Following Benz's lead, we make our way to a more quiet area of the garden. When we're finally away from everyone Benz stops walking and turns to me with a soft smile. "You look beautiful." He finally speaks.
"Thank-you." I smile
"Congratulations on your little girl as well." He nods and looks down at the ground.
"Thank you again." I take a deep breath. "What is it, Benz?" I ask softly, "I feel like there is something you need to say."
After a moment, he looks back up at me. "I just, I needed you to know that I love you." He laughs without humor and shakes his head. "I'm so fucking pissed off I just stood there and watched you marry a man who isn't me, I'm pissed you're having his baby, I'm pissed you've already had a baby with him." He sighs.
"But I'm not pissed at you, or even Chet, I'm so pissed with myself. I'm so sorry for everything." He looks at the ground once more, "I've lost the one person I should have held onto."
"Benz." I sigh and take his hand in mine. "Benz I love you, but I don't love you the way I love Chet and I never did. I'm not saying this to hurt you, I'm saying this to make you understand. You love me, I believe that, but you don't love me in the way you think you do, or you would have never cheated, young or not, when you love someone, you know."
"Maybe I'll just find someone like you." He sighs.
"Okay, Adel." I giggle as I reach over and mess up his hair. "Come on, don't be like this. You're a good guy Benz and you will find the one, and when you do, you'll be able to call me and tell me I was right."
"Maybe." He laughs softly. "I'll let you get back to your husband." He says before turning on his heel, heading back toward the party.
Taking a deep breath, I take a moment to be in my own thoughts. When you're young, you think that everything is the end of the world. When Benz and I broke up, I never thought I would love again, but really I didn't know what love was until I met Chet. When you're young everyone tells you your life is leading you to exactly where you're meant to be, but at the time it's so hard to believe. It's hard to believe that you have to feel hurt to feel love, that you have to have bad times to enjoy the good times and that you have to live to learn, but it's true and I see that now.
"This is where you're hiding."
I jump at the sound of the voice and laugh as I turn to find Sasha. "You scared me."
"You're the queen of keeping things from me aren't you Mrs. Raven," She laughs
Mrs. Raven, I love the sound of that.
"I wanted to tell you so bad, I almost slipped up so many times." I giggle softly, then stop thinking for a moment. "You're not mad with me are you?"
"For what?" Sasha asks with knitted brows.
"For not telling you, for not having you as a bridesmaid?" I question, suddenly feeling very guilty.
"Oh, Am." Sasha giggles. "Of course I'm not mad with you. You did it your way and I'm so happy for you." She tells me, honesty filling her eyes. "And if I was mad, that would make me a hypocrite because there is something I've been hiding from you as well."
"Go on." I smile.
"I'm pregnant," she announces.
"You are!" I squeal as I reach out and hug her. "I'm so happy."
"And." She begins as she pulls back from the hug. "We're having a girl as well."
"What? You're that far along already?" I gasp.
"We've been afraid to tell anyone," she admits. "I don't want to put a downer on your day, so we can talk about this later, but this isn't the first pregnancy we've had."
"Oh Sash." I take her hand in mine. "I'm sorry."
"It happens. Sometimes it's just not meant to be."
"You know you could have told me, I would have supported you any way I could." I assure my best friend, feeling horrible.
"I know, but it's something so personal that Ryan and I just went through the emotions together and we've come out even stronger."
"He's a good guy." I smile, "And everything is going to be just fine this time, I can feel it."
"I think so too." Sasha smiles with a curt nod, "I think we're finally ready to tell people."
"So, daughters at the same time, huh?" Chet speaks as he makes his way over with Ryan.
"Looks like we're going to have our hands full." Ryan laughs. "We've still got those extra guns, right?" He winks at Chet.
"Ryan, stop." Sasha giggles.
"What? I don't want any men coming near my daughter."
"That makes two of us." Chet agrees with a smirk as he places his hand on the small of my back.
"You're impossible." I laugh as I shake my head at him.
"Trust me, Sweetheart, we know men." Chet warns, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh yeah, why are you and Ryan okay then?" I fold my arms over my chest.
"Just okay?" Chet raises a brow.
"I mean, I guess." I giggle up at him.
Pulling me closer to him, he presses a kiss to my lips and I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him back with a smile.
"We'll leave you guys to it." Ryan grins and takes Sasha's hand, leading her back into the party.
After a few more soft kisses, Chet pulls back, resting his forehead on mine. "What did Benz want?"
