My hangover fucking sucked. I practically crawled back into the car the following day and almost bribed the driver to carry me back to the house. Alex was waiting for me though, just like he promised, and took one look at my stringy hair and thick sunglasses and laughed. What a prick. I flipped him off and he just pulled me to his side and brought me home.
I slept most of the day away, hoping with every fiber of my being that the circles under my eyes would be mostly gone for the wedding. He and I had left overs together on the couch in relative silence late in the evening with me cuddled up in his lap, watching Survivor reruns.
“Feeling better?” he asked softly. His hand brushed my hair behind my ear and I nodded.
“A little, thank you.” With that I brought his hand to my lips and gave it a chaste kiss. “Less than twenty-four hours now…”
“I know, and I’m going to be gone in the morning, remember.”
I nodded. “I know, but you’re still staying tonight, aren’t you?”
“Of course,” he promised with a kiss to the top of my head. “I would like to go to bed soon though.”
I agreed and we made our way upstairs. The house was weirdly quiet and I knew that was because my family had moved to Iva’s for the meantime, but I kind of missed the chaos that having them here brought. Though I couldn’t deny that I was happy to have some privacy for the two of us again. I was also thrilled that I could safely leave our bedroom door open. No more getting caught in the act of fucking my husband.
Alex went off to get ready for bed and I pulled on one of his sweaters from the dresser. The curtains were still wide open, letting silvery light spill across the floor and create long, spidery shadows while I waited for him to come back. When he did, he was wearing a t-shirt, orange plaid pyjama bottoms, and thin-rimmed black glasses. I held a pillow to my stomach and waited for him to key in the combination on the panel for the curtains to roll down. The moved slowly and smoothly, shutting out the cold light as he made his way over to me.
I had his pillow setup memorized and already had the two pillows he used at the head of the bed set up for him and handed him the other, flatter pillow for his back. He smiled and thanked me as he stretched out and beckoned for me to cuddle up. I laid down beside him with my head on his shoulder and my arm over his stomach, listening to the sound of his slow breathing.
“I’m really excited for tomorrow,” I whispered. “Are you?”
“More than you know,” he whispered back. His hand tightened on mine and he shifted under me, holding me closer. “I love you, glykia mou.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” I kissed his chest and closed my eyes, letting myself drift off to the sound of his heart pounding next to my ear.
The wedding day came with clear skies and the promise of a lifetime together in a way that our elopement didn’t. I stretched languidly against the cotton sheets and groaned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Sun streamed through the windows, warming my skin and waking me up completely. I rolled over and ran my hand along the bed, hoping to find Alex and coming up frustratingly empty. With a sigh, I opened my eyes and gazed out across the room. A rose laid on the night stand, an excited smile broke across my face and I reached for it excitedly.
Tied to the flower with a silk ribbon was a printout of the poem: the modest rose puts forth a thorn, the humble sheep a threatening horn, while the lilly white shall in love delight, nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright. Below it sat a handwritten note from Alex.
This rose has no thorns, just like you. But whether you’re the lily or the rose, I’ll love you all the same.
–Alexander
My throat constricted and I must have read the note a hundred times before I finally set it aside and blotted my tears away. I had to get ready, I had to get to the church. I couldn’t leave my husband waiting at the altar.
After a nice hot shower I put the rose in the freezer to save. Mama came a little while later and picked me up at the pier and brought me to the hotel next to the church. The street outside was filled with balloons and banners and sound of more than a hundred people gathering around the church. I stood in the bridal suite in front of the full-length mirror while I ruffled my hair which was pulled into a half-up-half-down style with two small, loose braids pulling hair away from my face and joined at the clip for my fingertip length veil.
The gown was perfect. The square-neck was low, but not enough to draw attention in the church, and the waist was cut right at my hips, giving me a stunning hourglass figure. My necklace, that I’d spent far too many hours worrying about clashing with the dress, matched the lace pattern on the lower tier and made me look put-together. I looked like a bride.
I was nervous like one too. I wrung my hands together and shifted in front of the mirror, watching the hem of my dress swish as I bounced from foot to foot. I’d already done this; I had stood in front of Alex in a lace skater dress that I bought less than twenty-four hours before we eloped, and yet I couldn’t stop the butterflies in my stomach or the way my heart raced. I’m gonna see him in a real tux! That was enough to make me giggly without anything else.
“You look so beautiful, koritsi mou,” Mama whispered, reaching for my hands. “Let me see you again, turn for me.”
I turned in a slow circle, tentatively reaching for the hem of my veil to steady it. “Is it normal to want to puke?”
“Yes, that’s why I didn’t let you eat breakfast,” she replied with a self-satisfied smirk. “You can have one shot though; it helps calm the nerves.”
I was honestly more worried that a shot would make me puke after lasting this long. She handed me the shooter of limoncello. The bright-green liquid stared back at me ominously and I felt my stomach start to turn. I couldn’t do it. Instead, I set the miniature bottle on the credenza and patted my sweaty palms on my skirts. Mama reached out to touch my arm and I met her gaze reluctantly.
