81. I DO
SEVEN MONTHS LATER ━ M A R C H
THE EARLY AFTERNOON was a testament to the ceremony that is supposed to happen in just a few hours. The clear skies and rustling trees bring a calming aura to the venue where guests are congregating and talking with one another.
Snacks are laid out on a buffet table to satiate their hunger if it comes to it and music plays from the live band in the corner.
In the building across the road from the decorated venue is the bride to be and her wedding party. Hally and Londyn had flown down to Charlotte to celebrate the joining of hands between Aliyah and Elijah and she couldn't be happier.
The makeup artist her mother hired is cleaning away her already shed tears as Jordan is latched onto her nipple for lunch. He's dressed in his baby suit with a black bow tie to match his father and his blue eyes stare up at his mother with interest.
Seven months later and she's still struck with absolute awe at what she and Elijah made. The tears she's shed throughout the day is almost cathartic.
The rest of her bridesmaids are stood behind her, steaming her dress and adding some finishing touches to her bouquet of white roses. She didn't feel like confining herself into the dress yet and welcomed the freedom with open arms.
Well, as open as they can be with a seven-month-old child in them.
She glances into the vanity mirror ahead of her and watches as her mom steps up behind her. Avoiding her just done hair, Kiara leans forward and kisses her cheek.
"You okay, baby?"
Honestly, Aliyah wasn't sure how to answer that question. She's excited and ready to marry the love of her life but she wished that her father could've been there by her side.
She wished he was by her side and walking her down the aisle and giving her away to her husband.
Some wishes just don't come true.
Pushing a smile onto her face, Aliyah nods and glances down to her son. Her beautiful son.
Despite the late nights he has his parents enduring, he sure does know how to sit quiet.
"I know you miss him, Liyah. I miss him too." She steps to the side as the makeup artist gives them space. The ceremony doesn't start for another forty-five minutes so they have time for a little pep talk, "But, guess what — he's up there looking down at you and smiling. He loves you and he's proud of you. We're both proud of you. You found a man who loves you with everything in him. You brought such a blessing into the world. Baby, you're the root of my pride."
Aliyah hadn't realized she was crying until she sniffed. Trying to ebb the tears away, she jokes, "Don't let Kyree hear that."
Kiara laughs and kisses her daughter once again, "Both a unuh a mi greatest pride. I love you, my baby." Looking to Jordan who was staring up at her, she kisses his forehead too, "And I love you too."
When he's finished feeding, Kiara takes him to burp him while Aliyah cleans up and steps into her dress. Toni, Hally, Henley, and Londyn are placing bets about how long its going to take Paige to officially ask Henley out.
"I'm telling you — Imma give it 'till tonight." Aliyah jokes as Toni zips her up, "It's been seven months coming and them stares be making me uncomfortable whenever I'm around y'all."
Henley rolls her eyes and chuckles, "You guys are overexaggerating."
"Are we?" Toni raises a brow.
"Whatever." Henley runs her eyes over Aliyah's body, a wide smile growing on her face, "Damn. If you weren't getting married to my coworker, I would have to ask you to run away with me."
"Uh-uh, ain't nobody running away today." Kiara tuts from her spot across the room, Jordan in her arms.
Aliyah chuckles and looks into the full body mirror, her eyes widening, "Damn."
Pregnancy treated her well, it seems. Running a hand down the lace, she spies the engagement ring on her finger and forces the tears away.
She just can't believe she's getting married to her best friend.
Hally steps into her peripheral and wraps her arms around her from the back, "You know I love you, right?"
Aliyah nods, "I love you too, cuz."
"Last time we were here, we were both pregnant and bawling our eyes out." Hally notes, a smile growing on her face.
"Now, it's just one person crying." The wedding planner snickers. She meets her cousin's eye in the mirror and pouts, "Thank you for being here."
"I'm always here, Liyah."
"It's almost time, ladies." Charlotte enters the room after coming from the men's room across the building, "Aliyah, my dear, you look absolutely breathtaking."
