Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
I can feel tears in my eyes. Happy tears, though they’re making my throat close up. This is what I’ve been looking for. This happiness inside me right now is the beginning of something special, I can feel it. I smile at Elijah.
“Of course, I will.”
His hand squeezes mine as he slides the beautiful ring onto my finger. It leaves me breathless, looking at the diamond band on my finger. It sparkles in the candlelight and I wonder how I ever ended up here. So many years of pain…and yet all the paths led me to this beautiful place.
“I love you, baby,” Elijah growls, gripping my hand. “I’ll always love you.”
Then he kisses me and the rest of the world melts away. I lose myself in his touch, in his kiss, and nothing else matters any longer. I’ve never been happier.
As he leads me over to the bed, undressing me quickly, my heart races in anticipation. Is every day going to be this magical? Is this how things will be forever? As he kisses my tender skin, I close my eyes and smile.
I sure hope so.
TWO MONTHS LATER
Elijah
Today is the biggest and best day of my life. The day when I make my commitment to Olivia forever. But there aren’t any nerves in my stomach. I’ve never been so sure that this is what I want to do.
But there’s one thing missing from today. One thing I’ll never be able to have today. My best man. My brother. My heart hurts at the thought of him not being up there with me today. I always thought that he’d be the person who would get to share the joy of my wedding day with me. I thought that of all people, he’d be at my side.
I have a glass of whiskey in one hand. His drink of choice. I’m standing in my hotel room, looking out of the window and thinking of him. It feels weird to talk to him, and yet I want to. I want to act as though he’s here, just for a while.
“Hey, bro,” I say quietly. “Long time no speak. Can you believe I’m getting married today?”
Of course, I’m met with silence. Of course, I was never going to get a reply. But somehow, I feel him here with me. I feel his presence, like a hand on my shoulder. I sigh.
“I wish you were here to see how happy I am now. It’s been hard, but I’ve come a long way. After you were gone…my life changed so much. I stopped enjoying my life. I drank too much and made a mess of what I had left. I guess I didn’t see the point in trying so hard anymore. But after I met Olivia…well, things changed again. She gave me something to live for. She gave me a way out of the hole I was stuck in. And now…we’ve got our entire future mapped out together. We’re going to have a kid. We’re going to buy a house together. We’re going to be married…those are all the things you always wanted for me. And now, finally, I’m going to have them.”
I raise my glass up, trying to imagine his own glass clinking against mine. There’s a heaviness in my chest, but I’m not unhappy. How can I be when I’m marrying the woman of my dreams today? How can I be when everything is finally falling into place?
“You’d love her. I know you would,” I whisper under my breath. “And I know…wherever you are…you’re proud of me. You’re happy for me. I only wish you’d been around to see this happen for me.” I swallow. It’s time to let go. It’s time to leave this sadness in the past. My brother will never be coming back…so I’ve got to live life for the both of us. And today, when I see Olivia walking down the aisle, I know that I’ll have enough love in my heart to represent both my brother and me.
It’s time to go to the church. My mother is waiting for me downstairs to join me at the ceremony. My Dad offered to walk Olivia down the aisle since she doesn’t have a Dad of her own, a gesture that made her cry tears of happiness. So our family is coming together now, a small but happy family unit.
And when I meet with my Mom, she smiles at me with pride in her eyes. She cups my cheeks.
“I’m so proud of you,” she tells me, taking my hand. I feel a rush of love for her. Her approval is so important to me and matters more than almost anyone else’s opinion. I’m so glad that I’ve reconnected with her. Through Olivia’s need for love and security, I have realized the importance of family, the closeness of it, and the safety net they provide unconditionally.