Crashing Love [COMPLETE/PUBLISHED]

Chapter 21: Wish You Were Here

5 months later...

I didn't think that I would be the bride pacing around the dressing room, but here we are now. Kate couldn't help me get ready, because she is taking care of her 6-month-old boys, then Murphy is with Mark making sure that he won't make a spectacle of our wedding, so it is just me and Amber (Uncle Mason's sister-in-law). Remember her? She was the one that I met on my trip during my senior year. We kept in touch all these years, surprisingly. She was incredibly happy to hear that Elijah and I had gotten together. I wish I could have visited her during college, but well, college happened. She tells me all about her kids all the time and how they are turning into little devils. She has an 11, 10, and 9 year old.

"Willow, how about you take a seat and try to calm down," Amber says pointing to a chair. I wave her off and continue to pace. I stop when I hear a knock at the door. Amber walks over and she opens it revealing my grandmother, Taylor. I haven't seen her in a while.

"Oh, hello," Amber says letting her in.

"Hello, dear. May I ask who you are?" Nana asks.

"Nana, she is a friend," I interject.

"Sweetie," she says walking closer to me, "why aren't you getting ready?"

The real reason. If I do get ready and get married, everyone that we invited will be here, but one. My mother. I know how much she wanted to be here for the day that she saw me get married. Dad told me that she was waiting for the day that Elijah and I got together. I wish she was here. She would know how to calm me down. She would tell me that all of my doubts are in my head. She would make sure I am ready for marriage. She would do everything a mother would do, but she's not here. She's gone. Tears start to stream down my face and I try to contain a sob, but it is too powerful. Not knowing what to do, Amber slips out and heads to the boy's room and pulls Elijah out.

"I know that you aren't supposed to see her yet, but she needs you." Amber pushes him towards the door to the room I'm waiting in. He thanks her and heads inside. She turns to see her husband waiting there. She gives him a kiss and then she heads back into my room.

I know that because of Amber's body language that someone was up. When I opened the door, I didn't expect to see Willow hysterical. Her nana is trying to calm her down, but she continues to cry and yell, 'She's gone.' That when I knew that this is about her mother. She hasn't had an episode like this for a couple of years. Her grandma turns and sees me and backs away. She hands me an envelope and leaves the two of us. The moment I put my hands on her arms, her body becomes less tense and her cries slow.