Second Chance for Love

Chapter 23

Arthur Almendras

As the sun began its descent over the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the picturesque venue, the air buzzed with anticipation. The sight before me took my breath away. The garden was transformed into a whimsical wonderland, adorned with cascading flowers and twinkling fairy lights that danced in the evening breeze.

This was Isabelle's dream wedding. She awas the one who chose this venue for this important day in our life relationship. I was happy to give her all the right and freedom to do whatever she wants starting from the day of the preparation to this day of our wedding.

I stood at the end of the aisle, my heart racing, as the music softly floated through the air. I watched as the guests rose from their seats, turning to face the entrance where my queen would soon make a grand entrance.

The queen of my life did not still appear but my heart started beating fast. A beat that will forever happen until my last breath. My eyes is focused on the grand entrance, waiting patiently for Isabelle to come out.

All of a sudden, I felt a small hand touched mine. I looked down only to be meet by my son's sweet smile. "Are you happy?" he asked making me nod in response.

I picked him up and kissed him on his forehead. "Of course, daddy is happy. How about you?"

"I am. I am happy!"

"I'm excited and happy," I replied.

"But daddy, put me down," my son replied.

I did what my son said and made sure that he is fine. After he raised his hand for a thumbs up, I straightened myself and wait for Isabelle to appear. I smiled as soon as Isabelle has finally showed up.

With each step she took, Isabelle's radiant beauty was impossible to ignore. She's the center of attention. Even the guests couldn't take their eyes off of her. She floated down the aisle in an ethereal gown adorned with delicate lace and intricate embroidery. The veil gently cascaded down her back, creating an aura of elegance and grace.

As she approached, I felt a surge of emotion welling up within me. My eyes locked onto hers, and in that moment, all the pain and darkness we had endured faded away – the only thing that mattered was the love we shared together, from the day we met, we broke and crosses path again.

Once Isabelle reached me, her eyes shining with tears of joy. I wanted to wipe those tears away but I know that those tears are because of happiness. I heaved a deep sigh and smiled at her. I extended my hand to receive hers. We took each other's hands, our fingers intertwining, as we turned to face the officiant for the second time. Second time but this time will be the best. The ceremony unfolded with heartfelt words and promises, spoken with deep emotion and unwavering devotion.

Our loved ones listened intently, our eyes filled with awe and happiness, as we exchanged our vows. These were not just words; they were promises forged in the flames of adversity, promising to always support and cherish one another, no matter what obstacles lay ahead.

"Isabelle, I promise you that I'll be the best man for you and our family. I know, we have a bittersweet start of our love story but I'll make sure that we will have a wonderful and colorful relationship starting today. I love you Issa. I will always be your man for the rest of our life. I love you until death do us part," I said. This has been a part of my long speech but the part is the one that was marked in my heart.

"Love, we didn't start like those normal couples but I know that we will end what we have with a perfect fairytale love story. Arthur, you know how much I love you. I promise that starting today, I'll be the best woman in your life and for our family. I'll always be with you until the end of our life. I love you," a part of Isabelle's speech.

As the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers. It was as if the world itself celebrated our love, rejoicing in our triumph over hardship. I on the other hand silently celebrated.

"Kiss!" I hear our guest shouted in unison.

I turned and face Isabelle who is staring at me, her cheeks were as red as tomato. "I love you Issa," I said before I held her face in my palms.

"I love you too Arthur," she replied before I crashed her lips with mine. I hear the crowd erupted into cheers but ignored them as our lips locked. Our lips danced into a music that only the both of us can understand.

The night continued with laughter, dancing, and heartfelt speeches  from our guests, parents, relatives, and friend. Family and friends shared stories of love and resilience, celebrating the power of their union.

As we celebrated our union, our guest requested as to start it with a dance. Isabelle and I swirled around the dance floor, our eyes never leaving each other's, as the melody of our love filled the air.

Amidst the joyous celebration, I stole away a few moments alone with Isabelle. I asked her to escape with me for a mean time to share a few moments. We stepped out onto a balcony, overlooking the beautifully lit venue below. The sound of laughter and music drifted up to us, reminding us of the love that surrounded us.

While we are together, I held Isabelle close, my hand gently rubbing circles on her back as we took in the scene before us. We could clearly see the happiness in everyone's eyes and faces. I know, they're celebrating with us. "Issa, after all the hardships we've been through, I can say that we made it," I whispered into Isabelle's ear, my voice filled with gratitude and awe. "We made it through the darkness, and now we're here, together, celebrating with our love ones."

Isabelle nodded, tears brimming in her eyes, and laid her head against my chest. "I never thought that this day would come," she admitted softly. "But now that we are finally here, I'm rest assured that we will be together forever," she added.

Without saying a word, I kissed the top of her head, a smile playing on my lips. "I promise to always be here for you and our son," I said, my voice filled with sincerity. "To love and support you, to be your rock. Forever and always. That's a promise that will never be broken again like before."

"I will always be here for you too. I'll be your queen that will always make sure you're happy and will be the one to push you to reach your ambition and achieve more success," she responded making me nod.

"You know what, I wanted to have you in my arms forever but we need to go back there and be with our family and friends. We still have a lot of time together," I said. As much as I want to have her alone, I know that we need to go around to say thank you to our guests.

As we returned to the festivities, hand in hand, Isabelle and I treasured every moment, knowing that our love had surmounted every obstacle in our path. The wedding was more than a celebration of our love—it was a testament to our strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to each other.

And so, as the night waned on, we danced beneath the stars, our hearts bursting with gratitude for the love that had led us to what we have right now. We were united not only in matrimony but in our unwavering belief in each other and the undeniable power of love that will conquer everything including the hardships and obstacles that we will both encounter.

And so, as we exchanged our vows and the day ends, our love intertwined with our shared experiences, we knew that we were unstoppable. Our journey had been filled with anger, fear, and despair, but ultimately, it was our love that had guided us through the storm, and it would continue to guide us for the rest of our lives.

***Marcela_Francisca***