Little One ✹ Zalfie

17

Once Zoë stood next to me, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. She smiled, handing her bouquet to Louise. I held her hands in mine, and Joe and Caspar stood at the podium to speak.

"Nothing is more important than love. Whether that is the love between a parent and their child..... two siblings..... the love between best friends..... or the love between two individuals who feel stronger together.." Joe said. "I was lucky to have this kind of love in my family..... and in my husband.... but my sister wasn't always lucky.."

"She was hurt in her past.." Caspar continued. "But with Alfie, she is stronger..." Zoë nodded, starting to tear up. "Alfie wasn't always the happiest man either..... but as soon as he laid his eyes on Zoë, he knew the meaning of true happiness..."

"My sister is lucky to have love in her life..... and Alfie is lucky to have love in his. We were all involved in a horrific attack.... and we were all in serious condition.." Joe said. "But I believe... love is what kept us all alive.." He took Caspar's hand, and kissed him.

"We believe Alfie and Zoë both prepared their own vows..." Caspar said.

~

"Zoë..." I said. "Little One..." She smiled. "Since the moment I saw you, I knew I loved you. I was only fourteen when that happened, and I didn't know what love was..... in this way. I knew I was loved... I knew I loved my family.... but the feeling you gave me just by smiling made me so confused. I was so happy when we finally got to talk... and as soon I saw what he did to you, and I knew the only thing I wanted in life was to protect you..... to love you..... and to be able to hold you in my arms every day and night... to show you that I will always be around.." I blushed. "Like my first note said.... I'll love you... until this rose dies...."

"Alfie..." Zoë smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. I softly wiped them away, and she giggled. "You have been the best thing that has ever happened to me.... and I know you know that I could stand here and try to explain just how much you mean to me... and just how much I love you... but we all know how difficult it is to explain those feelings. You make me feel special.... and not the kind of special anyone can make anyone else feel. You make me feel important.." She smiled. "And that's all I've ever wanted in a boyfriend.... a fiancé.... and... now a husband..."

"I think those were both very well said..." Joe said, smiling. "May we have the rings?" Caspar's nephew walked down with the ring boxes, and handed them over.

"Thank you, buddy.." Caspar smiled. "Alfie... You will be first, so repeat after me.... I, Alfred Sidney Deyes, take you, Zoë Elizabeth Sugg, to be my lawfully wedded wife.." I repeated him as I removed the engagement ring from Zoë's finger. "And with this ring... I give you my heart.... my soul.... and my promise to love you for all of eternity.." I repeated again, and slid the wedding ring onto her finger as she smiled. "In sickness and in health.... as long as we both shall live..."

"As long as we both shall live..." I smiled. Zoë took the other ring, and Joe told her what to repeat as she put the ring on my finger.

"And by the power invested in us..." Joe said.

"We now pronounce you.." Caspar said, then they both spoke together. "Husband and wife.... You may now kiss the bride.." I smiled as I pulled Zoë into my arms and kissed her. It felt perfect, and not the kind of perfect movies portray when the good looking guy gets the girl of his dreams.... but in the way that the girl and guy were able to fulfill each other's dreams of being loved. The feeling I felt as we walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, was surreal. Zoë smiled brightly at me as she threw her bouquet, and Caspar's sister caught it.

"I love you so much..." I whispered to her, and she blushed, leaning in to kiss me. We got into our car that our mums wrote "Just Married" on, and drove home. Once we arrived, I carried her inside, and started the honeymoon phase.

~

That night, Zoë was wild, leaving me out of breath... but it was worth it. We were a little intoxicated, but as soon as we laid down together, the sparks flew like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Before I knew it, it was a few weeks later, and I woke up without her in bed with me.

"Everything okay?" I called for her, hearing her in the bathroom. She was crying, but faintly. "Zoë? Gorgeous?" I got out of bed, and opened the bathroom door to find her sitting on the floor.

"It happened..." She said. "I'm now three weeks late.... and it's a miracle I was even.... able to..." She started to smile.

"You're pregnant?" I asked, and she stood up, handing me the pregnancy test. "This is great... this is what we wanted, right?" She nodded. "Then why are you crying?"

"I was scared I wouldn't be able to conceive..." Zoë said. "My gynecologist said to me a few years ago.... that I was possibly infertile. I was sixteen then, and I had just lost my virginity... so I was scared.... but..." She smiled. "I'm pregnant... I don't want to get our hopes up.... but...." I held her in my arms, smiling. "If it's a girl.... I want to name her Poppy...." I was shocked to hear the name come out of her mouth as it was the first time in quite a while, but when I looked into her eyes, she smiled.

"She would be so proud of us..." I smiled, then leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips. "I love you, Zoë Deyes..."