Celestia

10

I use my right index finger to draw the edge of the curtain back just enough to take a tiny peek out my bedroom window. I see the guests seated in white chairs. I see the decorative vines adorning the porch railing. I see the white roses and the sunflowers, the mason jars with tea lights inside, and the fairy lights strung up along the path. I see the lake in the background and a fading blue sky above. It's a beautiful evening for a wedding.

"Are you ready to put the veil on?"

I turn away from the window, and Mom is standing in the center of the room, holding my hairpiece. 

"Yeah." I sit down in the dining chair we'd dragged in and placed in front of the dresser mirror. Mom comes up behind me and watches in the mirror as she pins the veil into my hair. I stare at myself, barely able to recognize the girl staring back at me. She never looked so beautiful. My hair rolls down my shoulders and back in elegant curls - Mom's handiwork. She also did my makeup, which looks even better than I imagined it would. My eyeshadow is gradient silver. I'm wearing false lashes, blush that brings a rose color to my cheeks, and shiny light pink lipstick. Here in Celestia, she was a skilled cosmetologist.

The beading on the chest of my dress glitters in the light. The bodice is covered in petal appliqués that give it a fitting naturistic look and the ball gown skirt is covered in Chantilly lace. It has off-the-shoulder sleeves. When I wished for my dress, I just wished for something beautiful that would fit a nature theme and hoped the powers that be would do me justice. They had done well, indeed.

"There you go," Mom says with a smile. She runs her fingers through my hair, moving a few locks to the front as she admires her work in the mirror. "You are so beautiful, Autumn."

For once, I agree with her. I look up to meet her eyes. "You did a great job on me, Mom. I feel like a walking Barbie."

She grins and squeezes my shoulder. "Well, now that my work is done, I better get out there and find my seat. We can't have a wedding without a bride! Your father is in the living room when you're ready. He has your bouquet."

I stand and give Mom a hug. "Okay. See you out there."

She leaves my bedroom and closes the door behind her. I look toward the window again, resisting the temptation to throw the curtains back and look for Sawyer. I'll be seeing him shortly. I ease down on the side of my bed and take a few minutes to gather my thoughts. 

Here I am, getting married...at sixteen. To be honest, I'm not sure if age defines us in the same way anymore. Maybe I'm forever trapped in the body of a sixteen year old. Maybe I'm forever sixteen, or maybe I'm not. All I know is that in Celestia, I'm young and I'm free, and the age I was at the time of my death no longer matters. I have everything I want here; everyone I need. This is Autumn White's happily ever after.

It's time to get married to the love of my life. I leave the solitude of my bedroom and walk into the living room. Dad is sitting on the couch, dressed the best I've ever seen him in gray slacks, a white button-up, and leather suspenders. A cream-colored boutonniere is fastened to his shirt. He turns around when he hears my heels clicking across the floor. 

"Hey, there she is!" He stands, a look of amazement on his face. "You look beautiful, baby girl!"

"Thank you." I walk into his outstretched arms for a hug. He squeezes me tight.

"Everyone's outside waiting. Are you ready to do this thing?" He asks.

"Absolutely." I nod without hesitation.

He turns around and grabs my bouquet of sunflowers and white roses from off the couch. "You can't go walking down the isle without these." He holds them out to me.