Keeping Promises (Trilogy to Earning His Love)

Those Ashli Moments. That Dress! 😍💁🏻‍♀️

The next morning I get up feeling groggy with a billion text messages on my phone. I look down and I see three from Ashli.

Cody was up already looking at his phone and he smiled down at me and gave me a good morning kiss while I saw those blue eyes I couldn't help but smile.

Cody: What?
Me: Why do you always catch me off guard with those eyes of yours? They can put a damn bitch in the hospital.
Cody: Blame my dad. He did the same to my mom. You can ask my dad how he won my mom over just like I probably won you over. Remember the day in Yankee Stadium where you called me "sexy white chocolate."
Me: Oh crap! I said that. 😂
Cody: Yeah you were with Jessica and Christina.
Me: Oh god yes and Chrissy said she loved Kris Bryant. That made so much sense.
Cody: He's cute with Jessica though.
Me: Yeah he is and I know they are having a baby too. I'm happy for them.
Cody: Yeah same.
Me: Your sister wants to take me some place today. Since you know she is getting married.
Cody: Probably to pick out a dress or something. I mean you know my sister and how she is. She is full of surprises.
Me: Yeah. I'm going to get up and get dressed before she calls me one billion times.
Cody: Okay babe.

Cody kisses me and walks out of the room.

I walked down the stairs an hour later and I saw the kids run to the stairs with hugs and I smiled and hugged them back.

Cody: Kids you are going to be spending the day with grandma, grandpa, Uncle Cole, and I. Mommy has to go with Auntie Ashli to run some errands.
Sapphire: Okay.
Conner: Okay.
Corey: Kay Dad.
Emma: Okay daddy.

As the kids followed Cody into the living room Ashli walked in a couple of minutes later and we said our goodbyes with hugs and kisses and walked out the door.

Ashli: Hey Sarah.
Me: Hi girl.
Ashli: I want you to be a bridesmaid in my wedding.
Me: Ashli are you sure?!?
Ashli: Yes I always wanted you to be one and my brother is in the wedding also so you can be with him. I asked the kids as well.
Me: Been a long time since I have been in one.
Ashli: I know what you mean girl. I'm sorry it didn't work out with you and Aaron though. It sucks how you put your whole life on the line for him and it ended up as horrible as it did. It isn't fair. Then what happened with Josh.
Me: Ashli listen we all don't live in a fantasy world like on TV and we all don't have to be princess and prince twenty-four seven but what we can do is learn from our mistakes and move on. Clearly things are bound to happen and Aaron and Josh weren't the men for me and personally I don't know who is at this point. I just know I love my kids and I love your brother's kids like my own. I would cross mountains for anyone who has crossed them for me.
Ashli: Sarah I still don't understand why all this happened to you. It shouldn't have.
Me: Things happen Ash. We can't control them. All I know right now is that I do love your brother a lot and to be honest with you your mom said to me "Are you going to marry Cody?"
Ashli: What did you say?
Me: I said it is up to him. It isn't up to me anymore. I came to him the last time because I know deep down God was telling me that he needed me. I cried to your mom the other night because honestly it was just something I needed to get off my chest.
Ashli: Mom told me Sarah.
Me: She did?
Ashli: Yeah she told Cole, Cody, and I what you said then she explained it to dad and to be honest my dad has never been so close with someone other than my siblings and I Sarah. He loves you and he loves when you come over and he can just have you here. You have made Cody jump over the moon Sarah. Do you know how hard that is these days? I have never seen him smile so much in my entire life unless he picks up that ball and that bat.
Me: Thank you. I mean no lie you guys have made an impact on me.
Ashli: I'm glad we did Sarah. Personally Cody was always dreading you going back to NY but if you ever did go back would you take him with you?
Me: Yes I would. I would take him with the kids. The kids are growing and sometimes they need to see the world from the eyes they understand as their own.
Ashli: Sarah this is why I want you to be my sister in law. I'm sorry you need to be. This family needs you more than you can imagine. I am not going to rush you though. I am going to let you venture out on your own about that.
Me: Thank you. :)
Ashli: No thank you Sarah. Trust me you opened my eyes to a lot and clearly my brothers and parents see that. Cole doesn't even like many people and he loves you.
Me: I guess I'm special. ;)
Ashli: You are a gem Sarah. 😍

As I walked into David's Bridal with Ashli she wanted me to try on a couple of bridesmaids dresses but this one wedding dress caught my eye and if I had to have my own personal wedding one day I would want this dress.

Ashli saw me looking at the dress and she told me to go put it on. I told her this day wasn't about me it was about her. She told me nonsense and to go try on the dress. She had one of the ladies as well as herself help me with it. I only put on a beach dress with my first wedding and to be honest it really was a rushed wedding but this dress this is THE DRESS I seriously wanted.

Ashli walked outside and told her mom to come down to David's Bridal.

A couple of minutes later from the door Jennifer saw me and she cried like she hadn't cried since Ashli got proposed to.

Jenn: Sarah that dress looks amazing on you.
Me: Thank you Jenn.
Jenn: Cody needs to see you in that dress I'm sorry.
Me: One day. Maybe. I don't know.
Jenn: That's your dress Sarah. I do believe you should buy it and you know what you can even keep in my closet so that way Cody can't find it.
Me: Are you sure?
Jenn: Sarah buy that dress or I will buy it for you.
Ashli: What my mom said Sarah. We have your bridesmaids dress already but when it is hopefully your last time to get married and your first single self wedding trust me that's the one.
Me: Thank you both.
Jenn and Ashli: Your welcome Sarah. ;)

This is the dress that Sarah always wanted and she even saw this in a dream if she married Cody.....