The Reason

Epilogue - The Beginning of the Future

"Are you girls okay?" Dad is resting both of his loving hands on both of our shoulders, looking at us with worry stretched over his kind features.

Breaking our sisterly embrace, I smile back at dad. "We're fine...just having a moment."

Dad also understands, emotions have been running high for everyone involved in this wedding—myself, my gorgeous husband-to-be, his mother, my mum and dad, my sweet sister and of course, our devoted friends, Aidan and Angela—for all of us, today means so very much.

"Well, it's time." Looking at Faith, he warmly smiles at her before also giving her a tender little cuddle. "You'd better get inside." His voice is so soothingly calm as he persuades my sister to leave us alone.

Faith gives me a brief good luck kiss, quickly mouthing "I love you." Before leaving me with a shaky smile.

Dad and I watch her disappear into the ceremony room, emotional moments silently elapsing between us. Taking fatherly hold of my hand, dad pulls it against his pride-filled chest. "Before I hand you over to Rex, I just want you to know how honoured I am to be the one who gets to give you to the man who will love you for eternity. I also want you to know that I am walking you down that aisle with your parents deeply in my heart, because just like me, they will be so damn proud of you, Angel."

Tears fill my eyes, just as quick as they fill dads. "Oh, Dad." I cling onto him, trying to keep my tears at bay but aching with an emotional, happy kind of an ache. "I love you so much." My voice is broken, but my heart isn't. Over these traumatic weeks, mum and dad have been mine and Rex's rock. Their love and support has been unfailing. Dad and Rex have grown particularly close. It was dad who gently coaxed Rex to start his new job, after he had pushed back his starting date by two weeks. In fact, I didn't think he would ever leave me, but dad managed to persuade him that we needed to get back to normal. He persuaded him that our lives had to go on. For that, I can't thank my father enough. I know he has been instrumental in Rex not forever loathing himself. He stupidly blamed himself for all that happened.

He stupidly took it upon himself to carry the crushing weight of the blame. I think I shall always remember the first time that I saw Rex in the hospital, the guilt emanated from him like a pungent vapour. I hated him feeling that way. I hated that his father had made him feel that way. It didn't matter how many times I held Rex or told him to stop feeling so guilty, none of it worked. You see, every bruise I had, was a constant and hurtful reminder of what had happened. But my dad looked out for Rex. He knew that as I was slowly needing to recover, so was Rex. As their bond deepened, the more my father could reach him. And I'm so glad he did. I honestly think that Rex would have destroyed himself, and us, if he had continued to internalise everything. So that is why I cling tightly to my dearest dad, clinging to all that he so wonderfully is. "Faith will kill you if my mascara runs." I tearfully joke, resting my head on my dad's loving shoulder.

Squeezing me just a little tighter, dad laughs. "You're right, she will." Then he draws back slightly, gazing into my watery hazel eyes. "Even when you cry, you still look beautiful." He sweetly says with a docile smile sat upon his mature but utterly proud face. His absorbing attention is soon distracted though, when he suddenly spots some tissues on a prettily ornate table. "Quick, before both your mother and Faith have my guts for garters!" He promptly hands me a tissue to soak up the tears that precariously teeter on my lower lashes. Standing tall beside me, he then pulls back his shoulders and thrusts out his chest like a bold Peacock. "Right, lets go and get you married." He determinedly says before formally offering me his arm.

I too, stand tall as I smooth down my beautiful dress and coif the tendrils that hang down around by my face and neck. This is it. Everything comes down to this moment. This wonderful and precious moment. All the pain and the hurt is now nothing but a fading, evanescent memory, because today, I become Mrs Rex Ford.