Black Swan Affair

hands and our wedding bands shine under the light streaming through the stained-glass windows. A few moments later, with them slipped firmly back in place where they will forever stay, I kiss her. Too long and probably far too inappropriate for a church setting, but fuck it. I didn’t get this chance the first time I married her. I’m not wasting my second one.

Mavs and I have fought through a lot of obstacles to get to this point—even each other. Especially each other, I think. Hard doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what it took to get us here. But I know with my wife’s hand in mine and my daughter in the other as we head back home to celebrate in our own private way, every second of that fight was worth it. I will not take a single second of the time I have left on this earth with her for granted.

Not one.

After a few deep breaths, she tells me what I wanted to hear two years ago. Today isn’t the exact date of our anniversary but I kinda like it that way. Now we have two special days to celebrate.

Mavs rubs her lips together a few times before exhaling with her mouth framed into a cute little circle. Then she starts.

“When I think of you, Kael, I’ve always had this easy, comfortable feeling.” Her voice cracks. Her eyes well again. Neither of us will make it through this without splotchy faces and snotty noses. “You’ve always been beside me. Caring for me, protecting me, loving me. Quietly erecting our life for us so it was ready when I was. You never gave up even when you should have. I—” She stops to take a few deep breaths. When she sinks her top teeth into her lower lip, I squeeze her hands, encourage her to continue with a soft smile. She returns it and my heart flips.

“I didn’t make it easy on you, but you hung in there and you will never know how grateful I am for your perseverance or how happy you make me every single day. We’ve had a lot of milestones already, but milestones don’t make a life; it’s all the little things in between that bridge the gap from one monumental event to the next. You’ve given me a thousand little things, Kael, and I know because of those we are unbreakable and everlasting.” Then she shrugs before her last words break me in the best possible way a man can be broken. “I followed my heart and it led me back to you.”

She stops talking and it may be fair to say she’s not the only one who’s a hot mess.

Father R. clears his throat. Good. At least I’m not the only pussy here. He holds out his

And our unborn child.

We found out yesterday Mavs is pregnant again. We are both over the moon. I know it’s soon after Avery, but we want a big family and there’s no reason to wait. If anything, life has taught us you need to take what you want by the horns with all the gusto inside you. Our time here is fleeting.

I feel lucky every single day Maverick forgave me and came back to me, though I know it took her a while to work through it. So it’s not to hurt anyone’s feelings or to leave them out, but it felt right that the day we rededicate ourselves to each other is just for us and our children.

Father R. says a few prayers and blessings. Then it’s our turn to speak from the heart.

Taking both her hands in mine, I start. “Maverick…I don’t even know where to begin.” She’s already tearing up. So am I. “I want to say I always knew we’d end up at this very moment with so much love for each other it’s hard to contain, but I admit I lost hope along the way a few times.” That makes her breath hitch on a sob. I keep going, though.

“I could stand here and repeat those words—I love you—until I have no voice left, but in the end, they’re just words. What’s far more important are my actions to show you that every single moment of every single day you’re my everything. My sun and moon. My light and darkness. My one true love. I’ll make sure you never regret choosing me, Swan.”

The makeup she worked so hard to put on is streaked. Her eyes are red. Mascara is pooled under her lower lashes. She’s a mess. And she is the loveliest creature I have ever seen.