Heat rises up Aliyah's neck as she thanks her mother-in-law, "Thank you, Charlotte." The relationship between them was no longer on a thin line — they now enjoyed each other's company.
"Prayer circle!" Kiara announces and walks over to where the women are congregated.
They circle up, even the makeup artist joining and hold hands.
Hands holding Toni's and Jordan's, Aliyah bows her head and closes her eyes. Kiara begins, "Dear Lord, I want to thank you for allowing us to stand here today. Thank you for blessing my daughter with this moment, with this day, and with the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Thank you for allowing us to be here for her in this moment of excitement and matrimony. Dear Lord, I pray that you may guide her down this aisle with your love and grace. Please bless this marriage and those in it. In your name I pray."
"Amen." The women say, collectively. Jordan babbles his own 'Amen' and looks up at his mother.
Aliyah blinks but remains in her spot, anxiety creeping up her veins and making her knees weak. The ladies cheer, unaware of the bride's resistance, but Kiara notices.
She'll always notice, "Baby, look at me." Aliyah glances up and blinks away the tears, "Do you want to marry this man?" Aliyah nods without question, "You gotta say it, baby."
Aliyah exhales, "Yes, I want to marry this man. With everything in me, I want to marry him."
"Then marry him."
Aliyah nods and looks at her son before taking him into her arms, "Mommy's gonna get married, JJ." The boy giggles a toothless smile as if he understood what she said.
"Alright," She looks at her support system, "Let's go."
With bouquet in hand, Aliyah walks down to the hall, chest heaving anxiously. After getting confirmation that Elijah's already stood at the end of the aisle and guests are seated and her party started going down the aisle, Aliyah glances up to the heavens and says a short prayer.
When she opens her eyes, Kyree is stood in front of her with a small smile on his face, "Hi."
She blinks away the tears she was holding back oh so well. "Hi." She responds, "You look very handsome."
He tilts his head playfully, "I know." She punches his arm softly, "I'm kidding, kidding. You look beautiful, sis."
"Thank you." Aliyah exhales, shakily, "I'm nervous, Ky."
"I know."
"I wanted daddy to be here to walk me down the aisle." She rants.
"I know." He repeats, "And I know I'm not him and could never be him, but I can try."
"W-what?" Aliyah's eyes widen as her brother spins to stand directly beside her and face the curtains as she is.
"May I walk you down the aisle?"
Here come the damn tears.
"Yes." Slipping her hand through his arm, she sends him a wide, teary-eyed smile, "I love you."
He kisses her forehead, "I love you too."
And then, the curtains open.
Met with rising guests and Celine Dion playing from the speakers, Aliyah tries not to cry as her gaze hones in on the man stood at the end of the aisle. He's absolutely radiant.
Her breath hitches in her throat and she feels frozen.
Yet, her feet carry her closer to her destiny.
Their eyes meet.
Time stills.
They're the only ones in the room.
Tears gather at Elijah's eyes as he watches his future wife walk down the aisle — making it harder for Aliyah to keep hers away.
From her distance, she can see him mouth 'Oh my God' to himself and transfer his gaze to the ceiling to keep the tears away.
Her vision is blurry by the time she and Kyree arrive at the flower arch. Ky hugs her tightly before giving Elijah a warm hug. Walking away, he sits between his boyfriend, Terrence, and Kiara at the front of the crowd.
Aliyah looks to her best friend and resists the urge to pull him into her arms.
"Hi." She whispers and reaches forward to wipe his tears away.
He reciprocates, careful not to mess up her makeup, "Hey."
The ceremony is led by the marriage officiant who begins his speech which Aliyah barely even heard over the blood rushing in her ears. She can't take her eyes off of her handsome man.
She tunes back in to hear him begin the declaration of intent, "Do you, Elijah Malachi West, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do." Elijah sniffles. Aliyah smiles, widely.
He then turns to Aliyah, "Do you, Aliyah Jasmine Pryce, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
She exhales shakily, "Without question — I do."
