Breaking the Habits | Herophine #2

•Prologue•

*Jax POV*

Everything was ready, the ceremony was set to begin fairly soon, the church was full, her family and my own filled the pews, and there I stood, a nervous wreck as I awaited at the right side of the altar for my bride, the guests were talking amongst each other, the quiet murmur of their whispers made me nervous, way more nervous than I should be, this is the moment I'd been waiting for, it took quite a long time for me to get to this level of maturity I was now in, at twenty six years old other guys have a completely different plan for their lives, but at twenty-six I was far from that cowardly Jax Beckett you met previously.

I snapped back into my body to take a look at my watch, she was late, how did I know? the guests were beginning to look at me with pity in their eyes and the priest was ready to take off his garments and renounce this wedding. "No, please, have a little patience, I'm sure she's on her way, let's just wait a little longer." I begged the priest who retook his spot on the altar.

My father came up to me and placed his hand on my shoulder, the same way I had done at his trial years ago. "Jax, son she's not coming... Let it go..." The worry on his face was palpable but I refused to fold. "I'm not giving up. She's coming, I know it..." I looked at my father who gave up on having me see what seemed obvious enough.

The murmurs I mentioned before were now a concert of voices, from both my family and her own, "She's left him at the altar." "I bet this is karma." "She's a runaway bride." were the many hits, I stared up at the crucified Jesus before me, if I never prayed before I was going to start now.

Don't do this to me, I can't have this happen today, if you're listening please, let her get here, don't make me look ridiculous.

I felt my soul grow discouraged after thirty solid minutes of waiting. I looked back up at the cross, my dad who'd gone to check if at least the driver was outside came back and shook his head meaning she was a no show. I held my head in my hands, running my hands through my hair and looking around.

A few guests had stepped out to make phone calls about the fiasco that was my wedding, their laughter outside the church rang inside of it, an epic forty-five minutes and a recess from the priest later, I sat at the altar stairs when a loud rumble caused everyone to turn around and pay attention to the doors which busted open, I shot up from where I sat and smiled, there she was, I sighed a breath of relief as she walked down the aisle, escorted by a relative.

As she made her way down the aisle I thought of Faith, my heart frowned at the thought of how she probably felt so many years ago, moving past the ball of confusion I'd left her in had to be the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life, I would never know though, It was something I wasn't meant to have the answer to at least not from her own lips.

My sister told me the time she came searching for me, and I like a coward took the high road, the easy way out, she must've hated my guts.

"I'm sorry..." She mouthed scrunching her face, as she made her way over to me, she looked alluring. "It's fine." I mouthed back with a rather large smile on my face, she finally got before me as the priest asked who was giving her away to me, her relative affirming they did, she was now facing me and the priest began to deliver his speech.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the presence of God, to witness the joiningtogether of this man and this woman in the holy covenant of marriage. This couple recognizes that marriage is an important part of God's plan for mankind. Marriage is not just a socialoccasion with a religious touch thrown in." She looked at me apologetically I'm sure she would explain later why she was so late, but what counted now is we were getting married, the priest continued with his service.

"It is a service of worship from beginning to end, in which vows are made, prayers are offered, and blessings are given." We stood facing each other, said our vows, our I do's and we were finally declared, Mr. and Mrs Beckett.