Chapter 12: The Power of Love
It was nearing Letobain's eighteenth birthday when she would come of age. Having grown close to Braedon after moving to House Owens after her father died and her mother remarried to Braedon, she had decided to remain in House Owens with her mother and the other wives she had come to know and love. Yet no one was aware that Braedon was her biological father. Seeing it as him just marrying and having children with another of Damian's daughters, like Savannah, Braedon doesn't think twice about approving her as a wife, especially since they had begun courtship with each other years prior after recognizing they had strong feelings for each other.
For the day of her eighteenth birthday, the family had planned for a birthday party in the morning. Then the two would wed in the afternoon, followed by the reception in the evening before they consummated their marriage in the Master Suite. It was a special day for both of them as Brandon had been chosen to not only be her godfather, but he had made a promise with Damian the day they learned they were being drafted into the program that they would always protect the other's family if one of them died.
Granted, Damian hadn't specifically asked Braedon to marry Beverly or his other wives and children, but Braedon figured it was the easiest way to ensure their well-being. True, they would be required to provide children as if they had just joined the program for House Owens, but they would never know poverty, hunger or crime inside such a well-staffed and secure building. Plus, the Family Directors had been working diligently to train the wives to replace the government-provided staff. This made House Owens one of the top-ten-rated Repopulation Program locations to apply to.
Finally, the day had arrived for the two to exchange their vows and the wives and remaining staff went all out decorating the House and planning activities for the engaged and their guests. The first thing Braedon saw when waking up was Savannah smiling down at him. "Good morning, my love. Are you ready for Letobain's special day?"
“He yawned as he stretched his arms and legs, "Of course. I made sure to get as much sleep as possible for the big day."
"And you've been saving yourself, right? No funny business for three weeks, right?"
"Yes, babe! It hasn't been easy, but I haven't spent a single swimmer the whole time. You better warn her what she's got coming tonight."
"Now why would I ruin the surprise by blabbing to her?"
Braedon leaned up and swung his leg off the side of the bed to put on his loafers. In doing so, he gave Savannah a perfect view of his heavily engorged balls, hanging like a pair of tennis balls. She couldn't help but drool a little, and feel just a tad bit of jealousy that she wouldn't be receiving such a tremendous amount of swimmers tonight, yet she felt a sense of pride that she had been the first to claim such a prized husband.
In anticipation of the joyous event, Dr. Beccy had been providing Letobain with fertility injections and monitoring her cycle closely to maximize both the chances of impregnation and the number of babies in the first pregnancy. Prior to VY, multiple babies from fertility treatments would have been a risk, but governments and doctors at the Houses were discovering the children of VY males were inheriting elevated regenerative capacity and superior reproductive durability.
Braedon walked over to the shower with Savannah and she took extra care to trim all of his stubble and lathered him up really well with the body wash selected for him for today. After finishing their shower, they headed to the pool area for a small breakfast before the birthday party. Before they got to the glass doors leading outside, a pair of wives who had been standing aside the doorway stepped forward, blocking the way.
"Before you proceed past this point, we insist you wear this blindfold. The groom is not permitted to see his bride before she walks down the aisle."
"Of course, you may proceed," to which they did, having him close his eyes before they covered them with a blackout cloth secured snugly around his head.
Blind as a bat, Savannah escorted Braedon to an empty lounge chair near the pool. Around him, he heard the wives chatting and laughing, children played in the pool, and music played from camouflaged speakers hidden in artificial rocks and plants around the perimeter. Meanwhile, the bride was also blindfolded at the other end of the pool area so that the bride and groom wouldn’t be aware they were in the same general area. The server walked up and asked Braedon and Savannah if they would like to order. With Braedon unable to see the menu, Savannah offered to order for both of them, which he agreed was a fine idea.
“I’ll take a Mango Passion Fruit Smoothie and some Pan-Fried Cinnamon Bananas and my husband will have the Dr. Fisch’s Sex Smoothie and some Banana Strawberry Pancake Skewers please.”
“Yes, Miss, we’ll have this out to you in about five minutes.”
“Thank you very much,” Braedon replied.
