Revolution (Collide, #4)(7)

We wouldn’t lie down. We wouldn't let them rule us and turn us against our kind. We would not be their puppets to our own demise.

This was a revolution, whether the enemy knew it or not.

Amen and Aman



Chapter 3


Sherry



"Friends, acquaintances, family." Pastor looked at his daughter as if she were five years old again. "I just wanted us to take a few minutes to collect our thoughts. I know these minutes are precious for planning our attack, but we need this. Whatever religion you are, whatever you believe in or don't believe in. Whether you believe there's a man who sits in the clouds and watches us like ants or a Heavenly Father, it doesn't matter. We're all the same. We're all human…" His brow lifted as he looked at Jeff, then Merrick. "Of sorts."

"Human works just fine, Pastor," Merrick said and smiled, squeezing my arm. "Go on."

"Ok, well, whatever we are. Humans, angels, aliens, we all have humanity. We all want what's best for this world. We all want to…survive." He looked around at us. "And we need all the help we can get. So I'm going to bow my head and ask the big man to give us a little hand up. You make your own decision as to closing your eyes or not, but you be respectful," he said sternly. He knelt down on one knee and took his hat off. Everyone else followed suit and I wasn't surprised when everyone closed their eyes as we huddled there in the commons room.

"Lord," he started low, "we could sure use your help today. With every conflict comes an opportunity. We can show these devils that we won't be stomped under their feet, but the opposite. We can show them that the human spirit in us all that you created won't be taken so easily. And the Lighters? Well, I think that hell misses their sorry behinds and it's time they went home." I heard a few 'Yeah's and 'Mmhmm's. "Give us strength beyond our bodies, swift and cunning hands, and nimble minds, Father. Amen and Aman!"

"Amen."

And we all opened our eyes and stood. The knot in my throat was smaller at his words, but still lodged and causing my eyes to water a little bit. But then Cain's next words made everything else stop.

"Pastor, uh…" He looked back at Lillian and grinned this smile that said I hope you're ready for this. "Do you think…you could marry us?"

Lillian gasped and covered her mouth. Her eyes instantly watered. Billings grumbled something from the corner about being stuck with one woman forever, but everyone ignored him.

"Right now?" Pastor asked easily and looked at his watch as if the time piece could tell him when the Lighters were coming. "I sure can, lickety-split like."

"Me, too," Jeff called, and took Marissa stunned hand. "Come on, sweetheart. You know you're not getting rid of me. Marry me so Merrick will stop gloating."

Merrick chuckled and squeezed me to him with Lily smooshed between us. Marissa burst wide open, but Jeff just smiled and hugged her to him gently. "Of course I'll marry you, silly!" she said laughing as he palmed her flat belly.

"All right, let's get to it," Pastor said. "We need to get into position outside before they get here."

"Agreed," Miguel said gruffly from the corner and looked at everyone like they were nuts.

Danny stepped up and laughed as he said, "Don't be a stick in the mud, Aussie." He took Celeste's hand and yanked her forward with him. "Marry us, too, Pastor." He looked over at Celeste with a grin. For once, Celeste was speechless except for the surprised smile. "If something were to happen to me, I want to know that I at least got to marry my girl."

Though morbid, his words were the sweetest I'd ever heard out of his mouth. I knew I was beyond shocked when Merrick reached over with a chuckle to close my dropped jaw with his finger.

"Bloody h-" Miguel looked at Lily and rolled his eyes at his inability to curse right then. "Get on with it then. We've got a war to fight, if you all remember?"

"Why don't you just shut it," Rylee barked at him. "This may be all they've got and if they want to be saps, then just let them!"

"Ginger, you almost sound like a sap yourself," he goaded.

She started to unload on him, but her father stopped them. "If we don't get on with it, no one will be getting married, so shut your yaps. If anyone else wants to get hitched, come on up here," he said and laughed as he rubbed his hands together.

Jeff and Marissa, Cain and Lillian, and Danny and Celeste came forward. And Pastor got right down to business. "These folks wanna get hitched. Any objections?" Everyone chuckled, but stayed silent. "All right, men do you wanna marry these gals?"

"Yes," they all answered.

"I do," the pastor prompted.

"I do," they repeated.

"Gals, do you wanna marry these men?"

"I do," they said, but Celeste said, "We do, uh, I mean, I do."

Everyone laughed again as Pastor went on, "By the power invested in me, yada, yada, yada, I now pronounce you men and wives. You may kiss your brides."

They did. Cain held Lillian's face gently, Jeff was still rubbing Marissa's belly and Danny bent Celeste down all Fred Astaire like.

When we stopped clapping and laughing and whistling, reality crashed back down, but it was a lighter load. It seemed that we all had more than one reason to live now. We had more reasons to fight like hell.