Chapter 174

Richie wiped his hands down the legs of his black linen pants, digging his bare toes into the sand.  The breeze caught the open placket of his shirt, billowing it away from his body while ruffling the hair at the nape of his neck.

Looking around nervously, he smiled at the Kahu and noted that adults and kids alike were yawning and fidgeting at the early hour.  In an attempt to channel his inner Zen, he concentrated on the dancing flames of the torches that lit the small stretch of beach.

Damn, I didn’t think I’d be this nervous. Where the hell is she?

“You okay, man?”  Taking a moment to pause in his own fidgeting, his identically dressed best man gripped his shoulder with an expression of concern.  “You’re getting awful antsy.”

Richie ignored the question, fingering the bright orange flower pinned to his chest.  It was the only thing that distinguished the groom from the best man.  “Do you have the rings, Jon?”

Holding up his left hand, he displayed the band of platinum on the end of his finger. “Dottie has your ring.”

Richie nodded, watching the entrance to the path where Allegra should appear – have already appeared.  “Any idea what Lemma’s doing with his keyboard set up?  He won’t tell me.”

“Not a clue.  He told me to mind my own business, he was only taking requests from the bride.”

“Yeah, that’s about what he told me,” Richie chuckled, again pushing damp palms down his pant legs.  No telling what his wife-to-be had up her sleeve.  And if Lemma was involved?  Well the sky was the limit.

Hearing a rustling at the path entrance, his head snapped up attentively in time to see Dot step into the light of the furthest torch.  Craning his neck to catch a glimpse behind her, he could make out Allegra’s form, her hand resting in the crook of Michael’s arm.  When she came close enough to make eye contact with Richie, her smile lit the pre-dawn sky.

Jesus, she’s beautiful.

“Breathe, man,” Jon muttered with a none-too-gentle nudge in the ribs. 

He consciously drew in oxygen, still mesmerized, watching her seemingly float down the makeshift aisle.  Even Dot sweeping in and assuming her place at the Kahu’s right hand couldn’t draw his attention from the woman walking toward him.  His breathtaking bride. 

Her full, tropical bouquet was an intense splash of color against the ivory of her dress, which was one of those long lacy things without any sleeves.  It reminded him of a gypsy skirt the way its jagged hem swirled around her calves as she walked.  His eyes drifted down to her bare feet and their brightly painted toenails before gliding back up her body.  

The material flowed from the gently gathered empire waistline - working with Nikki had taught him a lot of fashion terminology  - draping softly over her midriff and nearly concealing the blossoming baby Bug.  She was only noticeable if you were looking for her.  His eyes were caught by the plummeting vee neckline that showcased her now ample cleavage and the sapphire pendant settled at her throat.  His gaze slid to her exposed earlobes with a sense of pleased satisfaction.

Dot was right.  The necklace is almost an exact match for the earrings.

And her hair…  It was pulled up on the sides with some kind of clips or hair doodads, but the back of it was swirling in the breeze around her shoulders in a dark, silken cloud.  His fingers itched to touch it.

Gorgeous.

After what seemed an eternity, Michael finally delivered Richie’s glowing bride, receiving a grateful kiss for his efforts.   “Thank you, Daddy.  I love you.”

“I love you too, beautiful girl.”  The older man’s eyes were bright and he ducked his head, assuming the vacant spot next to his wife on the front bench.

Allegra blinked up at Richie almost shyly as he reached for her hand.

“Sunshine?” he whispered.  “Last chance, baby.  Are you sure?”

“Beyond the shadow of a doubt.” 

He briefly clutched at her fingers with relief.  Now his nerves could settle and he felt the tension begin to seep from his shoulders.   “Let’s do this then.”

Man and woman pivoted in tandem to face the Kahu Silva, who patiently awaited his cue to begin the ceremony.

“Friends and loved ones, we are gathered here at the break of a new day to celebrate the love and commitment of Richie and Allegra.”  Scriptural references about love and marriage flowed effortless from his lips.  When he had completed his opening remarks, he imperceptibly bobbed his head at Allegra.   “I understand that musical selections have been prepared by the couple for the occasion.  Allegra, whenever you’re ready.”

