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Fireflies fluttered in his stomach, pinpricks of heat against his skin. The warmth felt like a live wire in his chest, both grounding him and making him jitter. It was anxiety and happiness and fear and love, all wrapped up and screeching through his veins at a million miles an hour. Luke wasn’t sure he’d survive the next hour just waiting.
“Nope.” Alex spoke from where he was standing, back turned to Luke as he adjusted Reggie’s stupid corgi bow tie for the hundredth time.
“I didn’t say anything.” Luke muttered, returning to the circling he’d been doing. He refused to pace, if only to spite Alex and his own anxious habits.
“Don’t need to. I can feel you vibrating from here.” Alex turned, facing his friend now. “Relax, man. This is your day.”
“And nothing’s gonna happen! You and Julie love each other!” Reggie added, grinning as he reached up and tugged at the bow tie, thus ruining its placement for the fifth time in as many minutes.
“I know we love each other, Reg. Doesn’t make vowing for eternity in front of a hundred people any less terrifying!”
“It’s not eternity. Just until you die.” Alex reminded deadpan, the look in his eyes showing how over this he was. He loved Luke, but god was his friend stupid sometimes.
“Asshole.” Luke growled, but he was all but pouting.
“You need to relax or you’ll sweat through your suit and Julie will punch you in the kidney.” Alex strutted over and gripped his friend’s shoulders, hands grounding the boxer. “It’s going to be okay. She loves you, you’ll forget everyone else when you look into her eyes, and in like two hours you can eat chicken and drink too much champagne and you’ll never feel this nervous again.”
Luke inhaled slowly, pushing the breath back out through his nostrils just like Alex had always taught him. “Yeah...Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Oh, I’m always right.” Alex smirked and then jerked his head towards the back door of the room they were in. “Go for a walk, man. Just don’t go too far.”
Luke nodded and he headed out. A walk would be good. It would clear his head a bit. Heading down the sidewalk, steering clear of the busy area where he’d be heading in less than an hour. God, he was getting married.
Unable to help it, he grinned to himself as he headed towards the street in front of the venue, planning to head down to the little shop off to the side and wander inside in the air conditioning for a bit. He was marrying the love of his life and everything was perfect. Life was looking up.
Since the proposal just about two years had passed. A long engagement, for sure, but they’d wanted to take it slow and plan the perfect day. Also, they’d sort of taken to spending their days away from fighting hanging out with Reggie and the twins he’d adopted not long after starting his full time job as a social worker. Being godparents was the highlight of their free time. Plus, as Luke was constantly reminded, he could happily hand the tykes back to Reggie whenever he needed to. It was nice, not having that responsibility just yet. Even nearing the end of his twenties, Luke just wasn’t ready yet. He was more than happy to wait, win a few more championship titles, and be happy with his girl with no other worries.
Luke was nearly to the shop, humming softly, when he caught sight of her. Just greying hair and that dumb, hand-knitted cardigan that she’d made with birds down the arms, but Luke knew instantly. Spinning on his heel, he tried to get away, tried to save himself from what he knew would come if she saw him herself. But nope. He’d never really been that lucky.
“Luke!” Her voice was thinning in old age, but she rushed towards him, grinning widely behind blush colored lips.
Inhaling slowly, letting the fire ease its way through his limbs, Luke turned. “Mother.”
Her eyes scoured over him, searching for something she’d likely never find, before settling back on his face. “Darling, you look lovely! Did you get a job down here at the country club?”
Of course. Of course Emily would assume the suit was for a job. He hated the stupid outfits, was only wearing it for the ceremony anyways, but why would she know that? It’s not like she knew a single thing about the son she’d birthed.
“No. I’m getting married.” His words were clipped, lava melting from his mouth, scorching his tongue as he did his best to keep it in check. He would not repeat last time. Not today.
“Oh! To who?” Emily asked, eyes weary. Maybe she was learning.
“Julie.”
“Oh…her…” Emily paused, face suddenly crumpling like paper. Luke didn’t bother to brace himself. He knew what was coming. “Luke...You didn’t even invite your parents?”
Luke shrugged. “No need for you to be there. We have no relationship. Honestly, I’m not sure why I’m even talking to you right now.”
“Lucas!” Emily looked shocked, pure and simple. Though it was an act. Always an act. Emily only ever played her part and pushed Luke to do the same.