“Are you alright?” she asked quietly.
I nodded. “Can I have a minute alone? I just need some air I think…”
“Of course.” She smiled and tilted her head slightly as her hand ran down my arm. “I’m going to check on everything and I’ll come back for you in a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Mama.”
She blew me a kiss and shut the door behind her, leaving me alone in the bridal suite. Glancing out the window, I could see people gathering around outside of the church in constantly shifting groups as they bounced around. Some I recognized, most I didn’t, but it didn’t matter – this was a community thing, a family ritual, not an event for me. I already had that.
I let the curtain fall shut just as a quiet knock sounded at the door. Is she back already? Without thinking, I crossed the room and opened the door to find a very excited Alex. His eyes were bright, his smile infectious, and his bowtie slightly crooked. And he held a box. Quickly, I pulled him into the room and shut the door, making sure to lock it.
Alex set the box aside and pulled me into his arms. “You look beautiful,” he whispered fiercely, kissing the top of my head as I held onto him.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I scolded. “You’re supposed to wait and meet me at the church…” I trailed off, fighting the way my throat constricted all over again and tears welled in my eyes. He smelled like home and radiated love. I was so glad he came.
He pulled away and kissed my cheek before grabbing the discarded box off the table. “I had some things for you – it’s a tradition,” he explained, lifting the lid.
Ohmigod. I laughed and covered my mouth excitedly. In the box laid a gorgeous pair of white satin pumps with intricate sterling silver vines wrapped around the heel and flanking down the sides of the shoes. Alex smiled faintly and knelt down in front of me. Carefully, he took one foot while I grabbed his shoulder for balance and slipped it on. He trailed his fingers slowly up the back of my calf and pressed fleeting kisses to the side of my knee, working up to the apex of my thighs before repeating it again on the other side.
He didn’t stop at mid-thigh the second time and I sucked in a sharp breath the closer he got to my sex before quickly pushing him away. We’d been caught by more than enough people for my liking, I wasn’t adding my mom to the list.
Alex snickered and pushed himself up. “I’m getting ahead of myself, I just can’t wait to get you on the plane.”
I rolled my eyes and patted his stubble free cheek. “You can wait a few more hours, I’m sure. But thank you, these are gorgeous and the perfect size.”
He grinned and ran his hands down my arm as his gaze swept over me. “Kanavas wasn’t a very good father,” he explained quietly. “But he was good to Ma, and this was one of the many things he did for her that I wished I got the chance to do.”
Oh, Daddy, don’t be upset. I grabbed Alex’s face and leaned up on my tiptoes, determined to show my appreciation with every fibre of my being. “I love you,” I whispered against his lips. “And I can’t tell you how excited I am to marry you – again.”
“Don’t cry, glykia mou,” he pleaded. “Not yet…”
I tried to laugh and blot under my eyes but I was already too far gone. I’m gonna be weepy throughout the entire ceremony now. “I can’t help it,” I whined. “I’m just really happy.”
Alex beamed at me and pulled my hands away from my face. Before I could really register what he was doing, he slipped my wedding and engagement rings off and moved them to my left hand. I frowned at the odd sensation and looked to him for an explanation.
His cheeks reddened and he fumbled to get a box out of his pocket. “Yellow gold is traditional for the ceremony, and I figured that since we were doing two ceremonies, we should have two sets of rings.”
Aw. He opened the box and showed me the two gold bands; they were simple, with embossed stefana crowns on each. He’d really thought of everything. Sniffling, I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder.
“I love you,” I whispered again. I kept repeating it, begging myself not to turn into a blubbering mess and failing miserably.
Alex rubbed my back and nuzzled into my hair, gently soothing me. “I have to go now, glykia mou, but I’ll be waiting for you downstairs. Okay?”
I nodded and reluctantly pulled away. “Promise?”
He grinned as he back away, still holding my hand. “I promise.”
I didn’t want to let him go, but I had to. His hand slipped out of mine and I pressed myself to the door, watching him slowly head back down the hall, glancing back at me every few seconds and waving at me as he rounded the corner. When he was finally gone, I reluctantly closed the door and reached for a fistful of tissues.
My stomach hurt, I felt like I was going to keel over at any moment and the entirely white room that I was standing in was beginning to feel claustrophobic. Mama, where are you? I paced back and forth, listening to my new heels click against the floor with every knee-wobbling step.
It felt like an eternity before she knocked on the door and I threw it open, thankful to have her return.
“Are you ready?” she asked, holding me at arms-length.
I nodded and wiped under my eye again. “I’m ready, let’s do this.”
The old stairs creaked with our weight, I clung to Mama’s arm and wobbled. I would have to convince Alex to get something to eat after this, before the reception, because I was starving now and suddenly doing the ceremony on an empty stomach seemed like a horrible idea.
The doors to the street opened and I was momentarily blinded by the bright sun light streaming down on us. People cheered and I was at a loss for words as Mama let go of my hand and passed me off to a very, very weepy looking Dad. My arm looped through his and we slowly made our way through the crowd. I could see Jazmin standing near the front of the church in a red maxi-dress, she waved eagerly to me and I waved back.
