Happily Ever After

Arielle's POV Bianca says to Andrea, "I'll bet you a hundred bucks that he'll cry," her face beaming with delight at the prospect of her brother crying. With an "I'm not sure," Valentina answers. "I believe he will maintain composure." If nothing else, I'm betting there are tears in his eyes. Your brothers will find some ridiculous joke to lighten the mood, so they won't allow Ariel to weep. "Fuck it," Bianca yells. "You're most likely correct." I have the two of them to thank for my constant smile throughout the day. "Leave it," I say to them. "Help me get dressed." As Bianca carefully removes my wedding garment from the hanger, she gives it a quick gaze of amazement. It's my most ambitious design to date, despite its simplicity. It's a trumpet-shaped dress that fits closely, has a deep V cut, and is heavily beaded. I'm not going to let Ariel take this dress off me until he discovers all I've hidden in the design, even if he doesn't know it yet. I've buried a Lollipop , the letter A,and so much more in the beadwork; it just took a long time to find. Just as Bianca and Valentina are finishing me off, there's a tap on the door, and my father answers with a smile. He shakes his head, pausing in amazement. He murmurs, "Wow." "My dear, you are extremely gorgeous." His hands tremble as he reaches for me, sniffing and wiping the tears from his eyes. Dad creases my hair reverently, yet softly. I still recall the day I held you for the first time. I thought I loved you then, but my love for you grew as you matured and developed into the incredible woman you are today. Arielle, I wish I didn't have to give you up. I hope you'll always be my little girl. I force myself to stop crying and give my dad a tight hug while tears stream down his face. "Dad, I always will be. That won't ever alter. His hold on me gets firmer. "It's different this time," he murmurs. 'I know." "Won't you let me know if you're not happy? I'll purchase you a completely new house if you decide you don't want to return home. Sweet daughter, no matter what happens, you will always have. "I will, of course, Dad." I pull aside to gaze at him. However, you shouldn't be concerned about it, shall we? I'm very happy for the first time in my life. With a look of reluctance to understand, he nods. He says, more to himself than to me, "Okay." And again, more firmly, "Okay." "Okay, let's get started. Lovely, are you prepared? I nod, and we watch as Valentina and Bianca start, marching down the aisle ahead of me. Ariel and I opted to get married at the same place he proposed in, and Bianca made the property appear virtually unrecognizable. She transformed the land around the cottage into a floral oasis, replete with a separate reception area that contains a dance floor, and so much more. I had imagined that I would like to organize my wedding, but what I wanted was the community that the wedding would bring and the time spent together while organizing. It's best that I left much of it in Bianca's capable hands. When my father and I get to the end of the aisle, I see Ariel before he does. Richard leans in and whispers something in his ear, just as he did when we first got married, and I watch. Ariel grits his teeth and his eyes flash with rage. Without a doubt, Richard said something extremely hurtful to him to get under his skin. Ariel looks up, and his eyes meet mine. It seems as though everything else vanishes, and his expression changes to one of utter wonder. His eyes well up with tears, as Bianca and Valentina anticipated, and he takes a deep breath. He is nudged and laughed at by his brothers, but he never once looks away from me. I was apprehensive and afraid the last time I walked down the aisle, but this time I'm feeling only love. Dad is walking reluctantly with me, so I take a minute to look him in the eye for comfort. Surprisingly, I don't miss having my mother and sister here with me today. I've come to know that what I miss isn't them – it's the roles I wished they'd perform in my life, but they never did. Even if I were to let them back into my life, they wouldn't fill the hole in my heart they made. As I get to the front, Grandma's eyes meet mine, and her love for me fills my heart to the brim. Although I lost some of my own family, I also gained new family, which has redefined what it means to be a family. Dad holds his palm over mine for a moment before he takes my hand into Ariel 's. "You look after my little girl well," he says, his voice faltering. Ariel gives him a comforting grin. "Yes, I will. Whatever the case may be. Dad steps back and nods as the officiant begins the wedding ceremony, with only the people we love in the garden. There's no press, no guests we don't know, no whispers or rumors. There is nothing except love in the air. 'You look breathtaking," Ariel whispers. I smirk at him, my heart pumping. I doubt I've ever felt more content. 'You look alright too, I guess," I murmur. "Just okay?" I bite my lip while grinning. "It's alright," I tell him. "I can make it right." "Baby, is that true? How?" I try my hardest to be discreet, but the way I'm smiling no doubt gives me away. "I'll just have to remove all of this crap that hides my favorite aspects of you." Ariel laughed heartily, and I had to smile back at him. Mrs. Warren, you have my love. Above all else. You are everything I could ever want and more. My affection for you will never wane. It will never waver. You're it for me, Arielle. Indefinitely. I stare into his eyes and feel my heart begin to rush. The officiant is speaking his lines over us while we whisper to each other, which is inappropriate, but it works perfectly. Everything about today is perfect. No matter where we were or who we were with, we would always find our small moments over the years, and this is no exception. "Ariel , I love you even more. I will always love you, even in the most difficult times in our lives. I have loved you through them all. I'm excited to spend a lifetime creating memories with you that we'll treasure. Ariel , I will always love you. Whatever the case may be. In preparation for our formal vows, the officiant turns to face us, and we dutifully repeat after him. But our real vows? They are present in every heartbeat, every smile, and every instance in which we overcame all obstacles to reunite. If anything, the passage of time has shown us that my relationship with Ariel is unshakeable. Whatever the circumstances.