Page 39 of Our Promise
“What, Ma?”
“Did you feel you had to sneak off and get married and to Elle! We love her! We could have done something nice where everyone could see.”
“I just did what I felt was right. We can have a big wedding later.”
“How is Elle holding up? You were just trying to convince her to even be with you. Now y’all are married?”
“What can I say? Your son just has game like that.”
“Whatever. Well, I’m going to let you go, but as soon as you and Elle get back here, you better be pulling into my driveway.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I love you and give Elle my love as well.”
“I will. Love you too. Bye.”
Benny chuckled.
When he moved back to the way he came, Benny spotted Lorielle gliding down the path. She was looking at the beautyaround her, but he saw the beauty in her. He couldn’t resist pulling out his phone and taking several pictures of her.
He took to social media, posting his favorite photo, captioning it, ‘Finally got my Mrs.’
Benny watched her pull out her phone. She peered down at it, and within seconds, she looked around. He smiled, resuming his steps.
“Benny!”
“You must admit it’s a beautiful picture of you.”
“That’s how you want to announce our marriage?”
He shrugged. “It was just a spur of a moment kind of thing.”
“The picture or the marriage?”
“Definitely the picture. I planned to marry you the first day I met you. I just didn’t know how to get you to agree.”
She looked up at him affectionately, then she paused, her face going into a frown. “Jo is going to kill me!”
“She’ll just think I’m talking shit.” Benny pulled her into him with her back to his chest. “Only my mother knows we actually got married. She just talked to her.”
“Same for my mom.” She relaxed in his hold. Where his arms were crossed, she wrapped hers around him, loving his embrace. “You don’t think this is moving too fast?”
“The question is, do you? Do you feel anxious? Do you feel heavy?”
“You know, I felt those things in my first marriage. Everyone said it was just nerves, but yesterday I wasn’t nervous at all. I met you at the altar, confessed my love for you, and have been enjoying myself with you. Honestly, I’m looking forward to building a life with you.”
“You know my favorite part of your vows yesterday? When you said I showed my age wasn’t a factor when it came to love. It just proved I was right the whole time. You were using it to pushme away. Damn, y’all are going to have to start calling me Big Benny.”
Claiming Elle’s heart after being pushed away at every turn made him feel like he won the championship belt.
Lorielle turned in his arms. She placed her left hand on his chest, and with the right, she took a picture. “I’m about to send it to Jo, then I’ll post it.”
“You’re finally going to let the world know you’re mine?” he teased.
“Just something slight.” She typed on her phone. “My caption says, ‘What a wife I plan to be to this man! Mrs. Lorielle Collins has a ring to it.’”
He beamed with pride.
