When she reached him at the altar, tears spilled over his cheeks. I don’t think I’d ever seen Rhys cry publicly. But there was something about the love of your life that rendered you so very vulnerable. As the preacher began the ceremony, I couldn’t help gazing past the bride and groom over to Lily. I thought about our wedding days—our first in Vegas and then our second at the church back home. In some ways it seemed just like yesterday, but then in others, it seemed like two different people embarking on married life.
We’d had our ups and downs, the good and the bad. We had weathered each and every storm that life threw at us. In the end, it just made us, as well as our love, stronger. Like the old Joni Mitchell song, Both Sides Now, that my mother used to love to play, I had been given the chance to see life from both sides—the one with Lily and the one without. It was no contest on how to choose. For me, there was no life without Lily in it.
“By the power vested in me by God and the state of Georgia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
When Rhys pulled Allison into his arms to lay one on her, applause rang out in the church. They pulled away to smile and laugh at the crowd’s antics. Then they started back down the aisle as man and wife. When it was time for me to exit, I met Lily at the middle of the altar. I offered her my arm, and she happily slid hers through it. “You look very beautiful, Mrs. Vanderburg.”
She smiled. “And you look awfully handsome, Mr. Vanderburg.”
Even though we were supposed to start down the aisle, I stopped to kiss Lily. “I love you,” she murmured against my lips.
“I love you more.”
And then we walked down the aisle together and out into the sunshine.
LILY
THE PRESENT
Later that night at the reception, I lay with my head snuggled to Brayden’s chest under the sparkling lights of the rented tent. Rhys’s parents had hosted the reception at their house in the Historic District of Savannah. It was absolutely breathtaking being inside the old home, and the large tent on the back lawn made for an intimate setting. Once the cake had been cut and our children had eaten their way through several slices, along with stops at the chocolate fountain, we sent them back to the hotel with my mother to sugar detox.
As we swayed to the music, I was glad to have some alone time with Brayden. Over my shoulder, I watched as Rhys and Allison danced as close as humanly possible while never letting their eyes stray from each other’s. “What are you thinking about?” Brayden asked.
I raised my head. “The happy couple. Us.”
“What about us?”
I smiled. “How thankful I am that we’re a happy couple after all these years.”
“I know what you mean.” His brows furrowed a little. “I can’t help wondering how the Rolling Stone article will turn out.”
“We were honest and told our story. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I know. I just dread what might be said about some parts of our past.” With a grimace, he said, “It’s not that I care about them seeing what an asshole I was. It’s more about you being hurt again and again.”
“It’s okay, Brayden. I promise. Besides, we’re the only ones that matter. Don’t forget that.”
Smiling at me, he said, “I won’t.”
When the song ended, a screech came over the microphone as Rhys took it from the band leader. “So I just wanted to say on behalf of Allison and myself that we really appreciate your love and support on our very special day. We’re so very glad and blessed that you could share it with us. We love you all very much.” As applause filled the air, Rhys smiled. “And now, there’s something that Allison and I would like to do for a very special couple.” Rhys began to search through the crowd. “Brayden, Lily, you guys come up here please.”
I tensed in Brayden’s arms. “What is going on?”
“I don’t know.” Taking my hand, Brayden led me across the dance floor to the bandstand. When we got there, Rhys winked at me.
“Even though it’s mine and Allison’s happy day, we wanted to do something for a couple who has meant so much to the both of us. When I first joined Runaway Train, no one was more welcoming or better to me than Lily was. And Brayden became the big brother I never had. They’ve been married for twelve years and a couple for eighteen years. I know I speak for Allison and myself when I say that they have shown me the type of marriage we want aspire to have now and twenty years down the road. They’re devoted to each other and to their children.”
“Seriously, man, I’m choking up here,” Brayden interjected. Both he and I had tears in our eyes from Rhys’s speech.
“We ask that you clear the floor and give this very special couple a spotlight dance of their own.” Whistles and applause came from around the room. “And while I could have picked any one of the love songs you have written, Brayden, the guys, along with Abby, thought this song best suited the two of you.”
“I can’t believe they’re doing this,” I hiccupped through my tears. It was overwhelming being signaled out for a speech that sang your praises, not to mention a private dance.
“Me either.”
As the lights dimmed a little, Brayden once again took me by the hand and led me out onto the dance floor. The band leader counted them in, and the music started to play.
Remember when I was young and so were you. And time stood still, and love was all we knew.
As a secret fan of country music, I instantly recognized the song. It was another fellow musician from Georgia, Alan Jackson. And the song was Remember When.
You were the first, so was I. We made love, and then you cried. Remember when.
Rhys was right. There probably was no better song that suited all the years that Brayden and I had spent together as well as our beginnings and our battles.
And as the song played on, I kissed my husband under the twinkling lights on the dance floor. I thanked God for all the years we’ve had and for all the ones that were to come.
When I pulled away, Brayden stared down at me with such loving intensity it made me shiver. “You had your pick of any guy in school. Hell, any guy anywhere. I’ll never understand why you picked me.”
I smiled at him. “That’s easy. You sang to me.”
“But you gave me the melody I never knew I had.” He took my hand in his and brought it to his chest. “The melody straight from my heart.”
THE END
Books 1 & 2 the Jacob’s Ladder series will publish in 2015 starting with Eli’s book.
Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Harry Potter, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she has spent the last eleven years teaching both middle and high school English. As of January 2013, she is a full-time writer.
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Katie Ashley, Melody of the Heart
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