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She bit her lip. “Well, is he?”
“Nooo, he’s not. Adam wanted this child. I mean, it wasn’t supposed to happen this fast, but we knew we wanted a family from the beginning.”
“But what happened to your IUD?”
“I had it removed.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I was going to, but I didn’t want to take attention away from your wedding in August and I knew you would be hoping for us to be pregnant at the same time.”
Faith looked beautiful, her cheeks red and her eyes bright with happiness. “I can’t believe we said we would have a double wedding and our children would be best friends, and now it’s happening!”
“Kinda – I mean, our weddings are three weeks apart and there’s no guarantee our kids will be best friends, is there?”
“Of course they will. We’ll just force them to,” Faith stated and winked.
“Hey, girls,” our father’s voice interrupted us from the doorway. “Mom sent me here; it’s almost time for the ceremony to start.”
“I love you, sis.” Faith gave me a quick peck on the cheek before she ran back to join the others.
My father stepped into the room and was clearly emotional as he reached his hands out to me.
“What happened to asking your father’s permission?” he said with a smile.
“I knew what your answer would be, and I couldn’t ask you to keep it a secret from Mom and Faith.”
“Why did it have to be a secret?”
“Because they’re already stressed about Faith’s wedding. They would have felt obligated to throw a bridal shower for me and participate in the planning. This was just easier for everybody.”
He chuckled and pulled me in for a warm hug. “I always imagined your wedding would be a huge media event with cameras everywhere, but Adam’s friend just now went around with a bucket and insisted everyone drop their cell phones in it.”
“I know. There’s only going to be one photographer and those pictures will be ours.”
“We can have a few, can’t we, Mom and me?”
“Of course.” I kissed his cheek. “Are you ready to give me away?”
With my arm in his, we walked out of the house and toward the group, who were now standing in a half circle down by the water.
The sunset was a breathtaking backdrop to where Adam stood alongside the older man I knew as Chief Aaron, who would perform the ceremony.
I wasn’t sure if it was the rhythmic beat of the large drum or the sight of Adam waiting for me in his black pants and a short-sleeved white shirt showing off his sexy tribal tattoos that made my heart speed up.
My father leaned closer and whispered: “I couldn’t have picked a better man for you myself.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
By the time we reached Adam and the Chief, I’d teared up and Adam’s eyes were moist too.
My father kissed me and shook Adam’s hand before he went to stand next to my mother and Faith.
I followed the Chief’s lead when he guided us through a ritual. We washed each other’s hands as a symbolic way of washing away past evils and memories of past lovers.
We drank from a wedding vase with two spouts symbolizing individuality and unity.
For the benefit of me and my family the Chief spoke in English, and I understood perfectly well the beautiful words he said after declaring us man and wife.
