Page 16 of Breath By Breath

“Your father would have loved him,” my mom says as if she can read my thoughts.

“I think so too.” I meet her watery gaze, the one that matches my own in the mirror as she stands behind me with her hands on my shoulders.

“You look beautiful, Lena. The most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

“Present company excluded,” I tease.

She smiles and shakes her head. “Your father would have said something similar, I’m sure.” She smiles. The pain of missing him is present in everything we do, but so is the love that we had for him and him for us. He’s here today with us. We both know it, even if we don’t say it.

“Yeah,” I agree, dabbing a tissue under my eye, trying to salvage my makeup.

“I’m so proud of you, Lena.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.” She clears her throat. “Now, let’s get you married. I’m sure Stanley is pacing at the altar.”

“I’m not late.”

She smiles. “Daughter dearest, the way he loves you—you could be twenty minutes early to the altar, and he would be there waiting.”

I laugh. “That’s a little much.”

“Do you not know the man you’re marrying?” she jokes.

Before I can reply, there’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” I call out. My future in-laws step into the room. They both rush to give me a hug and tell me how beautiful I look.

“Thank you,” I say, trying to fight my tears.

“Did he send you?” my mom asks. There’s amusement in her tone.

“We were headed to see our girl before, but yeah. He’s at the altar and has been for the last thirty minutes,” his mom confesses.

“But we still have fifteen minutes before the ceremony starts.” Even with my argument, I know Stanley. I know he wants this. I know he wants nothing more than for me to take his last name. This has been a long time coming. We’re both more than ready to start the next phase of our lives together.

My future father-in-law grins. “He’s just ready to marry you, Lena.”

I glance at my mom, and she’s wearing a smug grin.

“Told you so.”

Stanley’s parents laugh, and after another round of hugs, they leave, and it’s just Mom and me again.

“You’ve found a love that most search for their entire lives. Embrace it, and him. He might be anxious, but it’s not because he thinks you’re not going to show. He just wants you to be his wife.”

“I love him so much.”

She smiles. “I know you do. Come on, let's go calm your groom's nerves and get you married.”

With my arm linked through my mother's, we make our way out of the room and head toward the double doors of the church that will lead me to Stanley. She gives my arm a gentle squeeze as the doors are pulled open. My gaze goes straight to the altar where he’s waiting for me.

His head pops up, and he freezes. With every step I take to get closer to him, my heart pounds in my chest. I’m about to be Mrs. Stanley Riggins, and all I can think is it’s about damn time.

When we arrive at the altar, he steps forward and reaches for me, but my mom holds up her hand, and all the guests laugh. She doesn’t get to say anything before Stanley leans in and kisses her cheek.

“I’ll love her with everything I have until the end of time.”

My gaze is glued to him as he looks my mother in the eye. I hear her sniff, and my own tears burn in the back of my throat.

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