She snuggled up against the side of me, the whole warm, naked length of her connecting skin-to-skin with my body, like silver spoons in a drawer.  “We just had a merger,” she teased.

“That sassy mouth of yours is something I hope never changes, beautiful girl.”

“I am making a note of that, Captain, just in case my sassy mouth gets me into deep water someday.”

I kissed her shoulder right over her tattoo.  “You still haven’t answered my question, Cherry.  When do I get to make you Mrs. McManus?”

She turned her body to face me and held my face as she liked to do.  “How long was your final tour in the army?” she asked softly.

“It was ten months.”

“I will marry you in ten months then.”  She kissed me.  “I want to marry you when the autumn cherry trees are having their second bloom in Scotland.”

I nodded at her logic, understanding why she’d chosen that time.  And also, because I’m not sure I could have spoken any audible words in that moment, my heart very full and finally at peace.

Then she spoke some more words that I wasn’t expecting to hear.  Words that just reaffirmed how much love we had for each other and how fate, once again, demanded its due, and this time, worked masterfully in all its wisdom.

“I’m going to give to you…those ten months back.  The ones that I took from us six years ago.  Ten months of being here with you every night.  Ten months of our life together, of doing all the beautiful things, and the mundane ones, too.  So you will know that whether it’s ten months from now, or ten years, or any amount of years, nothing will change for me, Neil…I will forever be your Cherry Girl.”

Epilogue

Ten months later

“You’re going to wear a hole in this ancient stone floor if you don’t stop pacing like a lunatic.  Are you going to sit in the corner and start cradling back and forth, too?”

I gave Ethan my best sod-off-you-dickhead look and kept pacing.  “Easy for you to say that to me, now that you’re already married,” I said, truthfully.  “I remember how mental you were in that room before you said your vows to Brynne.  You would’ve smoked your Blacks three at a time if we hadn’t hidden your stash where you couldn’t find them.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “Listen, mate, all will be well in a very short time.  You’re starting to worry me.”

“I feel ill,” I said.  “I need water.”

“I think you need a fucking bottle of Scotch, but really, it’s going to be fine.”

I nodded and tried to breathe.  “What time is it?”

“About two minutes later than when you last asked me.”  Ethan clapped me on the back and spoke low at my ear.  “I saw her in her dress all ready for you when I snuck a peek at my girl in that side room where they’re all waiting.”

“You saw her?  How was she?  Did she seem nervous?  Did she look worried about anyth—”

“She looked gorgeous and like she couldn’t wait to get shackled to you, you big great ape.  Do I need to tranquilize you or something?”

“I’ll remember this, when Brynne is ready to deliver your baby, and you’re a quivering mass of jelly on the floor.  Don’t worry, I’ll return the favour with the offer of tranquilizers.”

That did the trick.  Shut his fuckin’ mouth right up.  He rolled his shoulders as if to release tension in his neck, and checked his watch again.  “Okay, I’ll be honest.  The ceremony is a fucking stress-ball of bullshit, and I can’t help you even a little bit.  The good news is that in about five more hours you can start on the wedding night and that part is completely golden.”  He rolled his palm in the air like it was gliding, looking like a complete fool.

We both laughed at how stupid we were being and I felt immediately better.

A knock sounded at the door, and the other woman I loved peeked in at us.  “Is it all right for me to come in?”

“Of course,” I said bringing her into the room and kissing her on the cheek.

Ethan made some excuse and left us alone.  She started fussing with my jacket, brushing at it, adjusting my tie, in that motherly way she’d always had with me.

“You look so handsome, my dear.”

“Look at you,” I said.  “You look like Elaina’s sister instead of her mum.”  She was a beautiful woman, and always had been, but now that she was sober again, the bloom in her skin had returned and she looked healthy.

“Oh, please, we both know that’s not true.  But really, my darling, I just wanted to have a moment to come and tell you how deeply happy you’ve made me today, and all the other days since Ian brought you to us.  In my heart, I always knew you and Elaina needed to be together in order to find happiness.  I always knew how you felt.  I know how you used to come to see me and would sneak into her room and touch her things.”  She smiled at me lovingly.  “Some love is just meant to be, and I hope you forgive me for my meddling in bringing the two of you back to each other, but somehow, I think you have.”

“Oh, Mum…”  I really didn’t have words to express my thanks for what she’d done for me.  For us.  But, I could tell her what it meant to me.  “You always made me feel like your son.  Inside here,” I put her hand over my heart, “I am.”

“Yes, you are.  I have two sons and one daughter, and I love them all so very much.”

“I love you, Mum.”

“I love you, son.”  She took a great deep breath and smiled again.  I imagine she was thinking of her husband and how he wasn’t here with her for our wedding.  I liked to think that somehow he was.  That the family’s love for the father, had brought him into the room with us so he could share in the occasion.

“He’s here,” I said softly.

She smiled and nodded at me, her eyes a little watery, but she put the sadness aside and got down to it like the strong woman she was, and had always been.  “Now, I’ve got Ian in the foyer with Elaina where he’s ready to walk her down as soon as the girls go.  He’ll walk her, and then he’ll come and stand up with you and Ethan.”

“I remember the practice from last night,” I said.  “I get to seat you in your place first, so shall we, dear Mum?”  I held out my arm for her.

“Yes we shall, son.”  She took my arm and patted my elbow with her hand.  “It’s well past time for you to marry my daughter.”

“Mrs. McManus, your husband is very tired and wishes that all of these people would go away and leave us alone, so he can take you upstairs to our bridal suite and commence with the wedding night.”