She smiles and does the princess wave, then turns to me and grabs my face between her little hands. She leans forward and looks me square in the eyes, a serious expression on her face. “You read me books.”
“Yes, I do.” I don’t laugh but instead smile at her, because, damn, her sweetness makes me putty. It’s also gonna make me give this kid anything she wants.
“You read me more than three.” I nod. “You take me on dates.”
“Always will.” I wink at her.
She smirks and blinks at me, ’cause she just can’t get the wink yet. “?’Kay, so I think you’re the best daddy I eva had.”
Damn, didn’t expect that out of a three-year-old’s mouth. I swallow down my emotions.
“I plan on being that way always.”
“So, I wanna call you that.”
“I’d love that, Marisa, almost as much as I love you.”
She wraps her little arms around my neck. “I love you, too.”
I absolutely get choked up. This is one of those moments when I realize that what just went on outside, and a million things like it that happened over the years, could have molded me, my brothers. Life would have been so much different if we hadn’t had Momma. I look up at my brothers and swallow down even more emotion.
Marisa grabs my face again, and I look back at her. “You ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“Good. Now put me down.”
Once her feet hit the ground, I look up to see Hailey watching us. She is wiping away tears and wearing a smile that isn’t just for me—that smile is for all of us. She holds her hand over her chest and swallows. Then she starts down the stairs.
She is walking toward me, smiling, tears still falling. There is no game, no show, no tell. With her wall down now, I swear she is more beautiful than ever before.
“It was an obvious choice for Hailey and Morrison to ask me to marry them,” Jared begins. “Hell, look at Hendrix and Livi. Pretty clear they’re still enjoying married life.”
“Hell yes, we are,” Hendrix blurts out over the laughter in the room.
“Love. What is there to say about it that I didn’t say seven months ago? No, really, I don’t remember, and honestly—hell, neither do you all; you were drinking, too. What is there about love that I didn’t know seven months ago?” Jared looks at Livi and Hendrix, then smiles.
“Love is not just a feeling; it’s an action. Actions don’t require flowery words”—he looks at me—“or extravagant gifts. It requires work. Relationships are work. The W-word isn’t something these boys shy away from, and it’s not something their brides shy away from, either. If you don’t work at it, if you don’t trust in each other and share in every part of each other’s lives, you lose it.”
Hailey reaches out and grabs his hand, and he winks at her.
“You have a good woman here, Morrison. Can’t tell a joke for shit, but she’ll do just fine.”
Once people finish chuckling, it is quiet for a minute.
“From what I understand, communication is key to a lasting relationship, but when I was married, we never talked about communication. One night in a former life, my wife communicated to me that she thought we should go out and have fun like we used to. I thought it was a hell of an idea, so I asked her to leave the hall light on if she got home before I did.” When the crowd laughs, he holds his hand up, stopping them. “Just so you know, that did not go over well.
“Today, Hailey is going to marry this guy”—he points to me—“but he’s getting this little princess, too. So I have some advice, and feel free to ignore it ’cause I really don’t have a damn clue what I’m talking about.
“Marisa, when your momma laughs at his jokes, it’s because you have company, and she’s being polite. You should probably pretend he’s funny, too.”
Marisa starts cracking up. I know damn well she hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about, but it’s still funny as hell.
“Morrison, before I let you take the plunge, I want you to think about this piece of fatherly advice I received when I was much younger: If you change your mind and walk away, we all understand. If you don’t, we’re all gonna be jealous as hell of you. And never get on one knee for a girl who hasn’t gotten on two for you.”
Okay, that shit was funny. Jared’s got jokes.
Hailey and I stare into each other’s eyes and just smile.
“Dayum,” Jared says into the microphone.
“Some more advice for the groom: I suggest you just forget about any mistake you make from here on out. A wife’s duty is not only to remember them, but to remind you of them throughout the next fifty or so years of your life. No sense in both of you carrying around that information. Don’t worry, it’s completely normal.”
“She wouldn’t do that. I’m damn near perfect, right, baby?”
She smiles. “Absolutely.”
“Morrison, I also suggest you keep in mind that the only difference between five years on the job and five years of marriage is that after five years, your job will still suck. Your wife…Don’t worry, it’s completely normal.”
Everyone laughs again, even Hailey.
“Shit goes both ways, little momma.”