Page 447 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“Okay, okay. I won’t say anything,” I promise. “Are you ready?”
“Yes. Are you?” She grins at me.
“As I’ll ever be. Walking down the aisle is a huge deal. I never expected to do it.”
Elsie giggles at my answer. “Oh your time will come no doubt. Show me the ring again!”
I giggle and shake my head at her. You’d think she’d be more enamoured with her own engagement ring, but no, my bestie cannot get enough of my bling.
Kalen finally got to put a ring on me, with the help of his brothers of course. It sits beautifully nestled next to the custom made promise ring they gave me shortly after graduation. That feels like a lifetime ago but I remember the day they presented it to me, as we moved into our first house together, like it was yesterday. It was a perfect drama-free day.
I glance down at the two rings and can’t help but admire them as Elsie gushes. My promise ring is a simple platinum band which features all of our birthstones hidden inside. It always gets me how the twins were actually born not just in different months, but in different years, and so the ring has December’s and January’s gemstones, alongside Kalen’s August stone, Sawyer’s May one and my Sapphire from September.
The engagement ring is a much more flashy affair, but I actually adore it. Not because it’s expensive but because Camilla, Debbie, Maggie and even Chelsea all donated pieces of jewellery to be reused and incorporated into the design. It’s priceless, heartfelt and completely irreplaceable.
“It’s just so pretty,” Elsie sighs, admiring the way the main diamond catches the light. I chuckle.
“Okay, magpie. Let’s see if we can go bag you your own shiny trinket to wear today.”
“I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side giving me away today. Thank you, Amelie.”
Elsie sniffs and I quickly tell her, “Hey! None of that. We don’t have time to redo your makeup too!” Thankfully it works and she laughs.
I slip my shoes on and pick up our bouquets of flowers. Today I’m maid of honour, and carrying out mother and father of the bride duties. I’m also the world’s most excited Aunty-to-be too, though I’m still sworn to secrecy on that front.
Once the baby gets here, Elsie and Jasper will be taking extended parental leave from The Order, and upon returning will both be taking more backseat, part-time roles.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been busy, making lots of changes, recruiting both sexes equally, and introducing many new initiatives, including parental leave and the option for our veteran members to retire after decades of long service – which I’m sure Monty is planning to do later this year. He’s finally found himself a decent woman and he wants to spend time with her, with no secrets between them, moving forward at least.
True to her word, my grandmother opened her doors to The Order and with the help of Aadi, Bex, and even my father, they have managed to set up a founding board of members representing each of the states in Australia. We can now say that The Order is truly global.
Bex and Aadi mostly work over there now, and they’ve finally admitted to tolerating one another enough to be exclusive. They won’t accept that they’re dating, but they’ve been going explosively, dramatically steady for about a year now.
Slate has taken a backseat in The Order while working on his music degree, which he hopes to finish this year. He’s had some amazing artists wanting to collaborate with him and he’s turned into quite the producer and songwriter, alongside his singing and playing talents. Onyx is stepping down from the board at the end of the year too. He says now the dust has settled and The Order is in a strong place, he’s not needed for all that‘bureaucracy bullshit’. I’m not sure who will fill his seat yet, but that’s a problem for another day. I’m not overly worried, the board is still strong and I know he’d step back in if I desperately needed him.
Sawyer’s my right hand man. And Kalen’s just Kalen. He doesn’t change.
I follow Elsie out of the master bedroom and along the corridor. We take the wide sweeping stairs down to the rebuilt foyer, all evidence of the bomb that destroyed this place long gone. Dirk was kind enough to also gift me this house once the rebuilding work was complete. He said it was always his intention for me to have this property, but when the bomb changed all that, he had to buy me a new one for graduation. I argued that I don’t need two houses, but he swears it’s important for me to have the family’s legacy. Which is why I couldn’t say no to Elsie when she begged to have her wedding here today.
Arm looped through mine, I lead her out to the gardens where the ceremony is taking place. As the paned French doors swing open and the Wedding March begins, all eyes turn to us. Or should I say Elsie. She’s a vision, radiant in her dress and princess tiara, a dazzling smile on her face the second she sees Jasper waiting for her at the altar. My heart warms for them; their love story was not without its challenges, but it is my favourite.
Beside Jasper stands Sawyer, looking handsome in his suit. He and his brothers in the front seats all have eyes locked on me. I blush under their heated gazes as my stomach flips at the sight of them. I’m still head over heels crazy in love with the four of them, and I swear it grows more each day.
As we walk up the aisle, my eyes scan the crowd for our loved ones. Baxter is skulking at the back and I wink at him as we pass. My dad and Chelsea are sitting with Bex and Aadi. Monty and his new partner Rachel are sat with Maggie. There’s noanimosity between them now that Laura is out of the picture and although Maggie hasn’t ever dated anyone, Elsie swears that she and Frost are into each other. I’m not convinced, but we’ll see.
I spy Cap and Adrianne in matching suits, alongside all of the original female recruits, and quite a few of the new ones that Elsie has helped to train. I love seeing their faces and knowing that they’re all here for Elsie, not me. She’s had such a massive impact on their lives, charming everyone and making them fall in love with her sweet and fierce heart. She’s finally surrounded by the loving family she always deserved, and blood has nothing to do with it.
I pretty much sniffle my whole way through the ceremony and Kalen doesn’t even pull any stunts like pretending he lost the rings. Like I said, no one dares fuck with Elsie these days. She gave a whole new meaning to the term ‘Bridezilla’ and I know that she’s going to make the most formidable, loving, mother bear there ever could be.
“Jesus, are youstillcrying?” Baxter asks low in my ear as the photographer takes pictures of the happily married couple. I know that Elsie is about to tell Jasper her little secret and I’m dying to see his reaction.
“Shut up.” I snap. “It’s allergies.”
“Sure it is.” He snorts before nudging me and holding out a tiny switchblade with a bow on it. “What do you think?”
“You got them a knife for a wedding present? I think she wanted a carving set.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. This is for the baby.”
