June 15th.
The morning glories were in full bloom. Blue and purple and white. They covered the brick walls like a tapestry.
Maya woke at dawn. She lay in bed, listening to the city. The birds. The buses. The distant sound of the subway.
Leo was still asleep. His face was peaceful. His hair was messy.
She touched his cheek. "Wake up."
He opened his eyes. "Is it time?"
"Almost."
He sat up. "I'm nervous."
"Me too."
"Should we run?"
"Probably."
He kissed her. "Too late."
---
The courtyard was transformed.
Marco had set up folding chairs. Twenty of them. Jasmine had hung string lights. Mr. Chen had brought flowers from Florida – orange blossoms that smelled like summer.
The broken birdbath was covered in morning glories. The tomato plants were tall. The basil was full.
Maya stood in the studio, looking at herself in the mirror.
She wore a white dress. Simple. Short sleeves. It wasn't a wedding dress – it was a summer dress she'd bought at a thrift store. But it was white.
Her mother stood behind her.
"You look beautiful," her mother said.
"I look tired."
"You look happy."
Maya turned to look at her. "Thank you for coming."
"I almost didn't."
"I know."
Her mother took her hands. "I'm proud of you. I should have said it more. I should have been there more." Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
Maya hugged her. Her mother was thin. Her shoulders were bony.
"It's okay," Maya said.
"It's not. But I'm trying."
"I know."
---
The ceremony was at 4 PM.
The sun was low. The light was golden. The courtyard was warm.
Leo stood at the front, next to Marco. He wore a grey suit. His hair was combed. He looked nervous.
Maya walked down the aisle. There was no aisle – just a path between the folding chairs. But she walked anyway.
Her mother walked with her.
The guests watched. Jasmine. David. Mr. Chen. Vanessa. Irene. Sofia. Marco's friend. Jasmine's parents. A few others.
Maya reached Leo. Her mother hugged her, then sat down.
"You look beautiful," Leo said.
"You look nervous."
"I am nervous."
"Me too."
The officiant was Vanessa. She'd gotten ordained online. "It's legal," she said. "I checked."
She spoke about love. About home. About building a life together.
Maya didn't hear the words. She was looking at Leo. His brown eyes. The kind of brown that caught light.
"Rings," Vanessa said.
Marco handed Leo a ring. Simple. Silver.
Leo took Maya's hand. "I promise to draw you every day. Even when you're old. Even when you're tired. Even when you tell me to stop."
Maya almost smiled. She took the other ring – silver, matching.
"I promise to water the garden. Even when it's cold. Even when I'm tired. Even when the tomatoes don't grow."
Vanessa smiled. "By the power vested in me by the internet, I now pronounce you married."
Leo kissed her. The guests applauded. The string lights flickered.
---
The reception was in the courtyard.
Marco brought beer. Jasmine brought cake – she'd baked it herself. It was lopsided. The frosting was too sweet.
Mr. Chen gave a speech. "I've known Maya for three years. She fought for our building. She fought for our homes. She fought for Mrs. Patterson." He paused. "Now she's fighting for love. And she's winning."
Irene gave a speech. "Eleanor would have loved this. The garden. The lights. The people." She looked at Maya. "She would have said the cake is too sweet."
Maya laughed. It was the first time she'd laughed in months.
Her mother gave a speech. "I wasn't there for most of her life. I was working. I was tired. I was scared." She looked at Maya. "But she didn't need me. She built her own life. Her own home. Her own family." Her voice cracked. "I'm proud to be part of it now."
Maya hugged her. The guests applauded.
---
After the reception, after the guests left, after the courtyard was quiet, Maya and Leo sat on the ground.
The string lights were still on. The morning glories were closed for the night. The tomato plants were dark.
"We did it," Leo said.
"We did it."
"Are you happy?"
She looked at him. His face was tired. His eyes were bright.
"Yes," she said. "I'm happy."
He kissed her. The city hummed. The stars came out.
---
They went to the roof.
Not the old roof. The roof of the new building. The one on Crown Street.
It wasn't the same. No garden. No water tank. No painted eye. But it was high. The city spread out below them.
Maya sat on the edge. Her legs dangled over the street.
Leo sat next to her.
"I wish Mrs. Patterson could have seen this," she said.
"She can."
"How do you know?"
"Because she's in the walls. In the garden. In you."
Maya leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're not funny."
"I'm not trying to be."
They sat in silence. The city hummed. The stars were bright.
"Maya."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
She kissed him. The wind blew. The night was warm.