Westley has always known Claire. She's always been a constant in his life, whether it be as his babysitter, his secret Santa, as his pretend-girlfriend, his confident, as the person he could always rely on.
But she's also always been the girl he lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I'm thirty two and I'm getting married.
When Claire and I finally started dating, there was never a doubt in my mind that I would end up marrying her. I mean, as long as she would have me. I knew I wanted to marry her. I knew I wanted to start a family with her if it was even possible.
When people started to hear about us their reactions were always either, "is this a joke?" or "it took you guys long enough."
Claire parents are fine with us together. It's actually my dad that's still a little weirded out by it. I get it. We don't exactly have the most normal history. But he's told me that he's glad I'm with Claire, because Mom loved her. I'm glad about that too. There was a time when I was worried that my mother never would have had the chance to meet the woman I loved. Now I know she did.
I had no idea how to propose. I mean, I had a few ideas but nothing felt right. I didn't know how to do it. I wanted something grandiose to fit with our perfect love story.
But then one Sunday morning, Claire was staying in bed.
"Get up, we have to go to brunch."
"I'm not getting up."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm just not getting out of bed until you take out that ring you've been carrying around yourself for the past three months and ask me to marry you."
"How did you..."
"West, honey, is there anything I don't know about you?"
"But, you can't do this. You're ruining the perfect romantic moment I wanted to create," I had whined.
"Your internet search history is telling me that you have no idea either how you actually want to do it. Stop stressing yourself out over this."
"But I need to do something extraordinary."
"Why? Because our love isn't epic enough as it is that you need to do something out of the ordinary to have a nice story to tell people?"
"I just want to give you everything."
"You've given me you. That's more than enough. Now, get that ring out, I'm really curious about what you picked."
"You're not even going to tell me I do?"
"I said I do the moment I took you in that bathroom stall. I said I do during that thunderstorm in Australia. I said I do at every brunch and every touch and every kiss."
I smile. "I love you."
She smiles back. "I love you too."
We do a small ceremony with our families and closest friends. I never had a lot of friends so I don't need to invite too many people.
I'm okay not having that many friends. I have Claire.
When she walks up to me in her white dress and her smile, I can't help but cry.