Smiling her thanks, she passed her bouquet to Dot.  Offering Richie a timid look, she captured his big hands in hers, lightly clasping her fingers around his.  “I’d like to remind everyone that I’m not a professional vocalist or musician, unlike a number of you here today, so thank you in advance for your indulgence.  David…?”

The opening bars swelled through the portable speaker and Richie cocked his head in surprise.  “You’re going to sing?” he whispered.

Instead of replying, she took her cue and hesitantly began...

Ohhh…

Why you look so saaad?

Tears are in your eyyyes

Come on and come to meee now

Richie immediately recognized The Pretender’s “I’ll Stand by You”.  Mind racing forward through the lyrics, he found that his throat grew thick before she’d finished the first verse. 

Don’t

Be ashamed to cry-yy

Let me see you througggh

'Cause I've seen the daaark side too

He fought the wetness behind eyes by reminding himself that he was a man, even as her soft, lilting voice wove its magic around him.  The initial tremors were gone and she sang with confidence, lost in his eyes, silently committing every word to him.

When the night faalls on you

You don't knoow what to do

His hand enfolded the one she lifted to his cheek as she musically reassured him…

Nothin' you con-fesss, could make me love you lesss

I'll stand by youu, I'll staand by you

Won't let nobody hurt youuuu

I'll stand by you

The bulk of the song became a blur, with the words embedded on his heart if not in his memory.  But Richie would never forget when she reached that last bit and dropped her voice to a whisper, shutting out everyone but him as she expressively crooned…

And when, when the nigght falls on you, babyy

You're feelin' all alonnne

You won't be on your owwwn

I'll stand by you

Won't let nobody hurt youuuu

I'll stannnd by youuu…

Silence hung tangibly in the air after the last note had faded, and Allegra’s chin fell uncertainly to her chest.  Scooping her right hand up, he kissed it reverently before placing a gentle knuckle under her chin.  He let her see the tears shining in his eyes, compelled to share how deeply she’d affected him.

“Thank you.”

“Well, I don’t know about you all,” David said in a loud aside, atop the sniffles of the women and uncomfortable shifting of the men.  “But I think she needs to go on the road with us.  Jon could use a break.”

As he’d intended, everyone tittered with laughter – everyone but Allegra.  “I don’t think so,” she demurred.  “I’d rather leave it to the professionals – the ones who promised me a song for my wedding.  Richie?”

“Yeah.”  Still lost in her eyes, he took a moment to clear his throat before relinquishing his hold and accepting the guitar Jon offered.  “Well, that was pleasantly unexpected,” he commented jovially, with an affectionate wink for his bride.  “I didn’t know my girl had such a pretty voice.  But I can’t believe she expects me to sing after getting me all choked up like that.”

Jon snorted, muttering, “Suck it up and pretend you’re getting paid,” and earning himself a dirty look from his wife.

“Okay, I think I can do this now.”  Richie settled the strap around his neck, strumming a couple of times and clearing his throat again.  Taking a step back, he comfortably settled into his usual position at Jon’s right shoulder, nodding as his friend slipped the Takamine over his head.  “The Beatles have always been a big influence in my life, and when I thought of the things I wanted to say to you today.”  His nod was for Allegra this time.  “This song came to mind.  It’s called “In My Life”.”

Meeting Jon’s eyes in a silent communication honed by years of performing together, his nimble fingers danced lightly over the strings.  The double-necked Taylor chirped like a beautiful bird during the introduction to a surprisingly ‘perky’ song.

There are pla-ces I'll re-MEM-ber
All my li-iife though some have changed

Allegra grinned.  It was the first time she’d ever heard Richie take lead vocals over Jon, and the fierce concentration on Jon’s face was priceless as he struggled to make the harmony fit.  He was so used to being the leader rather than the follower that it was an obvious effort to fall in behind the melody.

Some for-EV-er not for BET-ter
Some have go-oone and some remain
All these pla-aaces had their mo-ments
With lovers and friends

 I still can recall
Some are de-ead and some are liv-ing
In myy-yyy life I've loved them alll

It wasn’t a song she was familiar with, and so far she certainly wouldn’t call it bowl-me-over romantic, but his eyes encouraged her patience.

