Maia Electo was a tall girl. Not too skinny, yet not too plump. Her eyes were brown and warm and often reminded the citizens of Vendoea of chocolate that had not yet fully hardened.
June 12th was a very good day for Maia. Her wedding day. A day of joy, humility, and love as she met her future husband, Abbott Black, at the aisle.
Abbott Black was from a noble family. His father died when he was young, and his mother was from the infamous Black family, who lived proudly and happily in eastern Vendoea. Any girl would be dying to marry him.
Maia was that lucky girl.
Their wedding was in a large chapel, with tons of family in every row, seated and waiting for the bride to happily walk down the aisle in her white dress.
Surprisingly basic for a future-Black wedding dress, it was a white, lacy, floor-length gown, which was worn by Maia's mother on her wedding day.
As the guests arrived one by one, Maia, like any other bride, felt a wave of nerves overcome her. What if we quarrel too much? What if we divorce? What if I can't have children? One by one, thoughts raced in-and-out of her mind. It was like an explosion of words that would eventually break her bit by bit.
A warm hand touched Maia's bare shoulder. She turned, to face her future sister-in-law. Lilith Black-VanHeathown was the middle child of the 'Black Three' and, quite obviously, the least respected. At only the age of 19, she eloped with a 23-year-old man, and soon after that, gave birth to a son, Zeke VanHeathown. Tragically, her husband was struck and killed by a truck on his way to work one morning, leaving the 21-year-old widow and her son to move back with her mother.
Nevertheless, she was always the kindest of Abbott's siblings. She always was kind to Maia, even before the day she announced the engagement.
"Hon, you're going to be fine," Lilith said, zipping Maia into her gown. "When I was married, I remained calm and thought of the wonderful life I was going to have with Carlos."
"Lily, you didn't get married in front of a crowd of- what, 1,000 people?"
Lilith laughed, "Mother's stories have gotten the better of you, have they? It was almost 10, maybe. Only Carlos' family, remember?"
Maia nodded. "Right. I didn't- oh, you know what I meant."
Lilith turned her around, putting both hands on Maia's shoulders.
"You're going to be fine, M. You do the right things, and my mother will adore you. She already thinks you're pretty so, you have that going for you, then!"
Maia laughed at her future sister-in-law's speech of encouragement. Lilith was always supportive, so the young Electo girl could easily trust her.
"Alright. Alright!" Maia grinned, taking a breath. "I'm ready. Could you let my mother and Raven know that I'm ready?"
Lilith nodded, "coming right up, Mrs. Black!"
Lilith exited the dressing room, leaving Maia with her thoughts as she stared into the large mirror, a wide smile filling her face.
As soon as Lilith exited, two figures entered the room, a young man and a woman. The two approached Maia, the woman smiled with the joy while the man kept a frown plastered on his face.
"You look beautiful, darling!" Maia's mother exclaimed, hugging her daughter.
"Y'know it is pretty shitty-" Raven stopped once Rosemary Electo gave her son a look.
"Believe me, Raven, I know. You've said our father was a shitty guy ever since he left. I get it!" Maia stared up at her little brother. "You can at least smile as you two walk me down the aisle?"
Raven would grin, straightening his bowtie in the mirror before turning back to the two. "That can be arranged."
And as Maia took both her mother in one arm and brother in the other, the music started.
They entered the main building, the line of guests from each side of the wedding party standing as the three passed by. A melody of music played from a large piano in the back corner of the room. Maia looked ahead, seeing her fiance smiling happily as he watched her walk down the aisle, stepping on rose pedals that the flower girl had dropped prior.
She reached the end of the aisle, her mother giving a comforting kiss on her forehead as she and Raven let go of Maia's arms, allowing the bride to step across from her fiance.
The priest began his speech, but Maia wasn't paying attention. Abbott's smile filled her heart with warmth and she couldn't pry her eyes away from it.
She was in love.
YOU ARE READING
Twins
Mystery / Thriller"Pick one and lose the other." Twins are unwanted, undesired, and unloved. Maia and Abbott Black were happy, married, and ready for their new life together. When the two found out they were pregnant, they were even more ecstatic. Until they found ou...
