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The ceremony was held that night, after the sun had completely set so that some of the moonflowers would bloom. Jamie obsessed with the flower arrangements and bouquets until she absolutely had to start getting ready. Both women brought someone in to do their hair and makeup and the woman helping Jamie had to basically beg her to step away. Even when Jamie finally did, she couldn't stop thinking about which ones needed to be fixed. At some point, Ellie– who was bouncing around between both brides– got so frustrated hearing about it she brought Jamie the bouquets to work on while the finishing touches were put on.
Dani, on the other hand, was so worried about getting cold feet after what happened with the last wedding she had planned that she almost talked herself into it. Ellie had to remind her that she and Jamie were already wives so it was a bit late for cold feet. That just made Dani panic more, though, so she brought her a bottle of champagne instead and the bride calmed down.
Arguably the person most freaking out was Owen. No matter how much he had begged, Dani and Jamie would not let him cater the wedding. They wanted him to be present for the ceremony, not running around finalizing things and getting everything out. Besides, trying to prepare all of it would be difficult in a non-commercial kitchen. None of that stopped him from micromanaging the catering staff, though. He even went as far as to add salt to some things and remove garnishes from others.
The nervous energy from all three came to a head as Owen took his seat up front and the brides waited on their respective sides of the house– Dani at the side door and Jamie in the sun-room-turned-greenhouse with a door to the backyard. An aisle was defined for each of them with carefully strewn rose petals that led all the way up to the wall of moonflowers where Ellie was waiting to officiate the wedding. There was no way to be a maid-of-honor for the two of them so they all mutually decided she was the best person to officiate.
Once the first of the moonflowers started to bloom, Ellie sent Miles and Flora to start walking out the brides. Miles was to be with Jamie and Flora was to be with Dani. The music started and so did the brides' walks to the altar. As they each came around the corner for the first time, their eyes searched out their other half eagerly.
Jamie stepped out in a white satin gown with thin straps and a square, open back that dipped all the way down to her hips. The skirt was wide and trailed behind her some as she walked. Her dark curls were pulled into a loose, yet still elegant, bun at the nape of her neck with a moonflower pinned to its side and diamond earrings dangled from her ears. The bouquet she had in hand was an assortment filled with white lilies and pink chrysanthemums.
Dani's dress was just as simple, but in her own style. It was a short-sleeved dress with a deep v-neck that dipped all the way to the top of an empire waist, marked by a belt with a collection of little crystals. The skirt was a plain white that fell straight down to the ground while still hugging her in all the right places. Her blonde hair was beautifully curled and all of it pinned to one side with a hair piece covered by a moonflower. Her bouquet had the same white lilies as Jamie's, but with pink roses– her favorite. Jamie refused to let her see the bouquet beforehand and, when Ellie had passed it on to her, Dani felt all of her anxiety flood away.
When the two met up front, Jamie was already crying (they had a bet which one would cry first and when they both agreed it was going to be Jamie, they had to call it off). "Poppins, you look beautiful," she whispered so that only Dani and Ellie could hear.
As much as she knew Jamie would crack first, having her right there just made it so much more real for Dani and her own tears couldn't be held at bay much longer. They had beaten so many odds to get to the altar. Jamie propped up Dani's chin with one finger and kissed her.
"You're supposed to wait for Ellie to tell us," Dani laughed.
Jamie shot their friend a humorous glance, "Yeah, but we never do what Ellie says. Why start now?"
"Probably because I'm about to marry the two of you," Ellie chimed in, finally. And then she started the ceremony. She spoke for a while and then instructed Dani to read her vows.
Dani took a folded piece of paper that she wrapped around the base of the bouquet, opened it with shaking hands and began to read. "When I first met Jamie, I was struggling with grief and guilt. She told me, 'We leave more life behind to take our place'. So, I want to start by acknowledging some people who aren't here today, but would be if they could. First, Hannah Grose. A loyal woman who was as selfless as a person could be. Second, Henry Wingrave. Because of his courage, I am alive today and marrying the love of my life. Third and fourth, Charlotte and Dominic Wingrave. I never met them, but I know they must have been amazing because everyday I get to witness how much life they left behind to take their place.
"And, Jamie, I think you got something wrong that night. It's more than just the science of being organic. In life we create love, and it's love that leaves life behind us. Your plants are alive because you pour love into them. In fact, you create so much love that they can grow in the most impossible of places. Sometimes I just sit and wonder, how did I get so lucky to be loved by someone who loves so incredibly hard, she can breathe life into anything she touches? Even me. You loved me so hard I was able to find the strength to come home to myself. Everyday, you show me who I could be, who I want to be. You show me that all anyone needs is just a little love. And I will spend the rest of my life nourishing you just as hard as you have me."
