Page 236 of Solanum

"Ready to give away your greatest treasure?" I whispered against Nora's cheek.

"No." She gulped, meeting my gaze with her glassy eyes. "But I'm ready to expand our family."

"It's a good family," I said, grinning while brushing my nose against hers.

"It's the best and it's ours." Nora smiled, poking my lips before joining Maya at the end of the aisle.

I took my place with Vivian's sister beside the flower-laden arch that led to the garden in Sali's backyard. Dozens of our friends, family, and colleagues gathered around the lawn. All eyes followed Maya and Vivian, escorted by Nora and Vivian's dad, down toward Marita at the front.

I couldn't take my eyes off Nora. Even when she came to stand beside me, I couldn't stop looking at her. We took our seats, and only Maya and Vivian remained by Marita as she began their ceremony.

Nora held my hand in her lap, her chin on my shoulder while she stared at her little cousin. The smile never left her face, and her tears never stopped streaming. I brushed my lips over her cheek as we watched the two of them profess their love in giggly, tear-laden words. Their sweet, young, happy faces told a story different from a lot of us, but the same in so many other ways.

I glanced around at our friends. Anita sat beside Nora, holding her other hand while she wore a broad smile. Maggie and Sali sat, arm in arm as always, both with content grins. Harper leaned against Moreno with Cecilia on her hip and Phoebe standing beside her, her father's hand protectively on her shoulder. Katie and Ben stood beside them with Eliza closest to Phoebe and Olivia looking on with her phone held out in front of her.

Most notably, however, Samirah and Rosie sat together on the other side of Anita. For once, Samirah's expression held no tension while she kissed the back of Rosie's hand. My heart swelled for her and for them.

The ceremony ended in a furor of cheers when Maya and Vivian kissed. The band broke into a heavy beat that did not belong to a standard wedding march. My brows flicked upward when the familiar tunes of a Nirvana song began to take shape. Nora and I shared a glance and burst out laughing.

Maya swept Vivian off her feet before she took a single step and her squeals of delight echoed over the whistles. Flower petals rained down on them as Maya spun her in a full circle, with Vivian arching in an elegant back bend. She caught Maya in a kiss, her palms cupping her face, when she righted herself. They shared soft words, and matching tears.

"You're crying." Nora poked my cheek, her radiant expression beaming.

"Am not." I swiped at my face. "It's raining."

"It's literally sunny, dork." Nora shoved my shoulder and I chuckled. "They're so cute."

"They are. Maya feels like my kid a little…"

"She kind of is." Nora rested her chin on my shoulder again as we gazed at them.

I had no idea when the wedding ended and the dance party began because all of their friends, most of which I didn't know, crowded them and broke out in ridiculous jumping that matched the beat of the 90s ballad.

"Teen Spirit is their wedding song?" I laughed and pulled Nora closer to me, her belly pressed against mine. We somehow tumbled into the crowd of ravers, except we rocked to our own slow rhythm.

"Maya thinks she was born in the wrong decade. I believe her." Nora grinned and laced her fingers behind my neck. "Look at her. So happy. I never thought we'd get here, you know?"

"I know." I stroked her arm with one hand, the other rested on her waist. "But you have. We all have, in our own ways."

"Like Sami and Rosie." Nora grinned when she glanced over at the two of them talking with Maya's work partners. "She found her pretty flower."

"Never thought she would, but always hoped." I kissed the end of her nose.

"Sometimes it just takes time." Nora smiled, her green eyes sparkling like emeralds in contrast with the lavender hue of her dress. "Took us awhile."

"Too long," I said, and she nuzzled my chin, her eyes half-lidded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything." Her gaze returned to mine, and her bottom lip landed between her teeth in the way I adored.

"Do you ever think about this?" I gestured around us. "Wanting to get married?"

"Not really. Do you?" She toyed with the back of my hair, tugging my curls one after the other.

"Mostly when wondering if you would ever want to," I confessed, leaning into her touch.

"In our way, we already are, Car." She smiled when she said it, tilting her head to the side. "It feels that way. We live like we are and share as we are. All I've ever known is you. All I've ever wanted."

"Yeah, Kitten." I held her hand to my face, my thumb brushing over the beads of the bracelet she still wore years later. "Right back at you."

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