But of all these friends and LOV-ers
There is nooooo one compares with you
And these mem-ries lose their MEAN-ing
When I thinnk of love as something neww
Though I know I'll never lose af-FEC-tion
For people and things

 that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In myy-yyy life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things

that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In myy-yyy life I love you more
In myy-yyy life

I love YOU more

“I love you, baby.”  He blew a kiss to her, making no effort to remove the acoustic from around his body even though Jon had placed his guitar back on the stand.

“I love you back.”

“Daddy,” Ava pronounced from her position in the audience.  “That was a totally lame wedding song.  You have to do better than that.  Sing something that sounds romantic!”

Richie’s oversized grin made his dimple appear an inch deep before a more thoughtful expression took up residence.  Fingers flexed and he resettled the guitar more comfortably around him, showing no ill effects from his tumble yesterday.

“I guess it’s a good thing I have one more I want to do, considering that last comment from the peanut gallery.”  A roll of his eyes accompanied the dry observation.  “Sunshine, you have to know how much I love you, because I may have to find new friends after this.  I have a feeling they’re gonna make fun of me for years,” Richie said ruefully.  “It’s not something I ever imagined myself singing, but I heard it a couple weeks ago and couldn’t get away from the lyrics.”

When-ev-er I'm we-ary

From the bat-tles that raaage in myy heaaad
You make sensse of maad-ness
When my san-i-ty hangs by aaa threeead
I lose my wayy but stillll you
Seem to under-staaand
Now and for-ev-errrr
I will beee your ma-aan

His image blurred and swam behind her tears.  Placing a fist against her sternum, Allegra pressed against the clutching in her heart.  The emotion he wrought from each phrase and chord tugged at it with a painfully tender grasp.

Some-times I just ho-oold youuu
Too caught up innn mee to seeee
I'm hold-ing a fo-or-tunne
That Heav-en has giv-en tooo meee
I'll try to shooow you each and evv-ry way I ca-ann
Now and for-ev-errrr
I will beee your ma-aaan

Dot pushed a tissue into her hand, but once they’d escaped, she couldn’t do anything but let the tears roll down her cheeks.   

Now I can re-est my worries and always be sure
That I WON’T be alone AN-Y-mo-ore
If I'd on-ly kno-own you were there
All the ti-iime
All this tii-ii-iime

Un-til the daaay the oo-ceaan
Doeeess-n't touuuch the sa-aa-and
Now and for-ev-errrr
I will BE-ee your ma-a-aan

Now and fore-e-ee-ver
I will beeeee youuuurr ma-aa-aaan

Smiling through the waterworks, she waited for him to rejoin her with the Kahu, telling their guests with a laugh, “Okay, I never knew it was going to be this hard not to kiss him before receiving the official order.  Kahu, can we move onto the vows?”

A strong arm came to encircle her waist and they stood side by side before the priest as the sun cracked the ocean’s surface.  She considered the impeccable timing a good omen as the Kahu progressed with the ceremony.

“Richie and Allegra have elected to tailor their wedding ceremony to suit their unique relationship, blending old and new, traditional and contemporary.  To that end, they have both prepared their own vows that they would like to share before taking the more traditional ones.  Allegra, why don’t you start?”

With an incline of her head, she angled herself toward her almost-husband.  “After that I’m not sure I remember what I was going to say,” she teased, lacing the fingers of her left hand in his right before sobering.  

“If you’d told me a year ago that I was going to get married today, I would’ve laughed.  Never in a million years did I expect to be standing on the threshold of a future that held anything besides the Church.  But things happened.  And suddenly I was here on this very beach, telling an arrogant guitarist to sit down, shut up and watch the sunrise or go away leave me to do it in peace.” 

She returned his tender smile at the reference to the – now, anyway – fond memory.

“Despite what you clearly wanted to do, without a word you plopped down in the sand next to me, unwilling to leave me alone and unprotected in a strange place.  Then the next morning – and the next, and the next – you came again, with no thought of argument on your mind.  You just came to sit and make sure I was safe while I stubbornly watched the sun come up each morning, looking down my nose at you.  Somehow, sometime during that week we eventually called a truce.  We talked.  We became friends.  We even shared our first kiss here.  That’s why this was the perfect place for us to start our married life.  It’s where we began our life.

