Page 131 of I’m Already Gone

“Are you ready to get married again, Lily?” Erica asks.

I look back up at her and without hesitation I say, “Yes. I’m more than ready. I’m so ready.”

“Wait, Mom.” Maddy suddenly stops me, a confused wrinkle between her brows. “What about your shoes?” She glances down at my bare feet, then back up to my face.

“I’m not going to wear any,” I reply.

She slants her head. “You’re not?”

I shake my head. “Nope. I love the feel of the sand against my skin.”

That feeling always brings me back to the moments I shared with Ethan. It kept me grounded through so many moments we spent apart. I thought it would be perfect to go without shoes today.

“Besides,” I add with a wink, “I already wore shoes in the first round. This time, our marriage is starting anew. A fresh new beginning.”

“Then so be it,” Mom says. “Neither will we.” She removes her own sandals and tosses them to the side of the room. One by one, Sam, Ebony, Maddy, and Erica follow suit, their bare feet joining mine, and my smile widens.

“Now,” Mom says, holding out my beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies. “Now we’re ready.”

We walk out to where my father, bathed in the soft sunlight, waits for me. Emotion swirls in his eyes as he takes me in, full of paternal love and pride. “Oh, Lily. My baby girl,” he chokes out.

“Don’t make me cry, Dad,” I half-laugh and half-cry, my own eyes welling up with happy tears.

I loop my arm through his, his presence giving me strength and comfort. The double doors open wide, revealing a runner. We slowly begin our journey down to the beach.

Ollie looks adorable in his tux, holding the satin pillow with our rings. “Mama!” he exclaims, his eyes wide. “So pretty, like a princess.”

“Thank you, my handsome little guy,” I whisper, leaning down slightly.

He pecks my lips with his own, a quick, sweet kiss, and turns back toward the path. He walks with purpose for a few steps, then, overcome with excitement, starts to skip.

“Mama is coming!” he calls out, making the crowd laugh with delight at his cuteness.

And then, as if time itself slows, Ethan comes into view. My heart doesn’t just skip a beat; it soars. He looks so incredibly handsome, so sexy, in his white linen button-up shirt, a few buttons open, just enough to show off his tan chest. The light purple rose pinned to his shirt matches my bouquet perfectly, and his toned legs look fantastic in his white shorts and matching sandals.

And when our eyes finally meet, the shadows that had lingered in the corners from our past vanish. Instead, in their place is a love that never died, a trust rebuilt, and a faith that our love is now stronger than ever before.

We are Ethan and Lily once again, and this time, it feels like forever.

Ethan

“Wow,” Marcus says from his place at the front as the officiant.

Wow is right. She looks like an ethereal fairy, a vision I’m thankful to see walking toward me. My palms are suddenly slick with sweat.

And now, here she is, taking each step down the aisle, her gaze fixed on mine, coming home to become my wife again. I’m vibrating with the urge to reach her, to close the distance between us. So, without a second thought, I break protocol and speed walk toward her. Her eyes widen comically, and then a huge, goofy smile, one I know and love, splits her face.

I hear the collective “Aw’s” and “So sweet” from the crowd, accompanied by a wave of happy laughter, but I’m not paying attention to any of that. My heart is set on one thing: reaching my Sunshine and claiming her as mine once more.

“What are you doing?” my bride whispers, her voice a little breathless with laughter as I get closer.

I glance at her father, walking proudly beside her. His shoulders are shaking, just like hers, with pure amusement.

“I’m sorry,” I start to say, a sheepish grin starting, but he waves me off with a knowing smile.

“She’s all yours—again.” He places Lily’s hand in mine, a silent blessing, before leaning in to kiss his daughter’s cheek.

“Dad,” she hisses.