192 - Rain Kisses - Tissue Warning
192 - Rain Kisses - Tissue Warning
Just know, when you finally walk down that aisle on your daddy’s arm, me and your mom are going to be sitting there on the closest cloud so we can have the best view. If it starts raining, I want you to remember that it’s me and Jess dropping kisses on you. – Momma Becks
Molly knocked on the door to Priscilla’s room at the Shack. All of his pretties had already come out and gone downstairs. Her bridesmaids were downstairs and should be headed down the aisle in the garden. He expected that five-year-old JR and three-year-old Rowan would be waiting for their Nana T to walk them down the aisle. JR was so excited to throw the silk rose petals that he anticipated that she would run out halfway down the aisle.
Priscilla opened the door and Molly could only smile as he made a motion for her to spin around. Laughing, she obliged and ignored Charlotte as she snapped pictures. Her long brown hair was piled on top of her head with delicate curls that fell just past her shoulders. The fine lace veil that was purple ombre at the end was attached with a silver comb at the crown of her head.
The tiara that he had picked out six years ago sat at the top of her head. The matching jewelry was a perfect match for her dress. The fact that they were bought years apart only emphasized how well he knew his daughters.
After completing her circle, she stood smiling at her father. He opened his arms and she moved into the embrace. Being careful of her tiara and veil, he pressed a kiss to the artfully positioned curls.
“You look so much like your mother.”
Standing there, holding his twenty-five-year-old daughter, he thought about the fact that she was now older than her own mother had been when she died. Jess had died six weeks before her twenty-fifth birthday. Two and a half months ago, Priscilla turned twenty-five only days before welcoming her third child to the world.
“There was a time that I did not want to look like her,” Priscilla admitted softly. “I just wanted to look like the rest of the family.”
He pulled back a little bit and gently cupped her face. “How you looked never dictated whether you were part of the family or not. It was where you resided in our hearts.”
She gave him a watery smile as a tear slipped out of her eye. Shifting his hand, he gently captured the teardrop with his thumb. Smiling at her, he pressed a light kiss on her forehead.
“No tears,” he murmured and neither was certain if he was telling her or himself.
In the background, Charlotte continued to snap candid pictures of the bride and her father. She could hear their quiet conversation but tried not to. Not just because it was a private conversation, but because she also missed her friend.
“Shall we get you down to your men?”
“Yes,” Priscilla agreed as he moved back and stepped out of the room and into the hall.
“I’m going to take the elevator,” Charlotte told them. “I want to get some stair pictures.”
As they watched the other woman dash down the hall to the elevator, Molly leaned in and stage whispered to his daughter. “She’s not as demanding as you are.”
“I can be!” Charlotte warned as she stepped into the metal box.
“But you don’t have the don’t piss me off look that your sister has mastered!” Priscilla laughed as Charlotte hit the button to hold the door open.
“Camille mastered that look before she could walk. But with eight older siblings, I guess you have to.” Releasing the door, she advised, “You should look at Tobias when he’s done with someone’s shit.”
Father and daughter laughed as they headed for the grand staircase. They walked slowly, allowing Charlotte time to get to the bottom of the stairs. Coming around the corner, they were surprised to find Raven, J & L Publicity and Marketing employee number four. She smiled as she snapped a few quick pictures of her boss.
Stepping out of the way, she motioned for father and daughter to start down the stairs. Priscilla was holding her skirt up, helping her to find the next step and did not look up until Charlotte called her name. as she looked up, her eyes were drawn to the men staggered on the steps on alternating sides.
“Aramis,” Charlotte said and he nodded before he turned to look at his friend.
The photographers at either end of the stairs caught the look on their faces as Aramis saw his friend in her wedding dress for the first time. His face lit up and then he scooped her up into a tight hug. This time Charlotte could not hear what was being said, and from the look on Molly’s face, he was wishing that he was that lucky.
“God, Priss. It’s a good thing that we don’t fly to Florida until tomorrow afternoon. Pretty sure that your men are going to wear you the fuck out tonight.”
Laughing, she pressed a quick kiss to his bearded cheek. “That’s the plan.”
He returned the action and sat her back on the step next to her father. “I’ll see you at the bottom.” After shaking Molly’s hand, and being pulled in for a backslapping hug, he went and stood behind Charlotte.
Molly guided Priscilla down to the next man several steps below. When they stopped, Charlotte said his name and Athos turned to see his friend. Careful of her veil, he picked her up and spun her around on the small landing.
“I love you, Priss. I love Porthos and tolerate those other two fuckers. But if they ever do you wrong, I will provide an alibi for your dad.”
Molly tipped his head back and laughed. When Athos put Priscilla back on her feet, he kissed her cheek before being pulled into a tight hug by her dad.
“Appreciate the alibi, but I think we’re good for those three,” Molly told him. “I do have a few more daughters, though.”
“Deal.” Athos agreed as Priscilla pulled him down to give him a quick kiss on his cheek.
Halfway down the stairs between the landing and the ground floor, Charlotte told Darkness that he could turn around. He turned and smiled at his wife’s closest friend. Pulling her in for a hug, he whispered a blessing in Creole.
“When we did our wedding, Camille said that she wished she had done this with the musketeers. She made sure that you had it.”
At the bottom of the stairs, her brother-in-law hugged her and kissed her cheek. Charlotte arranged them for a few quick pictures before shooing them out to the garden. Raven followed them to take up her position for the ceremony.
The doors finally opened and they stepped out into the garden. Halfway down the aisle it began to sprinkle lightly. She stopped and looked up at the lowest cloud thinking of what Becks had told her just before her ceremony nearly seven years ago.
“Hi mom.”