A long way to go

chapter 30

Epilogue

After two weeks

Two weeks had passed since Derek and Emily had their encounter with Daniel. To say it was their last encounter with him wouldn't be wrong.

Derek and Emily's wedding preparations were going on at full speed. Alice was very keen on getting everything perfect for her dear brother's wedding. She checked the table settings twice before the ceremony started.

To pay her gratitude, she designed Emily's wedding dress herself and had it made herself. It was a gift to Emily from Alice.

"Alice, it's perfect! It's even better than my imagination." Emily cried as she hugged Alice after her wedding dress was unveiled. It was a beautiful wedding dress which was made of the softest fabric. It had a full skirt that twirled at the bottom. It was sleeveless and had a turtle neck. Its front was covered in lace. It looked fit enough for a princess. It made Emily look like a princess too when she wore it.

Derek wore a royal blue suit with a crisp white shirt and brown shoes. Derek looked very handsome. Derek was combing his hair when Maria entered his room.

"Derek, son, I have to give something to you." She said as she opened a blue velvet box and revealed a pair of silver cufflinks.

"They were given to your dad by his father on his wedding day. Your father loved them and kept them safe for you all these years. I'm sure if Robert was alive, he would've given them to you today. Because he is not here with us, so I have to do his job." She said as she wiped the tears threatening to escape her eyes.

"Mother, father is here with us. We never forget him. So he's always with us." He said as he kissed her forehead and hugged her after taking the cufflinks from her and fastening in his shirt.

"From now onwards, Derek,  Emily is your wife. Your other half. Your significant other. You will trust her. You will listen to her. You will respect her. You will support her in every up and down of her life." She said as she brushed his coat of invisible specks of dust.

"Yes mother, I intend to do that. I won't let you down." He said as he kissed the top of her hand.

"Come on. Now let's not keep your beautiful bride waiting. Let's go down." Maria said as she took Derek's arm and walked with him to the aisle.

"Come on Francine. It's getting late. Hurry up with the hair. Guests are waiting for the beautiful bride. Let's not keep the groom waiting." Alice said to Francine, the beautician and winked looking at Emily in the mirror. 

"How do I look? Oh... my God! My hands are all sweaty. I'm so nervous!" Emily said as she wiped her sweaty palms on a tissue.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Emily. I've never seen a bride more beautiful than you." Alice said as she handed her the bouquet. Derek himself had gone to get the bouquet made. It was the most beautiful wedding bouquet made with peach and white roses.

"But your look is not complete without these," Maria said as she entered the room. She gave Emily a rectangular box. Emily opened to see the most beautiful pair of earrings she had ever seen. They were teardrop earrings with a large blue sapphire in the middle.

"They're a family heirloom. My mother in law gave them to me. So I'm giving them to you. And you will give them to your daughter in law." Maria said and Emily blushed.

Emily walked down the stairs and came to the aisle. Derek was standing there waiting for her. He was looking too handsome.
The priest said all the necessary things but they both were too busy looking at each other until the priest asked Derek,

"Do you take Emily Brookes to be your wife?"

"Yes, I do". Derek replied and the guests cheered.

"Do you take Derek Stevenson to be your husband?"

"Yes, I do," Emily answered without breaking eye contact with Derek. The guests cheered even more loudly when Emily replied.

"I now pronounce them, man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest said to Derek. Derek wasted no time in branding Emily his. He kissed her pouring all the love and feelings in it ignoring everyone.

Happily ever afters happen when you believe in them.

The end

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