✔︎ | Part of Me (Trilogy)

41 | forevermore

she's a long one bois

41 | forevermore 

Mom and Grandma stood behind as I gazed at myself in the mirror, inspecting my white dress. Mom was in tears, her hand clasping mine tightly. Her smile shone with happiness but I knew there was a little worry in her heart, and a little sadness too. Her baby girl was already all grown up, moving on to the next stage of her life. In no time, Jem would be doing the same. 

Grandma, on the other hand, picked at my hair, making sure everything was up and in place, and I didn't mind it. I wanted to everything to be perfect for the moment I walked down the isle. I knew Axel, meeting me halfway, would look absolutely stunning in anything he wore, and I obviously had to try to match that. 

"You're beautiful, my girl," Grandma told me kindly. I knew she was ecstatic for me too. She'd come to love Axel, despite his tattoos, and she and his grandma had become the bestest of friends. Grandma glanced at my mom and smiled, "just like your mother was on her wedding day." She huffed softly though and added, "except I don't understand why both of you had to rush and get married before you were 22...but it worked out well enough for your mom, so I'm sure it will work out for you too. Axel is a good man." 

Mom and I glanced at each other and held back our laughter. I thanked Grandma gratefully, pecking her on the cheek. "Axel is the best man I have ever met," I said, "other than Dad and Will of course. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Good, good," Grandma squeezed my shoulders, "maybe you'll consider giving me some great grandchildren before I pass away." 

"Mom!" my mom gazed at her, shaking her head. 

I laughed it off. "We'll see, Grandma. I think we should just start with getting me married first." 

"Yes!" She agreed, straightening the top of my dress, where the lace hugged my chest and flowed over my shoulders to attach in a clasp behind my neck. "It's almost time. Let's get you ready." 

The two left me to find their seats, and I waited at the closed doors that lead into the hall, where all of our friends and family would be waiting, until the live band started playing. I took a deep breath and walked forward as the doors opened. 

Axel and I didn't want to wait long to get married, so we ended up having a September wedding indoors. Despite the coldness of early fall and the wind shrieking outside, sun streamed through the great windows on either side of the venue, illuminating the hall with light. It felt like heaven, and when my eyes met Axel's down the room, I knew it sort of was. He and I together were heaven. 

I smiled and tears streamed down his face. He reached up to brush them away as he walked towards me, joy flickering through his eyes. I felt like I was going to stumble as I stepped towards him. My heart beat so loud in my ears I could hardly hear the music. This moment approached so much more quickly than we had anticipated, and I was glad for that. I just wanted to be married to Axel already. I wanted everything with him. 

He was as handsome as ever in his black suit, and we didn't break eye contact until he reached me and slid his hands around my waist, leaning in to whisper only loud enough for the both of us to hear, "I love you so much." 

I touched my hand against his chest, matching my corsage to the boutonnière pinned to his blazer. My vision blurred and I laughed and cried at the same time and replied, "and I love you. Let's do this." 

He grinned and took my hand, and we continued up the isle to the front.

My eyes met my dad's and he smiled approvingly, giving himself credit, I'm sure, since he's the reason Axel and I started over again in Seattle. My girls stood at the front in their beautiful blue tulle dresses: Jemmy, Court, Shiray, Helen, Nicole, Gabby, and of course Tasha, as my maid of honour. She gave me a wink, and I scrunched my nose, glancing back up at Axel.