Don't Fight It.

Chapter Seventy-One

Chapter 71:

The ceremony space was simple since it was on the beach and the sunset was their own natural decoration in the background. Baby blue chairs with white and silver bows lined both sides creating an aisle down the middle and both of them agreed not to have an alter, just a single white podium for the pastor to use for his book.

Tobin came out first, stopping to talk with some family members or friends on the way down. She saw their teammates, both thorns and national, already seated.

Greeting the pastor, Tobin waited patiently at the end of the aisle for her bride. The music began to play, some acoustic track that they thought just sounded good, and everyone rose.

Keeping her eyes locked on the beach house doors, Tobin held her hands clasped together with arms extended straight down. The doors began to open and everyone turned.

Jaws dropped, eyes widened. But for Tobin, she smiled wide bringing one of her hands up to her mouth in utter shock, eyes watering as Alex came into full view.

***

Alex heard the music play and knew it was time. Her father offered his arm which she gladly took while he opened the door with his free hand.

Stepping through the walkway, she didn't see the crowd or the pastor or the ocean in front. All she saw was Tobin and her reaction. Seeing Tobin break out into her genuine smile and cover her mouth in shock was almost enough to make Alex lose it on the spot. Her dad guided her down the aisle, but she felt like she could barely walk not evening feeling the sand beneath her. Tobin took a few steps up to meet Alex and her dad at the end.

"Tobin, I trust you very much. Please don't ruin that." Her dad said.

"Yes, sir." Tobin nodded quickly before taking Alex's hand and walking back to the pastor.

"You all may sit," the pastor began with, "Today on this lovely day in California, we are here to witness the union of these two amazing women. From being teammates on the pitch to best friends off, they have grown together for many years. Tobin and Alex first met in 2009 and ever since then their relationship has grown. Now six years later, we are here to watch them wed."

Tobin squeezed both of Alex's hands in hers making Alex to look into her eyes.

"I love you," Tobin mouthed running her thumbs in small circles.

"To my knowledge, you both have written your own vows, correct?" The pastor asked.

"Yes."

"Who would like to start?"

Tobin was about to say she was but Alex cut her off, "I will."

Alex had hers memorized, "Tobin, I still ask myself how we got here. No less than a year ago, our lives were completely different and I'm so glad that they changed. I didn't know true love until I met you, I didn't know that someone could care about me so much until you came along. I remember our first fight, after you punched that guy in the bar."

Many small chuckles came from the crowd and Tobin even laughed herself, "They didn't need to know that, babe, and I still blame Kelley for that."

Kelley was about to shout something in retaliation but Hope covered her mouth.

Alex just rolled her eyes and continued, "I remember being mad at you for not trusting me but now I realize that you did that because you cared. You got punched in the face just to protect me and I couldn't ask for anyone better. That day of the World Cup final, right when we woke up, the first thing you told me was something special was going to happen and you were right. It wasn't winning the World Cup, it was the fact that you proposed. That what was most special to me because I knew that I was going to be with you forever. Every day I am blessed to be able to wake up by your side and to walk down and find you making us breakfast. All the same things you do for me on random days make me realize how lucky I am to be in love with my best friend. Until today, the day that I first said I love you, the day that I knew that I was going to marry you, that was the best day of my life. You know me better than anyone else and I still can't believe it's me who gets to marry you. I see these vows not as promised but as privileges; I get to cry with you and laugh with you. I get to walk with you and run with you. You make me feel safe and I couldn't ask for anything more. You've seen me on the worst of days and on the bests. You were there when I thought I was in love and there when I thought love wasn't real. You made me believe in love again. Those days where I get to watch you play with Kona in the backyard, I feel love. When I'm around you, you give me warmth that I never thought I could feel. I stand in front of you today to let you know that I will always, always love you even when it may seem like I don't. In every fight or argument that we have, I want you to know that I love you and I'm willing to give up my end of the rope if we are in a tug of war match and it means my prize is that we make up. I love you, Tobs, and promise to love you forever.

"Tobin, yours?"

"I didn't have time to memorize mine since I just finished them today," Tobin joked while pulling out a piece of paper, "I'm gonna go back to the first day we confessed our feelings for each other. We just gotten back in camp for the send off games leading up to the World Cup and I remember the first night, I walked you to your door and kissed your hand. I felt like an idiot cause like what kind of friend does that? When I walked back to my room, Cheney asked if I saw a ghost because I was so pale. So I asked her if I should tell you about my feelings and she told me I needed to that you wouldn't run from me. I spent the rest of the night thinking about our friendship, if I was just misreading you. The next few days are teammates basically harassed us to tell each other and I will admit without them we probably wouldn't be here right now. So thank you, annoying pushy teammates."

Their national teammates laughed at the couple and the guests gave them a small applause.

"When we were on the beach and you confessed your feelings, I remember you telling me that the only reason you were telling me was because you knew I wouldn't run. I think back to that day now and realized how much we loved each other back then and I think neither of us even knew it yet. And surprisingly that love has increased even more. Alexandra, I've been in love with you for a very long time and you know that. But like I said in that letter I gave to you earlier, my vows are mainly everything I love about you. Remember when we were caught by the photographers after I took you out to dinner? You didn't yell or scream at me for being an idiot or something. I love how you stand by me even when I make mistakes. I love how persistent you are because without that we wouldn't have a cute little dog in our family right now. I love how competitive you are because it makes me become better. I love coming into our room and seeing your head buried in a book with Kona sleeping next to you because it helps me imagine our future together. Portland may not be our forever home but wherever you are is my home. I used to be a homebody without a home but I finally found my home."

The pastor nodded and then continued, "Tobin, do you take Alexandra to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do you part?"

"I do."

"And Alexandra, do you take Tobin to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do you part?"

"I do."

"Now the rings?" The pastor asked.

The doors from the beach house opened again and out came Tobin's little cousin, James, and Kona walking down the aisle.

James handed over the rings and Tobin gave him a kiss on the head, "Thanks buddy."

"Great, so please take Alexandra's left hand," the pastor said, "Tobin, repeat after me. I give you this ring to wear.

Tobin held Alex's left hand, positioning the ring directly in front of her ring finger, "I give you this ring to wear."

"As a symbol of my abiding love."

Sliding the ring onto her finger, "As a symbol of my abiding love."

"My eternal faith, and my undying devotion."

"My eternal faith, and my undying devotion.

"It is an outward reminder of our inner unity."

"It is an outward reminder of our inner unity." Tobin lifted Alex's hand and placed a kiss on the ring.

"Alex repeat after me..."

"I give you this ring to wear."

"As a symbol of my abiding love."

"My eternal faith, and my undying devotion."

"It is an outward reminder of our inner unity."

Alex finished and smiled at Tobin.

"I now announce you wife and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Tobin slid her arm around Alex's waist pulling her close to her, "We did it."

"Kiss me," Alex whispered, closing the gap between them.