“By the time we left Hawaii, I think I’d already fallen a little bit in love with you, although I wouldn’t admit it to myself.  I was determined that you were a rock star playboy who thought he could have anything and anyone he wanted.  Through the course of… things…  I found out that you weren’t an arrogant guitarist.”  Her eyes twinkled as she grinned at him.  “Well, maybe a little, but you deserve to be.”

Everyone chuckled and Jon poked Richie in the back, giving Allegra an approving smirk and thumbs-up.

When everyone settled, she locked on Richie’s eyes and pressed forth.  “What I also found out is that you’re one of the gentlest souls God has ever put on this earth, with more love and forgiveness in your heart than anyone I’ve ever met.  You’re respectful, loyal, loving, thoughtful and all of those other sappy things that question a man’s masculinity.  Yet you do it without giving up an iota of your ‘guy’ status – you love your sports, crude humor, cars, loud music and the need to be right, yet you make it all work.  You’re the perfect man.”  Allegra lifted one shoulder in a tiny shrug.  “At least the perfect man for me.”

His dimple began to deepen and he bit his lip, keeping the conceited grin at bay.  She shook her head indulgently before asserting in a solemn voice, “Richie, I promise to do better by you tomorrow than I did yesterday, and I’ll renew that promise every day that we draw a breath together.  I will never go to sleep or see you leave on a trip with anger in my heart.  I will never run from our problems, but will stay to resolve them and fight for us.  I will strive each morning to be the woman that can keep you where you need to be – creatively, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  You will always have my unwavering support, my respect and my love.  You deserve no less.  These are my vows to you,” she pledged with an affirmative squeeze to his hands.

Just past his left shoulder, the sun was peeking its head further over the horizon, the pink and orange glow of its presence magnified by the reflection from the water.

“Richie,” Kahu Silva guided.  “When you’re ready.”

His eyes darted to the Kahu in affirmation, but Richie took a moment to compile his thoughts before speaking. 

“If you’d told me a year ago that I was going to get married today, I would’ve laughed,” he echoed her opening words.  “I didn’t think my soul would ever heal enough to take this step again.  I didn’t think I’d ever find someone who was worth the risk of shattering my old, scarred heart into fresh, new pieces.   Didn’t think anyone would want to take a chance on the broken old man I’d become.  Then…”  He gave Allegra a playful wink.  “Along came the most beautifully stubborn, obstinate, independent, loving, selfless, giving woman in the world.  And the most amazing thing of all was her willingness to accept me for who I am – despite my past, the mistakes I’ve made…”  He treated her to a lopsided smile that she couldn’t help but return.  “And the fact that I’m an arrogant guitarist.”

“Today the sun is not only rising on a new day, but a new chapter in my life.  One that I’m determined to write well.  One that I’m determined to spend the rest of my life writing.”  Lifting her palm to his lips, he pressed a kiss in its center and folded her fingers over.  “Today I stand before you an old man with a renewed, young man’s heart because you’ve breathed new life into it with your limitless love.  It is the greatest of all gifts, and I haven’t a hope of returning it even by half.”

Unable to keep his hands still, he lovingly stroked a finger along the arch of her cheek as he pledged, “But I will put my feet on the floor every day and try to be a man you’re proud to call your husband.  I will take care of my wife and children the best possible way I know how, regardless of what anyone else thinks.  I will remain faithful to you in both body and mind.  I will stand strong by your side so that you can lean on me, and when necessary, we can lean on each other.   I will love, protect, cherish, honor and respect you with every breath I take until I take no more.  These are my vows to you.”

From there, the remainder of the ceremony was textbook:  do you take this man, do you take this woman, exchange of rings and ‘now I pronounce you…’.  Interchangeable with a thousand other weddings throughout the course of time.

But none of it was textbook to Allegra.

It was storybook.

A storybook wedding come to life.

Her husband's lips claimed  hers in that first, sweet kiss of marriage and an indescribable joy settled deep into her bones.  Today she was a princess, and he was her Prince Charming.