everything I didn't say

epilogue ♡

F O U R Y E A R S L A T E R

"Would you hurry up? You're so slow." My best friend groans at me.

"I'm sorry, it just seems to be a bit bigger than the day I got it fitted." I tug the top of my dress up when it slips down for the fifth time.

"You look fine, it looks great on you." She compliments my dress. I study myself in the mirror again before turning to Julie. "Go make sure Niall has the tie we picked out on, I feel like he will change it if we don't make sure."

--

"Hey." Niall smiles at me when I see him by the front doors to the church. Wearing the tie and all.

"Hello." He leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"Is Julie nervous?" He asks. I nod.

"She makes such a beautiful bride." I tell him and he puts a hand on my shoulder, rubbing it.

"It will be you soon, babe." He grabs my hand and holds it up in front of us so my gorgeous ring is in front of us both. I smile at the ground.

"Leah, I need your help again." Julie calls down the hallway and I move back to her, leaving Niall to go back to the other groomsmen.

"Yeah?"

"Ali lost her bouquet."

"How did you manage to do that?" I ask Ali who helplessly shrugs. "I set it down when I was talking to Jonathon, I think." She says.

I hand her my bouquet and walk across the church to where Niall and Jonathon are.

I knock on the door before peaking it open. "Can I come in?"

"Woah, maid of honor alert." Jonathon laughs as he adjusts his tie in the mirror. Niall walks over to the door and opens it further, allowing me to come in.

"Do you guys know where Ali's bouquet is? She said she might've left it over here."

The guys both shrug so I walk in myself and look for it. I accidentally bump into Matt when searching.

"Oh goodness, sorry." I laugh and he turns to see who hit him.

"Leah." He smiles at me, pulling me in for a hug. "How is she holding up over there?" He asks nervously.

"She's good, stressed and nervous but good."

"She still wants to marry me, right?" He asks and I nod. "Of course she does."

Matt moves from in front of the mirror to the other side of the room, grabbing flowers and walking back over. "My sister in law seems to forget things very easily."

I gasp in excitement and grab Ali's bouquet from Jonathon's brother.

"We're on in ten!" The wedding planner walks in shouting with her clipboard.

"Excuse me? No bridesmaids in the groomsmen quarters! Out, out, out!" She says, pushing me out the door.

I hand Ali her bouquet and she thanks me repeatedly, and we line up to walk.

Ali and Jonathon walk first, smiling at each other the entire time. Niall and I walk next, and he waves to friends he sees in the rows. Julie's cousin and Matt's friend go after us, and then Julie walks in with her arm clutched around her dad's.

The wedding is just as I thought it would be, sweet just like the couple. The rings are exchanged and Matt picks Julie off the ground when they kiss.

At the reception, I walk around saying hi to a few people I know.

I see Jared sitting at a table a few from mine, and I can't believe he actually came. I can't believe Julie and Matt actually invited him either, though.

I walk over to his table and sit down. "Hey stranger." He smiles at me.

"I'm surprised you came."

"Of course I did. Anything for my friends."

"You're okay with this, right? Julie and Matt?"

"Of course I am. I'll always love Julie, it's just not the same type of love as a few years ago."

I smile at him. "It's really good to see you." I tell him.

"Hey, congratulations on your book, by the way. I read it and it was fantastic."

"Thank you so much." I blush when he compliments my newly published book.

"Oh my goodness, is that Leah Thomas?" I hear beside me and I turn. I stand when I see Evelyn standing there and I walk over to hug her, avoiding hitting the child in her arms.

"It's been way too long." I say to her as she takes a seat by her husband.

"You made such a beautiful maid of honor up there!" She compliments, handing her son over to Jared. He sits him on his lap as he keeps repeating 'daddy'. The smile on his face is so genuine and it's such a wonderful thing to see him so happy.

I talk with them for a bit more before walking back over to my own table.

I spot Chase sitting at a table with his girlfriend, and they both wave and say hello. That reminds me to say hi to Gillian if I ever see her, or if she even came tonight. Daniel and Melissa should be here somewhere, they just got back from their spontaneous trip to Paris in time to come to the wedding. The rest of the reception goes smoothly, thankfully.

-

When Niall and I arrive home back in Arizona, I text Jessica to let her know we are back. She comes over shortly after, daughter in hands. She squirms out of her grip and runs to me. I am her 'godmother' to others, but she always calls me Aunt Leah. I don't have the heart to tell her I'm not really her aunt, even though I treat her as I would a niece.

"How was the wedding?" Jess asks and I shrug. "Perfect ceremony, great reception, nine out of ten."

"Was it better than mine?" She raises an eyebrow and I have to think about it. "I'm not sure, they were both equally great. You had a theme though, so bonus points for you." We laugh. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that Jessica married Luke, and that they have a child already, even though it's been two years since the wedding and pregnancy.

It seems all of my friends are getting married, having kids, getting jobs, settling in to their new adult lives. I've just got a late start, I guess. It will be my turn eventually, but for right now I'm just enjoying the ride.

When Jessica leaves, I go into our bedroom and see him laying in bed already. "Did Jess leave?" He asks. "Yeah," I say, changing into my pajamas.

I get in bed beside him and he turns around, grabbing my stomach and pulling me into his chest. "I love you." He whsipers into my ear the way he has done every night since we first started dating. "I love you more." I will respond, like usual. I will always love you more.

THE END