Cherry

As Told By Celestia

Celestia

"Here. Have a glass. It might help," Lucy states as she hands me half a glass of White Zinfandel.
"Thank you, I'm such a nervous wreck right now," I sigh before I take a sip.
          Lucy laughs as she finishes drying my hair and then starts to comb through it.
"Ramon's probably feeling the same way right now girlie, you're fine!"
"Awe, he has nothing to be nervous about, I'm the one walking down a long walkway with everyone's eyes on me. Including him." I say as she starts to layer my hair with a few extensions and then begins to curl my hair.

          In the middle of curling a strand, there was a knock at the door which Stephanie rushes to open.
"May I take some pictures of the bride?" The man says as Stephanie lets him enter.
          Lucy gives me a look to confirm and I nod.
"Alright, thank you. Hi," The man says as he holds out his hand which I shake. "I'm Nathan. Just keep doing as you were. I'd like to take pictures of details first, like your dress and jewelry then I'd like to take some pictures of you getting ready." he smiles.
"Okay, Hi Nathan," I grin. "The dress is hung up in that closet right over there, and the jewelry is right here beside me," I respond as I point towards the half-open closet, then to the earrings and necklace next to me on the dresser.
          He nods and then comes over to the jewelry first.

          Lucy took an hour for my hair, just to make sure that every strand of hair was in place and where she wanted it to be. The large waves of my hair frame my face neatly and I smile so hard when I see my reflection in the mirror.
"I have such a talented best friend. Ugh, this is just gorgeous Lu." I grin cheekily.
"Only the best for the best." she smiles back and squeezes me in a tight hug. "Now, your makeup. I'm gonna turn you so you can't see until I'm finished."
          My makeup took a good forty-five minutes and Nathan took a few pictures during the near end of it just as he did while Lucy was doing my hair.
"Alright ladies, what do we think?" she states as she steps aside for the others to look.
"Omg, it's so beautiful and the simple look to it is just amazing," sighs Lilly.
          Rose and Steph nod in approval and I nearly bounce off of my seat.
"Can I turn around now, I wanna see it too,"
"Okay, okay chill child." Rose laughs as Lucy turns my chair around.
          I gasp as I look at myself. Is that actually me? Nathan takes a few pictures of the special moments from the corner where he was. I wasn't used to wearing natural colors much but this was so beautiful. I start to blink back tears of joy and Lucy quickly hands me a tissue.
"Don't ruin the perfection now."
"Sorry, sorry, I won't," I say, dabbing the tissue directly under my eye.
"Okay, my favorite part is here!" squeals Steph as she pulls out the dress from the closet.
"I'll step out, please tell me when you're finished, I'd like to take pictures of you in the dress," says Nathan before he leaves.

          The girls help me get into my custom-made dress. When I was looking for the right dress. I wanted to wear something big and cathedral-like. But I also wanted to wear something slim. So why not wear both we thought. They helped me talk to a designer to design and make the dress for me. The back of the dress was low and stopped around my lower back near the lining of my hips. The train of the dress was to the floor and spread out. It had gems in places all over from where the zipper started. The front had an off-the-shoulder neckline that crossed over one another and the sleeves fanned out into a cape-veil behind me. The second part of the dress what was under the bottom half which I could pull off to reveal the mermaid dress under.

"Now this. This is a dress." sighs Lucy before she fans out my cape again after helping me up from putting on my shoes.
"Right! One of a kind." agrees Steph.
"Ramon literally has to faint when he sees you in this," says Rose.
"Let's not have him faint before the vows." I laugh. "Alright, someone please tell Nathan to come in."

          Lilly goes to the door and asks him to come inside. The second he steps in his eyes drop to the dress and his mouth parts open slightly. We laugh at his facial expression.
"Well at least we know that's a good sign." chuckles Lilly.
          Nathan asks me to pose for a few photos in different places around the room. Then they all help me move from the room to the garden outside.
"Wait, before she even steps a foot out of this room, we need to make sure that no one sees her," says Lu.
"She's right, I'll text Ethan to keep Ramon away from his windows," says Steph.
"Lil and I will make sure that the guests that are here are far away as well," she says as she takes Lilly's hand.

          When everyone was in order, Nathan quickly takes pictures of me out by the flowers and the lake near the swans. We finally make it back to my room with about thirty minutes to spare. My heart races a little faster at the thought of me being a little bit closer to having Ramon as my husband.
"Here have some water, sit down, and scroll through your phone for a bit," says Lucy as she hands me a bottle of water and my phone.
"Thanks, I'm good, It's just the nerves coming back again. I can't tell if I'm excited or about to throw up. Could be both." I laugh.
"You're just excited. And you look absolutely breathtaking. I hope you enjoy today Congratulations." Nathan smiles as he leaves the room.
          I thank him for his time and then go back to my phone. Fighting the urge to send off a quick text to Ramon.

__________

          I take a deep breath once more before the double doors open.
"This is it," I whisper to myself as I begin to walk down the aisle to the song.
          I only saw Ramon at the end. Him and his drop-dead expression. As he wipes at his face and smiles at me the closer I get. As he fidgets with his cuffs and his hands. And as he swallows the lump in his throat as I finally get across from him.

          Finally, I was here. He was here.

          I know that for better or for worse. Through thick and thin. This man right in front of me. Ramon Dace Osgood, and what we have, is forever.