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Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives, mine and Jere’s, and I’m so excited about it that I feel like I might burst into a cloud of glitter. How am I supposed to keep all of this happiness inside? My body literally can’t hold all of it. Needing to let some out, I grab the window and grin up at the sun. “We’re getting married!”
I whirl around in my seat and smile even bigger when Jeremiah glances at me and I see how happy he is. Maybe the happiest I've ever seen him. He shakes his head and bites his bottom lip. I want to bite that lip.
“You’re crazy,” he laughs.
“Crazy about you.”
Obviously, seeing as how we’re on our way to the Justice of the Peace at ten o’clock on a random Thursday in July, me in the pretty blue dress Jeremiah loves because it matches his eyes and him in my favorite maroon tie and a light gray suit.
It’s been a whirlwind of a few days. We picked up the marriage certificate on Monday thinking we’d show up at a courthouse somewhere and get married that same day. Neither of us realized there was a waiting period or that we had to have a witness, so our idea of running off together the second we decided kind of fell apart. It gave us three days to figure out who we want our witness to be, though, not that we needed that long.
“Let’s ask Cam,” I said just as Jeremiah said, “Cam Cameron,” and we started laughing. That was easy.
Our families don’t know, Taylor either because of her still being on and off again with Steven, and we’re in no hurry to tell them. They’ll find out soon enough. Today is for us.
Jere gets off the highway in Yarmouth and winds us through the streets to the office of Clarence Freeman, a lawyer who is also a Justice of the Peace that we found online. He looked nice in his picture, comforting, like he’s someone’s grandfather with a warm smile and little round glasses. I loved him instantly.
“In less than an hour, you’ll have a wife,” I say as we pull into the small parking lot outside the Victorian house that doubles as a law office. “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready for you to be my wife. I have been for as long as I’ve known to want one.”
He’s told me this many times before and I still kick my feet and try not to melt every single time. How I’ve managed to hold the heart of the Jeremiah Fisher for most of my life will never make sense to me, but I’m very glad that he’s mine.
“What about you?” he asks. “You ready to have a husband?”
“To have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,” I recite. “But only if he’s you.”
After a lifetime of knowing him and almost as long being able to read his mind, I thought I’d seen all of Jeremiah’s emotions at least once, but the look in his blue, blue eyes right now is new. Our ESP is pulsing with how much he loves me so I wonder if he’s finally letting himself believe that I’ve fully chosen him and this is a forever thing.
Cam sidles up to my side of the Jeep once Jere parks, hands in the pocket of his denim-colored linen suit. “Hello, future Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. That is what you’re going with? Or did you convince Jeremiah to be a Conklin? Conklin-Fisher, maybe?”
I glance at Jere and smile. I’ve always known I’d be a Fisher. It wasn’t even a question that I’d take his last name. “Fisher. Definitely Fisher. Thank you for doing this.”
“Thank you for asking me.” He opens my door and offers his hand. “Allow me, Flavia.”
Clarence, as he instructs us to call him, is just as lovely in person as I’d hoped. Nothing at all like the lawyers Jeremiah has had to deal with regarding his trust. Eyes sparkling, he hugs me and shakes hands with Jeremiah and Cam, then ushers us into a brightly lit room that feels as warm as he is with its wood paneling, brass lamps, and blue and white checkered furniture.
There is a giant vase of yellow and white daisies on the small wooden table by the window that I just know Jeremiah is responsible for. Did he have Cam bring these in ahead of time? The smile they share and the wink he gives me when Clarence positions us in front of it confirms my suspicions.
“There’s just something special about a quiet, more intimate ceremony like this, don’t you think?” Clarence picks up a worn leather folder from the table and nudges his round glasses up his nose. “Marriage is a legal commitment as well as a very personal one. While I imagine plenty of folks have pointed out that you’re only twenty-one, I’ve never believed there’s one ‘right’ age for love. What matters is the choice you’re making—to grow together, to keep choosing each other as you figure life out. Are you ready to make that promise to each other?”
Jere smiles at me. “I am. Bells?”
“Definitely.”
“Well, then. Jeremiah provided a blessing he’d like me to read today. A blessing of the hands, as it were.” He opens the leather folder and pulls out a sheet of paper. “It’s really quite beautiful.”
My mouth pops open. “A blessing?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Jere takes my hands in his, laces our fingers together so that we’re palm to palm, and nods to the justice. “Go ahead.”
