“I love you, sweetheart,” Mom says, giving me a kiss on the cheek. There are tears of pride in her eyes. She wipes the lipstick from her kiss off my cheek.
“I love you too, Momma,” I whisper. She presses her lips together as tight as she can to keep from crying as she hurries out to take her seat.
“She's so beautiful,” I hear her tell my dad. He's waiting just outside the door. Once Darcie and Louisa leave, it will be my turn.
“See you up there,” Darcie says with a grin.
“Hey,” Louisa whispers. She fixes my veil and smiles. “If this is what it got you, I'm glad you missed dinner last year. I've never seen you so happy.”
I nearly cry. It was a year ago that Aiden bought me dinner after a terrible day and a missed date with my sister. I hug her close, glad to have someone as wonderful as her in my life.
She pulls back and wipes at her eyes. “Don't make me cry or Darcie's going to beat me up.”
We both laugh because we know it's true.
I follow her out the door and Dad takes my arm.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asks, guiding me to the back of the church. “I'll go get the car right now if you say the word.”
“I love him, Daddy. A lot.”
“I know. I just have to ask.” He smiles, but there are tears welling up in his eyes. “You will be my little princess, forever. You know that, right?”
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. I am glad I'm still his little girl, even though I'm standing in a church in a wedding dress.
The wedding march begins and my stomach flutters. It's time.
I hold my father's arm as he walks me down the aisle. I glance to the sides, seeing friends and family. To my right, I see Noah and Izzy, waving and smiling. On my left, my cousin Emma and her husband Jack watch with huge smiles. My other cousin, Kaylee and her husband are at the front of the church trying to reign in a very boisterous little flower girl while Aiden's brother, Logan, makes silly faces at the child.
They all fade away as soon as I see Aiden.
I don't see the suit that I helped him pick out. I don't see the boutonniere that my mother insisted upon. I only see his smile and the love he has for me in his eyes.
I give my father one last hug and kiss. He shakes Aiden's hand before reluctantly letting me go.
I'm smiling so wide it hurts and I'm afraid my heart is going to burst out of my chest at any moment its beating so hard.
“Dearly Beloved,” the minister begins. I know the words. These are the words that are going to bind Aiden and I together so that we will never have to be apart again. The promises that we make here today to one another will be what guides us for the rest of our journey together.
The ceremony is short and sweet. I honestly am too excited to remember much of it. I put the important parts, the things I want to tell my children about someday firmly in my mind.
The way the ring felt when Aiden slid it on my finger and promised to love me for all time.
How easy and right it was to give him his ring and promise to love him.
The way the candles flickered as we each picked up our own solitary wick and joined them together to light a new candle. A candle that would burn through the night and chase away the dark.
But mostly, I know I will remember the kiss. The cocky smile Aiden wears when the minister tells him he may kiss me. How he reaches for me, drawing us together like magnets. In that kiss, I know that we are meant to be together forever. That this is fate.
All too soon the ceremony is over. I hold Aiden's hand as the church goes wild. Darcie's husband holds their tiny son, but he just smiles instead of waking up to the noise. Kathryn and the other lawyers cheer so loud it hurts my ears. It's almost as if there is a competition between my old law firm and the law students from my school.
Aiden and I dance down the aisle. Everyone is cheering. My mother is crying and my father is stoic, but I can see tears in his eyes. Even Aiden's father looks pleased. Darcie flashes me a thumbs up and I laugh. We escape out the back door. Ben motions us to follow him, a smile plastered across his face. He guides us to a small room, and turns to guard the door.
Aiden and I giggle and sneak inside. This might be the only moment we get to ourselves for the rest of the night. We have a big party planned, and while I'm excited to celebrate, I'm eternally grateful to Ben for giving us this moment to ourselves.
“I love you,” Aiden whispers, caressing my ch
eek with his hand. “More than anything.”