“Not my name. My name is Luke. ” He crossed his arms against the fire snarling against his rib cage. He could control this. “Anyway, I’m not wrong. And even if I was, I don’t want you there and neither does Julie. So you weren’t invited then and you won’t be now.”
“I-I…” Emily trailed off, appalled at her son’s behavior. But Luke bit his tongue so he wouldn’t grin at it. It was nice, seeing her be the one that was slapped in the face for a change.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be going.” Luke turned and began the walk back, keeping his steps as even as possible. He wasn’t running from her, just standing his ground. This was a boundary and she wouldn’t be crossing it..not this time.
“Luke!” Emily yelled, the name sounding foreign with her anger. She caught up quickly and stood in front of him, planting herself in his path. “You will not walk away from me, young man!”
“Not really that young, but thanks for the compliment. Nice to know my good looks haven’t faded.” He remarked dryly, kindling burning up with his words.
“You are acting like a fool! Ever since you met those boys and started that ridiculous band you’ve gone off the deep end! I thought that was the worst thing you’d ever do. Then you ran off from home and started all those nasty fights! I never understood where I went wrong with you, where I messed up so badly that you became...this.” Her arms gestured to his body, as if it would help him to better picture the mess she regretted making.
Luke shrugged, not yet bothered by her words. The fire was beating against his skin, but he had control of it, and he didn’t care. Her words couldn’t affect him anymore. It took years to unlearn all that Emily had taught him...But Luke wouldn’t allow a few seconds to tear all that down.
“But now...Now I can see. I let you hang out with those boys for too long and they brainwashed you. I’m lucky you even managed to stick with the right gender! But this has gone on long enough. It’s absurd. If you don’t stop this ludicracy, I will make you.”
“And how do you plan to do that, Emily?” Fire burned into his words, lashing his tongue and branding his tastebuds with anger he’d long since held back. “I’m an adult. I make my own money, which is more than I would ever have made in any of the dumb careers you wanted me to have. I have a home with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met. I have a family who loves me. A family that doesn’t include you. Never has and never will.”
A new voice spoke up from behind him, a hand slipping into his. “A family that will happily fight tooth and nail to make sure he knows his worth.”
Firecrackers blasted in Luke’s gut and the fireflies rejoined the mix, bouncing around his veins and his skull with blinding lights and dim softness. They felt like home. Julie was home.
“Oh. So you must be the tramp Luke is marrying.” Emily sneered the words, looking over the girl in front of her.
Julie’s dress was knee length, an iridescent purple that made the streaks of blue braided into her hair stand out in the best way. She had subtle makeup, just enough red on her lips for Luke to know he’d be stained in all the photos. Never once had she looked more angelic than she did when she was delivering hits in the ring, but in this moment, Luke could swear she was a goddess sent to him as an apology for all he’d grown up with.
“Yup. I’m the tramp.” Julie smirked, false sweetness clinging to the edges of her lips. “But here’s the thing, Emily… It doesn’t matter what you say to me or what you say to Luke. Nothing changes the situation. I love him. He loves me. And we’re going to get married in front of that beautiful lake under an arch of fairy lights and flowers. Then, I’m going to shove your son underwater and we’re all going to have a grand time swimming in formal outfits until dinners ready. And you’re not invited.
Julie paused to consider that for a moment, but Luke spoke, voice echoing her thoughts. “More than that. You won’t even be a flicker in our minds. Because you have no place in our lives.”
Julie grinned at Luke and he smiled right back, the blaze running up to his cheeks as she squeezed his hand.
Emily was sputtering wildly, trying to form some thought to express her emotions. But it didn’t matter. Because neither of the two people in front of her cared to listen.
“One last thing.” Julie smiled again, that devious false sincerity slipping back into place. “If you bother to speak to my husband again, or even try to reach out if we happen to cross paths again, I will happily report you for harassment!” With that, Julie spun, braids actually smacking Emily across her face.
“Let’s go, Luke. We’ve got vows to say and cake to eat.”
Luke grinned, following along beside his Angel as she all but skipped back to the venue. “Hey, Jules?”
“Hm?”
“I really fucking love you.”
With a twinkle in her eyes that mirrored the flames Luke could feel coating him in warmth, Julie smiled softly back at him. “I know.”