MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Ninety-Five: The Night Before
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The night before the wedding, the palace was chaos.
Percy had been running through the halls for three hours. His kurta was half buttoned. His hair was standing on end. His voice was loud. "THE FLOWERS! WHERE ARE THE FLOWERS! THE FLOWERS FOR THE MANDAP! THE FLOWERS FOR THE BRIDES! THE FLOWERS FOR—"
Honey grabbed his arm. "The flowers are in the garden. Where they've been for three days. Where you put them. Where you've checked seventeen times."
Percy stared at her. "Seventeen?"
Honey nodded. "Seventeen."
Percy's face relaxed. Then it tightened again. "THE ELEPHANTS! WHERE ARE THE ELEPHANTS!"
Honey pulled him toward the window. "In the courtyard. Where they've been for two days. Where you've fed them fourteen bananas. Where you've named them all."
Percy looked at the elephants. His face softened. "They're beautiful."
Honey kissed his cheek. "They're beautiful."
Percy's face tightened again. "THE RINGS! WHERE ARE THE RINGS!"
Honey grabbed his face. "The rings are in the safe. Where you put them. Where you've checked forty-two times. Where they will be until tomorrow. When you will give them to the grooms. Who will put them on the brides. Who will be married. And then you can sleep."
Percy stared at her. "Forty-two?"
Honey nodded. "Forty-two."
Percy's face relaxed. He leaned against her. "I'm tired."
She held him. "I know."
He closed his eyes. "I love you."
She kissed his forehead. "I love you too."
---
Aries was in the garden with Ella. Their hands were in the soil. Their faces were calm. Their voices were low.
"The marigolds should be on the left," Aries said.
Ella moved a marigold. "Left."
"The roses should be on the right," Aries said.
Ella moved a rose. "Right."
"The jasmine should be in the center," Aries said.
Ella looked at them. "The center."
Aries stood. Their hands were dirty. Their face was soft. "It's perfect."
Ella stood. Her hands were dirty. Her face was soft. "It's perfect."
They kissed. Their hands were dirty. Their faces were soft. Their hearts were full.
---
Lyra was in her room. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the mehendi on her hands. The peacocks and flowers. The sun rising over mountains. The man reaching for her hand. The patterns were dark. The stories were told. Tomorrow, she would be married.
Alex was in the hallway. His hands were in his pockets. His face was pale. His feet were moving. Left. Right. Left. Right. He had been walking for an hour. He couldn't stop. He couldn't sit. He couldn't breathe.
The door opened. Lyra stood in the doorway. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on him.
"You're pacing," Lyra said.
Alex stopped. "I'm not pacing."
She stepped into the hallway. "You're pacing."
He looked at his feet. "I'm walking."
She took his hand. "You're nervous."
He looked at her. "I'm nervous."
She pulled him into the room. The door closed. The hallway was empty.
---
Care was in her room. Her saree was hanging on the door. Yellow. Sunflower. The color of tomorrow. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was soft. Her eyes were on the mehendi on her hands. The waves and currents. The lighthouse on the shore. The man waiting inside. The patterns were dark. The stories were told. Tomorrow, she would be married.
Cole was in the hallway. His hands were in his pockets. His face was pale. His feet were moving. Left. Right. Left. Right. He had been walking for an hour. He couldn't stop. He couldn't sit. He couldn't breathe.
The door opened. Care stood in the doorway. Her face was soft. Her eyes were on him.
"You're pacing," Care said.
Cole stopped. "I'm not pacing."
She stepped into the hallway. "You're pacing."
He looked at his feet. "I'm walking."
She took his hand. "You're nervous."
He looked at her. "I'm nervous."
She pulled him into the room. The door closed. The hallway was empty.
---
Rakki was in her room. Her saree was hanging on the door. Goldenrod. Fierce and bright. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was bright. Her eyes were on the mehendi on her hands. The flames and embers. The phoenix rising. The man walking toward her through the smoke. The patterns were dark. The stories were told. Tomorrow, she would be married.
Ci N was in the hallway. His hands were in his pockets. His face was pale. His feet were moving. Left. Right. Left. Right. He had been walking for an hour. He couldn't stop. He couldn't sit. He couldn't breathe.
