Life couldn't get any better than this.
35
Jade
I stared at myself in the mirror. This didn’t seem real. I was actually getting married to the man I was madly in love with. If I was honest, I fell in love with Michael the first moment I saw him at the fashion show. Making love to him later sealed the deal, and from that moment on, he was a part of my soul.
Sage was putting the finishing touches on my hair when Michael’s grandfather came in.
“Will you excuse us a moment, Sage?” he asked.
“Of course, sir,” she said, casting a worried look toward me.
She was well aware of our less than amicable relationship that had existed in the past. However, I was confident that Mr. Fletcher and I had moved past that point.
After Sage closed the door softly behind her, the old man sat on the bed and sighed.
“I know that I wasn’t always kind to you, and I haven’t always treated you the way you deserved to be treated,” he began.
He took a deep breath, and I waited. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy for him to express his thoughts.
“When I imagined Michael getting married, I always figured that it would be to someone who had grown up in his world, so to speak. Yet, out of all the women in our society, I couldn’t pick one that could even come close to you. You are exactly what my grandson – and this whole family – needs.”
“Thank you,” I replied, touched by his heartfelt speech. His words, along with the emotions associated with the fact that this was my wedding day, caused a few tears to slip out of the corners of my eyes.
“I have something for you,” he said.
Mr. Fletcher pulled a box out of his coat pocket. “These belonged to my wife. I had bought her diamonds and other fancy earrings, but these were her favorite. I would like you to have them.”
I opened up the box to find a pair of sapphire studs. The beauty took my breath away.
“They’re beautiful and are perfect for today!” I exclaimed.
Closing the distance between us, I spontaneously hugged him, overcome with emotion.
He was stiff for a second, as though he was in complete shock, and then he hugged me back.
That made me wonder when was the last time he had a hug, but I didn't dare ask him out loud.
Sage rushed back in after he left.
"Is everything okay?" she asked anxiously.
"Everything is perfect," I replied, showing her the gift Mr. Fletcher had just given me.
"Wow. Those are beautiful," Sage breathed, her eyes wide.
I handed her the earrings I had been wearing and slipped the sapphires into my ears.
"These cover two of the four things a bride should have," I said.
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," Sage quoted.
I nodded. "These are old and blue. My dress and veil are new."
She handed me a pearl necklace. "This was the necklace Mom left me. If you wore it, it would put a checkmark beside the 'borrowed' category."
It was official. I was going to be a weepy mess before I walked down the aisle. "I would love to," I said, feeling a lump in my throat.