“Yes, very good.” Clarence pushes his glasses higher on his nose again, clears his throat, and begins to read. “Jeremiah, Isabel, these are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.”
I’m tearing up before he finishes. “Jere…”
He just smiles and squeezes my fingers.
“These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future,” Clarence continues. “The hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind, and the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and as in today, tears of joy.”
Jere rubs away one that streaks down my cheek with the back of his knuckle. As they stare into mine, his eyes are impossibly blue like they get when he’s going to cry. If he falls apart, I won’t make it. I hold onto his hands tighter like that’ll ground us both.
Clarence turns the sheet over and keeps going. “These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it, and even when wrinkled and aged, these are the hands that will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.” He closes his book and smiles warmly. “A beautiful blessing for a beautiful young couple.”
Oh, God. I’m crying for real now. Jere presses his forehead to mine. “I love you, Bells. Forever.”
“I love you too,” I sniffle and try to dry off my face with my shoulder but it’s no use trying to pull myself together once I realize his eyes are wet. When the first tear streaks down his cheek, I’m done for. So much for getting out of here without ruining my makeup or his gray suit. We’re going to end up in each other’s arms sobbing. Cam will have to get us a wad of paper towels from the restroom down the hall and I’ll need to look up how to get mascara and foundation out of linen.
Like I conjured him, Cam appears at my side with a little package of tissues. “Actually…let me just…” He pulls one out and blots my face dry, hesitates when he glances at Jeremiah, then shrugs and blots his too. Once he’s satisfied, he tucks the tissues into his coat pocket and takes a giant step backward. “Proceed.”
“I love that kid,” Jere whispers under his breath just loud enough for me to hear. The tension falls out of me on a giggle and I clutch his hands to my chest. Can he feel my heart pounding?
Clarence chuckles. “I’m beginning to see why he chose the blessing he did. Let’s continue with the vows, shall we? Who wants to go first?”
“Me,” Jere says immediately. “I’m ready.”
“I’m glad to hear it. That eagerness will serve you well in the future.” Clarence straightens and shifts into a more official-sounding voice. “Jeremiah Fisher, do you take Isabel Conklin to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, honor her, support her, and choose her every day, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” And with how seriously he says it, I don’t even need our ESP to know how much he means it.
“And Isabel, do you take Jeremiah to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, honor him, support him, and choose him every day, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
A smile stretches across my face. “I do.”
“Wonderful. Now the rings, please.”
Cam digs around in his pocket, brow furrowed. Panic washes over me but then he pulls out the rings Jere gave him last night at dinner and holds them up triumphantly. “Got them.”
We have to let go of each other for this part. The justice directs me to slide the thick gold band onto Jere’s finger first, then Jere takes my shaking hand in his and slides my much daintier one into place. The band looks perfect next to the little diamond ring he promised he’d upgrade someday, but I don’t want anything but this. It’s perfect. He’s perfect.
“Jeremiah. Isabel. I am very pleased to say that, with the authority granted to me by Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the—”
Jeremiah hauls me up against him and plants a huge kiss on my lips. I’m laughing before he can pull away which he must take as an invitation because he slips his tongue right into my mouth and kisses me harder.
“Not quite what I meant by eagerness, but this will serve you well too,” Clarence laughs as if I’m not being kissed like Jere’s life depends on it. To Cam, he says, “Thank you for being here to witness this union. I’ll need your signature on the marriage certificate, along with the couple’s.”
That’s enough to jar Jere out of his celebration. The second Cam signs the last letter of his name, Jere grabs the pen and signs his. When he holds it out to me, he winks. “Ready to sign your heart over to me legally, Mrs. Fisher?”
I’ve never signed a document so fast in my life.
“Congratulations,” Clarence proclaims. “You’re officially married in the eyes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I wish you the most blessed life, kids.”
Jeremiah and I grin at each other. His eyes are just as wide as mine. How is this real? I’m someone’s wife now. Jeremiah’s wife. And he’s my husband. What even?
Once we’re back out in the hallway, Jere throws his arm around Cam’s shoulders and squeezes him tight. “Thank you for being here, Cam Cameron.”
“Pleasure’s mine. I’m just surprised it took so long.”
That makes me laugh because I’m pretty sure I know when he figured us out.
