Page 123 of This Memory
Harper walked over and placed a hand on my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yep,” I replied, gently pushing her hand away.
The sound of someone running down the hall in heels had us all looking toward the door. Aurora came skidding into the room and smacked right into Pastor Mike.
“Oh my gosh, forgive me, Father!”
The corners of his mouth twitched, and he cleared his throat. “It’s just pastor.”
Aurora made the sign of the cross. “Oh right, I’m so sorry, forgive me again. I haven’t been to church in a long time. I still remember the Act of Contrition, though! I thought you were all fathers.”
Pastor Mike blinked a few times and looked at James, who simply shrugged. When he looked back at Aurora, he said, “I’m not a Catholic priest.”
Her face turned bright red, and she looked away. Then she said, “I thought we lost our priest, Father. No—I mean, thepastor, but I see you’re just here.” She glanced around the room. “Wait, why is everyone in here?”
“We need to get married now and we can’t wait any longer. Someone go get our parents, Cadie, and whoever else is missing.”
Gavin walked over to me. “Brystol, why do we have to get married in the dressing room?”
I drew in a calming breath as another contraction started. I grabbed Gavin’s hand and squeezed—hard.
“Um…Bry…my hand. Baby, you’re going to break my hand!”
Remembering my Lamaze, I started to do my breathing exercises.
“Holy shit!” Harper cried out. “Sorry, Father! I mean, Pastor! She’s in labor.”
I tapped my nose and pointed to Harper. “Water. Broke.”
Suddenly, the room turned chaotic. James ran out, saying something about our parents. Aurora kicked off her heels and ran, Harper hot on her tail, both of them screaming Cadie’s name.
Gavin helped me to sit back down.
“That’s it, baby! Just breathe through it.”
“Should I leave?” Pastor Mike asked.
“No!” I cried out. “Just start with the vows. The condensed version, please.”
He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “How far apart are the contractions…?”
“Fifteen minutes. Go!” I shouted.
He jumped slightly then hurried over to us. “Okay, condensed version. Shit!”
Gavin and I both snapped our heads up to gape at him.
“Sorry. I’m nervous. Okay, um…so repeat after me. I, Gavin, take you, Brystol, to be my wife.”
Gavin repeated the vows.
“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”
Gavin looked at Pastor Mike. “I can’t remember a damn thing you just said.”
“Just say I do!” I cried out.
“That’s not what he’s supposed to say next.”
