guarding my angel || "guardian angel" sequel

38

A few months later

**Lauren's POV**

I couldn't stop fidgeting with my silver bracelet as Kayla brushed through my hair. Victoria gently lifted my chin up to apply more blush to my cheeks, but I hardly registered any of it.

How could I? I was marrying Darry Curtis in less than an hour.

It took a very long time before I could bring myself to go through with the wedding. It was never called off, but I knew it was supposed to be one of the greatest days of my life, and I wanted to make sure I didn't waste it. Darry, on the other hand, said he couldn't bear to wait, and that life was too short to put it off. But, being the amazing man he is, he was patient and understanding.

For the first time since Elle's passing, I felt the fog of grief lift. Although I didn't have her in my arms anymore, I would have her father for the rest of my life after 2 pm today.

"Are you ready to put your dress on?" Victoria asked with a smile. I turned to see it hanging on the closet door: a simple, silk white slip dress with thin straps and a deep back. I inhaled deeply and nodded, smiling slightly as I stood up to change.

Kayla, Victoria, Bailey, Charlotte, and Jessica were all wearing black dresses, none of which were alike: since we were just getting married at the courthouse, we didn't want to make a big fuss about outfits. The only thing that was important to us was that everyone was there because it was going to be our last time with the gang for a while.

About a month after Elle's passing, Darry and I started to talk about moving away. It became more serious a few weeks later when I applied to the University of Connecticut's architecture school amidst an intense mental breakdown, then became real when they accepted me. Darry getting a job in construction near campus sealed the deal, and we decided to move up there the second the knot was tied. Therefore, I was getting ready at Victoria's apartment, where my road trip bag patiently waited for me to grab after the wedding.

"Lauren, we have to go!" Victoria called from the hallway. I smoothed the dress against my stomach, adjusted a stray hair, and took one last look at myself before I would become the first Curtis wife.

~

I could see Darry from 1,000 feet away as we neared the courthouse.

Although all of the guys were wearing dress pants and button-ups, his was the only one that was white. He was also the only one holding red roses, and my heart raced at the sight. Only he knew those were my favorite.

When we pulled into a parking spot near the back of the courthouse, the guys were already walking to meet us. I stepped out of the passenger seat, careful to keep my dress from dragging, as I met eyes with him. He smiled, then pressed his lips together in an attempt to keep his composure. If I hadn't felt beautiful before this moment, I certainly did now.

Darry exhaled sharply as he pulled me into a tight embrace. "You look angelic, love."

I heard a camera flash and turned to see Soda taking photos. I leaned into Darry and smiled, and realized that I wasn't faking it the way I had the last few months. 

After a few more photos, we rushed inside the courtroom. The ceremony itself was a blur, and before I knew it, I was saying "I do". I faintly heard the gang clapping as Darry kissed me, but allowed the kiss to overcome each of my senses. 

I had been nervous about the kiss at our wedding. It had been a very long time since Darry and I did anything more than a quick kiss goodnight: we had to be gentle with my condition, and after her passing, neither of us were hardly even in the mood to do that. Although my feelings for Darry were never forced, I was afraid the kiss would be. But it was quite the opposite. I felt the kiss in each of my fingertips and all of my toes.

When we finally pulled away, the gang was still clapping. I grinned at them all, and I'd never felt such genuine happiness exuding from a group of people. It was as if everyone recognized that although the last year had been so hard, it was time for things to be easy again.

We celebrated with a meal at the Dingo. In between the endless fries and shakes were laughs and hollering from the gang, and it felt like everything had fallen back into place again. It was a shame that once this meal was over, Darry and I would be saying goodbye to everyone for a while. But, I was so happy our last memory together was one filled with so much happiness.

After more time than we'd originally planned for, I met eyes with Darry from across the large table we all shared. We were both thinking the same thing: we have to get on the road soon.

After a few more cokes, another order of fries, and too many smiles to count, Darry finally made the announcement that it was time for us to go. Although there was some resistance from the gang, they too knew it needed to be done. As I went to change into something more comfortable in the bathroom of the Dingo, the rest of the gang went to help Darry load up the truck. 

Staring back at myself once I'd replaced the white dress with shorts and a large t-shirt, I realized I felt different. I felt like a wife. I felt like a Curtis. Smiling, I spun the ring that sat happily on my left hand, next to a delicate ring with the initial "E" on it: Darry's wedding gift to me.

I found the gang crowded around the truck, and they parted to let me inside. Once my seatbelt was on, Darry started the car, and everyone said their official goodbyes. Although there were tears, we all knew it wouldn't be for too long. We had weddings to attend!

"I love you, no matter how far you go," Victoria said, and smiled through the many tears falling from her face.

"I'll never be too far," I promised, and pulled her into a hug through the window of the truck. With that, I waved to everyone else, and once Darry and his brothers had said their goodbyes, Darry put the truck into gear.

"Let's get out of here, my love," he said to me as he kissed my forehead and pulled away from our lives as we'd always known them.