Warm

30

10 MONTHS LATER

My family's gravestone is clean from fallen leaves and ugly weeds as I sit there, talking to them.

"I wish you guys could be here for today." The cotton candy clouds float in the sky. The only response being from the chirping birds. I wipe off some dust from their gravestones and get up on my two feet. "You'd really like him."

My phone vibrates. "Hello?"

"Aurora?" Mateo's voice booms through the speaker. "Where are you? Get over here NOW! You're not freaking out are you? Oh, of course you're not, porque aquí tienes tu menso haciendo todo! We have 3 hours, let me repeat that in case you didn't get it, 3 HOURS! And you're not even ready yet, I saw how gross you looked when you left this morning. Pero siguele."

It's my wedding but somehow, Mateo has become the bridezilla. "I'm on my way," I hung up the phone and take a taxi to the venue.

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have gone to my family's graves 3 hours before my wedding, because now it's 2 hours and I barely made it to the venue.

"Aurora," Laura almost faints. "Hurry, let's get you ready."

Laura works miracles because in an hour and 45 minutes she manages to calm the birdnest that was my hair and make it into a honey waterfall, cascading into a single braid. My face which was a little puffy and definitely sweaty, now wears a beautiful layer of makeup, accentuating my best features. My hazel eyes sparkle and my lips have a nice shape and plump to them. My cheeks shine as the light hits it.

"Wow, Laura," I managed to make out.

"Wow me? Wow you! You make the most beautiful bride." Laura has never been one to cry. It's been years, literal years, since I've last seen her cry. But today, tears slipped from her eyes so easily.

"Don't cry," I tell her, spinning around to hug her. Despite the height difference, she cradles her head into my neck.

"I'm so happy for you. I'm so proud and I'm so grateful you're letting me be a part of this moment."

"Thank-" Mateo throws open the door.

"Oh my god, Aurora, we've been waiting," his voice slowly turns into a whisper as he takes me in, "for you." All the crazed energy he had diminishes, "You look beautiful." Mateo starts to cry as well.

"Is everyone crying today?" I ask.

Mateo cries harder. "You're like really grown up." Mateo and Laura hug each other as they both make the ugliest crying noises. It sounds like two dead animals trying to come back to life.

Then the violins start to play. And it's time.

Esperanza stands by the door looking very elegant. "Lista?"

I nod as I walk over to her and loop my arm through hers. She'll be dropping me off to Keanu today, my other parent.

"Nervous?" she asks.

"Happy."

The reception area has been decorated so amazingly. An assortment of colorful flowers outline the room and its corners, the rows of seats colored white, and of course the white, carpet, leading to Keanu.

Edward, Alex, Max, and Brian all sit in the rows, smiling as I walk with Esperanza to Keanu, a long white puddle behind me. Keanu's mom, dressed humbly, records me on her phone. Poppy Clane watches me with a smirk, proud of me for more than what I can imagine.

He stands at the end, wearing a white and black tuxedo. Keanu usually wears suits and tuxedos like this. But today, there's a glow to his face he's never had before and it makes him breathtaking. And when he sees me, he sucks in a breath. Tears sprout for his eyes. And after all the tears I've dealt with today, now I feel the stinging of my own.

Because I finally get to marry the love of my life. The love who jumped in front of a car to save me. The love who held me when I cried. The love that left everything he knew so my family and I could be safe. The love who helped me flourish. The love that loves me back.

Because I've grown. I'm no longer the child who refused to let anyone in. I'm no longer the girl who treated kind words as a disease. I've grown. I've accepted him and another family into my heart, I've learned to love life.

Because of the love he's given me, even if it rains, snows, and pours, even if the sun disappears, I won't feel cold.

Because of Keanu, I'll always be warm.

So when I'm asked if I take him as my lawfully wedded husband, without hesitation, I say,

"I do."