Under the Rainbow

Part 40

Next up, the epilogue. Wish me luck.

            Her father was right beside her, looking very tense, but he was beside her anyways. He walked up to the little stair thing I was standing on and kissed her on the cheek. He approved of this. People were approving of this. Her mother was here. Her friends. My mother had even showed up for the occasion. Sober.

            She walked up next to me and gave a smile. She was nervous too. I could see it in her eyes. I wanted to help her. Make her realize this would work out. It would be okay.

            The ceremony went smoothly. I placed that ring I’d agonized over on her finger and kissed her hand lightly. She slid the one we hand picked out for me a little while later on mine. I said those two little words and she said them right back. And then I kissed her.

            My hand went to the small of her back and the other cupped her check as I pulled her close to me and kissed her lips softly. I never wanted to kiss anyone else. I wanted this moment to last forever. The silent awe of the crowd and the way her hands were clasped behind my neck. I never wanted this to end.

            And then Danielle and Kyle whistled loudly. “Yeah!” Kyle shouted.

            “Get a room!” Someone yelled.

            I pulled away reluctantly and looked around, my hand still on the small of her back. I looked over at her and grinned. “Let’s go cut the cake Mrs. Weaver.”

            She laughed lightly and said, “Sure, Mrs. Weaver.”

            I gripped her hand tightly as we walked down that small stair and walked over to the large cake Tiff had helped pick out. I turned to our guests and said loudly enough, “We have an open bar! And my Best Woman Danielle and my Best Man Kyle will be making speeches later! So, please, be very drunk so you don’t remember all of the terrible things they say!”

            The crowd chuckled and I looked back down to Riley. The woman I loved. My wife. My significant other. The woman I couldn’t imagine a world without.

            Her hand closed over the caked knife and my hand went over hers. I guided her hand to the large, brilliantly white cake, and our hands began to drag down the beautiful white cake.

            There was a loud bang that filled the room and made me jump. At first I thought someone was opening champagne, but it didn’t sound the same. And then I registered the screams. And then Riley stumbled.

            I fell to the floor with her and pulled her into my arms. Scarlet was blossoming on her perfectly white dress. Her hand slowly moved to touch it and she pulled it away to look at her blood stained fingers.

            “Baby. Baby. You’re okay. You’re okay.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I reached up and grabbed all of the napkins I could get my hands on. I pressed them tenderly against the wound. My vision was blurring with tears.

            “Sam. Sam, we’re married.” I almost missed her quiet words because of the screaming. She gave me the smallest smile and her hand found mine, her blood covering my hand as I tried to stop the bleeding.

            “Yeah Riley. We’re married. Hey, I’m going to call 911 and you’ll be just fine. Okay? You’ll be just fine. I promise.” I took the hand that wasn’t on her chest and started to delve into my pocket when she stopped me.

            “Don’t. Sam, please, don’t. I was born in a hospital, I don’t want to die in one. I want to die here. With you.” I tear slipped from her eye and started to travel down her cheek.