Deal With It By: Audrey B. Holley

Chapter 24 (13 months later or a year and one month later)

My nerves are all jittery, and my head seems to throb from so much anxiety. It's the day. Who would of thought I'd be getting married right after my last year of school? I'm only seventeen, so young...

What if I'm rushing? Oh God, why the typical second thoughts?

A knock startles me so bad, I almost leap out of my clammy skin.

"Come in." My voice gives too much emotion, for it cracks at the two simple words.

David comes in all suited up in a regularly fashioned outfit worn to any normal wedding occassion.

"How's the lovely bride?" He grins at the sight of his shaky sister.

"I feel as if I might vomit all over my dress, and my ankles are about to explode," I manage to swallow. "Do you think I'm moving into this too fast?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He wags a finger, and says, "It's too late for questions. You can't back out now. Everyone's waiting out there to see the lady in white marry the man standing at the altar eagerly."

"Oh God." I groan.

"He's like a dog, and your his bone," he thinks that over in his mind. "Wait, scratch that. He's like an empty bottle, and you're his filling pure water. Make sense?"

"I-I guess so."

He sighs. "What I'm trying to say is you're his everything, and if you leave now, he'll be devastated."

"I love him." I blurt.

"Then why are you freaking out?"

I shrug, and twist around to look at myself in the mirror. "I don't know really. Just extremely nervous is all."

The white gown shows off each curve of my body, and exposes my bare shoulders, and a naked back. Without straps, I'm scared. What if I lose my step, and the dress slips to flash everybody? Man, I'd be mortified.

My brown hair, which has grown down to my butt, is clipped at the top of my head to divulge, and enhance the bow of my neck.

Looking to David, I ask, "Would you mind getting Henry for me? He always calms me down."

My brother retreats for a second, and returns with a giggling baby. The infants arms flail out to reach for my hands. The soft texture of his skin slows my heart, and slackens my mouth with an affable smile. No cure better than a babies touch, am I right?

"Hey." I bounce him on my hip, and peer into the depths of his light brown eyes, which he inherited from my deceased aunt Joice. The shade is so  much similar to the hint of my best friend. The qualities are magnificent. Head strong just the same, yet sensitive in a way only to resemble a soul I miss so dearly.

"Henry Ray." I say. He curls chubby fingers around my thumb, and touches a delicate palm to my mouth. I can feel his presence almost as if he's living inside the babies heart, watching me through new eyes, and struggling to assure me that he's never left.

I close my lids, and inhale. Opening them , I say, "I'm ready."

My brother takes Henry into his arms, and leads me to dad. David goes in search of my mother.

My father holds out an elbow, and I slip my hand in the crook, placing a palm to his bicep. Even in old age of about forty years, he's still a handsome man, my cheerful daddy walking by my side every step of the way.

"Ready?" My father questions, raising a brow.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Almost as if he's come just on time, I feel something I don't see grasping the slope of my free arm to stride down the aisle next to me. Maybe my mind isn't focused, but there's this murmur that utters "I'm here" in my ear.

And it makes me smile even if I imagined his voice.

The music plays, cuing that my dad and I should enter into the sight of the audience. The sight of all the stares doesn't nerve me. Relatives I haven't seen in years are standing with crossed arms, there's Natalie and Franky at the altar as best man and maid of honor, momentarily, I see Jimmy and Maria waving at me and grinning like cute fools, I sight my boss Mr. Werton and his wife, I glimpse Mrs. Rubert in the crowd with a man I've never met, her husband I assume, and many others I'm thrilled to spot.

But the one true character gazes at me with eyes of a beautiful brown. He beckons my heart with the flash of his pearly white teeth against his plump lips.

When I reach my place at his side, he peers down at me, spotting my lashes under the veil that hides my rosy cheeks.

He takes my hand in his, whispering, "How's it going under there soon to be Mrs. Keelie Harison?"

"Kinda lonely without you under it."

He laughs quietly, and says, "I can't wait to kiss you and see those pretty eyes of yours."

And I'm thinking the same thing about him. 

Hey readers. Just want to say thanks for reading my story. Comment on your thoughts, what I did best, what I could work on/fix, etc. I wanted you guys to realize that even if a loved one passes away, they aren't gone. They are forever in your heart. And I wanted you to know that people can change no matter how horrid their childhood was.