92–Alex
Fuck.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this.
Getting married…
I paced the hotel room, waiting for Ollie. He’d promised he’d be there for me, as my witness and best man. I just hoped the big idiot hadn’t flaked.
There was a knock at the door, and I crossed to it, opening it.
I looked at the man who stood on the other side. “Can I help you?”
He smiled, and I tilted my head to the side. He had the same little lop–sided grin as his daughter… “Mr. Brewster.”
“Alexander Kazumi.” He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around me and hugged me, as Oliver chuckled and stepped into the room behind him.
“Surprise.” Ollie chuckled, closing the door.
Joey’s father let go of me, clapping me on the shoulders. “She was right, you are a good–looking young man.”
“Sir, I would have asked-” I stammered, but he cut me off.
“Nonsense. I am not that old–fashioned. I know Joey loves you, and you have made her extremely happy. So, you can marry my daughter. And you can call me Eion.”
I chuckled. “Eoin. Irish. Now I can see where she gets her feistiness from.”
Eoin Brewster laughed. “That was her mother. Redheaded and wild. Like a pagan—”
“Goddess.” We both said in unison and started to laugh.
“Oh yes, Jolene has always had fire in her soul and Irish whiskey in her veins. You’re going to have your hands full with that one, and I wish you all the luck in the world.” Eoin chuckled.
“Oh, don’t I know it.” I chuckled in return. I turned to Oliver. “How is Yuka?”
“He’s-”
There was another knock at the door, and I squinted at Ollie as he walked to the door and opened it. Aoto stood on the other side, Yuka in a wheelchair in front of him… Sota by his side.
“Sota!”
I practically ran across the room as Sota stepped into the room and stopped in front of him. I wanted to throw myself at him, but I knew he would still be sore from the surgery to remove the bullet from his breastbone…
“Come here, you little shit.” Sota grabbed me, hugging me to him and mumbled in my ear. “Thank you for saving my life,
Alex. We’re even.”
I chuckled, letting him go and stepped back, bowing to him, then turned to Yuka. “Sir, you are supposed to be home.”
“And miss you and Jolene getting married? Not on your life. I’m not going to die, Alexander. Let me enjoy this.” He chuckled and I smiled, bowing. Turning, I flipped Oliver off, who laughed and turned back to Eoin. “Eoin, this is Yuka Takada. He is mine and Joey’s boss.”
Eoin came over and bowed to Yuka, then shook his hand. “It’s an honor, sir.”
“No, the honor is mine, Mr. Brewster. If it wasn’t for your daughter, I would not be here. She saved my life.”
Eoin smiled. “Sound just like
my Roo.”
I scrunched my eyebrows together. “Roo?”
He laughed and told us the story of the young Joey, and the kangaroo at the zoo, and we all laughed. “I am going to have to
mention it.”
“Oh, please don’t.” Eoin laughed. “She will skin me alive.”
“What time have you booked this in for, Alex?” Oliver asked, coming over to me and putting his arm around my shoulders. “I want to text Jade and let her know to have Joey there on time.”
Setting
15.07
92 Alex
“Jade’s here too?”
“Yeah, like she would miss it.” Ollie mumbled. “Damned woman threatened me with divorce if I didn’t get her a flight over
to it.”
I laughed. “Well, couldn’t have that then, could we? I have the chapel booked for a six pm start.”
Oliver looked at his watch. “Well, better get ready.”
I nodded and went to shower, quickly dressing in the suit I’d bought that morning, and walked out into the hotel room. “Oh, very dashing.” Yuka said, as Oliver took a photo, and I flipped him off again.
“Have you got the ring?”
“Sure do.” Ollie replied, pulling out the box and handing it to me.
“Alex, if I may ask a favor?” Eoin stepped up to me and held out his hand. In it, sat a ring box and I looked at him. “It was Joey’s mother’s wedding ring. In the end, they didn’t fit her fingers anymore. Joey already has the engagement ring, reforged into a pendant. If you don’t mind…”
I smiled, as he trailed off and I took the box from his hand and opened it.
