“Okay, bitches, it’s showtime!” Eric claps.
Adriana takes in a deep breath. I reach out for her hand, noticing it’s perfectly still. Not a single shake comes from her delicate hands. This is everything she’s been waiting for as long as I’ve known her.
Elijah and Adriana chose to have the ceremony at a beautiful church not far from New Haven. The nostalgia of being back in Connecticut isn’t lost on me, but instead of remembering a time in my life when things were out of control, I focus on the beautiful nature surrounding the tall white church.
Snow has fallen around us, and with our jackets still on, the air is cold, but none of us seem to care. Adriana has always wanted exactly this, and the universe granted her the perfect winter wedding.
We stand inside the foyer of the church with the doors closed to the main area. Everyone removes their jackets, handing them over to Adriana’s aunty. There’s a flurry of activity, everyone fussing over Adriana, the photographer trying to capture the perfect moment.
I stand back and watch my best friend, watch this moment that’s all hers. I feel someone stand beside me—it’s her mother, Emily. She watches alongside me, admiring her daughter. It’s her moment as well, and what a moment for her. She has been waiting for this just as much as Adriana has.
“Charlie,” she utters, reaching out for my hand, squeezing it tight as we both watch Adriana. “I’m glad you’re here. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”
Emily has been a mother to me when my mom decided to up and bail because life got too hard. Yet, she is another person caught in the tangled mess Lex and I created for ourselves. I sense, in her touch, the sorrow she feels for how we ended our own relationship—the callous stare she gave me when I just found out Samantha was pregnant and begged Adriana to talk to me while Emily waited in the car.
I had broken her family, disrespected her the same way she had done to me by abandoning me that day I begged for help. But none of us expected any of this to happen, and each one of us played a part heavily riddled with emotions.
The wedding coordinator shouts at everyone to get into place and begins the countdown.
Five… four… three… two… one.
The doors spring open, the orchestra playing ‘Pachelbel’s Canon’ as the two little flower girls begin their walk down the aisle.
“This is it,” I whisper, with a smile. “You ready?”
Adriana beams, nodding. “Waited a lifetime for this.”
I turn back around, standing in place, and then I’m in front and about to start my march.
My eyes fall upon him.
With my heart pounding so loudly, I realize how easy it is to fall in love with Lex. The hardest part comes now, showing him how much I need him, how much we both need him—for the rest of our lives.
And as his head lifts and our eyes lock, the beat of my heart becomes completely still.
There’s no tomorrow without him.
Alexander Edwards will forever be the only man to capture my heart.
And I refuse to live life any other way.
LEX
“You know, Elijah, the car’s got a full tank of gas… it’ll get you as far as D.C.”
“Thanks, but I’ve been waiting for this day my entire life…” he pauses, waving to a few guests who have arrived. “Thank you, Lex, for helping me, you know, to be able to kick cancer’s butt, but most importantly to be able to marry my girl. I know this isn’t easy for you… but thank you.”
I pat Elijah on the shoulder. “You’re taking on the responsibility of Adriana, I should be thanking you.”
“Soon, it’ll be you, buddy.”
I’ve always had a close relationship with Elijah even when things were strained between Adriana and me. Unlike everyone else, he never meddled or judged my behavior. He listened, offered advice if deemed necessary, and I could always trust him.
“I married her, Elijah, the last night at The Hamptons.”
Elijah’s mouth falls open as he tips his head to the side.
“Huh? How? For starters, you need to apply for a marriage license, and then there’s a twenty-four-hour waiting period. Is this some wedding prank you’re pulling on me?”