I just kind of got a vibe from you guys.
We say our goodbyes to Cam in the parking lot. He has to rush back to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution where he and the WHOI mentor he met during a summer internship there a few years ago are working with some newly discovered deep-sea corals. His hands started waving around excitedly as he told us all about it last night. We’re both so happy for him.
Once it’s just us again, Jere shrugs off his suit jacket and backs me up against the Jeep, an awed sort of satisfaction all over his face. “I can’t believe I get to be your husband.”
I’d tell him how happy I am about it, but I’m too busy kissing the boy I’ve loved all my life who grew up to be the man of my dreams. The real ones.
We eventually make it into the Jeep and up the highway to Cousins. As we wind through town, I lean out the window as much as the seatbelt will let me and inhale the warm, salty air. The ocean, this town, the man beside me, the golden daylight warming my heart and my skin, even this bright red Jeep… I’m home and happy. Truly and completely happy.
Grinning into the sun again, I shout, “I just married Jeremiah Fisher!”
The flock of seagulls hanging out on the side of the bridge flap away in alarm.
Jere laughs and sticks his head out his own window. “And I just married Isabel Fisher!”
Hearing him say the name I’d only ever heard whispered in my dreams out loud winds me up while also melting me completely. I rest my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, can we go home?”
“You don’t want to stop for ice cream anymore?”
I shake my head. There’s something I really need to do and it can’t wait until later like I’d planned.
He slides a hand over my thigh. “Are you okay?”
“Mmm hmm.” I'm afraid I'll blurt it out if I say anything else, so I roll my lips together and sneakily take off my heels.
He gets us there in a hurry. The concern on his face is so worth how quickly it shifts to excitement when I grab his hand and drag him straight from the driveway to the beach path we’ve run down so many times in the twenty one years we’ve been alive.
We come to a breathless stop at the mouth of the path overlooking the ocean. Our ocean.
I lift an eyebrow. “Wanna race?”
“Right now? In your pretty dress?” His gaze trails down my body, pausing in a few of his favorite places.
I nearly let myself sink into the heated way he’s looking at me but no. Giving him a huge smile, I take off running for the water.
He catches me once I’m knee deep and tackles me into the surf. We come up laughing and sputtering and I’m positive my makeup is a mess now but I don’t care. His big blue eyes are full of the same sunshine and love and happiness I feel everywhere. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure he always feels that way.
Instead of splashing around like we’d usually do, he scoops me up into his arms and wades deeper into the water. He keeps an eye on the gentle waves while I watch him. Has there ever been a more beautiful man?
When we’re up to our chests, I shift around and wrap myself around his body. “I love you. I’m so glad we get to do this forever.”
“I love you too,” he murmurs and kisses my forehead. “We were always going to do this forever, though. Married or not. There was never a way around it with us.”
There really wasn’t. Everywhere we go, everything we do, has always led us to the same place. Each other.
He trails his kisses from my forehead to my temple and to my cheek. “I hope you’re ready for this, Bells. I’m a lot to handle. As you know.”
I tip my face up to his, hoping to draw his kisses to my lips where I want them. “Bring it on, sunshine boy. I’ve been training for this our whole lives.”
His warm chuckle ghosting over my mouth makes me suck in a breath, but then I’m airborne and crashing back into the water a few yards away.
“You did not just do that!” I shriek when I surface.
“Oh, I definitely did.” Cracking up, he wades over and helps untangle me from my billowing dress. Then seems to think better of it and starts to strip it up over my head.
I yank it back down. “Jere, no. I don’t have a bra on. We’re in broad daylight!”
He groans and tucks his face into my neck. “Fine. But I really want to make love to my wife right now, so can we please go somewhere I can undress you? Unless…” His hands slide up my thighs to my hips and draw me up against him.
The heat in his voice makes me shiver in the warm water. I know what he’s thinking and this we can do. Unless they have binoculars, the closest person is too far away to be an issue, and besides, I really, really want my husband to make love to me. Why wouldn’t our first time as husband and wife be in the same place we had our first first time?
I reach between us and open his pants, he nudges my panties aside, and then we’re one. In all ways now.
I used to think love would be burning red. But as we slowly move together, Jeremiah watching me with blue eyes that glow with love and passion and promises he’ll keep till the day we die, I know it’s golden, just like him. And I’m never, ever going to look away.