The officiant smiles, proudly, "We've come to the point of your ceremony where you're going to say your vows to one another. But before you do that, I ask you to remember that love—which is rooted in faith, trust, and acceptance— will be the foundation of an abiding and deepening relationship. No other ties are more tender, no other vows more sacred than those you now assume. If you are able to keep the vows you take here today, not because of any religious or civic law, but out of a desire to love and be loved by another person fully, without limitation, then your life will have joy and the home you establish will be a place in which you both will find the direction of your growth, your freedom, and your responsibility. Please now read the vows you have written for each other."
"I'll go first." Aliyah almost forgot about her written vows before Toni slapped her arm with a folded piece of paper. The crowd chuckles at Aliyah's flustered nature. Unfolding it, she meets Elijah's kind eyes and begins with a shaky voice, "Nothing could've prepare me for the privilege of being yours. Everyday I learn new things about you and everyday, I'm thankful for the opportunity. I learn that your favorite thing to do at work is set bones, I learn that you're a better cook than you bake, I learn that you've never left the country or gotten a pedicure or set up an Ikea desk or eaten bun and cheese. It's a privilege to know you in the way I do. I love how you love your family and friends just as fiercely as I love mine and that my family has become yours and your family has become mine. You are the love of my life and my best friend and you make me happier and make me feel more loved than I could have ever even imagined for myself. Thank you for blessing me with a son - a little boy who'll no doubt grow up to be just like his amazing daddy. Thank you for loving me completely and in your fullest capacity. Everyday I thank God for blessing me with such an understanding and compassionate man. A man who makes it his mission to be my happiness and my comfort. A man who loves me with his all of his mind, body, and soul. A man who can be bitter with me whenever I have a bad day." Chuckles break out in the crowd. "Thank you for being my blessing. On your worst days and on your best, I'll always love you."
"I love you too." Elijah whispers. The couple is in shambles when Aliyah finishes her speech. As Aliyah wipes the tears from her fiance's cheeks, he begins his vow, "We probably met in the most unconventional of ways —"
"I know that's right." Toni snickers from her spot behind Aliyah only to be nudged by Hally. The bride and groom laugh at the memory.
Sobering slightly, Elijah continues, "But I wouldn't change it for a thing. That moment allowed me to know you as you know me — to grow in love with the strong and beautiful woman standing in front of me. From our moments at Island Vybez to our park dates and charity galas and birthday parties and me being donned the 'Bone Man'." This time the snickers come from the doctors in attendance and Kyree, "I love you with everything in me — you love me with everything in you. That being said, I promise to love you even when you curse me out for eating the last bit of cookie-dough ice cream and for talking during movies and for using all the hot water when we both have work in the morning and for turning down your music early in the morning when you think no one's listening. You've brought me joy since the moment we met - even when you jumped on my back and basically busted your ass." Aliyah narrows her eyes playfully at him bringing up that moment from almost two years ago. "As much as we've seen each other cry, I wish to make yours consist of tears of joy. Tears of laughter and tears of excitement. I'll make you laugh on your worst days and make your best days even better — all while loving you to my fullest extent."
Aliyah sniffles but she can't draw her gaze from her fiancé.
The officiant nods, trying to blink his own tears away, "May I have the rings, please?"
Oreo — now a grown Golden Retriever — runs up from his spot beside Charlotte, his collar holding the wedding bands, towards Kendrick who unlatches them and hands them to the bride and groom.
"Please repeat after me..."
"Aliyah, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you." Elijah slides the ring onto his wife's finger, blinking away the newer tears.
Taking his hand into hers, Aliyah puts his band on, "Elijah, I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you."
"By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" He gives Elijah a look, "You may now kiss the bride!"
And the ceremony is sealed with a kiss of love and commitment.
AM I CRYING??????? maybe - i ain't see you, you ain't see me
i put a couple of throwbacks in the speeches cause why tf not 😭😭
im extending the BIGGEST shoutout to my good sis geminiwritess for helping me w the vows 🥺🥺