Chapter 286: Wedding
*I love you, Chance, but me and Cookie are going to Vegas after your wedding. – Karan*
Rye had met with Trigg several times so he would know how to do the wedding. His officiant style was anything but normal.
Saturday afternoon, she stood in the little room off to the side where Karan and Alana had left her waiting for the knock. Being an orphan, she had no one to walk her down the aisle. Chance had simply grinned and said it was covered.
Something was up with him. Rye had been kept to a small area of the Shack and mainly in this little room. This was very unusual.
When the knock finally came, she opened the door to see a man in a Marines uniform that she did not immediately recognize. He smiled at her and offered her a bouquet of teal, pink and white carnations. Something in his smile seemed familiar.
“You look so much like your father.” The man said with a voice thick with emotion. “You probably don’t remember me. I’m Colonel Charles Pierce. I served with your dad.”
“Okinawa?” Rye asked surprised.
“Yes, ma’am. Chance reached out to us.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Tears were in her eyes as she nodded and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow.
“We all worried about you girls. Your mother tried to be a good mother and wife, but she had her own issues.” He said softly as they walked down the hall.
At the door to the garden were two more Marines that looked vaguely familiar. Then again, in their formal uniforms with the white caps on, they all looked vaguely familiar to her. The two Marines popped to attention and opened the door. On the other side stood a tall skinny man with salt and pepper hair. His smiling face with dark brown eyes and a jagged scar on his left cheek reminded her of her mother.
The scar was a result of her mother and one of her many angry outbursts. When he and his sons went to get them to move to Tampa, Donna Leigh had gone after Ryanne with a knife. Anthony and Tony, his oldest son, stepped between them. In the struggle, she had cut her cousin’s face and his son’s shoulder.
Covering her mouth, a small sob escaped as her eyes filled with tears.
“Hey there, Stripes.” Anthony said with tears in own his eyes.
“Anthony?” Rye whispered right before throwing herself at him.
He held her close and kissed her hair. “I’ve been so worried about you. I didn’t know about Donna Leigh. You should have called me.”
“I was scared. I didn’t know what would happen to Leigh Anne. And they were talking about putting me in the system after she disappeared. How did you…?” She sniffled.
“That man of yours called me. And Mike’s unit with the Marines. You have a good man, Stripes.” Anthony said and stepped back to look at her. “I think I should take you to him.”
“Probably.” Rye grinned. As he moved, she saw all the Marines in uniform. “Did dad serve with all of these guys?”
“No, ma’am.” Colonel Pierce answered behind her, just before he sat down at the end of a row of chairs. “But every Marine is your father’s brother. They all came to stand with you.”
Anthony walked her down the aisle to where Chance stood smiling at her. Although Anthony stopped where Trigg had shown him, Rye stepped away from her uncle and into Chance’s embrace.
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her neck and his arms tightened around her waist. Celt took the bouquet from her hand before she dropped it.
“I… I…” she gave a soft sob that tugged at his heart and had him holding her tighter.
“It’s okay, Duchess. I wanted to make sure that you knew that you weren’t alone.” He whispered to her.
“How did you?” Rye asked quietly as tears continued to stream down her cheeks.
“What? You think I work all day?” he chuckled and kissed her neck. Chance moved so that they were looking at each other. “Duchess, there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I don’t know why. I don’t even know who I am.” She told him softly.
“I do.” Chance said gently brushing tears off her cheeks. “You’re the girl who overcame incredible odds to graduate early from high school and college. You’re the woman who paid her own way through college. The sister who moved across the country to help her family.”
“The woman who should be cold and hard and unfeeling. But is warm and wonderful and loving. You’re the woman who called me out on my bullshit, slapped some sense into me and still accepted me into your life. You are a wonderful mother to Michael. And a great teacher to twelve four-year-old kids.”
“You’re patient, kind, energetic, so fucking smart. Determined. Hard working. Strong. Beautiful. Tender. Sweet. Adorable. Thrifty. Wise. Careful. And in a few minutes, you’re going to be my wife, which makes me a very lucky S.O.B.”
“Why the hell am I up here?” Trigg asked.
“Legalities.” Celt replied.
“Nice flowers.” Trigg grinned at the big red head still holding the bouquet. Celt held the flowers in front of his face and batted his eyes. Shaking his head and laughing, Trigg looked at Anthony. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m her uncle Anthony.” He replied with a laugh.
“You going to let this wonderful woman marry this self-proclaimed S.O.B.?”
“Yeah. Especially after that little speech.” Anthony smiled and Trigg gave him a thumbs up before shooing him away.
“Anyone have any objections to this marriage? Keep them to yourself and if you can’t, go see Dom.” There was a ripple of laughter from the bikers.
The woman in question smirked as she pulled out one of her large knives. With her usual look of complete boredom, she began to clean underneath her nails with the nine-inch blade. No one was sure if this was to show them that she would inflict pain, or if it was simply because it was a habit she did when she was bored.
No one was going to ask her.
“Ladies, sorry, the Chance ride has been closed. There are several other men that are still available.”
Trigg laughed as Karan stood up. “And Karan, yes, I see that you are willing to volunteer as tribute. This is their crazy wedding; you get Elvis tomorrow.” Trigg muttered something under his breath.
“Do you have rings?” Trigg asked and Celt handed over the rings that had been in his cut pocket.
“Awesome. Young lady, are you sure you want to marry this idiot?”
“I’m an S.O.B. not an idiot.” Chance corrected.
