Back Into Your Arms

Chapter 23 : The Wedding ( A THOUSAND YEARS)

Heart Beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone?
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
A thousand years,  Christina Perri

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Two souls but a single thought,
Two hearts that beat as one.
- John Keats

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Present

I stood in front of the mirror contemplating whether or not to run .

' The car's just outside ' Miranda's voice ran in my head. Although I had accepted my defeat and fate, I somehow wanted to try one last time.

" Ready Ashley? ", dad entered. He looked marvelous in his black suit.

I just gave a slight nod.

" Look Ashley, I know you're doing it for the sake of me. But, sweetheart, if you're not happy, don't do it. I love you and the last thing I would want is for you to have a miserable life, a loveless marriage. But remember Ashley, Natasha and Derek are good people and they really love you. I don't know what's going on between you and Liam. And I wouldn't ask. But it shall all pass. I'm your father and I know this for sure. Call it sixth sense, but you'll be happy. Trust me. It'll all be okay. "

" Stop dad, I can't mess my make up again. ", I sniffed.

" Oh  darling ", he laughed as he hugged me with tears brimming his eyes.

"Cmon. Don't wannabe late now. ", I laughed nervously.

I can't. I just can't. All my life, it has always been my father who was beside me through everything. I can't do this to my parents. I can't run. I have to do this. I don't want to be a coward who ran away from fear. I will marry him.

I will marry Liam.

Plan A didn't work and you don't want to know why. Turns out Natasha loved the evening and I quote, " Trust me Linda, Saturday was the best night in the last ten years. "

She forgot all about the burps and farts. Such much onion and garlic for nothing! And Derek too, had forgotten half of what had happened on Saturday. Well, I don't blame them.
I can't believe I'm actually marrying a caveman.
And as for Liam, he didn't show up to work on Monday. I was ecstatic. Well, that plus the squealing and jumping on the office couch. Yes, the temporary invisibility of Liam takes me to cloud nine. Oh how ironical to think such things on my wedding day.

" Ashley? "

Miranda's voice brought me out of my trance.

" Hey ", I said weakly.

" Is everything okay? ", she asked.

" Everything is fine. And, umm, I'm not going to run. ", I smiled.

" I understand Ashley. Trust me, I do. But -"

" No Mira. I can't run. I can't do this to my parents. I'm sorry but they have taken care of me for twenty five years. I can't Mira. I owe this to them. And Natasha and Derek? I can never do this to them. They are lovely people. It's against my principles. "

" But about about your happiness Ashley? What about you? ", she whispered trying to make me understand.

" Yes, Miranda. I won't be happy if I marry Liam today. But if I run..", I sigh shaking my head, ".... I'll be miserable. And I know this for sure. If I run, it'll haunt me forever in life, how I betrayed four wonderful people. "