Page 61 of Graveyard

He turns his head and plants a very inappropriate kiss on my lips, considering we’re in a church. He doesn’t let me go until the organ music begins and the bridal party walks in.

Tory is first, walking arm-in-arm with Seer. She winks at me as she passes by, and I smile back. I know how much help she’s been to Charlie, and I can’t help but be grateful. From what Pocus has told me, Tory has spent the last two months helping her harness her powers. She’s a big reason why Charlie is so happy these days.

Abigail and Pocus come down the aisle next, his arm wrapped firmly around her lower back to support her. I make a bet with Graveyard that she’ll go into labor before the reception is over. He pinches my side, causing me to laugh.

Then Charlie is walking down the aisle, wearing a gorgeous dress. They weren’t kidding, she’s a totally different kid. They’ve put the smallest amount of makeup on her and curled her hair. She’s glowing from the inside. She beams down the aisle at Hex and Juliana, who sit in the second row, cheering her on. I’m so happy, I could cry. This is the best I could have ever asked for her. It doesn’t undo the horrible things that happened to the kids I couldn’t help, but I made a difference in her life. That’s all I ever wanted.

Daisy and Nicky come down the aisle next, looking completely adorable. Daisy is focused on Charlie, who’s motioning with her hands. When Charlie puts up her hand to stop, Daisy pulls out a flower and drops it on the floor. When Charlie motions for her to go, Daisy walks again. She is the perfect flower girl with one hell of a coach.

As Daisy passes by, I’m hit with a wave of happiness. That little girl, in all her flower girl concentration, projects an emotion so powerful, every person in this room feels it. I look around and see people smiling widely. I wonder if they feel it this intensely, or if they think they’re swayed by her cuteness. I told Pocus. I told him she had a gift.

Finally, Evanesce emerges, looking more radiant under the chapel lights than she had in her dressing room. Though I don’t know her as well as the others, Graveyard has filled me in on all the drama it’s taken to get Knix and Evanesce married. I’m so happy to see her get something she wants so badly. I look forward to becoming friends with her and hearing all about it from her perspective.

Briefly, I glance at the groom, and he’s sobbing big, ugly tears. He’s so happy, he can’t contain himself.

“If we ever get married, you better look like that when I come down the aisle,” I tease Graveyard.

“I was thinking the same thing about you,” he teases back. “If you’re not crying big, snotty tears, I’m making you go back and do it again.”

I giggle and kiss his cheek again.

We watch our friends get married. The whole time, he keeps my hand cradled in both of his. There are moments when I think he’s worried I’m going to disappear again, but I don’t blame him. I don’t regret it. I had to sort my life out before I could let myself be with him. Still, I try to show him every day that I won’t go anywhere.

When the ceremony ends and we file out of the church, a sweet, high-pitched voice screams my name. I swear, the whole church stops to look at me, but I don’t care. Charlie runs toward me at full speed. She nearly knocks me over when she reaches me.

“Hey, kid,” I say, emotion thick in my throat.I will not cry, I will not cry.

“Did you see me?” she asks. “Didn’t I do such a good job?”

She looks at me with such earnest anticipation, I can’t stop the tears from falling.

“You were amazing,” I tell her. “You were the best junior bridesmaid I’ve ever seen.”

To be fair, she’s the only junior bridesmaid I’ve ever seen, but nevertheless. She beams and her new mom calls her over. She looks at me and asks me to promise I’ll dance with her at the reception. Who even is this girl?

I pinky promise and watch her skip happily toward Juliana. When she sees me, Juliana waves at me, motioning that she’ll see me in the reception hall. This experience is so new and overwhelming. I’ve never been surrounded by so many friends. Is this what it feels like to have a normal life?

Graveyard squeezes my hand and pulls me out of the aisle, toward the reception. From that point on, I barely remember anything that happens. It’s such a blur of joy and excitement. I dance with Charlie like I promised. I dance with Graveyard several times. Even Pocus and Seer stop to hug me. Juliana and Hex come by, and Juliana cries the biggest, happiest tears. She can’t stop thanking me for bringing Charlie into their lives. Then I start crying. It’s a mess.

I drink champagne and eat rich food. There are so many gifts swirling around me I start to feel drunk being around them. As much fun as I’m having, I’m fueled by the thought of going home with Graveyard after the receptions. He’s had to work several overnight shifts the last few weeks. I haven’t seen him naked nearly enough.

When the bride and groom finally cut the cake, he gets close to me and whispers in my ear. “I think we’ve put in the required time. Want to get out of here?”

I can’t follow him fast enough. He drives me straight to my apartment. I’m touched. We’ve gone back and forth since we started dating, but he seems to instinctively know how much I love my place. I ran for so long, I never had a place to call home. I have the nicest apartment I can afford on a social worker’s salary, which isn’t very much. But it’s cozy and it’s home. I don’t plan on leaving.

I deftly slip the key into the lock, not wanting to waste a second. The sooner I can get this man undressed, the better. He looks like sex on a stick in his suit. I know what’s underneath, and it’s far superior to any designer suit. I feel like he purposely got this suit tailored to torture me. It accentuates his best feature.

So, naturally, his pants are the first thing to go. He’s already hard, and I’m sure he doesn’t mind. He tugs off his top layers, but it takes him far too long. He had to be fancy and wear a vest. I’m too impatient. I take him into my hands and grope him gently, eliciting my favorite sounds. If I wasn’t ready for him, that did it for me.

He doesn’t bother taking off my dress, just hikes the top down and the bottom up. He lays me down on the couch as he enters me, simultaneously playing with my breasts. What can I say? We both have our addictions. His are my tits.

I feel him everywhere, and I breathe him in. When I think I can’t feel him any closer, he slightly changes the angle and we’re one single body. I’ve never known this kind of pleasure before. Sex was always something I did to please my boyfriend. Pleasure was something I had to bring myself.

Graveyard won’t hear of it. If he doesn’t make me climax at least three times, he won’t sleep. It’s a principle that’s been serving me very well these last few weeks. The first time is frantic and desperate, but the second time is more languid and appreciative. The last time is tongues and mouths. As I suspected, his tongue is an expert in all the right places.

Somehow, we manage to make it to my bed. Even then, we can’t stop touching. Maybe it’s the overnight shifts, but we can’t control ourselves. We make love until the early signs of dawn start to peak. I finally pass out against his chest, exhausted and thoroughly satisfied.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

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