Page 108 of To Catch a Firefly

I floated the idea of cutting it shorter for the occasion, but Ellis didn’t like that. He grunted and then proceeded to threadhis fingers through the strands and fuck me slowly until I forgot what day it was.

The hair will stay.

“Are you ready to get married?” Danil asks, smiling at me in the mirror.

I nearly scoff. “Are you kidding? I’ve been ready for a good long while.”

“You’ve only been engaged a month,” he points out.

“Dani,” I say evenly, “I would have married that man the day he asked.”

He hums, squeezing my shoulders. “Fair enough, Lucky-boy.”

When there’s a knock at the door, Danil heads that way. My mom steps into my childhood bedroom, where Danil and I are getting ready. She’s wearing a lavender dress, her hair pulled into a loose, low bun. She sighs when she sees me and comes over to give me a hug.

“You look lovely, sweetheart.” She kisses my cheek before rubbing off the lipstick she left behind.

“Thanks, Mom. So do you.”

“Are you about ready?” she asks. “Your dad said Ellis is all set next door.”

I nod, blowing out a single breath. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

She gives me a soft smile. “Oh,” she says quickly, holding up a finger. She heads back into the hall, and half a minute later, she returns with a small, plastic box. “For you.”

I curse under my breath, blinking rapidly to hold my tears at bay. My mom isn’t as successful. One slips down her cheek as she opens the box, removing the blue boutonniere from inside. She helps secure it to my suit jacket, patting my lapel afterward.

“Perfect,” she says quietly. “One last thing. Ellis wanted me to let you know to check your email if you haven’t.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

She pats my cheek, and Danil closes the door after her as I head to my old dresser, grabbing my phone from atop. I sit at the edge of the bed as I open my email.

“What is it?” he asks.

“A message from Ellis,” I answer hoarsely, finding the email with a subject line dated for today.

With a steadying breath, I read.

Luck. We’re going to get married today. Can you believe it? In less than an hour, you’ll be my husband, and I’ll be yours. I know they say wedding day jitters are common, but I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.

I was twenty-two years old when I said goodbye to you. College was over, our childhood was over, and it was time for you to move on. I said goodbye to you a lot after that. Each time you came to visit or we talked on the phone, I knew goodbye was inevitable.

I don’t have to say goodbye anymore.

I know we decided to exchange simple vows today. To say our ‘I dos’ in front of our family and friends. And I know that was for my sake because Lord knows I wouldn’t be able to give much of a speech on a day like today. But… I promise you this, Luck.

I will love you for all of our days.

I will cherish you the way you deserve.

I will hold you every chance I get.

And I will be closer than that any time you need it.

I will treat you more carefully than glass.

I will hug you before every flight.

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