Perfect Love Story (Love 1)

My mother comes into the big bathroom while I step into my lace wedding dress. Putting my arms through, I slip the straps to sit on my shoulders. Darla moves to give my mother room to tie the back. She zips the dress up to my waist and then ties the lace right behind my neck, leaving my back bare. I turn to see myself in the mirror as my mother wipes tears from her eyes. “You look stunning.” She grabs me by the waist, pulling me to her. When they saw the ring and knew that Jensen proposed, all my mother did was cry; tears of happiness, she said. You see, Jensen includes my family in everything. Before he even entertained the idea of asking me to marry him, he asked my father and then my mother. My guy is a good one.

“No crying,” Darla shouts as my mother nods. Mila comes into the room wearing her cream-colored flower girl dress with a sage belt tied around her waist with a huge bow.

“You look like a princess,” I tell her as I stoop down to her level. “I have something for you. Mom, can you bring me the blue box on the dresser?” My mother comes back into the room with the blue box and white ribbon. I take the box in my hand, looking at the beautiful girl in front of me who not only holds a piece of my heart, but who I would also give my life for.

“We are going to wait outside,” my mother says. Turning around, she and Darla empty the room, leaving just me and my girl. Yes, mine; she didn’t come from me, but she is mine.

“I wanted to ask you something.” I smile at her smile as she eyes the box. “Open it.”

She grabs the box from me eagerly, untying the bow and letting it fall to the floor. She lifts the lid, taking in the silver chain. “This is called an infinity sign.” Her fingers trace the silver eight. “You see how it goes around and around with no ending?” She nods. “I want you to know that this is how much I love you.” She smiles at me.

“I love you too.” She smiles brightly.

“I wanted to ask you if you would wear it today as a thank you for letting me love you and your dad.” She doesn’t say anything; she just takes the necklace out and turns around for me to clasp it around her neck.

“Is this like a ring?” she asks turning around. “Like the ring Poppa gave you? He wants to be with you forever.”

“Yes, this is just like that.” The tears come, and there is no way to stop them.

“I want to be with you forever too,” she whispers, coming into my outstretched arms. I kiss her head as I silently thank God for giving her to me. The knock on the door breaks our hug, and Crystal comes into the room.

“You two look like princesses.” I see her in her off-the-shoulder sage lace maid of honor dress stopping at her knees.

“Hailey wants to marry me forever,” Mila tells her. “Look at my infinity.”

She smiles at Mila. “Obviously, she wants to marry you. You’re the coolest five-year-old I’ve ever met.” Mila nods her head. “Now, go see Grandma Joanne so she can give you your basket of flowers.” She skips out of the room. “That kid has more grandmothers than I could explain.” She looks at me as we laugh. “You look amazing.” She finally looks at me, coming to me and holding my hand in hers. “There isn’t someone else that I would pick for you. There isn’t another person on this earth who fits you better than he does.” She blinks away tears. “I mean after he stopped being a grade A asshole.” We laugh as I pull her to hug me.

“I’ve never felt like this,” I tell her. “My heart is overflowing with love. I loved before”—I take a breath—“or I thought I loved, but this it’s different.” She doesn’t have a chance to say anything because there is a knock on the door and my mother and father open the door.

My mother smiles. “If we don’t get you out there right now, I think Jensen is going to get a bulldozer and make a hole in that wall.” I smile and silently laugh because he probably would.

“Okay, let’s go get me married.” I grab my bouquet of white and green wildflowers.

I walk out to the back where I see the altar on the beach for the first time. White chairs line the aisle, all of them filled with everyone we know. I take in all the love that is on that beach. Mila comes out to me. “I got my flowers to throw down.”