The morning sun filtered through the curtains of their respective rooms as Solana and Ramirah both stared at the roses they each had delivered to them. Neither had known the other had the same idea, but it made sense. They always made sense to each other like that, their love language being each other. They loved spoiling one another with gestures that didn't need explaining.
In Ramirah's suite, she sat in front of a mirror, her hands trembling slightly as her makeup artist worked on her face, the room filled with soft chatter from her bridal party. Nina, Kay, and Paris were running around, helping with final details. But Ramirah's focus was on the roses that had just been delivered. She blinked back tears as she read the note from Solana:
For my pretty girl on the last day we'll ever spend apart. I love you beyond words. See you at the altar. -Your Solana.
The red roses were stunning, but it wasn't just how pretty they were it was the thought behind them. The gesture that mirrored her own, confirming how much they were made for each other. She also sent Solana roses— white ones, that morning with a note of her own:
To my forever love, I can't wait to spend forever with you. -Only Yours, Ramirah.
Her bridal party: Nina, Kay, and Paris moved around her frantically looking over her dress making sure not a thread was out of place, but they couldn't help but notice how deep she was in her thoughts, as usual thinking about Solana.
"Girl, you are too far gone and y'all couldn't even last a full night." Nina teased, handing Ramirah a glass of champagne.
Ramirah rolled her eyes, a light laugh escaping her lips as she broke out of her thoughts. "Shut up, it wasn't even like that. I just... I needed to hear her voice." Her friends exchanged knowing glances.
Kay shook her head. "You two are so in love, it's sickening."
Paris joked, "I mean, it's cute and all but damn you could at least pretend to be a little tough."
Ramirah grinned, raising her glass in fake cheers. "My woman loves me soft. Sorry, not sorry."
As the morning continued to unfold, Ramirah's energy shifted from smiles to tears. Especially when parents entered the room, her mother teared up instantly at the sight of her baby girl in her wedding gown. Her father tried to maintain his composure, but his voice cracked when as he hugged her.
"You look so beautiful, sweetheart," he murmured.
Nina stood off to the side, wiping at her eyes before quickly joining the moment. She had been there through Ramirah's worst heartbreaks, and seeing her now about to marry the woman who loved her the way she deserved, was overwhelming but in a beautiful way.
Nina's voice broke as she whispered, "You deserve this, bestie." Ramirah pulled her into a tight hug, both of them letting the tears flow freely. There was something raw about the way they cried, like they were shedding every painful moment Ramirah had ever experienced, making space for all the love this union would bring.
Ramirah held her tight, both of them shaking slightly as the moment took over them. "Thank you for always being there for me," she said softly, pulling back to look into her bestfriend's eyes. "You've been my rock."
"I'll always be your rock," Nina promised, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. "Now, let's get you married!"
Meanwhile, Solana was surrounded by her bridal or bachelor-ish party as they jokingly liked to call it, keeping her nerves in check by joking with her closest friends. But that went out the window when her parents entered the room, shifting the atmosphere. Her father, usually the calm and serious parent, looked like he was struggling to keep it together. He kissed her forehead, whispering how proud he was causing her to swallow her own tears. Her mother's eyes filled with tears as she held Solana's hands, smiling softly.
"You've always been strong, my baby. But today, you let your wife take care of you, okay?" Her mother's words felt like a blessing.
She felt a rush of emotion rise in her chest as her mother stepped closer, placing a hand on her arm. "You don't have to be the strong one all the time, Nova. Let Ramirah love you. Let her carry you when you need it."
Solana's throat tightened as she nodded, feeling her eyes welling up. She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I just want everything to be perfect for her," she whispered, her voice breaking just slightly showing everyone in the room a side of her they had never seen before.
Her mother smiled, wiping a tear that ran down Solana's cheek. "It already is. You two are perfect for each other. And today is just the beginning."
♡
As the moments crept closer to the ceremony, both brides although in separate rooms couldn't stop thinking about one another. Ramirah's heart skipped at the thought of Solana meeting her at the altar. She hadn't seen Solana all morning, and it was driving her crazy. But just as she was about to say something, her phone buzzed on the table. She grabbed it quickly, already smiling when she saw Solana's name.
Come meet me.
Her heart raced at the simple text, but she bit her lip, glancing around at her friends. "I need to sneak out for a minute."
Paris raised an eyebrow, catching on quickly. "Oh no, you're not about to—"
"Just for a second!" Ramirah protested, already slipping on her fuzzy slippers. "We're just gonna talk. She won't see me. I swear."
Her bridal party all exchanged glances, but they didn't stop her hell they couldn't. They knew how clingy the couple was. "Alright," Nina sighed dramatically."but don't ruin the surprise."
With a smile and a heart full of excitement, Ramirah rushed down the hall being extra careful not to let anyone see her. Her dress shuffling behind her as she moved with her nerves building with every step she took. She could feel her pulse quickening, knowing that in just a few hours, everything would change.
They had already agreed not to see each other until the ceremony, but here they were sneaking off to 'hear' each other. When she reached the quiet corner of the hallway where Solana was waiting, she paused, leaning against the wall. Her heart skipping a few beats when she saw the shadow of Solana on the other side.
"Solana?" Ramirah called softly, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Yea baby,I'm here" Solana's responded back, full of the love that Ramirah had come to rely on. Solana whispered, her voice softly cracking. "You're really going to do this to me, huh?"
Ramirah smiled, but she kept herself hidden fighting the urge to jump into her lover's arms. She extended her hand around the wall finding hers, and Solana took it immediately.
"I wanted to hear your voice," Ramirah whispered back. "But you still can't see me."
Solana laughed softly, her thumb rubbing the back of Ramirah's hand. "I'm not gonna lie mama, it's killing me not to see you right now. But for you? I'll wait forever."
Ramirah bit her lip, the emotion swelling in her chest again. "I love you" she murmured, leaning her head against the wall that separated them.
"I love you," Solana muttered, her voice trembling. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life proving it."
For a moment, they just stood there, holding hands quietly. Ramirah could feel every beat of her heart, the weight of her love for Solana and everything they had been through to get here. Her voice cracked when she spoke again. "In an hour, this is it. You're mine, and I'm yours. For the rest of our lives."
Solana smiled, shaking her head on the other side of the wall. "Baby, you've been mine since the day I met you. This is just the celebration."
Solana's grip on her hand tightened for a moment before slowly releasing, the absence of her touch left Ramirah feeling both empty and full at the same time.
As she walked back to her suite, her heart felt whole and full of the love she had dreamed of since she was a little girl. In just a few hours, she would walk down the aisle and marry the love of her life. And nothing had ever felt more right.
