A Bond Never Broken

Chapter 37

"Luke, get your butt in here." I said. "I have something to show you."

It was 2:30 in the afternoon. The boys were at a sleepover at their cousins so the house was silent most of the time unless Ava made a fuss, but she had been pretty quiet today.

What I was about to show Luke was a wedding book that I had created myself. I think I've had it for a few years now. It held everything I've ever wanted my dream wedding to be. Magazine clippings, cloth samples, hand written notions, you name it and it's most likely in it. Ever since I was a little girl I had dreamed about my wedding, fantasized about walking down the isle in white to take my love's hand in marriage. And now all of it was coming true. I was going to marry the love of my life, a man who couldn't be any more perfect for me.

"Yah darlin'?" Luke said as he entered the dining room.

Luke came up behind me and looked over my shoulder, glancing at the book.

"What's this?" He said, moving next to me as he started flipping through the pages.

"It's a wedding book I made. I put it all together in these past few years and it's everything I've ever wanted in my wedding." I said.

Luke looked at me and smiled. "From what I can see, they're lovely choices."

I pulled out a chair and sat down. I then opened the book up to the first page. There was a place for the location and date of the wedding. It was blank.

Wedding Planner

_______________
Location

_______________
Date

"Ah, so we need to pick out a time and place." Luke stated.

I laughed. "Yes, Captain Obvious."

Luke just rolled his eyes. We were silent for a moment before Luke's face lit up.

"Turks And Cacios. How about there?" He said, a little more than eager.

"Huh?" I said. "Where in the heck is that."

Luke pulled his phone out of his back pocket and began fiddling with it. After a minute, he turned the phone so I could see the screen. He had pulled up pictures of Turks And Cacios on Google Images. As I studied the pictures, I instantly fell in love with the place. The crystal clear waters, gorgeous beaches. I knew that's where I wanted my wedding.

"Yes, Luke, that looks beautiful!.... Can we?" I asked before I got too carried away.

Luke chuckled. "Caroline, why do you think I suggested it. Of course we can!"

I squealed, very happy that all of this was coming together. Then something hit me. When are we going to have the wedding? I honestly wanted to have the wedding soon. Real soon. But what would Luke think?

"Luke, " I said quietly.

He looked up from my wedding album. "Yes?"

"When can we have this wedding?"

"Well when do you want to have it?"

I picked at my finger nails for a moment before focusing my gaze back on Luke. "I was hoping soon. I've always wanted a December wedding... but I hate long engagements."

He smiled. "I think that'll work. You just better hurry your little behind up and start planning. It's almost November."

I grinned from ear to ear and jumped up. Luke stood and I just wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you, thank you." I mumbled into his chest.

:::::

As I walked across the yard to Melissa's house, I tried imagining our wedding. The white sand beaches, salty air blowing in my hair, the ocean waves rolling in. I just couldn't wait.

I knocked on Melissa's door and almost instantly it swung open.

"Caroline, hello!" She greeted as we hugged. "Come in, come in."

Melissa stepped aside and I entered her home, hit with the familiar vanilla scent. Over these past few months, Melissa and I had become very close. We got together constantly for girl's nights out. I could come to her with anything.

I sat down on the sofa and she plopped down next to me. She took a long deep breath in before grabbing my hand and smiling, her eyes the size of saucers.

"Caroline," she squealed. "I heard the news! And oh my gosh, that's a big rock!"

Melissa calmed herself down to a point where she could contain her excitement enough to talk. She tucked a strand of her curly red hair behind her ear before speaking.

"When's the wedding?" She asked, eyeing my wedding album on the coffee table. I motioned that she could loon through it.

"Well, I was hoping for December sixth..." I said, slowly trailing off.

Melissa kept her focus on the book and nodded. "A year to plan the wedding, that seems like a good time schedule to work with."

I bit my lip. "No, I meant next month..."

Melissa's head shot up, she quickly set the album back in its original place on the table.

"Darling, are you crazy? I've been married before, I've gone through this, a month to do everything is certainly not enough time."

She's right, after all, she is the veteran of the two of us. She's been married twice, both ending with the ex cheating on her with some blonde chick. But, then again, next month would be perfect and I'm determined to keep it that way.

"Well I think I can do it... well at least with your help."

She smirked and shook her head. "Ms. Boyer, you're a crazy ass person, but I must admit I like it."

:::::::::

"Luke," I said as we crawled into bed that night, snuggling up under the cotton sheets.

"Yes, my love?" He responded, turning to face me.

"Why do you love me? I mean, what makes me so special compared to any other woman?"

He looked at me, deeply confused. "What brought this up?"

I shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. I guess I was just curious."

He smiled, "Well, in that case," Luke grabbed my hand in his and slowly rubbed his fingertips along my knuckles, giving me a tingling sensation. "I guess I can tell you why I love you."

I just grinned, knowing whatever he was about to say would seal my happiness for the night.

"I love you because I can. I love you because I want to. I love you because you're the one soul person who could ever truly make me happy in the good and the bad times.

I see you and it's like a breath of fresh air. You're the woman who makes my heart go tick-tock every time I see you move. You make me happy, you make me smile. You're the person who made me the man I am today, because without your support I don't think I'd be where I am today.

I love you because you're kind, beautiful, a great mother, you're selfless, you're the one who completes me.

Caroline, I love you because you brighten my day without even trying. You show me the world in a whole other way it can be perceived, that it wouldn't be the same without you."