After drawing a weighted breath, with a hand on her chest, Sade then smiled.
"I'm really doing this," she said to her mother. Adreinne smiled, then nodded. "I'm really getting married..."
~~~~~~~~~
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Outdoors, at Brooklyn's beautiful and infamous Botanical Gardens, stood all the guests, now gathering at their seats as those participating in the wedding were lining up.
Since Sade was going before Lauren, she stood among the others, and was last standing in line. As the music began, Keith took that as cue to have Lauren leave her dressing room.
First to walk were the bridesmaids and bridesmen.
On Sade's side would be Aria, Kingston, Athena, and Lyric. And on Lauren's side would be Hunter, Tina, Silas, and Amara. The twins went first, then Silas and Kingtson. Lyric and Tina followed them, and Aria and Hunter were last.
Up next, finally, was Sade.
Since her father had been absent since she was young, her mother was the one to be giving her away. And she wouldn't have it any other way either. The two linked at the arms, just as Hunter and Aria took their place at the altar, giving the pianist the go ahead to begin.
At the sound of Justin Hurwitz's 'Mia and Sebastian's Theme,' Sade and her mother appeared before the couple's family and friends, and they all stood. She smiled at those who were smiling at her, and tried her best to remember her mother's words as they walked.
Though she didn't know, Lauren was watching, courtesy of Dylan FaceTiming her while Sade went first. She wanted to see her fiancé walk down the aisle just as Sade would be seeing her, and it was a moment she didn't want to miss.
'Breathe, and soak it all in...' Sade thought.
And just as her mother had said, before she knew it, she was standing at the altar. It came the time for her to now be looking down the aisle as the pianist smoothly transitioned her song into Lauren's.
Sleeping At Last's 'Turning Page' serenaded through the garden as Lauren and her father appeared, arm in arm. Just as Sade's mother had said, again, the very moment that the two of them locked eyes, everything sort of faded away for Sade, and Lauren as well.
With the tilt of her head, as she took in Sade's appearance, Lauren smiled. Her fiance did as well, though tears were now quickly brimming her eyes. It was as if the closer Lauren grew, the harder it became for Sade to hold them back.
By the time the two were standing face to face, before their family and friends, both Sade's cheeks were wet as well as her eyes.
Lauren chuckled through tears of her own as she wiped some of Sade's with her thumb,
