Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

Epilogue

Eight months later

Pink, white, and cream flowers bunch together to form a beautiful bouquet in my hands. The same combination of flowers is tied to the two chairs on either side of the aisle in every three rows, accentuating the long white trail laid for the wedding party to march down. The men are already at the altar and the groom looks particularly nervous.

"It's time," I tell my two best friends and the three bridesmaids. Gillian's daughter is here too. Her role today is the flower girl.

"Remember Mia, mommy will be at the altar waiting for you. Just scatter the flowers on the walkway so aunty can find her way," I stop to tell my adorable goddaughter. She gives me her cutest smile and nod.

The music starts playing, giving the cue for the bridesmaids to start filing out. After them, it's Gillian, the matron of honor followed by me. Being the maid of honor, I make one final check on Marsha before marching to take my place.

Mia starts her descent after me and she does an amazing job, doing a traditional wedding march and spreading flowers as we practiced. She makes the pathway even more beautiful for the bride.

A violinist plays John Legend's– All of me and the guests stand, turning their attention to the other end of the aisle. I can't stop the tears from falling when Marsha appears, looking ever so angelic that I fight to control my emotions.

She makes a stunning bride. Her off-white, mermaid dress is fitted at the bust with a neckline showing off her cleavage. She is absolutely beautiful.

Looking at her now, you would never know that she spent a portion of the morning retching over the toilet when a wave of nausea kicked in. She's eight weeks pregnant and morning sickness is just one of her symptoms.

Marsha and her mother, Miss Althia, link arms, and both exchange a brief smile. Her mother gently pats her arm, presumably to reassure and comfort her as they both move gingerly toward the altar.

She lets go of Marsha at the end of the trail and Ethan steps forward to claim his bride. The couple exchanged their vows for a second time, promising to be together for better or worse. This time in the full view of their cherished family members and friends.

The weeks leading up to this day were tumultuous, to say the least. At times I found myself between Marsha, who morphed into a bridezilla, and a hormonal Gillian, who is rounding out the first trimester of her second pregnancy.

Two pregnant best friends and one me. I'm sure the wedding planner gained a few gray hairs from dealing with us. It was a monstrous task but it all culminated with this perfectly beautiful moment.

With the vows out of the way, the bridal party is whisked away for photos. My heart warms at Ethan's overprotectiveness of Marsha. He is so gentle with her, touching her like she's a delicate flower that could crumble and fade into thin air. When he looks at her, he beams with pride.

This is the man who helped her break down the walls she erected out of fear. Imagine, a woman who made it to age 30 and still a virgin all because a monster made her dread penetration.

Yet today, she stands here, having let that man in so he could experience how it feels to love and be loved. The little human growing inside her is a manifestation of that love.

For the reception, Marsha chose to have the bridal party sit with other guests instead of seating them at the head table with the bride and groom. Chaunard sits next to me at my table as well as Gillian, Ricardo, and the twins. The remaining two places are occupied by Samantha, who is Marsha's sister, and their cousin Kimberly. They too were bridesmaids.