Page 105 of Royal Beast
I nod. “Let’s go home,” I say, scooping our daughter up. Darcy takes my hand, and the three of us leave, closing the chapter on this bittersweet day.
49
DARCY
It’s been a few weeks since Max’s funeral, but it still feels like a part of me is stuck in the deep weight of loss I haven’t quite shaken. Sometimes, I find myself just staring at nothing, feeling like I’ve left some part of me behind, buried with him. It’s strange. I thought, after everything, I’d be moving forward by now, but it’s taken me longer to get going, the ache that settled deep inside after the funeral refusing to go away.
But I am moving forward, little by little. And maybe that’s the only way to do it, with slow, gradual steps, one after the other.
I’ve started working on something that’s helping, something that’s pulling me out of the fog, even if just for a little while each day. It’s the book that I discussed with Miranda. The idea came to me one day after watching an old video of Rose playing with Max on the living room floor. Something about that sparked an idea inside me.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. And the story just came to me, the idea of a girl and her grandpa and their adventures together. It’s not about Max and Rose specifically, but it is about a bond between a little girl and the grandfather who loves her.
It’s not perfect yet, but when I sit down at my desk, the words flow easier than I expect. I imagine the little girl, her face bright with curiosity, following her grandpa on adventures, discovering the world through his eyes. I think about how Max might’ve been that grandfather if things had been different.
A few weeks pass, and the grief is still there, lingering like a heavy weight on my chest. But with time, I’ve started to breathe a little easier, to find moments where I can let go of the sadness, even if just for a second. And I think, deep down, that Kellan has been feeling the same way. The loss of Max has left a hole in both of our lives, but it’s also brought us closer together. There’s a quiet understanding between us now—something unspoken, something solid that wasn’t there before.
One afternoon, as we sit together on the couch, Rose curled up between us with her favorite book, the thought pops into my mind, so unexpected it takes me a moment to process it. “Kellan,” I say softly, my voice catching slightly in the stillness of the room, “do you ever think about… us? About our wedding?”
He glances down at me, a curious look in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
I bite my lip, glancing down at Rose before meeting his gaze again. “We never really had a real wedding. Just a courthouse ceremony, no guests, no celebration. We never did any of the things people do when they get married. And I think I want that. A real wedding. A proper ceremony.”
He’s quiet for a moment, then leans in and presses a soft kiss to the top of my head. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll do it. We’ll have a ceremony. We’ll do everything right this time.”
I smile at him, feeling a flutter of warmth in my chest. “I want it to be special, Kellan. I want to share it with the people we love. I want to say those vows again, but this time, we know we’ll mean it.”
Kellan pulls back, his hand gently resting on my knee. His expression softens, and I can see the sincerity in his eyes. “I want that as well. We’ll do it together, stand up there and tell the world how much we love each other.”
And just like that, it feels like a weight lifts off my shoulders. The idea of starting over in a way feels right. There’s something about renewing our vows that brings me peace. It’s like a promise that no matter what comes next, we’re in this together.
We start making plans, not wasting any time. We find a small venue for the ceremony and when we discuss the reception, we agree that we want to have it at the pub where we first met. It’s where our story began and it just feels right to celebrate our love there.
The thought of walking down that aisle with Kellan waiting at the end has me walking on air as I start planning things. The idea of having everyone there to witness this new beginning makes my heart swell. I bring Rose into the fray, and she joins enthusiastically.
She’s already picked out a dress, insisting on something sparkly because she’s going to be the “princess of the day”. I take her dress shopping with me, and she also helps me pick out the cake flavors and the centerpieces. The girl has an artistic flair that cannot be denied.
The days pass and the wedding comes closer. I can feel the excitement bubbling inside me. Clary helps me, as does Alannah, and I feel like I’m starting to be welcomed into the Brannagan family’s fold.
The day of our wedding arrives, and it’s a blur. Everything falls into place so quickly, and it’s almost as if the universe conspired to make it all happen without a hitch. The ceremony is intimate and beautiful, just the way I imagined it.
“I, Darcy Brannagan, take you, Kellan Brannagan as my lawfully wedded husband,” I recite. “Again,” I add, a cheeky grin on my face.
Kellan’s eyes light up in amusement, and he squeezes my hands as he recites his own vows. It feels so much more special this time because this time, it’s real.
The ceremony feels like it lasts only a few moments, but as we’re pronounced husband and wife again, the joy is infectious. We walk back down the aisle together, barely able to contain our excitement.
Once we’re done, we head for the reception at the pub. I was most excited about this part of the day, eager to celebrate with all the new family and friends I’ve made who care about us. The pub feels like home. The music, the laughter, the familiar faces—all of it brings back memories of when Kellan and I first met, of when this all began.
Everyone is in high spirits, and Rose is dancing around, enjoying being the center of attention. I’m overwhelmed with so much love and gratitude as I take in all the people here celebrating with us.
As the night continues on, Kellan keeps an arm around me, and I smile up at him, feeling the warmth of his presence. We dance together, swaying to the beat of a fun, upbeat song when I glance over and something catches my eye.
Clary and Rory are dancing together.
I nudge Kellan, nodding subtly toward them. “Do you see that?” I murmur, my voice low. “Clary and Rory are acting kind of flirty with each other.”
Kellan glances over and raises an eyebrow. “You think?” He watches them for a moment before shrugging. “Probably just the alcohol talking. Rory’s not the type to mix business with pleasure.”
