"Aww, baby, you look beautiful..." Mom says, tears forming in her eyes.
I stare down at the skinny white wedding dress that Mom had passed down to me.
"I look horrible..."
"Don't say that, you look beautiful," Mom beams, walking behind me and running her fingers through my wavy hair.
"Where's Dad?"
"I already told you, he's with Zeke and Derek back at his house, they can't see you yet!"
"Why not?"
"It's bad luck!"
"Haven't we had enough bad luck already?"
Mom's eyes glance down at the floor and she mindlessly starts fixing my - her's to be exact - dress. Zeke runs inside holding a box of shoes, his eyes having dark marks around them from the loss of sleep he's had.
"Zeke! You can't be in her-"
"Mom, he's my brother," I sigh, walking to him in my bare feet.
Zeke looks up at me, his eyes turning wide. "You look so beautiful..."
Emberessment forms in my cheeks, my face turning bright red.
"Thank you, Zeke..." I finally whisper. "Why are you in here?"
"His shoes are too small," Zeke sighs.
"We don't have size Dinosaur, Zeke," I sigh, rolling my eyes taking the box of shoes from Zeke.
"Don't we have a size 12 in the back?" I look back at Mom, who sighed, nodding.
"I'll get them," She took the box from me and walks in the other room.
I look down at Zeke. "How does Derek look?"
"I guess like, smoking hot, to be honest... Dad was sweating around him," Zeke smiles wide to me.
I roll my eyes, forcing myself not to smile. The long white sleeves of the wedding dress fall over my fingertips as I look back at Mom has she walks inside the room again, holding a bigger shoe box.
"I think this will work, thanks Zeke," Mom smiles and gives Zeke the shoe box. He beams a smile to me and runs out, the door slamming behind him.
I turn to look back at Mom when something in the window caught my attention. I slowly look up at the window and my heart skipped a beat.
It was Kyle.
"Kyle..." I whisper slowly, backing away from the window.
"Abigail?" I look over where my mother was, Henry now stood there. His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot red.
"Henry... Why-Why are you here... Why is Kyle here?"
"He isn't here..." He smiles. "He isn't here..."
I back away from Henry, my lip trembling in fear. I bump into something behind me. I look up and Kyle was there behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and I scream, collapsing to my knees.
"Abigail! Abigail! It's Mom! Wake up!" I blink slowly and look up at Mom with her eyes wide above me. She grabs my hand, helping me to my feet, brushing off my dress.
"W-What happened?"
"You were in another hallucination... You didn't go to therapy last week..."
"I-I know I-I just thought-"
"You have PTSD, Abigail, you can't think anything right now..."
"He-He was there..." Tears form in my eyes staring at her.
"No... He's gone... You'll never see him again..."
I nod slowly and I brush the tears from my eyes.
"You ready to go?" Mom tries to smile.
"Yeah... I'm ready..." She takes my hand and we walk out of the house to the car.
I sit in the passenger seat, still unable to get my drivers license. I reach over and grab my own shoe box; white, flat shoes inside.
Mom starts the car and pulls out of the drive way, starting to drive down the road. I look out the window as we pass Derek's house, only 3 houses down.
They were getting in the car, unfortunately, Derek was already inside. I couldn't see him.
He must've found shoes that fit.
***
Mom pulls up at the lake, where there was white chairs facing towards the lake. The flowery arch was in front of them. Where I was supposed to get married. There was a big, white tent nearby where there were tables and the wedding cake.
The wedding cake had 4 layers, and on the top was a little figure of Derek and I. He had his arm wrapped around my waist, my arms around his neck.
Mom runs to me from the table, a few family members behind her. They all sit down in their seats when Dad and Zeke walk up to us. Derek was behind them, trying not to look at me.
"Do we immediately get started?" Dad asks, holding my hand tightly.
"We can," Mom looks at me. I glance up at Derek; he wore a black tuxedo, a white shirt under, a white flower in a tuxedo pocket.
"Yes..." I whisper. "I'm ready..."
The speakers start playing the "Here comes the Bride" song. The family stops talking.
Dad and I center ourself a few feet away from the chairs, going to walk in the middle. Dad links his arm with mine as we start to walk.
"Dad I don't know if I can do this..." I whisper, walking with him.
"Of course you can baby..." Dad tries to smile to me. "My baby girl's growing up... It's time..."
I look at Zeke sitting in the front row. Gwen and Garret sat next to him, now almost 2. They held each other's hand smiling to Derek.
"I don't know Dad..." I sigh, looking down.
"You're growing up on me, Abigail... That's okay... Because you know what you're doing... Derek's the right man for you..."
I nod as we stop a few inches away from Derek. I turn to Dad and wrap my arms around him.
"I love you..." I whisper.
"I love you too, Abigail," he smiles and I pull away from him.
I walk up a few stairs to stand across from Derek. His eyes widen seeing me.
"Woah..." He whispers.
"W-What?" I ask.
Was there something in my teeth?
"Y-You're beautiful..." Derek finally whispers.
"T-Thank you..." I blush, staring at my feet.
My Uncle was talking in between us, but I zoned him out. I stared at Derek, staring in his warm eyes. I look at the seats again and Hunter sat next to Zeke, giving him a small smile.
Derek suddenly takes both my hands, causing me to look at him.
"Derek Chase," My uncle says. "Do you take Abigail Wesley as your lawfully wedded wife?"
Derek's cheeks blushed red.
"I do..."
"And do you, Abigail Wesley, take Derek Chase as your lawfully wedded husband?"
I stare at Derek, a warm smile forming across my lips.
"I do..."
"Derek, you may kiss the bride,"
Derek puts my face in his hands and presses his lips against mine.
I wrap my arms around his neck, closing my eyes.
Derek pulls away from me, smiling.
I look out at Hunter who gave me a warm smile.
There were two empty seats next to him.
Amelia and Austin sat there, almost invisible.
But they were smiling and laughing.
They aren't afraid.
We are not afraid.
We're brave.
We're happy.
Just like how we were supposed to be.
Our big family.