Found Along The Way

Chapter forty

When you're surrounded by love, joy in each face that congratulates and smiles with you, it's easy to look past the darkness that slips through the interwoven hands, and tiptoes behind the heads of excited guests. This darkness was in the form of a man who sat at the very back, unnoticed. The only thing between Anya's happiness and her worst nightmare was the silence Daniel let sit in the air. One sound from his mouth to her ears would change everything. And he waited, watching, creeping... thinking

"Anya you are the most beautiful bride," Maria gushed, holding her hands with an iron grip, "Back in Venezuela I had a dress just like yours, and in my days I was just as beautiful." She chuckled.

"I'm sure you were Maria, and you still are!"

Lucas began to pull her away from the chatter, into a quieter space where there were just the two of them.

"How do you feel?" He asked, passing her a glass of champagne.

"I'm on the clouds, it's insane, it doesn't feel real." Anya laughed, "But I know it is, and I couldn't be happier."

He smiled, pulling her to dance again, just for a moment before more guests came to speak to them, and Anya saw someone she hadn't seen in so long.

"Amanda!" She exclaimed, running over to hug her. She was wearing a yellow trouser suit with her grey hair tied up into a sleek ponytail, she was more glamourous than Anya had ever seen her be.

"Oh, Anya, where do I start?" She was in tears, pride overflowing from her heart. "I'm so happy for you child, you've come a long way. How is school?"

"Amazing, you'll have to come visit and see some of my work!"

"Yes, absolutely, it's a date." Amanda joked, turning to Lucas. "Anya's a strong girl, but she needs a reminder of that every now and then, don't forget it." She told Lucas, sincerely.

"Of course. Always."

Amanda had her attention averted by another old student of hers, kissing the happy couple goodbye, and leaving them smiling to themselves once again.

Anya sighed, holding his hand.

"Come with me." She said, pulling him out of the room and rushing to the large back doors of the building, leading onto the elegant patio that overlooked the garden. It was dark outside, the sun had set into the night and stars shone just for them. Anya leaned on a wall, gazing off into the huge fields ahead, trees surrounding and flowers scattered.

"I won't faint this time." She joked.

"Good, I was worrying something dramatic like that would happen today, but Lina had you."

"I would have definitely fainted without her and Caleb."

He laughed, and walked down the concrete stairs with her that met the grass. The music from inside was distant now, and the summer air was cooler in the dark, a calm cool. A slight breeze wrapped itself around the two, holding each-other close and talking sweetly, little sentences of love.

Anya from two years ago never thought she'd be this happy. Never. It was something in the movies, something that didn't happen to quiet girls who's hearts were only worth breaking. Something that couldn't happen to her.

Unhappiness had sat under the surface of her skin for years. She was wounded, her heart barely holding on by a thread, but in what could have been the blink of an eye, she was here. Her heart was almost full, so close to fixed, she was loved and in love. A love that wouldn't break even if the world combined every hurtful thing there was.

"When I was little I used to lay in the grass behind my parents' house, and look at the stars after a fun day. I'd take my teddies and watch the stars until I almost fell asleep."