Afraid to Love ✔

Part 21

Mia

Zoe should be about to get the boys downstairs soon so I need to hurry up and do my hair.
Abba knocks on my door before peaking in. "Zahra?"
"Come in, Abba." I smile briefly pulling a brush through my hair.
"Your sister is almost ready. I brought you this, you should wear this to get married." He smiles as a lady holds out a dress for me to inspect.
"Oh Abba, it is beautiful, thank you." I set it on the bed carefully and continue putting on my makeup. Abba waits for a few moments.
"Zahra, why you are not changing into your dress? Your heart tell you not to marry him?" He looks concerned.
"No Abba, my heart tells me to marry him."
"Good, I call for help to get you ready." He says clapping his hands. My door flies open and an Army of women drag me into my bathroom as he turns to leave. What? No. Wait! Before I can object, I am stripped of my clothes and scrubbed within an inch of my life. Oh my goodness, I don't know what to focus on, the women washing me from top to bottom or the maniac trying to drown me while washing my hair. I've never had so many hands on me at once, ever. As I try to calm down while getting a mani-pedi, I am 'mugged' of my remaining body hair (believe me I miss every follicle they took). They polish my skin and compliment me on my rosy glow, but I believe it's embarrassment from the breeze across my nether region. Soon I'm shoved into some barely there lingerie and zipped into my wedding dress. My hair is curled and pinned up while someone applies makeup to my face.
"She is ready." One of the females opens the door as Zoe walks passed my room.
"Good. Have her wait downstairs." Abba orders then he walks to Mai's room to check on her.
I can't believe they got me ready in less than 20 minutes. Shortly after the attendants stop adjusting the train on my dress, Mai walks down the stairs still arguing with Abba that she isn't getting married without me and he can't make her.
"You look so beautiful, Mai." I gush and smile at her surprised expression.
"Mia!?" She releases the Sheihk's arm to hug me. "You look beautiful in that dress."
"Abba, gave it to me."
"Her groom ask and she accept. Your groom decide to make a double wedding." He explains to Mai placing flowers in our hair.
"You're both so beautiful. " Zoe gushes kissing our cheeks one at a time.
"Ready Mai? You feeling okay?" I touch my nieces and nephew. She smiles and nods.
"We are all healthy thanks to you. Uh, by the way, when do you get engaged?" She whispers to me as we wait for the music to start. A veil is draped over our heads shortly after Abba finishes securing our flowers in our hair.
"Laurent asks me last week." I whisper showing her my ring and gawking at hers.
"And you planned all this in a week? Thank you!" Mai blows kisses at me so she doesn't mess up our makeup.
"I'm glad I can share this day with you." I squeeze her hand.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." She pats my hand. "You want to go first?" She offers as the music starts.
I shake my head as the little voice starts whispering, 'don't do this, you're going to get hurt.' I'm not going to get hurt, Laurent is nothing like William! I yell at the harpy voice in my head.
"No, I will follow you." I try to smile to reassure her. 'You didn't know William was like that until he tried to hurt you.' The harpy continues. Shut up! I mentally scream.
"Mia?" She gives me an apprehensive look.
"I promise Mai, I won't ruin your day. Everything will be perfect, now go your future husband and father of your children is waiting." I turn her towards the door.
Zoe proudly escorts Mai down the aisle. The crowd ahhs at her entrance and I smile imagining Larry's face as he sees her.
"Okay Zahra? Are you ready?" The Sheihk asks in a soft voice. 'You can still run away it's not too late.' "Ignore the voice my little flower listen to your heart." Abba whispers. "What is your heart telling you?"
"To stop running away, Laurent loves me and I love him." I answer immediately. He nods in approval and takes the first step to walk me down the aisle. The audience gasps when I walk down the stairs into my garden. I hear surprised murmurs and see as many shocked faces as smiling faces among the many guests. I figured it would be obvious that I am alive because Mai was very adamant about not getting married until I returned. But I guess without a formal announcement some people still had their doubts. I search the crowd seeing so many people come to grieve my passing smile tenderly at me as I walk down the aisle. I smile at the people as I near the front that I've never met but there is no mistaking, they are Laurent's no - notre belle famille, our beautiful family, as Laurent is always correcting me. Laurent- I can't wait to see his reaction, to see Laurent's beautiful face when...
he...
sees...
me...
Something is wrong he looks... sick? Upset?
I slow down halfway down the aisle. Is he having second thoughts?
'You should have known better! He doesn't want to get married, he can barely make himself say the word 'wife' in any language!' I can't help but listen to the harpy's words as Larry kisses and releases Mai's hands, to hug his brother then whisper in his ear. Laurent is crying? I stop in my tracks trying to free my hands. "Abba, I'm going back." I whisper try to take a step backwards.
"No!" Abba whispers gripping my arm tightly and holding me in place. My eyes shoot to his face. "Take a moment to calm yourself and look to him clearly, look into his eyes." Laurent is crying, his face is pale. "He loves you, you should never doubt this, you look so beautiful, it overwhelms him, trust me. Your Laurent is waiting for you." I glance at my godfather then look back at my teary Laurent standing at the end of the aisle waiting for me. My Laurent is waiting for me. Never thought I would think of him like that. My Laurent, (I smile) is waiting, for me. I hold Abba's hand again as he pats mine and we continue down the aisle.