"To tell me he loves me." I sigh, looking up at him, my arms still wrapped around his neck. "And I told him I love him too, but not the way I love you."
"So much for him not causing any more trouble." He rolls his eyes.
"I don't think he was trying to cause trouble. I think he just really felt he needed to tell me, and once again I told him he was wrong." I tell him truthfully. "Now stop worrying about Benz." I lean in and press another small kiss to his lips.
"We should get back in there, everyone will wonder where we've gotten to."
"Lead the way, husband." I drop my arms from his neck and place my hand in his.
***
We spend the rest of our night with our family and friends, everyone dancing and having a wonderful time together. If there is one thing I know for sure I'll really miss my family when they leave for home once again, I love having all of us together, maybe everyone should move to springs.
As I look around the room, I notice Avery sitting on her own from the corner of my eye and I look up at Chet, who I'm currently dancing with. "I'll be right back." I kiss his lips.
Quickly, I make my way across the room to my sister and sit down next to her. "Not feeling it?" I ask with a smile.
"Oh no, I'm having a fantastic time, and I'm thrilled for you guys, I'm just tired." she lies.
"Avery." I sigh softly. "I'm your sister, and not only am I your sister, I'm your twin. I know when something is wrong." I take her hand. "Please talk to me."
"It's just things with Ezra."
"What about things with Ezra?" I question, as my eyes scan the room, stopping once I spot him standing with our Dad, talking to him.
"He's been acting strange the last couple of weeks, I don't think he wants to be with me anymore." She says softly, her eyes filling with tears. "Can we just please talk about this tomorrow, I don't want to ruin your wedding day." She leans over and pulls me in for a hug, "I love you and I'm so proud of you."
"I love you too." I assure her as I return her hug.
"If you don't mind, I think I'm going to call it a night." She stands to her feet. "If you see Ezra, let him know I've gone to bed, and I'll take Lane with me." She nods her head toward Mom.
As I look up, I see Lane fast asleep in Mom's arms. "Good idea, and thank-you." I give her a small smile.
I watch as Avery makes her way across the room and takes Lane into her arms; she leans down and kisses Mom's cheek, saying goodnight before making her way out of the tent and into the house with Lane.
"Hey is she okay?" Ezra questions with a worried expression as he makes his way toward me and takes a seat.
"She's gone to put Lane to bed, and she told me to tell you she's going to bed herself."
"Oh." He mumbles softly. "Uh, can I ask you something?"
"Sure." I nod.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a small black box and hands it to me. "I was wondering if you think she'll like it or if I should exchange it."
I take the box into my hand and open it, revealing a stunning princess cut engagement ring. "Woah, that's stunning." I breathe out as I close the lid and hand the box back to him. "She'll love it." I assure him with a smile.
"I was going to ask her tonight, but you kind of surprised us with this." He laughs shyly.
"Oh." I grin, drawing out the O as everything finally starts to make sense. "That's why you've been so weird with her the last couple of days?"
"S-she said that?" He rubs the back of his neck nervously.
"She thinks you're going to break up with her, Ezra."
"Oh God." He sighs and looks at the ground. "I-I just... I've been feeling so nervous about it, I haven't been able to talk to her properly."
"Go talk to her, maybe you can still ask her." I offer a smile.
"But it's your wedding day." He protests
"And she's my twin sister, I don't mind sharing my day with her, I've shared my entire life with her." I assure him.
"You think she'd still want to marry me? I feel horrible for making her think I didn't want to be with her." He sighs.
"Ezra, she loves you, believe me she'll marry you, go now." I push him gently and he smiles.
"Thanks Am." He says before standing to his feet, exiting the tent quickly.
Looking back out toward the dance floor, I spot my handsome husband making his way toward me. When he reaches he sits down on the seat next to me, but pulls me onto his lap. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I feel great. Our family is almost complete, our best friends are having a baby, your sister is getting married, my sister is getting married, everything is happening all at once and I'm happy, I'm beyond happy."
"Wait, your sister is getting married?" He questions in a surprised tone.
"Ezra is asking her as we speak." I nod.
"Wow, about bloody time." He chuckles softly.
"When I first met you, I would have never imagined we'd have all of this, and be surrounded by all of these amazing people, but I'm so happy we are, I love you Chet Raven."
"I love you, Amity Raven." He whispers as he places his hand under my chin and gently pulls my face back toward his, pressing his lips to mine.
This chapter was edited and re-published on 22.9.20