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Thirty Eight

MADELAINE

"You know you're supposed to wait up front, right?" I smiled as Sebastian lifted Aurelia into his arms and took my hand.

"When have we ever done anything the traditional way?" He grinned.

Hand in hand, we walked the remaining few feet to the altar together. As a family. As a father that adores his little girl, as a mother that adores her little girl and the life they're all going to create together, and as a little girl who doesn't fully understand everything right now, but knows that she will never know the feeling of being unloved.

This is happiness.

This swelling in my chest as Sebastian gently places Aurelia on her feet and Kayla fluffs my dress, this is love and happiness.

Sebastian and I take each other's hands as the music fades out and suddenly there is only us.

Only this man, who I love so passionately, and myself.

I feel the way his thumb is gliding across the back of my hand and I think of the first day I got to New York. The day I knew this place would be the greatest adventure of my life. The day I settled into this journey we've been on.

The officiant begins his speech and I hope to God he keeps it short. I'm not listening anyway. I'm too busy memorizing every centimeter of Sebastian's face in this moment.

The his eyes crinkle in the corners as he smiles. The way he has his hair fixed. The way his cologne smells.

I never want to love anyone else the way I love him.

Please, God. I think to myself. Please let me die first this time so I never have to know this world without this man.

"Madelaine." The officiant says and I tear my eyes from Sebastian.

"What?" I ask and the crowd laughs.

Okay, maybe I need to pay a little more attention to what's going on.

We say our vows. The usual ones that people use all the time. We wanted to write our own, but I thought it might be nice to write them and read them alone only with each other. Everything about your wedding day is such a production. It's so public.

I wanted us to have something only for ourselves.

Finally, the officiant begins to wrap it up and I can hardly contain my excitement.

"Sebastian, you may k-"

Sebastian's lips are on mine before the officiant can get the words out. His arms wrap tightly around my waist and mine wrap around his neck.

He lifts me up in a hug as the crowd laughs and the music begins for everyone to exit.

"I love you." He whispers in my ear.

"I love you." I tell him.

He sets me back on my feet and we smile at each other for a moment before turning to watch everyone walking back down the aisle. Aurelia and Jayla are dancing as Tara and Chris follow behind them laughing. Kayla and Mackie are behind them and I can tell Kayla is trying to not be too obvious about trying to get out of there. I know she's dying to go check on the reception area.

Finally, it's our turn.

Hand in hand, Sebastian and I walk back down the aisle. People around us cheer. I see my mom, absolutely beaming with tears in her eyes. Then, I look to find Georgeta and find her wiping tears from her eyes with a beautiful smile on her face.

Our families know what we have been through.

They've seen us at our worst. They've seen us in the darkest places our minds could take us.