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Zach’s lower lip trembled, Emma’s eyes sparkled, and they nervous-laughed when Ben called, “Mama!” while they held hands. And that was it, they were declared married, officially a family though for years they had been one anyway.
Ben had enough of me. His arms outstretched I excused myself through the audience and handed him off to Emma after they ‘kissed the bride’ which was apparently a thing in their ceremony. I came back to Magnus with a smile.
With everyone pitching in it only took a moment for the tables and chairs to be set up again for the dinner. Magnus and I milled around talking to everyone. The only sucky part was Hayley and Michael were determined to stay on opposite sides of the room, so I had to choose my conversations. I said, “You’re going to have to be a grown up here and at least let me talk to James.”
“Fine, as long as you tell him to tell Michael that I’m fine, that I’m moving on, that I danced with a guy at the club last night. I almost stayed the night. I even thought about bringing him to this wedding but that would have been awkward, ‘Hey, one-night-stand, want to go to a wedding with me tomorrow for my ex-fiancé’s brother?’”
“There is no way to make that un-awkward.”
“True that.”
14 - KAITLYN
Magnus stood to make his speech.
He looked nervous and commanding at the same time. He wore a dark tuxedo coat with a white shirt and a kilt in deep colors of green and blue, his family tartan. He had a basket-handled sword strapped by a leather belt to his hip and his sporran was silver and fur. I was super proud of him and so glad he was home. This wedding was for Zach and Emma but there had been whispers for so long about me and my mysterious Scotsman that I was so glad to put them to rest, here, now.
“When I arrived on these lovely windswept shores...” He gestured toward the French doors. Outside the beach was being pummeled by sideways rain, whipping wind, and the sea grass was horizontal. A few people laughed. It was a truly crappy day to have a wedding.
“I had the good fortune tae meet my wife, Kaitlyn, on that first day and my life was changed forever. She introduced me tae an American grocery store, the controls for the winds in my house, and she brought Chef Zach intae my life. And Emma.”
He spoke directly to Zach. “Ye have been a friend, a confidante, and a brother. And through the years ye have become like family tae Kaitlyn and me, with Emma and your son Ben who has made our lives so much noisier and more joyous than before. I find it hard tae imagine my life without ye.”
He looked around the room with a warm smile. “I am only regrettin’ that I have nae control on the weather, I would have wanted clear skies for him on this happy day.”
He raised his glass toward Mr and Mrs Greene, “It has been a pleasure meetin’ ye, ye’ve raised a fine son.” He raised his glass toward Emma’s parents, “A congratulations tae ye for gainin’ such a caring son for your daughter.” He raised his glass to Emma. “I dinna mean tae leave ye from it, Emma, goes tae ye as well.”
Tears were streaming down her cheek, I could barely see them through my own. “That’s okay, Magnus, that was enough, it was awesome.”
He raised his glass higher and said, “This next part is a toast my Uncle Baldie has said at every wedding since I was a wee lad.” His voice became so Scottish it was almost unrecognizable. “May the best ye’ve ever seen, be the warst ye’ll ever see. May the moose, nor Magnus, ne’er lea’ yer pantry wi’ a teardrap in his eye.” Zach laughed. “May ye all keep hail an’ hearty til ye’re auld enauch tae die. May ye be jist as happy as we wish ye now tae be. Slainte!”
We all raised our glasses, “Slainte!” We drank as Magnus sat down.
I called across the table, “Zach, do you have something you’d like to say?”
He half-stood and grumbled, in the tux we made him buy, and waved his hand. “No. She knows how I feel, I don’t need to waste your time watching me fucking cry like a ba—” He started to sit back down but looked at Ben in Emma’s lap and shook his head. He stood with fits and jerks. “Okay, yeah, I will.” He looked down on Emma. “You know I love you?”
She nodded her head looking up at him, crying. Ben looked from her face to his.
“I love you because you’re the best person I ever met. Ever. Without question. And thank you for Ben. He’s awesome. I’m grateful every fucking day for both of you. You know it?”
She nodded.
“Good, because I’ll say it in front of everyone but I want you to know it already. This is just a party. I love you every other day too.”
“I know it every day.”
“Good. Let’s get on to the drinking and dancing, people. Thank you for coming.” We all raised our glasses and again chorused, “Slainte!”
I rolled into Magnus’s arm and kissed his neck. “That was awesome, Magnus. And you didn’t even have to mention that whole part about paying for the wedding. I liked it better. And Zach was practically sobbing.”
“Och, aye, today is a day tae honor Zach and Emma, not the great and mighty Magnus, there is time enough for that.” He grinned.
“True that.” He jiggled my face with his shoulder so that I met his lips with a long sweet kiss. I sighed as warmth flowed from my heart. “I love you.”
“I love ye too, Madame Campbell. You are a bonny lass and a fine wife.”
“Why thank you, Master Magnus, you are a pretty great, dreams-come-true Highlander, and I’m kind of a little hot for you right now, too bad I’m on my period and sort of in a cramping, grumpy, funk.”
