Coming home was the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life.
Epilogue
JAKE
“Do you want me to ask if anyone has objections to the wedding? It’s not required.”
Katie and I grin with the judge’s question. Nothing is going to stop our marriage. I won’t allow it to. I was always meant to marry this woman.Wewere always meant to be a family. It may have taken us way too long to get to this point but now that we have, I’m never going to take it for granted.
“No one objects,” Mom says, making us all laugh.
We’re at City Hall. It wasn’t the fancy wedding that Katie deserved, but it is what she asked for. After the fiasco of a wedding that she had planned with Jeff, I just want her as my wife legally. She doesn’t know this, but I would have agreed to anything to get my ring on her finger.
“Very well,” the judge laughs. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of God, family, and friends to witness a joyous occasion. It is the union of Jake and Katie in holy matrimony. May I ask, who gives this bride to be married to this man?”
“I do!” Lennon pipes up, his words dripping with pride. We all laugh, but I reach down and ruffle Lennon’s hair. I’m sureparents say it all the time, but I truly do have the most beautiful and smartest son ever born. “Jake is my daddy.”
“I see,” the judge responds, smiling at my boy.
“And this is my mommy. If you hurry and marry them then we can be a family—official like.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep.”
“Then, I guess I better hurry it up,” the judge says, trying to act like he’s being very serious.
“I sure would appreciate it, sir.”
“You must really be excited to have your parents married.”
“Well, I am. I really want all my friends at school to know that my daddy is home now and that he’s never leaving.”
We all look at Lennon as he says that.
I kneel and rub my hands up and down Lennon’s arms. “Hey, you know I’m not going anywhere, don’t you, buddy? Nothing could ever take me away from you and your mommy. I promise.”
“I know, Dad.”
“Then, why are you wanting to rush everything up?” I ask, worried.
“Well, Nanny Barb and Grandma Hazel promised to take me out for ice cream after. So, if we could hurry up, I’d really appreciate it.”
Everyone starts laughing and I shake my head. “You heard the boy, Judge,” I murmur.
“That I did,” he agrees.
I rise back up and hold Katie’s hands as we pledge our lives to one another. It was a long, broken road to get us to this point. Every step of the way was worth it, however, because it led me straight to Katie. I wouldn’t change a thing, because every detour we took prepared us to be the partners that we each needed.
Forever.
Epilogue
KATIE
“Get back in bed, Mrs. Ryan.”
I grin down at Jake. “That’s right, I’m a married woman now,” she laughs, sliding back under the covers.