Laurent

I am expecting for Mia to walk down the aisle first but Mai come first. I smile at my brother seeing Mai, us babies, and her brother walk down the aisle to us. Larry is smiling wider than a kid on Christmas. I want to smile too but I not see Mia.
She work hard for this she should no miss it. Where is she? I'm looking around trying to spot her then I see the Sheihk walking slowly down the aisle and my attention is immediately on the girl beside him with a desert flower in her hair. Is that Mia? I-I can't, I can't breathe. I feel my heart falter and I start sweating. Larry turns to me, "Surprised Bro?" I feel like I'm dying I can no get my heart to act right, I loosen my collar struggling to breathe, I feel light-headed. "Hey, look at me." He whispers in my ear as I struggle not to wheeze and look into his eyes. "Breathe easy Bro. You say she you girl, go get her." He nudges my shoulder with a big smile on his face. I take a deep breath and nod. She's is mine, my dreams come true. No this is better than my dreams. He wipes the tears from my face then he hugs me. I smile at Maman, who is smiling at me, then turn to wait for Mai's eyes to meet mine. She slowed down and looks in my eyes. There it is, the look of fear she has before she runs, the look she tried to hide when she left me. I am no going to let her run from me, she not have to marry me today but she no run out of my life again! I move closer to the aisle as I prepare to run after her if tries to get away. I go through too much for her to get away now. Then she smiles at me and the Sheihk smiles reassuringly as well.
"Remember your promise to me." He whispers as he stands before me.
"Love is her sun, compliments are her rain, my patience is her soil. I promise to always take care of my flower." I say in a hushed voice to him before he places her hands in mine. He proceeds to kiss her cheek and Mai's forehead.
I gaze at Mia, "You look more beautiful than my dreams Bébé." I whisper to her before kissing her hands and guiding her into place beside her sister.

(Skipping the ceremony, sorry.)

After their double surprise wedding and a long reception full of food, family and friends. Mai and Larry change clothes and go to the coastal property.
I notice Mia is quiet after everyone leaves. "You okay Belle?" I asks kissing her hand. She looks at our linked hands then into my eyes and blushes.
"Lau?" She whispers.
"Yes, Belle?"
"Can you say wife in French for me?"
"La femme." (Which is wife but it's also means woman, lady and/or sister. Mia was hoping for la épouse- spouse and would have been happy with partenaire- partner.)
"I should change out of this dress." She says softly looking away.
"Belle, are you running?" I wrap my arms around Mia.
"No, I'm not scared." She whispers still looking away from me. I turn her and carries her upstairs. She watches me closely as I set her on her feet then helps her out of her dress.

**********
Mia blushes standing in front of Laurent almost naked in just a thong. She covers her breasts and looks down. "You are beautiful Bébé, no hide from me." Laurent slowly walks over to her kneeling in front of her.
"Mia, I love you and I will never hurt you like he did, you know I no him." He gazes lovingly at her. "Please let me look at you, ma belle épouse, mon amour." (My beautiful wife, my love) Laurent gently eases her hands away from her breasts. She stares into his eyes as he slowly stands softly kissing her lips. She tries not to flinch away from his soft lips as they slowly travel from her face to her neck.
He says guiding her to the bed having her sit while he gets out of his suit. She watches him hang up his suit then sits beside her. He moves her into his lap, places her hands behind his neck then gently holds her chin with one hand to kiss her again. Laurent gently pulls her face closer to his, "Let me take care of you." He softly kisses her, caressing her face, slowly moving his hands to lightly touch her skin while leaving goosebumps in their wake.
Mia is grateful for his gently treatment of her but she's not as scared as she thought she would be. She realized long ago, in so many ways the differences between her abductor and Laurent. Laurent is stubbornly possessive, kind, gentle, goofy, shy, sexy, protective, strong willed, compassionate and most of all patient. Laurent has been very, very patient with her, more patient than she felt she deserves. These were characteristics she could never apply to William not that she would describe him as anything other that crazy after everything he put her through. Laurent had never treated her differently and she felt bad for all the time she shut Laurent out, treated him badly, and every time she chose to close her heart to him when all he was asking is to let him love her. She promised herself to let go of all her fears and move forward with him when he proposed, now she has to be brave enough to do it.

**** Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! ****Up next the honeymoon.