A Tale of Love (EXCHANGE LOVE #1)

Mr. and Ms.

Alexander

"Are you ready brother,  we can't be late to the big day?" my best man said startling me out of my focus to make a perfect Windsor knot to my tie.

"Gabe can you wait a minute, I need to make this perfect." my fingers were numb trying the complicated twist, just who in the bloody hell created this fucking instrument of torture, I can't make a shitty little knot...fuck am nervous.

"Right, I'll bring the cavalry"he pulled my mother inside the room to help.

"Sweetie let me do that" mom said.

"Thanks Mom, am just so nervous... what if she regrets it and doesn't show up, or what if she does and I choke on my words." I've never been as nervous as today, the day where I finally marry the love of my life. I just want to make her happy.

"It's all going to be perfect my darling, now look it's all done" looking at my self in the full length mirror, I finally see I am a proper groom, the beige suit I picked with my groomsmen really looks good, finally the arrangements are perfect.

Our big day is going to be in a beautiful place in the woods near a river at dawn, the chairs are arranged with flowers and a beautiful altar made of amazing white hanging flowers awaits at the end.

I walked out of my car just in time to see my guests arrive one by one, our entire family is here, all the parents are seated in the first row, then some of our friends from school, some from college, I greeted every single one of them, by the time we all got in position, my hands were sweating, I was definitely nervous, i was beginning to think this day would never come, 5 months ago I received my engineering degree from Stanford and Sophie got her medical degree with honors, my girl is now a doing her residency to get her license, we moved in together on our first year in university, and a few months ago when we both graduated and moved back home.

With the money we saved working while studying, we bought our first house and we even got a dog, a chocolate lab that Soph named Ozzy Pawsborne because according to her he is one  rockin' pup.

Life as been great to me. I've had everything I ever desired, my dreams came true one by one, all except the most important one. That's why am here today, am finally getting what I dreamed of since high school, Marriage to the love of my life.

I decided to pop the question as soon as we moved in together, I made my first design not of an engine for the occasion, it was a custom ring for the love of my life, only problem was I chickened out, and she wouldn't have liked to get married before she ended college, so I had to hide the ring until the time was right. My entire restraint would've falter if I saw the ring on her finger without making it official.

It was pure torture, to have my greatest desire right in front of me and not be able to get it, yet for her, I would do anything so I waited, counting the days, months, years, until her graduation day where as soon as she got her diploma, I made a deal with the school to have a special announcement.

That brings us to today, the biggest day of my life, when my wish will finally be fulfilled.

The music started ringing for the bride to make her entrance, everyone stood up and at the same time a beautiful white chariot stopped by the end.

I never though it could have a bigger reaction to my girl than the first time she gave herself completely to me, but as she walked out of the coach, and started walking to me in her amazing white dress, I almost dropped to my knees en cried, this is the moment where I sent all my thanks to the heavens above, to God for giving me the privilege of meeting her.

She got to me and we stared at each other while the priest started talking, yet everything else seemed to fade away, all that mattered in that moment was us, being united in the most definitive way.

'We are gathered here today to witness the union between Alexander Andretti and Sophie Marie Kennedy...'

"You look so handsome stud" she whispered.

"you-."

"I believe that the bride and groom wanted to say their own bows" announced the father.

"Yes we do" said Sophie confidently, she looked at me with such a tenderness, so much love in her eyes, I felt burning deep inside of me.

"Alexander, stud, handsome, my reformed player" shit she's actually gonna make me cry the entire time isn't she?

"...you have brought such joy to my life, I feel blessed to be a part of your life, which as of today becomes our life, together, after everything I went trough in my teen years, I never expected to trust again, to love so deeply and to change so drastically as I have, but you Alex, you managed to change a nightmare into a tale of love, so today I make the promise that in our relationship there will not be secrets and that I will be your biggest partner and confidant, I promise to cook for you forever, cause I know you still can't even make a toast.

I can't promise you things will always be easy, or that we will always agree on things, I cannot promise to be the perfect wife, but I promise you that I will choose to love you every day, cause if I know now what love is now, it's because of you hunk"

They say man don't cry, thats total bullshit cause am weeping like a baby, that was the most beautiful promise I could ever hope for, damn am happy.

The pastor passed me the microphone, I gained back my composure back a little  and said, "Sophie, Amore mio, the one who knows me better that I know myself, you know me, the real one, you make me feel alive, you made me a believer in unconditional love, no matter how big my defects, you made me wake up from the world I thought was perfect, and showed me just how much I was missing on, I didn't know it at the time but since the first time I saw you my heart came to life, I've loved you since that a first day you showed up in Ms. Baxton class in that pretty white dress, since then its crazy to think how much we been through, yet I would do it all again in a heart beat if it meant that I can be here in this exact same moment with you.

You are my soul mate and with that I finally know I do not need the world to love me, I need one person to love me, and that it's and will always be you Sophie.

So today on our wedding day I promise to always stay by your side, that we'll fall asleep hugging each other at night, to celebrate all your accomplishments as if they were my own, to love and to cherish you forever, but above all, I promise you that I will love you in a pure and proud way, because more than any other, you made me believe in the impossible. Yo have made me the happiest man on the universe Angel.

I can't guarantee I'll always be on time, but I promise that, even if I'm late, I'll always be there for you, I love you Sophie".

Everyone cheered on us, yet all I could see where the eyes of my glistening girl in her incredible white dress.

"Do you Alexander take Sophie to have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; in joy and in sorrow; to love and to cherish; and to be faithful to you alone, as long as you both shall live?"

"Heck yeah I do!, I mean sorry father, I totally do" Soph looked at me with mischief in her eyes. Oh lord even on my wedding I can't hold myself when it comes to her.

"And do you Sophie take Alexander to have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, and to be faithful to you alone, as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes, I do, forever..."

"You may now ki.-"

I grabbed Sophie by the waist and made a dip with her in my arms at the same moment she grabbed my suit and kissed me in an earth shattering kiss, this right now is the biggest blessing I could ever have, everything we lived before was in order to makes us find one another, and I wouldn't change a thing as long as the tale takes us here to the day we are united, the day she became my wife.

"I now introduce you to Mr. and Ms. Andretti"