Jingle all the Mitchell Way: a holiday novella(25)

“You know I do. I just can’t believe this is happening,” She said as her parents approached.

I put my arm around Amber, giving her a little push to convince her it was time to get changed.

It was nearly an hour before Reese was ready to come out. While everyone waited they caught up and mingled, none seeming to complain about having to wait before the service could begin.

There was a time when I thought Reese would be my wife; a time where I loved her and promised her forever, but the moment I saw her round the corner in her dress I knew she’d always belonged to Jake. I couldn’t regret the choices we’d all made to get to this point. I would have never met Amber and started a family. We wouldn’t have the perfect life we’d made.

In front of Reese were three beautiful little girls, all in matching dresses, and my expecting wife. She took my breath away as she marched slowly up the aisle, holding a bouquet of winter flowers she’d searched everywhere to have delivered. Sarah, being the oldest of the children, led the twins up the aisle, showing them how to drop the flowers as they went. When they saw me standing next to their uncle Jake, they ran toward us, forgetting all about the task they’d been picked to do. The crowd of family laughed, especially when they wanted to be held by me and my brother. I managed both in each arm, noticing the beads of sweat running down Jake’s head. Uncle Colt leaned forward to speak to just me. “You’ve done good by them, Jax.”

“Thanks.” It meant a lot coming from him. I turned my attention back to Jake, who looked like he was prepared to hand Reese his balls, even though he and I both knew he’d given them to her long before. “You can still back out, bro. Just make a run for it.”

“Shut up, Jax,” He said quietly so only I could hear.

“Seriously,” I added. “Just duck out the side entrance. I’ll tell everyone you left the country. I tell them you were gay and met someone at a rest stop. I’ll say you ran off to the Swiss Alps to adopt orphans and raise sheep.”

“I’m doing this. Shut up, and stop trying to talk me out of it.”

“It’s your funeral.” I felt Uncle Colt kick me to get me to listen.

Jake was ignoring me anyway. The moment he saw her I knew I couldn’t get under his skin. “God, she’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you did this for us.”

“My wife likes happy endings. What can I say?”

“Jaxon Mitchell, you’re in a church!” Uncle Colt reprimanded.

“Fornication is in the bible. I’ve highlighted the good parts just to prove it.”

He rolled his eyes and pretended I didn’t exist.

Jake turned and gave me a look of disapproval. Of course I’d bring sex up while his wife-to-be was walking down the aisle. I peered over at Amber and threw her a wink. I couldn’t wait to take that dress off of her. I also couldn’t wait to share our news, even though I knew we’d have to wait a couple more weeks, just to be on the safe side.

As Reese got closer I could tell she was crying. In front of me I heard a few sniffles coming from my brother. Getting married at the courthouse didn’t make any of this as intense as it felt standing in front of all these people. Jake couldn’t keep it together. The moment their eyes met he was a puddle of tears. I wanted to laugh, to make fun of him for being a *, but I felt my eyes start to sting. I had to look over at Amber to clear my head. My brother was finally getting hitched to Reese. In all honesty, they should have tied the knot before me.

Just as Uncle Colt was about to start the ceremony, Jake turned around to face me; speaking loud enough the whole congregation could hear. “You know, as much as we appreciate you doing this for us, I’ve got to say, it wouldn’t be fair unless you were a part of it too.”

“We are a part of it. It’s exactly how Reese planned it.”

“Jake isn’t talking about our wedding. He’s talking about the one you and Amber never got to have. You went to all this trouble. You brought our families here to share it with us. Why not renew your vows in front of the family? Celebrate alongside of us. Experience what it’s like to have a big wedding. I’m sure Uncle Colt doesn’t mind.”

“As long as Jax behaves himself,” Uncle Colt added with a low snicker. He got a kick out of putting me in line.

“It’s your day,” Amber insisted.

Jake wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Come on, bro. Give the family a good show. Are you really going to miss the opportunity to make out in a church?” Some people laughed, but while a smile formed on my face, my eyes locked onto Amber’s. Then the room began to spin, and my stomach turned with knots. “Want to get married again?” I asked her from afar, sitting one of our daughters down so she could run over to her grandmother.

She nodded happily. “I’d marry you every day if I could, Jax.”

I put my other daughter down, held out my hands and awaited hers to fill them. While we readjusted up at the altar, Jake explained we were just in it for the show. Since we were already married, we wouldn’t need documentation.

Right before Uncle Colt could begin, I stared into my wife’s eyes, our hands still laced together. “Let’s do this shit.”

She looked appalled. “Jax, we’re in a church.”

“Sorry. God is probably saying the same thing. After all, what good is a big wedding without a bigger honeymoon?”