The door opened. Rakki stood in the doorway. Her face was bright. Her eyes were on him.
"You're pacing," Rakki said.
Ci N stopped. "I'm not pacing."
She stepped into the hallway. "You're pacing."
He looked at his feet. "I'm walking."
She took his hand. "You're nervous."
He looked at her. "I'm nervous."
She pulled him into the room. The door closed. The hallway was empty.
---
Mica was in her room. Her saree was hanging on the door. Dandelion. Soft and focused. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was focused. Her eyes were on the mehendi on her hands. The fractals and spirals. The Fibonacci sequence in her palm. The man walking into her equation. The patterns were dark. The stories were told. Tomorrow, she would be married.
Calix was in the hallway. His hands were in his pockets. His face was pale. His feet were moving. Left. Right. Left. Right. He had been walking for an hour. He couldn't stop. He couldn't sit. He couldn't breathe.
The door opened. Mica stood in the doorway. Her face was focused. Her eyes were on him.
"You're pacing," Mica said.
Calix stopped. "I'm not pacing."
She stepped into the hallway. "You're pacing."
He looked at his feet. "I'm walking."
She took his hand. "You're nervous."
He looked at her. "I'm nervous."
She pulled him into the room. The door closed. The hallway was empty.
---
Keiran was running through the halls. His voice was loud. His feet were fast. His face was bright. "ATE JAY! ATE JAY! THE ELEPHANTS ARE IN THE COURTYARD! THEY HAVE FLOWERS ON THEIR HEADS! THEY HAVE—"
Keigan grabbed his collar. "It's midnight."
Keiran stopped. His face was bright. "I know."
Keigan pulled him toward their room. "You need to sleep."
Keiran pulled back. "I'm not tired."
Keigan's face was cold. "You're tired."
Keiran's eyes were wide. "I'm not—"
Keigan picked him up. Keiran was thirteen. He was tall. He was not small. Keigan carried him anyway. Keiran's face was red. His voice was high. "KEIGAN! PUT ME DOWN! KEIGAN! KEIGAN!"
Keigan walked into their room. He put Keiran on the bed. Keiran tried to get up. Keigan pushed him down.
"Sleep," Keigan said.
Keiran glared at him. "You're not my father."
Keigan's face didn't change. "I'm your brother."
Keiran glared. Keigan stared. Keiran blinked. He lay down. He closed his eyes. He opened one eye.
"You're going to stay?" Keiran asked.
Keigan sat in the chair by the window. "I'm going to stay."
Keiran closed his eyes. His face was soft. His breathing slowed. Keigan watched the window. The garden. The fountains. The elephants with flowers on their heads. The place where his family would be married tomorrow. He closed his eyes. He slept.
---
Jay was in her room. Her saree was hanging on the door. Soft gold. The color of morning. The color of her wedding. Her hands were in her lap. Her stomach was flat. The twins were moving. Tomorrow, her family would be married. Tomorrow, her sisters would become wives. Tomorrow, her brothers would become husbands. Tomorrow, her family would grow.
Keifer was in the hallway. His hands were in his pockets. His face was calm. His feet were still. He was not pacing. He was not nervous. He was waiting.
The door opened. Jay stood in the doorway. Her face was soft. Her eyes were on him.
"You're not pacing," Jay said.
Keifer smiled. "I'm not pacing."
She stepped into the hallway. "You're not nervous."
He took her hand. "I'm not nervous."
She pulled him into the room. "Good."
The door closed. The hallway was empty.
---
Kuya Angelo was in the courtyard. The elephants were sleeping. The flowers were waiting. The mandap was ready. The chairs were set. The aisle was clear. Tomorrow, his family would be married. Tomorrow, his sisters would become wives. Tomorrow, his brothers would become husbands. Tomorrow, his family would grow.
Ion stood beside him. His hand was in Kuya Angelo's. His face was soft.
"You're thinking," Ion said.
Kuya Angelo looked at him. "I'm thinking about tomorrow."
Ion squeezed his hand. "What about tomorrow?"
