Goodbye

Page 40

I remember bells ringing and people smiling at me. I did not expect so many to come. Haruki was the first one to great me together with Yara. Yara had a hard time getting up from the chair. Haruki and I told her that it was fine but she really wanted to hug me which was not that easy considering that round stomach of hers. I really wanted to say hello to Yasmin as well. She was growing every day in that stomach. Yara could consider herself lucky that Haruki did not decide to call their future daughter Yara. The two of them had made a bet. If the baby was going to be a girl, then Haruki could choose the name.

It were not just Haruki and Yara that were eager to greet me. The moment Selena set eyes on me, she could not help but hug me. If Tim had not puller her away, she would not have let go any time soon. I thanked them for coming. It just meant so much to me.

Lucy-Ann did not expect to see me this early already. She told me that I looked awesome. I noticed that her boyfriend and Mila were sitting next to her. I did not understand it entirely yet but somehow Lucy-Ann got to know Mila's brother Mikhail. Since the two of them started dating, Mila was more or less forced to get along with Lucy-Ann. They were not the best of friends but they managed.

Mila congratulated me as well. She looked absolutely stunning in this pink dress of hers. I thanked her for coming. I remembered how we did not get along at all, after we broke up and now look at us. It took us a while but we were finally in a position where we could consider each other as friends. 

I wanted to stay for a bit longer but I was already pulled away by Salem. Even if I wanted to resist, Salem would have easily carried me around. She started going to the gym a few years ago and now you barely recognised her as the cute little girl from before. These arms were not a joke.

"It's your big day and all you do is hiding from everyone. We've been waiting for an eternity." Esra scolded me. I did apologise but that was not what she wanted to hear. She was ready to make a salad out of me but Viola held her back. Thank god!

Salem suddenly noticed how late it was and started running. I did not know how she managed to run like this wearing those high heels but somehow she made it. I was a little jealous of her but then I remembered that I did not have to wait that much longer.

"Nervous?" Viola asked.

"A little." I answered.

From far away I saw a familiar couple with their teenage daughter. I rushed through the crowd, thanking everyone for coming, until I made it to those three people. A beautiful mother. Dark skin, deep eyes. A handsome father. Professional and hardworking. A gorgeous princess. The same deep eyes as her mother.

"I can't believe you actually made it Gigi. Hey there Joselma. You look stunning." I hugged the mother and nodded to the father, before I hugged the daughter.

"You think we would miss out on your big day? I can't believe you've grown up that much pipsqueak. Joselma couldn't wait to see you by the way." The mother joked. Her daughter started blushing.

"Come on mom, that's embarrassing! Don't listen to hear uncle Alec!"

"Now it's too late. I've already saved it." I gently patted Joselma's head like usually. She has grown so much. The first time I saw her, she was just a baby but now she was almost an adult. There was still a lot to learn for her but for now I wanted her to enjoy life to the fullest.

I was walking around for a bit longer. The music, the flowers, the decoration, everything was perfect. I was nervous. Like really nervous. Haruki handed me tissue after tissue, since I was sweating so much. He told me that I would be fine. Tim tried his best to support me as well but he just could not find the right words. All of a sudden he started speaking about the impact of technostress on role stress and productivity. I did not even know that he knew those words.

Almost it. Some last touch ups to my makeup and then I would be fine. Some blush here, some eyeliner there, perfect. Did I look good? Could I go out like this?

"How do I look?"

"Like the second most beautiful person in the world. After Yara of course." Haruki put his hands on my shoulders and looked deeply at my eyes. I was absolutely not the second most beautiful person in the world because Haruki was definitely before me.

"Chill out. Even without all this makeup you could easily get everyone to fall in love with you. You sure it was a good idea to not invite your mother or your father?"

I knew that Tim was just worried. I told them rather early about my past because I did not want to lie to them. Luckily they were all supportive of me, especially Selena and Haruki.

"It's kind of sad but I think it's the right choice. I don't want to look back anymore and give myself the fault for what has happened. I was just a child after all. Besides, now that I fully recovered from my trauma, I don't intend to start it all over again." I smiled.

I was definitely not ready to be standing here. Haruki and Tim were basically right next to me but I was still worried. I looked at Salem, Esra and Viola. They looked so cheerful and happy, while they were holding those flowers. When I looked up at the ceiling and gazed at those beautiful stars, I lost myself a bit in them.  They were not real of course. Those were origami stars. Around two thousand or more. Esra made them together with Viola and Salem. Apparently even Yara, Selena, Tim and Haruki helped out. Still, I thought they were kind of beautiful, even if they were not real.

The flowers were all real. Of course they were. Someone would have gotten really mad at me otherwise. Stars and flowers. What a lovely combination.

The music started. Everyone turned quiet. The time had come.

In the distance they appeared. A white dress. Messily braided brown hair with white hairpins and equally messy eyebrows. Green and blue eyes further emphasised by red glasses. Plain. Nonchalant. Emotionless. Dark freckles on soft cheeks. I started crying. This, in my eyes, was the most beautiful thing in this universe and every other universe.

I promised that I would not cry but I just could not hold back those tears. When Emilia walked in with her father, something just overcame me. Time stood still. A moment of emotions. The scent of jasmine was in the air. Each step she took, told a different story. She was not really walking. She was flying like an angel. A dance of passion.

Her father kissed her on her forehead and then disappeared into the crowd where he found himself next to his wife. It was just Emilia and me. We had practiced this moment. I had memorised my lines but somehow I could not even bring out a single word. I was petrified now that she was right in front of me. How could she be so beautiful?

Everyone was looking at me. It was so quiet that I could hear Tim whisper my lines to me. I had to giggle for a moment. The tears were still running down my face. My makeup was not even waterproof. Now what? At least Tim somehow managed to calm me down.

"In sickness and in health... through happiness... and sadness... for richer... for poorer... until death... do us part... I vow..." Silence. Heartbeat. Fast. Faster. Even faster. Calm down idiot!

"I vow..." Silence. Deep breath. You can do this! Breath. Breath. Breath damn it! Don't get cold feet now! You can do this! Breath! Beautiful.

"I vow that I love you, Emilia!"

Silence. She was not saying anything. Why was she not saying anything? Did I mess up. Was it because I could not say in properly without crying? Why was I so stupid? You had one job Alec. One job! Now what? She was going to reject me. Well that was it with the marriage. If I were lucky, she would at least not break up with me.

I had already given up hope but then Emilia started smiling. It was a shy smile. You barely even noticed it. When I looked at her eyes, I realise how they were sparkling. She was looking at me. It was a look of love.

"In sickness and in health, through happiness and sadness, for richer and for poorer, until death do us part, I vow that I love you, Alec."