Page 98 of East (The Moral Compass 3)
“Are you fucking kidding me? I don’t have a dress or a hairstyle or shoes or anything! You’re out of your freaking mind. Has someone given you drugs? Where’s Margaret? She didn’t make the sandwiches, did she?”
I turn the knob on the door and open it wide.
Her mum, Kara, Sutton, Margaret, and a very sulky Daisy stand as East enters the room.
“Oh my god! You are serious, aren’t you?”
“Yep. I don’t want another day to go by where you are not legally my wife. So, get dressed, and I’ll see you at the end of the aisle in… yeah, fifty-seven minutes.”
I turn and leave, and the girls all scream and gush as I pull the door closed.
It has been an absolute nightmare to arrange. Luckily, West and Sutton’s wedding is in three months, and Sutton took East wedding dress shopping with her. It helped Sutton work out what East liked. That, coupled with a few bridesmaid dress fittings, made it so East’s secret dress fit perfectly. The rest has been easy. Well… Liz organised the rest. I just handed over the money.
I really wanted today to be exactly how her dream was. I don’t know if I’ve got it right, but I’ve done my best. I told her at the beginning the guy at the altar was me, and today is the day I make damn sure it is.
The guys all slap me on the back for a job well done. West is still smarting that he’s not giving East away, but he’ll just have to get over it. It was East’s dream where South hands her over to me, and that’s how it will go.
It’s a small guest list. Very small—meaning just family—excluding my brother but including my grandmother. That still freaks me out, but she has been well-behaved recently. I also had a couple of unexpected guest requests, one of which I was not going to deny.
Kara’s father, Xander Forde, an old acquaintance and someone you don’t say no to, has finally been released from prison and wanted to come and celebrate. Mateo has been in constant contact from Vegas. He wanted to come and join in the celebrations, and Sherie has been given strict instructions that she has to behave. Kara has threatened to kick her arse if she misbehaves. No one can work out what the hell the problem is with her and South. Neither of them will talk. It’ll all come out eventually.
So, the time has come. As I stand at the end of the aisle in the garden with the agent (who did have the keys and who is actually the officiant), I wait for my golden-haired stick of dynamite. My heart is racing for no other reason than I can’t wait. I want this woman as my legal wife. I want her forever.
South and East link arms and walk down the aisle between the chairs, and when they get to the end, he bends so she can kiss him on the cheek.
When I see tears in her eyes, worry fills me, but as they overflow, she smiles, and I know everything will be okay.
There are no more secrets. No more hiding anything from each other.
And when the I do’s are over, I look directly into the eyes that started this whole thing off.
I finally have my wife.
Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for Mrs. East O’Brien.
The End.
