Page 95 of Say I'm Yours
Trent squeezes my hands, and he clears his throat. My heart pounds as he repeats the same pledge to me. “I, Trent Milton Hennington, take you, Grace Louise Rooney, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part. And long after that.”
I smile through the tears and everyone chuckles.
“I think after a lifetime with you, she should get a free pass,” Wyatt jokes.
“Because you’re a walk in the park?” Angie tosses in.
“Can I kiss her now?” Trent asks The Reverend.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Tennessee, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
“Kiss me, wife,” Trent says as he tugs me against him.
“Whatever you say, husband.”
Our lips touch, and I throw my arms around his neck. I hold on as he kisses me with so much love, I can’t feel the ground. Standing in a hospital room while surrounded by family, I just married my best friend.
I walk around and hug everyone, thanking them for being there as happy tears find their way past my eyelashes. Doctor Halpern urges us all to leave and let Rhett get some sleep. He’s had a very exciting morning, and even though there are a dozen people in his room, his eyes are heavy with sleep.
We head to a small break room that the nurses were nice enough to let us borrow for a few hours. There isn’t any music or decorations, but there is food. Sort of. We have jello, milk, and I don’t even know what kind of pie that’s supposed to be on the table.
This is what I get for tasking Zach and Wyatt with food. It’s not as if Wyatt’s wife owns the bakery in town.
Idiots.
Mrs. Hennington enters the room and heads straight to me. There are tears in her eyes that match my own. “Oh, honey, don’t cry.” She squeezes me in her arms. “You were always my daughter. Even before you loved my son.”
Things between his mother and Trent have remained a little tense. He’s managed to forgive his father, but he’s still holding anger toward her. I, on the other hand, want to hug her. She’s the survival story my sister wasn’t. She fought through abuse, found real love, and gave me my husband.
Her eyes travel to where Trent is standing, talking to my parents.
“You know he’ll come around,” I say as I glance at him.
She waves her hand. “Oh, I know. He’s a stubborn ass, but he needs to be mad at someone, and I’ll be it for now. You know what you got yourself into with marryin’ a Hennington?”
“I think I have a good idea.” I smile.
“I’m glad he has you, honey.”
“I hope I have a sliver of the love you and Rhett have.”
Her eyes turn sad as she looks back at the door. “I don’t know how I’ll live without him. I’ve spent my entire life takin’ care of him. I thought I was prepared, but lookin’ at him today, so weak.” She sighs. “I know that I’ll never be ready to live in a world without him.”
“Did the transfusion help?” I ask with a little hope.
She shakes her head. “It’s like putting bubble gum on a slashed tire. It’s been a lot of patchin’ holes and there’s nothing more we can try.”
“But he looked better today.”
Mrs. Hennington’s voice is filled with despair. “It’s temporary, sugar. He looked better because he’d gotten the blood his body needed, but in a few hours, he’ll be back to the way he was. This was probably the last transfusion he’ll do. He doesn’t want to prolong the process.” A tear falls down her face and she wipes it away. “I’m so sorry I’m talkin’ about this, it’s your weddin’ day.”
“Mrs. H.,” I touch her arm. “I don’t know what to say.”
She touches my face. “First, you call me mama like my other daughters do. Second, you be happy today. Because if you saw the smile on my husband’s face, you would know it was because of you and Trent. He’s wanted to be at his boy’s weddings. And after what occurred the other day, to be his best man, I know it gives him great peace.”
Trent walks over and wraps his arms around my shoulders. “Mama,” he says with restraint.
Macie smiles at her son and touches her throat. “I’m so happy for you, Trent.”
