The woman standing before me, holding my hands, as Father Flanagan said all that needed to be said.
“In sickness and in health…”
Our hands tightened as we repeated those vows.
Then he pronounced us husband and wife and told me I could kiss my bride. Cheers went up around us as my lips claimed hers. Stella and her sisters were crying, dabbing at their eyes. My brothers were taking turns shaking my hand and kissing Georgina on the cheek. Kelly congratulated us both and told me that the vacation I’d soon be going on was his gift to us. My sister hugged me, but she was still hesitant with Georgina. So was mam. She gave me a narrow stare before da put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her away.
As everyone started to relax and laughter replaced shock, I noticed a lone figure standing by the dugout. Mac. Georgina’s eyes followed mine. I felt the rush in her to go to him, but it was stopped by hesitance.
She lifted a hand, but he didn’t return the greeting. He was too busy looking at me with those cold blue eyes. Our gazes only broke when Stella came to stand beside me. She wanted to take pictures of us. But I knew it was more. She sensed something from her nephew and wanted to stop it before it started.
I took a pull of my beer, setting my hand on my wife’s hip as he disappeared into the darkness.
Mywife.
The grin on my face felt fucking permanent, like a tattoo, like the white-gold ring encircling my left finger.
An hour or two later, Declan whistled and got everyone’s attention. “The wedding was great, but I thought someone said something about playing ball?” He flung a fast ball at me. I caught it with one hand.
He grinned. So did my wife.
“You still have it, HarryRagazzo,” she said, rising on her heels and kissing my lips.
I looked around, then my eyes settled on her.
“Yeah, but now I have it all,” I said.
We changed out of our wedding clothes and played ball.