With that, the server rushed to the counter to relay the order to the line crew and bartender. A few minutes later, the server came back with the steaming hot food and cool refreshments. After roughly an hour, the music changed to the happy birthday song, so everyone stood up. As Letobain was still blindfolded, her maid of honor faced her toward her cake so that she could blow out the candles when the time was right.
“I feel like I’m missing out not being able to see Letobain during her birthday,” Braedon spoke.
“Oh, no need to worry about that, baby. We have drones recording the entire event, so you and Letobain can watch it together whenever you like.”
“Oh, okay, that works, I guess. Thanks, babe!”
“You’re welcome, Love you”, Savanna kisses Braedon on the cheek.
After the partygoers all finished singing Happy Birthday to Letobain, she puckered her cute, youthful lips and blew out all the candles. “I hope you get what you wished for baby girl”, Daisy yelled over to her daughter.
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll get my wish tonight!”, she smiled back. This brought out cheers from everyone. Seeing as how Letobain wouldn’t be able to see any of the gifts she had received until after the wedding, the gifts had been delivered to the Master Suite.
After everyone had finished their cake and ice cream, the bride and groom were ushered back to their separate rooms to be prepared for the wedding ceremony. While the wives attended to both of them, getting them groomed and helping to calm any jitters, the other wives by the pool and the service staff worked together to quickly prepare the pool area for the wedding ceremony. However, this would not be your ordinary wedding ceremony.
Once everything had been prepared, everyone took their places standing in the pool, nude of course, in line with the House tradition, with an empty path from the stairs going down to the far end. The Family Director, chosen to be the wedding planner, gave the command to her Nav Band to play the processional music. Hearing their queue, Savannah and Beverly walked to the left and right of Braedon, both to guide him to the altar as he was still blindfolded, and to present the groom to the bride. They removed his blindfold and as he took a step directly at the entrance steps of the pool; the music changed to Thunder from Imagine Dragons. Braedon and the two wives escorting him each broke into dance as they made their way to the altar. Each time the thunder was to boom, subwoofers built into the pool generated a loud, deep pulse. The trio traipsed through the warm waters playfully until Braedon landed before the minister.
Then the music faded away and the next song, Love Machine, faded in as Letobain stood at the steps with her mother, Daisy on her left and Raine on her right. Daisy removed the blindfold. Letobain started dancing with her mom and Raine, joining her playfully, teasing the wedding guests as she made her way to the altar. Eventually, she arrived at the altar, and the music faded away for the minister to begin his part of the ceremony.
“Welcome friends, Braedon and Letobain have invited us here together, in the presence of God, on this beautiful day, to share in the celebration of their marriage.
We’d like to take a moment to also remember the people who couldn’t be here today, though we are sure they are with us in spirit.
It warms my heart to see the way Braedon looks at Letobain. He looks at her as if she’s a cornerstone to his future, and to him, I know she is. Braedon was there for Letobain when she lost her father, Damian, and she was there when Braedon flipped his Gator upside down. They both seemed to have this uncanny knack for being there when they needed the other the most. Watching some of the holo-recordings, I’ve watched them share laughs, exchange inside jokes and, most shocking of all, I’ve seen Braedon share his dinner with Letobain, which is when I knew this was serious. This was love.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes. It leaves you little surprises here and there. Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Love organizes our large and sometimes unpredictable world. It is that which enshrines and ennobles our human experience. I’d like to invite anyone here who approves of this union and wants to show their acceptance, love, and support to come forward and tie their wrist to the strings Braedon and Letobain have tied to each other, so that you all may be tied to them as well.”
One-by-one, the guests walked up to either the bride or groom, depending on which side of the pool they were in, they strode up and extended their hand to have Savannah or Daisy cut off a length of string and tie it in a loop around the guest’s wrist. Then they would walk back to their place for the next person in line. After everyone had tied themselves to the groom and bride, the minister continued.
“After years of nurturing a beautiful, strong relationship, it’s great to see these two taking the next step towards building a family.
In the years before you, may the richness of the traditions that have nurtured you enhance and brighten your lives, as you help to create and shape the future.
May your home be filled with laughter, and the warm embrace of a summer day. May you find peacefulness and beauty, challenge, and satisfaction, humor and insight, healing and renewal, love and wisdom.