As soon as we turn the corner, he sees it and freezes. A second later his hand comes flying up, covering his eyes. He turns around, trying to walk away, unable to process what he’s seeing.

Sam! Come on!

No way. No way you did that.

Let’s go find out.

I pull him along with me, and we near the edge of the pool.

How did you do this?

You told me that you had the same dream since you were in kindergarten and didn’t expect me to make it real?

It has literally never crossed my mind to do it for real.

Well, here we are.

This is amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you. He exclaims, he pulls me in close to him, but his eyes don’t leave the scene in front of him.

I’ll admit, I’ve done a pretty good job on this one.

Right there, in the middle of his parents pool, is a table, with two chairs that aren’t exactly thrones but come close enough to meeting the description. And the only thing on the table, is a giant plate of spaghetti and a bottle of sprite.

We walk across the little bridge that was installed with the table and sit in our thrones.

This is insane. This is just unbelievable. You literally made my wildest dream come true.

I thought it sounded like a good idea. I shrug.

His eyes are absolutely glowing with joy, nothing could make me happier. He’s been through so much, his goals and plans ripped away from him. When I asked him what his biggest dream was, I hadn’t meant it literally. But as soon as he answered and told me about this vision of his, I knew what I had to do.

This is beyond my dreams, this is the best pool throne spaghetti and sprite meal I could’ve ever imagined.

I think you need a better name for it.

How about a spool?

Like a spool of thread?

No like spaghetti in the pool.

Mmm, no.

Okay, the a ream.

A ream of paper?

A real dream.

But it’s just dream without the d.

Okay, what about. He thinks for a minute, a mripow.

A what? I ask, laughing.

A mripow.

What is that supposed to be?

It’s just a word, that five minutes ago, had no meaning. Now, it means being in a moment and realizing it’s a dream come true. A mripow.

How would you use that in a sentence?

You would say, I’m having a mripow. Or this is a mripow. I don’t know, whatever feels write in the moment.

Whatever you say, enjoy your mripow.

Thank you, seriously. No one has ever done something so kind for me.

I would do anything for you.

It’s now time for the bride and groom to exchange their vows, which they’ve prepared themselves. Samuel, you’ll go first.

I turn back to Adam, who hands me the small book Emma bought me to write my vows in, and open it to the first page. I didn’t write my vows there, but Emma did write my name with a heart so I just smile at her handwriting for second and smile, then I flip the page and take a deep breath.

Emma. I smile at her and she nods at me. I’ll be okay. Emma, I’ve loved you since I was 17 years old. You’ve been such a bright light in my life, you’ve shown me who I am as a person. You’ve made me the man I am today. I promise you, or I vow to you I guess I’m sorry I forgot to use the word vow.

She laughs and gently rests her hands on my shaky ones holding the small book.

Emma I promise you that I’ll always love you, that I’ll always get you pancakes when you’re sad, and Jess’ popcorn when you’re happy. When you’re overwhelmed, I’ll take you kayaking, when you’re overjoyed we’ll just drive. It’s no surprise to anyone here that you and I have had our ups and downs. We’ve been separated by hundreds of miles at times, and at others just by our own stubbornness. But at the end of the day there’s never been anyone who’s ever known who I am as a person like you do. There’s never been anyone who could comfort me, or read, or love me like you do. This moment is our mripow.

Her vows are obviously very similar. That is all thank you very much.