Alex waited at the entrance of the church, holding my bouquet and looking like true royalty in his onyx black tux, meticulously groomed hair, and the glint of the crucifix that peaked out from under his jacket. The world faded away with every step towards him and all I really wanted to do was sprint into his arms. He beamed, and that was all I could see. I rubbed Dad’s arm excitedly and he patted my hand in turn.
It felt like I blinked and suddenly I was standing in front of him, watching as Dad handed me off to the man of my dreams. Alex handed me my bouquet and I glanced down at the arrangement of light pink calla lilies and matching roses. My eyes met his and I noticed his mouth twitch at the corner. Maybe he did have a say in some of the wedding after all, even if Mama swore he wouldn’t.
I leaned into Alex as we made our way down the aisle, people filed in behind us. The domed ceiling of the church was painted a dark, royal blue with holy figures presiding over the pews and the large cross behind the alter. The room was warm and cozy and quickly filled with an impatient buzz as we reached the covered altar.
My hands were clammy and cold, I dug my fingers into Alex’s arm and reluctantly handed off my bouquet to Daphne, who was already waiting for us. Luke stood beside her in a matching grey suite to her grey dress.
The priest stood in front of us, preaching out to the congregation in Greek. I couldn’t understand him right then, but I had been to enough family weddings to know that he was offering us prayers. Afterward, he asked God for a blessing on our rings. He moved back and forth from the two of us three times, once in the name of the Father, then the Son, and then the Holy Spirit.
Unlike our other ceremony, our priest slid the rings onto our fingers himself – onto my right hand, where I had felt oddly light without my other ring. Luke stepped forward afterward and exchanged our rings between us three times as well, a sign that we were one together and imperfect when apart. Each other’s strength. I watched Alex’s face closely as the rings moved between us, feeling like my heart was entwined with his.
The priest was smiling as he read the prayer and smiled in return, stealing quick glances at Alex throughout most of the service, and blatantly staring at him with pure adoration as our rings were exchanged again and we were granted the right to marry in the name of the church and God.
We were handed our candles and one lit between us, and we listened to priest invoke the Holy Trinity and I leaned against Alex for support. I was lost in our own world until the white stefana crowns were placed on our heads and Daphne exchanged them as well, following the same pattern to unite us. Together we drank from the cup offered, presenting us with what would be our first communion.
Eventually the priest took Alex’s hand and he led the two of us around the altar while several hymns were sung. We circled it three times. When we returned to our spots he removed our crowns and implored each of us in turn to not let what God had ordained be torn asunder. There was no kiss, which I already knew, but I still felt like I was kissed when I turned to see Alex and noticed the way he was staring at me. My stomach fluttered and my face heated and I knew I was very obviously blushing when he embraced me and turned to the applauding crowd.
People hounded us for pictures and we were tugged back and forth even while we signed the marriage act. Alex did kiss me then; holding me to him and kissing me until my head was spinning and I had to clutch at his lapels to keep myself standing.
And that was it. We were married again and my parents were sobbing as if they had just been told I had died even though this was very clearly one of the happiest moments of my life, and I had five hundred photos to show for it.
Alex and I managed to escape briefly for a quick bite to eat but I absolutely gorged myself at the reception on lamb and sweets and water. No more alcohol, at least, not for a little while.
Dinner turned to dancing and the sky turned to a beautiful purple-blue with stars just starting to peak out when Alex pulled out onto the dancefloor in the middle of the park. People gathered at the edges, some holding phones, and I could see Kassandra sniffling as she fought with Daphne to get their camera to work. I laughed quietly to myself and let Alex pull me along with him to the centre, under the sheer canopy and surrounded by love.
“Don’t make me look stupid,” I pleaded with him. “You know I can’t dance.”
“If you let me lead then you don’t have to know how to dance,” he replied haughtily. His confidence hadn’t faltered all evening, and he looked exceptionally proud of himself as he spun me around the dancefloor.
My heart skipped a beat as he pulled me to his chest and threaded our fingers together. Muscle memory had me resting my hand on his shoulder and I caught the gentle twinkle of my new wedding ring in the fading light.
“I got your note this morning, the rose.” He spun me in a breathless circle and as I came back to his embrace, I clutched at him frantically. “Alex—”
He pressed his lips to my ear and slowed us almost to a complete stop as the music continued on without us. “My beautiful rose,” he murmured appreciatively. “I won’t let my rose fall in front of everyone, agápi mou.”
My love. I blinked the tears out my eyes and grabbed him, pulling him down for another kiss and not caring one bit about the onlookers. My fingers knotted in his hair and I felt my soul pouring out of me and into him, giving him my all.
When we broke apart his cheeks were wet as well and I choked on a laugh, pressing my forehead to his.
“I love you, baby girl” he whispered as he brushed his thumb across my cheek.
“I love you too, Daddy” I promised.
We held each other there, surrounded by our family and completely lost to the world as we comforted one another. I didn’t know what our next steps would be, but I trusted that wherever we went, we could face anything together.