Vi as maid of honor, me at her side, Dusty, Rocky, Mimi, Jessie, Josie, and Frankie.

On the other side, Tanner as best man, Mike, Colt, Sully, Cal, Sean, Drew, and Ryker.

Yes, Ryker.

The bride had insisted.

That said, the groom hadn’t protested.

So there stood Ryker, grinning like a lunatic and fidgeting in his suit.

And while folks stood around in the green grass beside a quiet lake outside an awesome lake house, the bride made her appearance.

She looked amazing.

Simple, form-fitting, strapless white lace dress that hit her at her knees and had a dusty-rose satin ribbon wrapped around the waist; a thick bunch of silvery-pink Indiana peonies in her hand that she’d cut herself that morning from the bushes that edged the entire house.

Mother at her left.

Son at her right.

They hit the edge of the lake where we were all fanned out, the bride having expertly managed to negotiate the entire trek through the grass in strappy, spike-heeled sandals while one of Morrie’s buds played Pachelbel on his guitar.

Cher also managed the entire trek with her eyes glued to Merry.

The procession stopped.

Pastor Knox asked, “Who brings this woman to be wed?”

Ethan’s shoulders straightened as he called out loudly, “Her mother and I do.”

I felt my eyes get wet and I nearly lost it when I caught Cher’s profile, her cheeks dusted rose with blush, shimmering with a powder she’d fanned over the color, pinker now, as were her eyes, as she fought back her own wet.

Cher didn’t cry. Not ever. Not that I’d seen.

Unless her son was giving her away to the man she’d loved for five years, only just recently letting him know it.

Cher kissed and hugged her mom. She did the same with Ethan.

Merry came forward and kissed and hugged Grace. He offered to shake Ethan’s hand, but Ethan decided he wanted something else and he hugged Merry’s middle.

Merry hugged him back.

Vi made a choked noise.

I cleared my throat.

Ethan grabbed his mom’s hand and offered it to Merry.

Merry accepted.

They turned to the preacher.

After that, Garrett Merrick and Cher Rivers got married.

* * * * *

Colt

He stood with his wife’s front tucked close to his side, his arm curled around her shoulders, her arms wrapped around his middle, watching.

And not getting it.

He bent to Feb’s ear.

“Why are they laughing?” he asked.

She caught his eyes.

Her brown ones were dancing.

“I have no clue,” she answered.

They both turned back to the front porch of Merry and Cher’s lake house where the new husband and wife were having their first dance, Merry swaying Cher, both of them held close in each other’s arms, both of them straight up busting a gut laughing, doing all this to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.”

No, Colt didn’t get it.

But watching two people he cared about so fucking happy…

He didn’t need to.