Page 32 of Entwined in Fate

I smile at Clara’s expression, the knots in my stomach coming apart on their own.

As I take a deep breath, the door to my room opens again. This time, my parents and siblings walk in, sharing the same expression on their faces.

My mom tries her best not to cry, but her eyes are already tearing up as soon as she sees me.

I give her a hug.

As she hugs me and rubs my back, she says, “You’ve waited quite a while, huh?”

I gently pull away. “I think it was worth the wait, Mom.”

She nods at me with quivering lips. “I’m sure it is. Carter’s a great guy.”

I also proceed to hug my father and my two other siblings.

Then, Aunt Olive walks in, sporting her stunning dress with a high slit up the side. She has her arms wide open as she approaches me. “Can you believe you’re marrying the guy I forced you to go out to dinner with?”

I let her envelop me into a sisterly hug, making sure my makeup doesn’t get on her dress or skin. Swaying our bodies together, I say, “Thank you for forcing me that day.”

“I did great, didn’t I?” She grins at me. “I must’ve seen this coming.”

Aunt Olive looks at me from head to toe; my bow-front volume veil and my strapless gown. She studies me with a stern expression. “You know what, one thing’s missing. I also foresaw this, so I got you something blue.”

From her purse, she reveals a box with a small Sapphire pendant on it.

It looks expensive—no, I can tellit isexpensive. I coo as she removes it from the packaging. “Aunt Olive—”

“Shh,” she immediately stops me from protesting. “I chose this specifically for you.”

Holding back tears, I accept the pendant that she puts around my neck.

I touch it as it hangs dearly above my collarbone—a little sparkle of blue over my everything white.

As I appreciate it, the wedding coordinator knocks against the open door. “Are you all ready? The ceremony will be starting any minute now. Let’s get going, everyone.”

With that, the makeup team gives me a last-minute retouch before assisting me to the beachside.

Carter and I have decided we wanted a beachside wedding. But not just any beachside wedding. It has to be intimate and happen during sunset.

But as the team assists me to the beach, where they prepared an entire curtain to hide me from Carter’s view, the funny feeling in my stomach resumes as soon as I begin walking out of the resort and onto the sand.

I keep thinking,what if Carter changed his mind?

I know that my fear is irrational, merely brought about by the failure of my first wedding—or its failure to become a wedding at all.

So, as I stand behind the semi-translucent curtain, I try to see Carter’s image at the end of the beachside gazebo. Hopefully, still waiting for me.

As the violin starts to play, I know it’s my cue to start walking down the aisle.

As the curtain is parted for me, I see Carter standing on the gazebo in his cream-colored suit, a genuine smile on his face.

The shades of pink, orange, and purple highlights him—even the horizon is blessing this union.

Trying not to ruin my makeup, I make sure tears don’t fall as I walk down the wooded platform leading to where Carter waits for me.

He’s still here.I smile to myself.

Of course he’s still here.

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