When we arrived at the country club, I saw McKayla holding Maureen in her arms. She was back in her wedding dress because she thought I was putting mine back on. She looked radiant. Her smile stretched from ear to ear. I stared at her for a minute. She hadn't seen me yet. I watched her move around the room, greeting each of our guests.
My lover ... my best friend ... my wife ... she looked so alive. So animated. So vibrant.
Bretlynn was with McKayla and pointed over towards me. Our eyes met. Time seemed to stand still for a moment. Everyone else in the room faded away and all I could see was my wife and my daughter, the two people I loved more than life itself.
McKayla walked over to me and we stood there for a second. The room fell silent.
In unplanned unison, we each curtsied, holding our skirts out and bowing our heads slightly. McKayla's eyes twinkled.
I was wearing one of my mother's old SCA outfits. It was a two-piece skirt set that had a double-lacing bodice with elegant silver and black jacquard trim over a long-sleeve white cotton blouse. The skirt had alternate panels of kelly green and royal blue that matched the bodice, and it flared out from the waist.
My brother, sister and I had gone through our parents's things and found the outfit. It must have been one of Mom's favourite outfits because Dad kept several pictures of her in it around the house.
Flowers were woven into my hair, which was pulled back into a tight braid.
McKayla shifted Maureen out of the way and pulled me into her embrace. I put my arms around her and we kissed. It was a long, hard, sloppy kiss. Her tongue entered my mouth and for a moment we were oblivious to everyone else around us, even our daughter. Finally, I pulled away, worried that either our friends would tell us to get a room or I would give in to the temptation to tear her clothes off and take her right there.
"You look stunning, Elven Princess," McKayla said softly. There was an edge to her voice, part amused, part longing. Her hand caressed my cheek. I turned my head so she could get a good look.
On the tips of my ears, under gobs of glue and flesh-coloured make-up were movie-quality latex points. Ander had found them on the internet at some Lord of the Rings costume site. Brin put them on and made sure they looked like they were my real ears.
"As do you, m'lady," I replied gently. I kissed her again, this time for just a moment, but I could taste the hunger on her lips.
I slipped my hand into the crook of her arm and we continued to mingle about the room.
We sat down for dinner a little bit later and after that, things got crazy. There was a lot of drinking involved (not by me; I was still nursing), some dancing, some karaoke and some more drinking. Allyson and McKayla ended up singing some gawd-awful rendition of "Don't Come Home a Drinkin' With Lovin' On Your Mind" that was fall-on-the-floor hilarious. Allyson was blitzed and my wife was on her way. Suzie wouldn't put Maureen down so we made her the front of the congo line.
Everyone had a good time and that's what we wanted more than anything. For our friends and family, the people we loved most in this world, to be together. The fact that it was to celebrate the commitment McKayla and I were making was just the icing on the cake.