By now, tears were just pouring down Jamie's face, but Dani couldn't say anything because she was crying almost as hard. Jamie pulled out her own vows. She stared at the paper in her hand and then laughed and wiped her eyes. "You've got me crying so hard I can't even read my own handwriting."
"Well, I don't think you should blame it on the tears," Dani said.
Jamie laughed and then got lost for a moment looking at Dani. She closed the paper back into her palm and, instead, talked directly to her wife. "You're right, Dani. I was wrong about that. This whole time, I thought we started out as a ghost story. I brought in ghosts from before, you brought in ghosts from before, we found a few on our way to starting a life together. But it's all the same isn't it? Ghost stories and love stories. It's all the same. There's an immortality in mortality and that's love.
"If I'm able to create love the way you say I do, it's because you taught me I was worthy of connection. You're a teacher, Poppins, and not because you used to lead a classroom. It doesn't matter if there's twenty-five kids or two or three. You make a difference just by being in the room. You hold a mirror up to someone and show them they aren't the first thing they see in their reflection. Not emptiness, fear, loneliness, sadness, anger. You bring people back to who they actually are. I saw it with Miles and Flora. I feel it no matter how many times I show up lost, you bring me back. It's because you've been brave enough and strong enough to stare down your own reflection. You say you came back to yourself because I poured in so much love. I say I can create love because you pushed me to see past who I thought I was. Maybe, we fit together so perfectly, the love we create together is our legacy and will be what we leave behind. You be your part of the puzzle piece and I'll be mine and we can spend the rest of our lives filling each other up with enough love that we will leave so much life behind us."
Dani looked at Ellie. "Can you get to the part where I can kiss her now?"
Everyone around them laughed and Ellie continued. "Jamie Taylor, do you take Danielle Clayton to be your wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Jamie said. She slid a small, diamond ring over Dani's finger.
"Danielle Clayton, do you take Jamie Taylor to be your wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Dani said, sliding Jamie's ring in place.
Ellie clasped her hands in front of her. "Okay, now you can kiss."
"Finally," Jamie said. The two leaned into each other and kissed as if it was their first time kissing ever.
As the after party kicked off, being good hosts, Dani and Jamie bounced around to various guests. They both kept finding themselves staring across the yard at their wife, almost magnetized to each other by love alone. It was late and after a couple hours, Miles and Flora were ready to sleep– even if they wanted to stay up with everyone and have fun. The two kids were sitting at one of the tables desperately trying to keep their eyes open. Jamie and Dani noticed at the same time and met each other there. Dani slid her arm around Jaime's waist, unable to avoid the feeling of the open back.
"Looks like someone's getting tired," Jamie said.
Flora forced herself to perk up. "I'm not tired. I'm ready to stay up all night with the adults."
Dani raised her eyebrows, incredulous, but entertained. "That's what you say now, but then you're going to be grumpy all day tomorrow with Owen."
"No, I won't. I promise," Flora begged.
"Yes, you will be," Miles said. "You're always so mean when you stay up late."
Flora hit her fist against Miles and he cried out in pain. "Shut up, Miles. You're being mean now."
"Hey, hey, hey," Jamie said. "That's enough of that. Now, go to bed, both of you."
Miles and Flora stood up and started to move toward the house. "Wait," Dani said. They looked over their shoulders. "You're not gonna give us hugs goodnight?" They came over and both of them hugged their parents. Jamie and Dani both plopped a kiss on their heads then sent them off.
"What are the odds they'll still be grumpy?" Owen asked, coming up behind the brides.
"Very high," Dani said. "Thank you again for watching them while we go to New Orleans."
The couple was set to go south for their honeymoon, leaving early the following morning. Owen would be watching Miles and Flora for the week. Mrs. Clayton and Ellie both offered, but Dani and Jamie had never been away for a week and a half before. The idea of it had immediately set off anxiety in both children who remembered their own parents leaving for a vacation without them and never returning. No, it had to be Owen.
Jamie looked at her wife and nodded toward him. "Go on, Poppins. Give him his present."
"Right," Dani said. She produced a house key and held it up for Owen.
"Is that the key to your heart?" Owen joked. "Does Jamie know?"
Jamie laughed, "Sod off, mate. It's a house key."
Owen took it. "Oh, right. Didn't want to forget that in the early morning hustle. I'll set it on the counter before I leave."
"Owen," Jamie cried. "It's yours."
"We figure, you're part of the family. A really important part, actually. You've lost a lot in your lifetime and we just want you to know you have a home to come to, always," Dani said. "The guest room you've been staying in is yours. You can leave clothes, books, toiletries, whatever you want in there."
