crazy again.

"I love you." We whisper at once, our declaration of love reaching only one another under the cheers of the guests.

We turn to face the people and smile. At the very back, behind the aisles of unknowing and happy people, in the shadows of the cottage, is Henry, the little boy who'd slipped out of my grasp. He sees me, smiles a nervous smile and raises his hand awkwardly. I smile back, and lift my hand to wave goodbye, but then in a the blink of an eye, I'm a single goodbye too late.

-

"We should get going." Mama says to Kimy and Kimy smirks.

"Yeah, yeah." Kimy giggles and gets up.

I go a deep red and Ryle laughs.

"You never learn, do you Kimy?" Ryle teases and Kimy brushes him off and quickly rushes over to tell Marshall and Alyssa that they're ready to go.

I turn back to Mama and wrap my arms around her.

"I love you." I say dejectedly. "I love you more." She replies with a sigh.

'I love you most.' It's almost like we could hear his voice. We pull away and quickly rub our tears away.

"You two sure like to cry." Ryle says softly and Mama huffs.

She stands up and walks over to Kimy who's laughing as she's helped into her coat by Marshall. Once he's done with Kimy, Marshall helps Mama into her coat as well. Ryle walks over and wraps Kimy in a hug.

"See you later babe." He smiles down at her and she blushes and pulls away.

"Kimy, stop flirting with my son-in-law, and get in the car." Mama rolls her eyes and Kimy gives Ryle a pat on the cheek and saunters out with Marshall.

I grab onto Mama and help her down the steps and into the dark night. Ryle walks alongside us to the lit car piled with Alyssa, Rylee, Emmy, Kimmy, and Marshall. I help Mama in and Ryle waits patiently beside me.

"Here let me." He says reaching past me to get Mama's belt for her. She tries to protest but he refuses to let go and pulls her belt over her chest anyway "You're an old lady now Clare, don't push yourself." Ryle teases and she goes red in the face.

"You're an old lady." Mama mumbles picking at her belt.

"If you say so. Take me out for Bingo some time?" Ryle smile just as he buckles her in sneaking in a quick peck to her forehead, I wouldn't have even noticed if I wasn't standing at just the right angle. "Take care of yourself."

Mama grunts and Ryle securely slams the door shut. The window rolls down and they wave as Marshall drives off.

"I saw that." I say with an accusing tone and Ryle shrugs.

"What do you mean?" He asks nonchalantly sidling up to me and pulling me flush against him.

"You kissed her." I smile and he rolls his eyes.

"No," he clicks his tongue, "my lips bumped into her forehead."

I laugh and he grins down at me.

"And they're about to do it again. With your lips." He murmurs and leans down.

I smile and tip toe to meet him halfway. We kiss in the chilly night and then pull apart, breathless and flushed.

"We need to go in, now." Ryle mutters pulling away and grabbing me by the hand.

"Wha-?" I gasp, registering the numbness in my face.

"We need to go in before we freeze, and before I go crazy." He grumbles, pulling me into the cottage and slamming the door shut.

He presses my back against the door and kisses me as his hands roam around, clicking locks. We stumble towards the room occupied with one another. Ryle lifts me onto the bed and his hand goes up my dress, sliding against my smooth thighs.

"I have to get this off." He mumbles, his lips rubbing against mine as his hands fumble with the back of my dress.

"Then take it off." I laugh and he clicks his tongue and my first button snaps open.

"Patients babe, not like we'll be doing anything else for the next week." He smirks against me and my second and third buttons snap open.

"Still, hurry up." I mutter. "I've been waiting all day."

"So eager, for what?" He asks pulling away and smirking down at me.

Three more buttons.

"For you." I whisper my fingers digging into his biceps.

One more button.

"Here I am." He whispers coming back down for a kiss.

No more buttons.