Inside sat one of the most exquisite wedding bands I had ever seen.
Filigree gold and silver entwined in Celtic knots. “It’d be an honor, Eoin.”
“Thank you. Well, I best go and see my girl, before everything.” He smiled and hugged me again. “I will see you in a little while.”
Eoin left and I inhaled. “Phew…”
“Having second thoughts?” Sota asked and I shook my head.
“No, just never thought I would ever get to this point, with anyone. Ever.”
“Well, neither did we.” Yuka said. “But here you are.”
After a few more minutes of talking, we made our way down to the chapel in the hotel and waited. I bounced nervously on the balls of my feet, eager to see the woman I was about to-
The moment the door opened, and Joey stepped through, on the arm of her father, it was as if I had forgotten how to
breathe. She was ethereal.
The white dress she wore, while not traditionally a wedding dress style, looked incredible on her and my heart thudded painfully in my chest, at the sheer beauty of her, and the fact she was about to become my wife. Tears burned in my eyes, and I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from crying.
Eoin handed Joey’s hand to me, and she stepped up beside me.
Joey looked up and frowned. “Are you crying? Don’t cry, you’ll make me cry and I’ve already cried enough today.”
“I’m not, but you look incredible, doll.”
“Thank you.” She whispered and we turned to the celebrant.
He ran through the traditional sayings of a wedding, of how it was sacred and blah, blah, blah. I didn’t really hear much of it, I was too busy staring at Joey.
I didn’t deserve her…
This perfectly wild and beautiful woman, who had gone through so much, and was still standing here, with me, getting married.
“Do you, Alexander Kazumi, take this woman, Jolene Teresa Brewster as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold until death do you part?‘
I looked down at Joey and smiled. “I do. Always.”
She slid the simple gold band onto my finger and held my hand tight.
“And do you, Jolene Teresa Brewster, take this man, Alexander Kazumi to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold until death do you part?”
Joey looked up at me and smiled. “I do. Always.”
12/31
92–Alex
I took the ring from Oliver and slid it onto her finger, and she looked down at it.
“Oh my god… papa…”
She turned to her dad, who was fighting back tears, and he blew her a kiss.
Joey smiled at him, before turning back to me, biting her lip, to stop herself from crying.
“Then by the power vested in me, by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
There was nothing I wanted more… and I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around Joey and kissed her as if I would die if
I didn’t.
A cheer went up through the cathedral, but I didn’t really take much notice of it.
We were complete.
Final.
Married.
There was no other woman on earth who would ever take Joey’s place in a million years, and I knew, as she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me, she would always be by my side no matter what.
Pulling away, I looked down at her. Joey looked up at me, tears sitting on her lashes, “Ready for our next chapter, Mr.
Kazumi?”
I chuckled and leaned in, hugging her to me. “Always, Mrs. Kazumi.”
Joey, giggled. “Hmm… I like the sound of that.”
“Good. And do you like the sound of two weeks in Hawaii?”
Joey pulled away from me and looked up. “No… you didn’t.”
I put my hand out and Oliver quickly came up, handing me the tickets and I gave them to her.
“Two weeks. Just you and me, doll.”
“Oh Alex!” She flung herself at me this time, kissing me again and I heard Oliver yell out.
“Get a room you two!”
I lifted my hand, flipping him off, as I continued to kiss my wife and as the most important people in our life laughed, I held onto Joey, knowing we were going to be just fine.
Mr. and Mrs. Kazumi were now a reality.
END AND THANK YOU!!!
To everyone who has read this story, thank you!!!!
I never in a million years, thought this would do as well as it has. You have given me faith back in my writing. This is the biggest story I have ever written, and it flowed so well, I was so incredibly happy with it.
I have been asked if I can do a sequel to this and am trying to find a storyline that won’t seem like I am trying too hard with
- it.
Hopefully I can and hopefully I will be able to bring you back Alex, Joey, Sota, Oliver, Aoto and Jade in a future book.
But for now, I am done with Joey and Alex’s story.
I am going to let them go to Hawaii and have their happily ever after.
Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!
