Page 16

Axell

I’m standing with my brothers in a circle waiting for the girls to arrive.

Ace is the only one missing since he’s waiting at the altar for Kynlee.

The limo pulls up and the girls start to file out.

You would think that after all this time I’d be used to Sadie’s beauty but I’m not.

Her beauty still pulls me and takes my breath away.

I don’t know who I would have been or where I would be if it hadn’t been for her coming into my life, but I’m glad I didn’t have to find out.

I take in her lean legs in the high-low dress Kynlee picked out.

The heels remind me of those shoes from Wizard of Oz .

I love Sadie in red, I always have. Her hair is swept up and away from her neck and face with the exception of a few loose strands.

She smiles when she sees me, and it almost feels like our wedding all over again.

Seeing the bouquet of red and white roses brings the memory back.

Sadie and I were finally doing it. We were getting married and it was about damn time.

We had been saying for years that when the time was right, we would get married.

Then we realized that if we kept saying that there’d never be a right time, so we picked a date a month ago and planned the damn thing.

Sadie wanted small and, in the park, where I first brought her to.

It had a tiny worn gazebo and that’s where we would stand and say our long overdue vows.

Only our closest friends and family were here.

I hadn’t been sure what to wear so Sadie had picked out my outfit.

It was simple just like me, but I was worried that I would be underdressed compared to her.

The simple navy slacks and baby blue button up shirt seemed dressed up for me on most days.

However, today is far from most days. Today, Sadie will walk down an aisle in a white dress and take my name.

She will no longer be Sadie Rogers, she’ll be Sadie James.

Just like she should have been so long ago.

Lyndsay, Londynn, and Kynlee had decorated the gazebo for us and made sure the aisle was created.

Seth would be walking Sadie down the makeshift aisle.

Sadie’s dad was out of town on work, but he already considered us married so he told us not to postpone it until he could be here.

There were white and blue hydrangeas bordering the entire railing of the gazebo.

They were also tied to each chair at the end of the row and linked together with ribbon.

I knew Sadie would love it. They were her favorite flowers.

I sent Lyndsay with the necklace I bought for Sadie to celebrate this day. It was a white gold, three drop diamond necklace to symbolize our past, present, and future. I was hoping she’d like it.

My palms were sweating not because I wasn’t sure about marrying Sadie, but because I was worried about her realizing she deserved better than me.

Way before I was ready it was time for me to take my place.

I stood there and waited until I saw Sadie.

She was breathtaking. She looked like an angel in her white dress.

It was lace and fell off her shoulders. I could see the necklace around her neck from here.

Her hair was left down and simple with a blue and white flower crown.

As she approached me the world fell away.

My palms dried, and I let the air I had been holding out.

She was perfection, my perfection. She saved me before I ever knew I needed saving.

She loved me when I was convinced, I’d never need anyone.

She showed me light out of the darkness.

She showed me it was okay to be weak because she’d be my strength in those moments.

She taught me everything I know about love.

I want to make her smile like this every day for the rest of her life.

When she took my hand and stepped in front of me nothing ever felt more right in this messed up world.

We said our vows, we exchanged our rings, and we kissed to seal the deal but in the end none of that mattered.

That piece of paper that came with marriage didn’t change us.

Sadie had been it for me from the moment I met her.

Sadie had been my wife since the moment she moved into our house and took on a role she never had to.

The only thing that piece of paper gave us was Sadie legally having my last name.

After the ceremony we had a small reception at JamesTown. We ate, drank, sang, and danced and I fell more in love with Sadie in every moment of it.

Sadie approaches me with a smile. “Hey hot stuff,” she says with a laugh. Once she’s close enough she reaches over and pulls me toward her. “I love this on you.”

I chuckle. “I love you,” I tell her before pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “By the way I like the hair.”

She beams at me. “Good, I was worried you wouldn’t.”

I caress her cheek. “You shouldn’t worry. I always love everything about you.” She tilts her head into my hand and I notice the flash of sadness in her eyes and the heavy sigh, but before I can ask about it we are being ushered to take our spots.

Sadie wobbles and I reach out to catch her. These heels that she has on and this sand do not go together. “These damn shoes,” she whispers.

I nod then turn around toward Kynlee. “These shoes are not going to work very well in this sand.”

“I’m noticing that. What if the girls take them off and the guys carry them?”

We all nod in agreement. The girl’s hurriedly slip their shoes off and hand them over.

I often find myself forgetting how short Sadie really is next to me.

She’s always been one of those girls that loved heels and wedges and at 5’1” she liked the extra height.

The only time she wears flats is when she’s heading to work.

The song that Ace and Kynlee love by In This Moment starts to play and we begin to walk down the aisle.

I smile at Ace as we approach him, but he surprises me as he steps forward and hugs both Sadie and I.

He whispers, “Thanks” before taking his spot back.

I see unshed tears shining in Sadie’s eyes.

Once we are in front of our designated chairs Kynlee begins to walk down.

I see the love shining in her eyes as she takes in Ace.

Quickly, I look over to my little brother and see the same look in his.

It fills me with so much pride to see him in this moment, to be able to be a part of this moment.

I’m so glad that Ace was able to see Kynlee for the amazing girl she was and really give her a chance. He deserves this.

Once Kynlee reaches Ace, I see them both wiping escaped tears from their eyes.

We all take our seats. I hear Sadie sniffling and when I look over, I see her crying as well.

I fish out the travel pack of Kleenex I stashed in my pocket because I knew Sadie would get emotional.

I find them and hand one to her. She smiles gratefully at me and I reach over and take her hand in mine.

The music fades away and Kynlee passes her bouquet to Kenndrix.

Jaxx, one of Ace’s best friends, is actually officiating the wedding.

He became ordained online, apparently. He begins the ceremony and, in this moment, a perfect calm washes over the beach.

Lazy waves slowly crash into the shore but other than that the weather is beautiful.

The sun is setting behind Ace and Kynlee and I can’t help but feel at peace with everything.

I truly feel like our parents are here watching this somehow.

Kynlee starts with her vows first. “Ace, we have been through so much that I wasn’t sure where to begin.

You were the cool boy in school. The one that acted like he didn’t have a care in the world, that had the cool car and swagger,” we all laugh at that, “I was instantly drawn to you. I remember having such a crush on you. I’d walk through the school parking lot just to see you.

Which was totally out of my way since I rode the bus.

Then I moved but no matter the distance I always wondered about the elusive Ace James.

When I first got back to L.A. I knew I had to go to the races, to see you if nothing else.

There you were all rebel without a cause, tattoos and cool car.

The only difference was that I saw the broken in you.

You’re broken called out to my broken. Somewhere along the way our broken pieces came together to complete the puzzle.

We broke every limit we had. We crossed every boundary we set.

We broke all the rules and it was so worth it.

I’d go through it all again if it meant I got to be here with you right now, in this moment.

I won’t lie there was a time I never thought I’d get this future with you but then you surprised me, like you always do, you went and broke every single limit, boundary, rule, and expectation and made me the happiest and luckiest girl in the world.

I couldn’t have a happily ever after if it wasn’t with you. I love you Ace.”

By the time Kynlee is done with her vows there’s not a dry eye in the house. Even I have tears prickling at the back of my eyes. Sadie’s hold on my hand has tightened. When I look over at her I see her tearstained face. Instantly, I grab her another Kleenex.

Kynlee slips Ace’s ring on his finger but not before she stops, looking at his finger as confusion washes over her face. “What?” Ace smiles and shrugs. Kynlee beams at him, finishes slipping the ring on, then jumps into his arms to kiss him.

Jaxx clears his throat. “Whoa! Not yet!”