Redemption
Chapter Eighty-Two
The organ music swelled, causing Bobby's heart to jump into his throat. He glanced to his mother who was smiling proudly up at her son, tears in her eyes and a few streaking down her cheeks. He managed a weak smile in return, but refrained from doing more when he'd heard the doors of the chapel open, revealing Sue—the Maid-of-Honor and the first bridesmaid—and allowing her to begin her trek down the aisle.
Bobby heard Jack suck in a breath at the sight of Sue looking gorgeous in the paradise-pink-colored dress, her blonde hair down, curled into ringlets that were weaved around small pink and white flowers. Her smile was gorgeous as she held her bouquet of white and pink spray roses, laced with a pearl-pink ribbon up at waist-height, her feet floating down the aisle with Tara on her heels and Lucy following—both women dressed in the same fashion.
Their dresses were all the same color: paradise pink, it was called, though it resembled a salmon color with pinker tinting. They were strapless, accenting each woman's décolletages as they walked with their backs straight and their heads held high. The iridescent chiffon fabric was soft and inviting-looking, the smooth fabric brushing up against the girls' legs with every step they took. The side-draping and cascade was accented with a flower, making it hug their curves in the right places and making them all look exquisitely beautiful.
Jack, Bobby, and D—the third groomsman who had been acting as an usher while Bobby was getting ready—chuckled as they heard Myles mutter a clear "wow" under his breath when Lucy emerged from the rear of the small chapel. Another romance was definitely in the air and it seemed like it might pan out, this time. D could smell another possible wedding in the works and wondered what he was going to do while he was surrounded by all of these love-sick FBI agents.
The three girls made it to the altar, Lucy and Sue giving their men smiles and winks, while Tara did the same once she'd spotted Max in his seat a few rows back from Charlene. He sat next to Price and his wife who were holding one another's hands as they watched in complete bliss, probably remembering their own wedding ceremony. They hadn't learned too much about the couple, Evan liking to keep to himself, but it was evident why when they saw his wife's protruding belly, announcing to the rest of them that they were going to bring another life into the world. There was nothing better than that. They sat beside DeMarco—he and Bobby previously making amends one night when Jeff had saved the Aussie's life while out in the field—who sat beside Amber Martone who was already in tears from all of the emotions surging around the church. It was all so beautiful.
When Lucy took her place, everyone sitting and standing in the church could feel the vibrations of the organ music as the organist began playing the wedding march. All eyes turned in Bobby's direction for a second to see his face pale slightly as he stared up the aisle at the still-closed chapel doors.
Bobby felt Jack give him a pat on the back—their signal for telling him to breathe—when he felt the burning pain in his lungs from lack of oxygen. He took in a breath, but it rushed out quickly once the doors opened again and he witnessed the angelic vision that was Danni as she stood there on her father's arm, waiting to take the first step down toward him.
She had a wonderful glow surrounding her—one that radiated love and devotion with just a simple quirk of her lips. Her eyes were wide and he watched the pink tip of her tongue poke out as she moistened her lips. If there had been any breath in his lungs, Bobby was sure that tiny, nervous action would have elicited a groan from deep within his throat. The time had finally come for their new life to begin. Remembering to breathe as he stared into her radiant blue eyes, he watched as she took the first step toward him to become his wife.
This was it, Danni thought as she stared at the doors of the chapel that were made out of the most beautiful stained glass she'd ever seen before in her life. She could feel her hands shaking violently as she struggled to keep the tight hold of one hand on her father's arm while the other held her bouquet—one of stephanotis and rose that was trimmed with white satin ribbon that was laced with bouquet jewels. Despite all of her efforts, she could not stop the tremors from racing into her very core and then radiating through her entire being, making her tremble at the mere thought of taking a step forward.
She wanted nothing more for the doors to open so she could head into Bobby's arms; it was just that first step that was a doozy. Whether or not her feet would cooperate was completely different topic, entirely. She had nothing to fear except for the unknown, but that was always a fear she dealt with everyday. This was a simple wedding ceremony and she was terrified beyond belief.
