PYRO

Fire wedding

Bailey awakened one morning to the sound of Darla shouting, "Tami is at the church! Wake up! You are going to be late!"    Bailey jolted up, frightened. The sunlight was still shining, and he knew the wedding wasn't until the evening. Darla giggled, "Had to get you up somehow."

Bailey growled. He got off his bed and wrapped his arms around Darla, and lifted her. "You little rat!" They both laughed. He put Darla back down and rubbed her head, messing her hair around. Now, Bailey is in his early twenties, getting married to his girlfriend, Tami Arison. Darla was now eleven years old. At Eleven, Little Darla wants to explore the world. She has always been the intelligent and talented girl everybody knew. Her clothes were hand-me-downs from her mother and shoes always scuffed, but she never strove for anything less than her best. Last year, Darla had a huge growth spurt. She's gotten skinnier, and her face is looking more mature. She is still a little girl, though. Nothing about her adorable personality has changed.

"Shall we get ready?" Darla asked.

Bailey replied with a smile, "We shall."

It took them a long while to get dressed. Finally, the two met in Bailey's room. Bailey is staring at the mirror. Darla slowly walks towards him while smiling. She studied Bailey's outfit, and it was the same type of formal wear every man wears. A black suit and tie. Bailey was all tensed up and stiff. Darla tilted her head up to make eye contact with him. Bailey shook with nerves but still looked at Darla, giving her a worried yet adoring look. Bailey attempts his best to stay calm as he stands before the mirror, but his nerves hide behind a grin.

"You are so tense. It's going to be okay. It's your wedding day," Darla said, "I do have a question, though."

"Ask away."

"What are weddings even for?"

"Well," Bailey paused, not knowing how to answer. Then, finally, he thought of the right words to explain it.

"A wedding happens so that the happy couple may promise to stay together forever in front of their friends and families. It's a one-of-a-kind occasion."

Bailey grabbed a thin comb and brushed lightly through his hair. His attention focused on himself, and he listened to Darla, "You love Tami, right?" That question didn't come up a lot. Everybody just assumed that Bailey liked Tami. Bailey wasn't even sure if he was interested in Tami. She forced Bailey to marry her, and Bailey proposed because no one else would ever fall for him. Tami was the only choice for him.

Darla waited for her answer, "Wow, great answer," she said, not serious.

"Of course," said Bailey, "If I didn't love her, I wouldn't be marrying her. "

"She said that loads of boys would wanna marry her, so you should be grateful," Darla told Bailey. He did not like what she told him, of course. Bailey righted his tie a little more, almost choking him. He patted down his coat and stared at himself in the mirror. What Tami said to Darla was true. There were times where Bailey thought that Tami did deserve somebody better, but he needed someone to love. Deep down, he's only marrying the rich, pretty, confident girl for the money and validation. He was also going to College, and he needed money desperately.

It was Darla's first wedding ever; he didn't want to tell her that it was all an act; he didn't want her to think that weddings are just about money and lies. So, he put on a show and smiled, "Tami says that, but out of all the guys, she still chose me. That's the thing about love; it's great like that."

"You still love me, right?" but then, finally. Darla's tone became sad and worrisome, "Even when you leave to live with Tami, you'd still care about me?"

Bailey looked into Darla's bright eyes and knelt to her height, holding onto her hands.

"Little Darlene Morris, I promise to always care about you even if we are miles apart. I love you," He hugged her tightly. "Thanks," she said, "I needed that."