Crushing on Royalty (The Cuttings #1) [To Be Reconstructed]

Epilogue

Seven years later

Present day

Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England

In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away, Shing Xiong quoted.

I close my book of quotes thoughtfully, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

To be honest, I did take a lot of breaths these past few years but they mostly took me by a wonderful surprise that just keeps coming. If I had the chance to go back and revise everything that happened, I wouldn't.

It got me to where I wanted to be.

I lean back on the sofa and sigh in contentment. It was a great idea when Michael whisked us off to the countryside for the wedding. Everything here is more relaxed, I always think. London has been wearing me down for a while now ever since...well, ever since my condition has grown even more delicate. I close my eyes and place my book on my abdomen, face down.

"Keller's falling asleep on us again," Viv teases from somewhere in the room. "You better not fall asleep by the time I walk down the aisle!"

"Or me," the voice of Emerson seconds.

I pop an eye open and stick my tongue out at them.

"You better not sleep on us when we walk down the aisle," Viv corrects, threatening coyly, coming toward me in a gentle swoosh of her white confection.

I giggle. "I'll try not to."

My four friends, apparently, wanted to wait for their wedding first. It maddened Lady C in the beginning, but nowadays she's mellowed down a bit.

Although she did get her way when she implemented that the brides and grooms ought to wear Valentino. No one complained. There were no regrets anyway because the clothes were beautiful.

I do think Lady C was happy because she still had the final word.

Now here's Viv, standing in front of me, with Emerson trailing not too far behind in their gorgeous custom-made Valentino wedding gowns.

I've seen them wear the gowns several times this week but now that they're all dolled up with fifteen minutes remaining until they walk down the aisle together (their deal), I am literally stumped.

Viv looks so beautiful in her gown, which is pure white with a sweetheart neckline and soft lacework down the sweeping skirt. She peeks at me through her long veil that covers her face and form, the soft tulle seeming like crystallized spider webs.

Emerson places a gloved hand on Viv's waist and grins at her. She's in a champagne-coloured creation which has a skirt flowing down her tall figure with heavy lacework, a square neckline, and lacy elbow-length sleeves. I know for a fact that when she turns around you can see, through her lacy veil, a deep V that slants down to where her lower back stops, ending with a satin bow.

They're also both in sleek chignons and wavy fringes on the side that makes me feel like I'm in a grand vintage wedding.

"How do we look?" Emerson queries, turning this way and that playfully.

I grin, placing the book I was reading on the side, standing up to give her and Viv a tight embrace.

"Both of you look beautiful," I whisper tenderly, closing my eyes as they wrap their arms around me in return. "Frederick and Richard will be completely mesmerized, you'll see!"

We straighten up and see Emerson's eyes gleaming wickedly. "Richard has been mesmerized since last night when I was in my birthday suit, but I wouldn't mind seeing him totally gobsmacked when I walk down the aisle in this gown and stare at him really intently. I daresay he'll replay the happenings, wishing to revise them later for future purposes."