While getting dressed, she'd reminded herself that soon it would be all over, then the reception—where she could get something into her empty stomach—and then finally to the honeymoon suite her parents had arranged for them so they could have a romantic first night as husband and wife. She wasn't sure why, but that was where her focus had been, but of course, it would end up being like any other night she'd had with Bobby: tender touching, lovemaking into the early hours, and her having the feeling of being home in his arms.
Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that they hadn't slept together in the past three months. The first two, Danni was healing from her wounds, leaving the third month for them to fall back into bed for a tumble in the sheets. Unfortunately, it hadn't seemed appealing to either of them—hence the early arrival of the wedding. Neither wanted to spend another night in bed as just lovers, while their bodies became tangled in the sheets. They wanted so much more; to fall into bed as husband and wife, as lovers, as soul mates and whatever else they could be called. They didn't want to do that if they weren't married before their friends, before their family, or before God.
She'd wanted to know what it felt like to be a nervous wreck once the honeymoon came along and she'd not only achieved that goal, but surpassed it as well. Now, all she had to do was wait a few more hours before she could be taken by her lover, her soul mate, and, most importantly, her husband to their suite where they could become one as man and wife.
"Relax," she heard her father whisper to her once the doors opened and she watched as everyone in the pews before them stood, their eyes all locked on her as she took her first step down the aisle on her father's arm, tears prickling the back of her eyes once they connected with Bobby's calming, ocean-blue ones.
A sudden calm surrounded Bobby as his gaze shifted from the smile on Danni's face to the shaking hand that held the bouquet. If she wasn't careful, she would drop it; though he was sure she had a death-grip on the stem as well as her father's arm. He could tell by the slight winces of pain the older man was making that she could possibly draw blood if she squeezed any harder.
He smiled as he realized that she was just as nervous as he and probably more so because all eyes were upon her. He was just the guy she was marrying, but she was the bride; beautiful in all her glory and so stunning as she walked toward him that his heart ached to hold her, to feel her smooth skin under his fingertips. Only a few more feet and he would have that chance.
The chapel wasn't very large—it held probably two-hundred parishioners at max; their guest list probably taking up only three-fourths of that capacity—though Bobby couldn't understand why it felt like it was taking forever for Danni to come to him. Her strides were steady and smooth, not too slow and not too fast, but it was torturous to see her so close, yet still so far away. As she took a few steps closer, he could see the tiny, white and pink flowers that had been weaved into her hair—the decoration matching her bridesmaids, making them equally as beautiful as the bride.
He gazed into her eyes, seeing her love for him reflecting in their crystal depths, making her eyes shine just as beautifully as the diamond engagement ring he'd slipped on her finger three short months ago. Tears welled in his eyes, though whether it was from the blinding light that emanated from her eyes or from his emotions, he wasn't sure. He tried to keep them at bay, but when the preacher asked: "Who gives this woman to this man?" the floodgates opened, releasing the pearly drops and letting them slowly trickle down his cheeks.
She looked radiant as she looked toward her father, anticipating his answer before turning her gaze back to Bobby for only a moment. His heart swelled when he saw a lone tear trickle down her cheek before dropping off at her chin. The light pink tint to her cheeks made the wait so unbearable that he wanted to pull her into his arms in front of anyone and kiss her senseless in front of the entire congregation. Luckily, he was unable to move when her gaze flitted back to her father when he said: "her mother and I," which prevented him from doing so.
Nicholas kissed his daughter on the cheek, a whispered "I love you," emitting from both as Bobby reached out to take the hand that her father was holding out to him.
"Take care of her," her father said, tears in his own eyes, his nose covered in a pink tint from the emotions he was trying to hold at bay. All of his life, he had never cried in public and he wasn't going to start now; no matter how difficult the task was.
"I will," Bobby replied, softly, looking to Danni, his dimples chiseled into his cheeks in a smile as he raised her hand up to his mouth and placed a light, feathery kiss upon her knuckles. Allowing her to take the few shaky steps to his side, together they climbed the steps to the altar and to the awaiting priest.