"where there was fire ashes remain". Robsten Story

Chapter 24th

Kristen POV.

I lie down on my front and, fumbling with the straps, take my bikini top off and toss it casually onto Rob sun lounger. There . I shut my eyes and let the sun warm my skin . . . warm my bones, and I drift away under its heat, my thoughts turning to my wedding day.

Flashback

You're picking up Mr. Weber at three o'clock," I reminded him.

"I don't have that much to do today besides bring the minister, Kris. I'm not likely to forget my only job." Mark had taken the entire day off for the wedding, and he was definitely at loose ends. Now and then, his eyes flickered furtively to the closet under the stairs, where he kept his boxes of cigarettes.

“That’s not your only job. You also have to be dressed and presentable."

He scowled into his cereal bowl and muttered the words "penguin suit” under his breath.

“Oh come on Mark all you have to do is walk me down the aisle”.

“I know that Kristen I promised your dad I would.”

“Thank you for doing this Mark on such short notice”.

“ Anytime you and Robert are like family to me”. How’s your dad doing today.?

“ He is in a lot of pain “. “The doctor said that he’s leg would heal but the rehabilitation process would take about 6 months to a year.”

“ your dad’s  a strong men he can handle it.

“ Out of all days he could have broken he’s leg it happens the night before my wedding.”

There was a brisk tapping on the front door.

"You think you have it bad," I said, grimacing as I rose. "The Hair and  Make up team will be working on me all day long."

I opened the door for them .

Kate: "Oh, hell, look at your eyes!" She tsked in reproach. "What did you do? Stay up all night?"

"Almost."

She glowered. "I've only allotted so much time to make you stunning, Kris - you might have taken better care of my raw material."

"No one expects me to be stunning. I think the bigger problem is that I might fall asleep during the ceremony and not be able to say 1 do' at the right part, and then Rob will make his escape."

She laughed.

Lizzie:  “sister in law I'll throw my bouquet at you when it gets close."

“Omg you’re here “ I got up to hug her but Kate stop me.

Kate: “you don’t want to Mess up your make up.”

Lizzie : “ you look amazing Sister -in-Law .

“You look a million bucks Lizzie.”

Lizzie: “Nobody is going to look at me tonight all eyes are going to be on you.”

“ yeah I said”

It was after lunchtime when Clary  glided past the bathroom door in a shimmery silver gown with her golden hair piled up in a soft crown on top of her head. She was so beautiful it made me want to cry. What was even the point of dressing up with My Clary  around?

Daddy and Uncle Tom Are Here Clary said, and immediately my childish fit of despair passed. Robert was home.

"Keep him out of here!" Lizzie told Clary.

Clary ran back downstairs He won't cross you today," she yelled out.

I could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over. Voices began to float up to us.

Lizzie: “your dress is officially here.”

Carolina Herrera entered the room carrying the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen Diamonds lots of diamonds.

Carolina made me stand so that she could ease the dress over my hair and makeup. My knees shook so badly as she fastened the long line of pearl buttons up my back that the satin quivered in little wavelets down to the floor.

The color of the dress was pretty amazing icy blue .  I was afraid to look in the mirror - afraid the image of myself in the wedding dress would send me over the edge into a full-scale panic attack.

The wedding ceremony.

Mark: Are you Ready Kristen ..

“Yeah Mark pass me the flowers.”

The music was louder in the hall. It floated up the stairs along with the fragrance of a million flowers.

"Don't let me fall, Mark," I whispered. He pulled my hand through his arm and then grasped it tightly.

The walk down that aisle felt like we where walk-in slow motion. I wanted to run .

Mark released he’s gripped on me . My arm intertwined with Roberts . I was officially home.

Clary was sitting next to Lizzie.

Our vows were the simple, traditional words that had been spoken a million times, though never by a couple quite like us. We'd asked Mr. Weber to make only one small change. He obligingly traded the line "till death do us

part" for the more appropriate "as long as we both shall live.

In that moment, as the minister said his part, my world, which had been upside down for so long now, seemed to settle into its proper position.

I didn't realize I was crying until it was time to say the binding words.

"I do," I managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper, blinking my eyes clear so I could see his face.

When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.

"I do," he vowed.

He kissed me tenderly, adoringly; I forgot the crowd, the place, the time, the reason... only remembering that he loved me, that he wanted me, that I was his.

He began the kiss, and he had to end it; I clung to him, ignoring the titters and the throat-clearing in the audience.

The crowd erupted into applause, and he turned our bodies to face our friends and family. I couldn't look away from his face to see them.

Clary Arms where the first ones to greet us. Her eyes where red from crying. She was crying tears of joy.

The wedding flowed into the reception party smoothly..

Things slowed down, relaxed as the winter evening surrounded us. The little crowd spread out under the soft shine of the twinkle lights, and we were greeted again by the friends we'd just embraced. There was time to talk now, to laugh.

9 hours into the reception we disappeared into the house.

"Let's go," Rob urges.
"I have to change." I grasp his hand, meaning to pull him through the French windows and upstairs with me.

He frowns, not understanding, and tugs gently on my hand, halting me.
"I thought you wanted to be the one to take this dress off," I explain. His eyes light up.

"Correct." He gives me a lascivious grin. "But I'm not undressing you here. We wouldn't leave until . . . I don't know . . ." He waves his long-fingered hand, leaving his sentence unfinished but his meaning quite clear.
I flush and let go of his hand.

"And don't take your hair down either," he murmurs darkly.
"But - "
"No buts, Kristen You look beautiful. And I want to be the one to undress you."

Oh. I frown.

Okay." What has he got planned? He hasn't told me where we're going. In fact, I don't think anyone knows where we're going. Neither Mark nor Renee has managed to inveigle the information out of him. I turn to where my Clary  and Lizzie are hovering nearby.

To be continued...