Owen held up the key and then dropped it into his pocket. "Thank you."
"Maybe we can finally convince you to open a second restaurant on this side of the pond," Jamie said.
"Thinking about opening a private place, actually," Owen started. "I'll call it Perfectea Splendid and I have the perfect kitchen in mind for it."
Five days into their ten day honeymoon to New Orleans, Jamie and Dani were enjoying a nice night in the Bed and-Breakfast suite. The bed had four bannisters made of deep cherry oak. Opposite the bed was a small sitting area in front of a fireplace filled with vintage-style furniture. The Bed and Breakfast was made of a few different buildings, each containing a handful of rooms, and the center garden between all of them had a large pool and a restaurant.
Dani sat in one of the chairs next to an open window reading. The chair next to her was currently filled with Jamie's book sitting open to her bookmarked page, but Jamie was at the table refilling their wine glasses. The phone at the bedside rang into the quiet room.
"Oh, I'll get it," Jamie said. She left the wine glasses on the table and picked up the phone. "Hello? Hey, Owen. How are the kids?" Her face paled and she turned around to look at Dani.
"What happened?" Dani cried and stood from the chair.
"Flora's in the hospital," Jamie said. She paused to listen to Owen and then took a deep breath. "That's it? She's okay? It's just a fractured wrist."
Dani nodded and brushed her hair over the top of her head. "Oh, thank God."
"Nothing else? No concussion or anything?" Jamie asked. She seemed content with the answer and then brought the receiver between the two of them. "Flora wants to talk to us."
"Hi, honey," Dani said. "How are you? How does your wrist feel?"
Flora sniffed on the other end. "It hurts a lot."
"How did it happen?" Jamie asked. "Punch someone again?"
"No, I tried to do a handspring at recess and I fell," Flora sighed.
Dani felt confused. "You've never done a handspring before."
"Jenna made it look so easy and Carter thought it was cool. I was just trying to impress him," Flora admitted. Jamie raised her eyebrows a bit in humorous understanding and Dani covered her mouth so the light chuckle wouldn't make it through the receiver. "Can you come home early? I miss you dreadfully."
"No, sweetheart," Jamie said, gently. "But we'll be home before you know it. I'm sure Owen is letting you do all kinds of things mum and I would never let you do, right?"
Flora hesitated, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"We love you, Flora," Dani said. "Can we talk to Owen again?"
After a few seconds of jostling, Owen finally spoke through. "She's alright, I promise. I'll pack her full of so much ice cream it'll do the job better than any ice pack."
"Set up a dentist appointment for us, now, will you? The number should be on the fridge," Jamie said. They all laughed together.
"Thank you for taking care of her," Dani said. "Do you need anything? Do you need us to come back?"
"Absolutely not," Owen stated. "You deserve this time."
After saying goodbye, Dani laughed and collapsed backwards onto the bed. "Oh, no. I thought we had at least a few more years before she started having crushes."
Jamie sat next to Dani, but perched herself up on her elbows. "You forget, we had crushes at the same age, we just pretended we didn't."
Dani stared up at her wife and pushed the back of her hand up against Jamie's thigh. "How would you want to do it? If we were to have this third child."
A smile hinted against Jamie's lips and she looked up at the ceiling. "I never really fancied the idea of being pregnant, but I figure we adopted two incredible children. May as well take our shot at it again."
Dani's face descended into nervousness as she contemplated saying the thoughts in her mind. She took a breath as if she were about to speak, but thought better of it and remained silent. Jamie was used to this so she bumped her knee into Dani's to urge her on. Finally, she pushed her thoughts out so fast she almost stumbled over her own words. "I always wanted to be pregnant."
The two sat in silence, Dani waiting for Jamie's reaction and Jamie processing before she rolled over on top of her wife. Her legs straddled over Dani's hips. "Is that a yes, Poppins?"
Dani nodded, "Yeah, it is. Let's do it."
A few weeks later, as Jamie was ringing up a customer, Dani came back with lunch in one hand and a shopping bag in the other. She nodded to the customer as they left the shop and joined Jamie behind the counter.
"There you are," Jamie said and grabbed her salad. "I'm so hungry, I was about to go mental on that poor customer. What's in the bag?" She eagerly stabbed the lettuce with her fork and dug in.
"A book," Dani said. She pulled it out and held it up for Jamie to see. It was a how-to book for at-home insemination. The fork hovered in the air as Jamie looked it over. She smiled and kept eating. Between customers and tasks, they would crowd behind the counter and pour over it together.
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