Take me Home

Epilogue

Epilogue

10 years later

Jade sat nervously in her chair as she smoothed her hands over her dress. Today was the day. It had been 10 years in the making and today she would finally marry the man she loved. The man who had given her everything in the last 10 years and the man who had waited for her. She gazed into the full-length mirror and smiled at her glowing self. They pinned her dark hair back with a few soft curls framing her face.

She didn't want to wear a veil and kept her hair bare of any dressings. Her dress was stunning and simple. With lace back and a skirt that flared slightly at her waist, it was perfect for their garden wedding.  

"You look beautiful Jade." She looked up and smiled at her father as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze. Her father was still a handsome man, and the years had been kind to him. Her mother, on the other hand, had aged terribly and looked a lot older than she was. Jade guessed that the combination of Botox and plastic surgery hurt her more than it improved her look.

It had been a long road for her and her family. With years of therapy, she finally had the relationship she wished for with her father and brother. It took a while, but she forgave her brother and moved forward. She had tried to fix her relationship with her mother and she wasn't sad when it didn't work.

"Thanks, dad. I'm nervous." At 40, she never dreamed she would get married, but life was funny like that.

"You have nothing to be worried about. I am so proud of you Jade." She watched as her father kissed the top of her head in the mirror as she gathered up the bottom of her dress.

"Shall we." Jade smiled brightly at her father as he wheeled her to the ceremony. Her heart pounded in her chest and she tried to take a few calming breaths. Her palms started sweating, and she knew why she was so nervous. She had been ready to marry Marcus for a long time, but she had made a promise to him and herself.

Her father pushed her through the lush grass and stopped as she watched her bridesmaids and flowers girls walk down the aisle.

"You look beautiful Jade." She smiled up at Noah who had everything she needed. Noah and Sophia over the last few years had played a huge role in her life leading up to this moment. While they didn't work for her anymore, they were still family and she kept in touch with them regularly.

"Thank you. Shall we? I am so ready to get married." Noah and her father laughed as they both walked on either side of her as she pushed herself to the start of the aisle. They seated everyone in their seats in the outdoor setting and there standing in front of a beautiful flower arch was her husband. She watched as he turned around and her heart fluttered inside her chest.

Still to this day Marcus could make her feel like a schoolgirl meeting her crush for the first time. She smiled at him and watched as his shocked expression morphed into a smile that was almost as bright as hers. The years had been amazing to him. He was still devilishly handsome but looked wiser and older. At 43, he still looked like an older and wiser 32-year-old. His black tux looked amazing against his tanned skin as it clung to all the right places making his arms look larger than life, and she couldn't wait to undress him later.

She rolled herself forward before putting on the breaks. She watched as Marcus frowned and a look of utter confusion marked his beautiful, handsome face. She looked towards Noah and nod as he came over with her new forearm crutches. She put them in place and dropped her dress she was holding in her lap. She nodded towards her father and Noah as they came over and helped her as she rose to her own two feet.

She heard a collective gasp from the crowd, but she only had eyes for her husband to be. Noah and her father held onto her until she had her balance as Sophia quickly came over and fixed up her dress, so she wouldn't trip over her. Once she was steady on her feet, she stood up tall and looked at Marcus who was smiling through his tears.