What If Three Days Meant Forever?

Objections & Revelations

Will POV

My mom is beautiful.

When I was younger, every time we would go to visit family, I'd always get asked the same question:

Are you obsessed with girls yet?

Are there any girls in your classes that you find pretty?

Who's the most gorgeous girl you've seen?

To the last one, I would always say my mom, without fail and I truly thought she was.

So as my mother slowly walks her way down the aisle, memories begin playing like a movie behind my eyes. My mom having her hair thrown up into a messy bun and taking it down as soon as she got home in her waitress uniform. She was holding her hand behind her back and told me to close my eyes. It was then where she revealed the platter of lemon bars she'd scored from work that day.

Or when my mom took me to the park and set up a record player we'd gotten out of storage, canvases, and some paint and she told me with a smile to "paint the stars, Will." I didn't know what she'd meant because it was twelve o'clock in the afternoon - there were no stars. However, she just shook her head and said, "If you can paint the stars, you can reach them."

That did nothing to help my confusion so I decided to paint stick figure people laying in the grass, looking up at the stars. They didn't have very distinguishable features, but I told my mom it was me and Lottie. She smiled at me and then showed me her canvas where she had painted the sun.

Then we went home and drank apple juice.

So now as I sit here in this plastic chair at my mom's wedding, sitting next to Nico, I realize that while I painted the stars some seven years ago, I've only just begun to reach for them.

My mom's dress is quite simple, which I guess reflects the relationship of the bride and groom perfectly. Unexpectedly, she isn't wearing very much make-up, but instead seems to have gone for some sort of natural look that makes her freckles more noticeable.

She's got this huge smile on her face that only gets bigger as she sees other people smiling right back. Once she's at the alter, we all reseat ourselves and Nico takes loose hold of my hand. I look over to him as he bites his lip softly, a motion that makes me want to press my lips to his right then and there. "You really think this could be us one day?" He whispers. I squeeze his hand softly, pushing it down between our seats.

"Of course." I whisper back sincerely.

"But no dresses." He says firmly as I try not to laugh.

"Agreed. No dresses."

"Hello, everyone!" The priest exclaims, grabbing our attention. "We are all gathered here today to witness the true love of Naomi Solace and Thomas Anderson, both people who thought they would never find love again. Though, it seems the universe came through and brought them together. 'What is love', you may ask? Well, just look around. What do you see? Friends, family, lovers. That's love. What's amazing is that there are so many different types of love in this world. None-" he cuts himself off, seemingly staring at where Nico and I's hands disappear between our chairs. He then brings his gaze up and we lock eyes. He smiles shortly before looking away and I let go of the breath that had gotten stuck in my throat.

"Sorry about that, folks. But as I was saying, none of you have even begun to imagine all the possibilities for yourselves! And while this is a day for Naomi and Thomas, just know that your day will come soon enough, as soon as you open your mind to the possibilities. Don't see in only black or white. Right or wrong. Good or bad. With no reason. And hey, I don't know Naomi or Thomas well or at all really. Just their names and where they live." Everyone laughs at that.