The Flashbacks

Chapter Thirteen: A Second Chance at Love

Elyse's POV
One Month Later

I smiled when Steph zipped me into my dress. This wasn't the wedding day I was picturing when I first got engaged 4 years ago. This engagement was so much better. This marriage would be too.

"You look beautiful. Alex is really lucky to be marrying such a gorgeous person, both inside and out." Steph smiled at me through the mirror.

"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to cry. We walked downstairs where the kids were waiting with Sarah. Ava was going to stay here with Sarah, but Jax and Luna were coming with us. I wanted Luna there and she didn't go anywhere without Jax these days.

"Pretty, mommy!" Luna did a little spin in her dress. She was wearing the same dress as me, just in pink.

"Beautiful, sweetheart." I picked her up. "You ready for mommy to marry daddy?" I asked, brushing some hair out of her face with my fingertips. Alex would also be signing adoption papers at the courthouse for Luna. Her father was in prison and was ready to sign over his parental rights. He wasn't going to be getting out of prison anytime soon.

"Yeah!" She was so excited. We will be moving into a bigger house in the next few days. Ethan and Luna weren't ready to say goodbye to each other yet, so we were moving into a two-story house that also had a small apartment over the garage. It was Ethan's idea. He would be spending a lot of time in the main house with us, but he would also have his own private place to go.

"Okay, let's go." I put Luna back down on the floor and she held Jax's hand as we walked out to the car.

"Bye, good luck!" Sarah called out as we left. The boys were meeting us at the courthouse. Alex was trying to make today as romantic as possible. We planned on having a bigger ceremony and reception later, but we wanted to just be married already. Ethan was pacing the front of the courthouse when we pulled into the parking lot. He was incredibly supportive of our decision.

"You both look beautiful." Ethan kissed my cheek, handing me a cute little bouquet of roses and then kissing Steph deeply. We went inside the courthouse together and rode up the elevator to the 7th floor. I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw Alex. He had his hands in his pockets and he looked nervous. He was wearing the baby pink button-up that Luna picked out. It was the same color as her dress.

"You made it." Alex smiled as soon as he saw us get off the elevator. I smiled as I intertwined my fingers with his.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," I whispered. We hadn't seen each other for the last two days; another way Alex was trying to make things more romantic. We walked into the office where the judge was waiting for us.

"There's the happy couple. Let's get the two of you married." The judge smiled, and put on his reading glasses. "Alright, Alexander, repeat after me..."

"I, Alex, take you Elyse Bridget Manning, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward as long as we both shall live." I could see that he had tears in his eyes and that he was trying to keep it in.

"Perfect. Elyse, now you repeat after me..." I ran my fingers through my hair. I felt my heart racing against my chest. This was the moment I waited my whole life for.

"I, Elyse, take you Alexander Elijah Stone, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward as long as we both shall live." My last few words came out in a whisper because of the way my voice was breaking.