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I chuckle at the bond Emma and Vince have and it makes my heart flutter over how much they adore each other making me excited for when we have our own babies.The room clears out to give me a second alone with the exception of my mother, Charley, and the photographer as I open the note that Vince sent.
The Future Mrs. Maddox,
Who would have thought we’d finally get here, huh? I honestly thought I was going to have to force you down the aisle with how long you made me wait for today. You have been the love of my life for so long and I can’t wait to make you officially mine. I can’t wait to see your beautiful face and kiss those perfect lips. So, let’s get this show on the road, I’m ready when you are.
(Though, let’s be honest, I was ready two and a half years ago.)
I love you forever, Michaels.
VM
I smile through the tears as I read his note a few times wondering how in the world I got to be this happy. I look up at my mom and give her a smile before letting my eyes float upwards, wishing my father were here to walk me down the aisle before letting her pull me to my feet.
“He would have loved Vince.” She tells me as she dabs a tissue underneath my eye, to wipe the tears building. “He’s so proud of you, Lauren.”
“I hope so.” I nod as she clasps my hand and we make our way out of the bridal suite toward the garden where I’ll be marrying Vincent Maddox, ex-co-worker, enemy turned lover turned love of my life. We decided to get married in Atlanta, not wanting to rely on temperamental Chicago weather to behave for what we both wanted to be an outdoor wedding. The weather is gorgeous, a perfect day in May that isn’t too hot or too cold and not a cloud in sight. My sister has just made her way down the aisle when my mother grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. “You ready?”
“Been ready.”
I’m prepared to lock eyes with Vince the second he turns around when something else catches my eye. In the back row, in a seat furthest from the aisle, I spot a familiar face.
Scarlett Stone.
I pause, not wanting to misstep when I meet her gaze, wondering if she’s a wedding crasher or if Vince invited her without me knowing as a fun surprise. I smile and shake my head, the tears welling in my eyes that she predicted our romance years ago, claiming that it was “written in the stars,” which neither of us believed at the time. She nods her head at me and just before I turn my head to proceed down the aisle, she winks.
Five Years Later
“Claire Victoria Maddox!” I call out for my very rambunctious four-year-old who refuses to sit still as she runs around the hotel suite.
“Mommy!” She runs towards me, preparing to jump into my lap before Vince grabs her and pulls her into his arms.
“Mommy is wearing a very pretty white dress, and we talked about being careful and not jumping on Mommy, right?” I stand up revealing the small bump in my stomach that housed our second child.Another daughter.
“Yes, no jumping. I wasn’t going to, Daddy, I promise!” Claire, who’s the spitting image of her father with slightly darker blonde hair and light-colored eyes that sometimes look blue and sometimes look green, squeezes his cheeks together and plants a kiss on his lips. “Can I have cake now?”
“As soon as Mommy and Daddy get married again.” I smile at his words and my heart flutters at his romantic idea to renew our vows on our five-year anniversary.
“Yay!” She kicks her legs against him before she jumps down and runs out of the room screaming for Vince’s mother.
“How is my bride doing?” he asks as he makes his way towards me.
“Good, a little sick.” I scrunch my nose after spending this morning with my head in the toilet. I’d had little to no morning sickness with Claire, but this second one…My God.I’m ready for this trimester to be over.
He drops to one knee in front of me and presses his lips to my stomach. “Baby…Mommy and Daddy have very important plans today, and for the next few days.” He looks up at me with a wicked grin. “Can you maybe give Mommy a little break?”
I giggle when he presses his lips to the area and stands back up and cups my cheeks gently. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” I rub my nose against his, like we always do and he presses his lips to my nose.
“Let’s go get married again.”
We’re just about to move towards the garden in Atlanta where we’d gotten married the first time when Claire comes running back in. “Mommy Mommy! You have something.” She hands me a small envelope with just my name written on the front in script.
“From you?” I ask wondering if my husband is redoing everything he did five years ago, including the note he sent me moments before I walked down the aisle.
“No, actually.”
I open the envelope and read the few words written in pink before we both burst out laughing.
I told you.
Two marriages!
Xo, Scarlett Stone
THE END