Kuya Angelo looked at the elephants. At the flowers. At the mandap. At the place where his family would become something new. "I'm thinking about how far we've come. From the war. From the blood. From the fear. To this. To elephants. To flowers. To weddings."
Ion pulled him close. "To family."
Kuya Angelo held him. "To family."
---
Tita Gemma was in her room. Her saree was hanging on the door. Soft yellow. The color of morning. The color of weddings. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was wet. Tita Rachel sat beside her. Her hand was in Tita Gemma's.
"You're crying," Tita Rachel said.
Tita Gemma nodded. "I'm crying."
Tita Rachel smiled. "Happy tears?"
Tita Gemma looked at her. "Happy tears."
Tita Rachel pulled her close. "Then cry."
Tita Gemma cried. Tita Rachel held her. The night was quiet. The palace was still. The family was waiting.
---
Percy was in the courtyard. The elephants were sleeping. The flowers were waiting. The mandap was ready. He stood in the center. His hands were in his pockets. His face was soft.
Honey walked to him. Her saree was pale yellow. Her face was calm. Her hands were empty.
"You're thinking," Honey said.
Percy looked at her. "I'm thinking about tomorrow."
She stood beside him. "What about tomorrow?"
He looked at the elephants. At the flowers. At the mandap. At the place where his family would become something new. "I'm thinking about how we got here. From the war. From the blood. From the fear. To this. To elephants. To flowers. To weddings."
Honey took his hand. "To family."
He pulled her close. "To family."
---
Jay stood at the window of her room. The courtyard was below. The elephants were sleeping. The flowers were waiting. The mandap was ready. The chairs were set. The aisle was clear. Tomorrow, her family would be married. Tomorrow, her sisters would become wives. Tomorrow, her brothers would become husbands. Tomorrow, her family would grow.
Keifer was behind her. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
She leaned against him. "I'm thinking about tomorrow."
He turned her to face him. "What about tomorrow?"
She looked at him. At the man who had saved her. At the man who had loved her. At the man who had waited for her. At the man who was her home.
"I'm thinking about the garden," she said. "About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He kissed her forehead. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She touched his face. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
He laughed. "I never do."
The twins moved. Two small flutters. Two small lives. Two small hearts.
Keifer put his hand on her stomach. "They're awake."
Jay smiled. "They're always awake."
He knelt. His face was level with her stomach. "Hello," he said. "Tomorrow is the wedding. The first wedding. Lyra and Alex. Then Care and Cole. Then Rakki and Ci N. Then Mica and Calix. There will be elephants. There will be flowers. There will be music. There will be dancing. Your aunts will be beautiful. Your uncles will be crying. Your cousin Percy will be a disaster. Your cousin Honey will save him. Your cousin Keiran will be everywhere. Your cousin Keigan will be watching. And then we go home. And then you're born. And then you're loved. And then you're everything."
The twins moved. Two small kicks. Two small lives. Two small hearts.
Keifer looked up. His face was wet. "They know."
Jay pulled him up. Her arms were around him. "They know."
He held her. "I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
---
The palace was quiet. The family was sleeping. Percy was dreaming of elephants. Honey was beside him. Aries and Ella were curled together. Lyra and Alex were in each other's arms. Care and Cole were holding hands. Rakki and Ci N were tangled together. Mica and Calix were arguing in their sleep. Freya and Erdix were silent. Grace and Denzel were still. Kuya Angelo and Ion were reading. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her hand. Keiran was asleep, his face soft, his hands open. Keigan was awake, his eyes on the window, on the garden, on the fountains, on the elephants, on the place where his family would be married tomorrow.
He closed his eyes. He slept.
Jay lay in Keifer's arms. Her head was on his chest. His heart was beating beneath her ear. The twins were quiet. The night was still. Tomorrow was coming.
"Keifer," Jay whispered.
He kissed her hair. "Yes?"
She looked at the window. At the moon. At the stars. At the future that was waiting. "Tomorrow, our family becomes something new."
He pulled her closer. "Tomorrow, our family becomes something more."
She smiled. "Something more."
He kissed her forehead. "Something beautiful."
She closed her eyes. "Something beautiful."
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END OF CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE