One Year Later…
“Are you sure I look okay?” I ask Trent anxiously. “I feel all weird now.”
“You look very handsome, my friend,” he chuckles. “Charcoal really is your color.”
I’m not convinced as I try to sort out my tie to get it a bit straighter. When I tried this on in the shop, it felt okay but now I’m not so sure. I feel all out of place. It must be the nerves.
“How is Alex? My little best man?”
Trent smiles. “He’s doing really well, helping your mom and her man with baby Alia. She is a gorgeous little baby, by the way. She will end up being a heart breaker when she’s older.”
“I know… she’s lovely. Such an adorable little baby.”
My heart warms with joy as I think about my four month old little sweet heart. She looks so much like her artist mother that it makes my heart ache. I really do have the perfect little family, and with Hayley in jail and absolutely no parental rights there isn’t anything that will come in our way again.
“I just saw the bride too by the way, she looks absolutely incredible.”
“You have? What is she wearing?”
“I can’t tell you that! Her best friend, Kayleigh, is she called? She yelled at me. She’s scary I don’t want to get in any more trouble from her! You better not ever screw Mia over, she will kill you.”
“Trust me, I have absolutely no intention of doing so. Who else is here?”
“Erm, some of the girls who used to work at the bank with Mia, some of her art friends, all the people from the gym… everyone you could possibly want. It’s going to be an amazing day.”
“You think so?” I breathe deep a couple of times. “I’m all freaked out about it.”
“Dude, stop it. This is it, what you want.”
“I know, I know. I’ve just never been married before and it’s scary.”
“I can imagine so. I haven’t ever been in a place where I’m ready for marriage, but I bet it’s terrifying. At least you know that she’s the one for you. You can see it a mile off.”
I smile, thinking of the beautiful woman that’s about to become my wife. It’s taken a long time, I wanted to marry her a year ago when I first asked her, but I really respected her wish to have our baby first. Now I’m glad. It’s better for her to be comfortable as we declare our love in front of everyone. All the important people in our lives. Everyone who contributed to our love story, even if they didn’t realize it.
“Right, are you ready? We should get in the room now. It’s traditional for the bride to come last.”
“Alright, alright.” I pant a couple more times. “Let’s do it. I’m ready now, I think.”
Trent walks with me into the hall and I grin at everyone who has come to share our special day with us. The effort that everyone has put in is really nice. They really do care.
“Hey, Alex.” I hold out my hand to my son and he races to join me. I stay there for a moment to smile at Mom. She’s loosened up a lot since our talk and she’s much more open about her relationship which is good. She’s happy, which is all I’ve ever wanted anyway. And she looks delighted with her red haired granddaughter in her arms. “Are you ready for this today, little man?” I return my gaze to my son. “I need you to be brave.”
“I have the rings,” he reassures me in a very grown up voice. “I’m ready.”
He stands beside me at the front of the aisle and we wait impatiently until the music starts up. I suck in a breath and stare intently at the door, waiting for her to come through. The kick of her white dress comes first, already stripping my lungs of air, and her beautiful face comes into view. She looks absolutely radiant with her face all made up and her red hair cascading down her back. Her body is slightly curvier now that she’s just had a baby, but that makes her even sexier to me. I love every damn inch of her.
“Oh, wow,” Trent whispers to me. “You done good, kid.”
I’m punching way above my weight, I know that, and I’m grateful for her every day. Now she’s going to be my wife, and everything will really be perfect. “I know. She’s wonderful, isn’t she?”
Her veil cascades down her back, lace trickling around her delicate features, her smile lighting up the whole room. As she walks down the aisle in time to the music, her eyes remain only on me as if no one else is here. We’re in a bubble, just me and her, my favorite place to be.
“Hi,” I mouth at her as she gets closer. “You look beautiful.”
She blushes. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
As she takes my hands and we stare at each other with pure love, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.