Him coming back was all it took to turn her world upside down.
Harper Collins is perfectly content with where her life is at. Is it perfect? No. But she's content. Now a guidance counselor at her old elementary school, a volunteer safety officer...
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Matt squeezes my neck then hits my back hard as I'm spellbound and trying my best to hold myself together. When Harp had entered my line of sight my knees buckled, my arms shook and my breathing became a mess. It took her far too long to reach me and I know she felt the same way too since she, in a Harp like fashion, discarded her bouquet to the ground to quickly take my hands.
Now, she's right in front of me while I try to remember how to breathe as my gorgeous bride stares at me. For once in my life, I feel like the smaller person as she stands there, an overwhelmingly stunning creature who's superior to a man like me. Those Coca-Cola eyes bubble and spill over with such joy and love I ache in every part of me. Her flaming red hair is soft and lightly curled making me want to skip the wedding entirely and just have her all to myself. Instead, I hold my ground as Walt begins to speak but I hear none of it. I couldn't look away from her, not until I hear Walt calling my name. I rip my eyes away from her.
"Huh?"
My Firecracker busts out in uncontrollable laughter as Walt leans in whispering to me. "You wanted to say something before the vows Owen."
My heart spasms out a little. I wasn't given the opportunity to tell Harp everything when I had proposed to her, but now I have free reign. I clear my throat and fix my eyes on the woman who has had a piece of me ever since she was born.
"Hey Firecracker."
"Hey." She says back shyly.
"Surprised?"
She snickers with a playful smile. "That's an understatement."
I push a lock of hair back behind her ear. "This field is a place where you learned something a little girl should never have to learn... that sometimes men are cowards and leave." My voice breaks a little as my jaw twitches. "I wanted this here because I'm going to promise you and prove to you that I'm here to stay and will love you and cherish you. It's here because I want to convert this place from bad memories to good ones and show you that I'm going to help restore those years of pain your father left in you."
Harp's tears fall and she taps at her eyes trying not to ruin her makeup as I continue. "For so many years I tried pushing down these feelings, afraid of the challenge that would be set before me... but that didn't stop the moments when a guy would flirt with you and I wanted to pummel him into the ground or be your guard dog and glare at any man who tried speaking to you."
Everyone lightly laughs.
"People say kids who fall in love at a young age almost never end up together because they grow apart but being away from you all those years Harp nearly killed me. It also matured me though and made me into the man that's ready for you, a man who's more deserving. I've l-loved you..." I stumble as my fingers brush my nose and I clear my throat, "for a long time and it took me a while to realize it, but all those times jealousy pricked at me or how you would smile at me made me react in a way that I now know was God's way of telling me I was designed for you... that there are pieces of me that belong only to you and you alone that no one else can touch." My forehead touches her as she cries happily and I whisper to her, "I love you so much."
