The Fight In You [18+]

36 - Why I Call You Butterfly

I felt like someone was squeezing my chest while I anxiously awaited Corri's answer. She was still gaping down at me, her mouth open, and I wanted to hear that yes tumble from her lips. I fidgeted with the ring, so eager to slip it on her finger and seal the damn deal.

"So..." I prodded, pushing for an answer.

Corri blinked rapidly, her eyes glittering with tears. Her mouth fell open with shock when she glanced behind me and saw our friends' excited faces. My hand shook because I was so anxious. She wouldn't really turn me down, would she?

"Butterfly," I sighed, reaching for her left hand, oh so ready to slip this ring on her finger. "Will you marry me?" I begged again desperately.

"Colt," she breathed, her gaze flickering to the diamond I was attempting to slide onto her hand and then over to our friends.

"Go for it!" Ally shouted from behind me.

Corri sank to her knees in front of me and I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. This was it. Her decision was on the tip of her tongue. "I...I can't believe you did all this...do you...you really think we're ready for this?"

I steadied myself with a deep breath and smiled. I tugged Corri up with me as I stood and then cradled her face in my hands. "I've been ready for this...ready for you for so fucking long that I can't wait anymore. I don't want to spend another minute not being your husband."

Corri's mouth formed an O as she sucked in a deep breath. "Colt..."

"Please say yes. Please make me the luckiest man ever. I need you, Butterfly."

Corri threw her arms around me and buried her face in my neck. I could hear her laughing and sobbing simultaneously, but I still hadn't heard the word I needed to hear more than anything.

"Yes, yes, yes," she breathed as she kissed all around my face and neck.

"Yes?" I echoed. "You really wanna marry me?"

Corri leaned back and looked right into my eyes. Her own eyes were shining with more unshed tears as she gasped, "I wanna marry you, Colt. Today if we could!"

I lifted my girl straight off her feet and twirled her around in a circle before everyone joined us in a group hug that had never felt better.

She said yes.

.......

2 months later

Corri wanted a year to plan our wedding. I gave her 2 months. We argued back and forth until she realized I wasn't lying. There was no way I could wait a whole year to make her my wife.

I felt eerily calm as Kash sauntered down the aisle in his sharp little suit that matched mine. He held a small pillow in his hands and his whole face beamed when he found me standing at the end of the aisle. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I gazed at him, so in awe of everything he had been through and how resilient he actually was.

The transition to Corri being his mom went more smoothly than we could have ever anticipated. He adored her and having a mother he could depend on did wonders for his mental health. He still missed Katrina and I never skipped an opportunity to tell him a story that illustrated how warm and loving she could be. She made her share of mistakes, but I knew deep down, she loved him.

Our wedding venue was perfect. We rented out a block of cabins on Sauvie Island and had a small platform and floral arch built right on the beach. The sun was setting and a soft breeze blew, sending the smell of roses wafting through the space. Our small group of attendees stood as the music swelled and I heard a piano instrumental version of OneRepublic's Good Life. I chuckled to myself, remembering back to the night of prom, when I whisked her around the dance floor, so overcome with jealousy when I imagined my Butterfly leaving with Jason that night.

I glanced to my left and found Jason grinning at me. We had finally worked out our differences and found our way back to being friends again. His gaze moved to the end of the aisle and his eyes grew big. "Damn, you're a lucky man," he breathed as his hand clasped me on the shoulder.

I took a deep breath before turning to find my bride floating toward me in a beautiful white ball gown, shoulders exposed, neckline dipping between her full breasts and miles of sparkly white tulle covered in...butterflies? My heart constricted when I saw Corri's face with her eyes shining brightly, her blushing face framed by curly blonde tendrils, her hair swept up in a twist with a wispy veil pinned to it.

As Corri stepped up beside me and her lips broke out into a grin, I just stared. "Hi," she whispered.

My mouth fell open but I was unable to form a single word. She passed her bouquet to Ally and took my hands in hers. "You okay?" she breathed, her brow furrowing in concern.

The Pastor glanced between us and cleared his throat. "Are we ready to begin?"

"Colt?" Corri sighed.

I looked back at the people in attendance, our friends, people from the gym, the ones who had seen our whole relationship unfurl. I saw the concerned looks on their faces and finally I found the words.

"Fuck, you look gorgeous."

The whole crowd chuckled and Corri gasped. Her eyes darted to the Pastor, who blushed and nodded. It was then that I realized how loud my voice was. "Well then let us begin. Friends and family, we are gathered here today..."

....

"I love you."

Corri smiled up at me warmly as she swayed in my arms. I spun her around once and then dipped her sharply, taking advantage of the way her mouth fell open in a gasp. I covered her lips with my own, tasting the champagne on her tongue. We kissed lazily and slowly, smiling when we heard the claps and cheers of our friends. "Best day ever," I groaned as I righted us both and spun her once more.

Corri giggled as twirled softly in a circle. "I love this dress," I told her as I rubbed my thumb over the delicate silk butterflies adorning the lower half of her gown.

She glanced down at them and grinned widely. She moved right into the cradle of my arms and sighed. "You once told me that you would explain why you called me Butterfly. Maybe now would be a good time to share that with me."

I hummed thoughtfully, thinking back to the first day I met her. I was such a mess, just having been beaten by my foster father. Corri's father had caught me breaking into the gym so I could get a shower and hopefully find a safe place to sleep. When he brought me home and introduced me to his beautiful daughter, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

"Butterfly kisses," I smiled, gripping her hips tightly in my hands as we began to sway again. "That day your dad brought me home and you were tending to the cut on my forehead, I was whining like a little baby about the way it stung." Corri nodded and encouraged me to continue. "I had just read a book and it talked about butterfly kisses. It described that soft flutter of eyelashes against your skin. I couldn't even imagine someone doing something so gentle to me. So when you blew your sweet breath along that cut, it was the first thing I thought of. A butterfly, soft and delicate. And I was way too embarrassed to tell you that when I called you Butterfly right after, so I kept that to myself. But I always called you that, because that's how I saw you...as mine. Something for me to love and protect. I always had to be certain that no one would damage those wings and keep you from taking flight. Even if that someone was me."

"Colt," Corri gasped. "I had no idea."

I gathered her closer to me, burying my nose in those blonde waves and sighing in contentment. I glanced over to see our son beaming at us, so I waved him over and held my little family in my arms. "I love you both so much."

The end