People say you shouldn't be nervous or scared whenever you meet the person that's meant to be with you.
Michael felt fear in his feet, it was a tingling feeling he couldn't get rid of even though he was tapping his foot as he was anxiously waiting for Louisa to come in.
But for him, it had been different.
From the first time he'd ever seen her, that didn't count — he wasn't seeing her, he hadn't noticed her true self back then. Her ponytails and her little white dress she had worn on his father's birthday, when he was around six and she was four. His father had jokingly introduced her as his future wife.
"Who knows?", Joseph Jackson said, still kneeling beside his son and in front of a four-year-old Louisa that was hiding behind her father's legs, eyeing Mr. Jackson and his son closely. "Future is something we might never know or fully understand, am I right, Michael?"
Six-year-old Michael had nodded shyly, looking down at his shoes, the same way adult Michael was doing now.
He didn't fear spending the rest of his life with someone else, but he feared everything else. He feared death, sickness and bad luck. Those were the things that had marked their lives as individuals and all that he wanted now, was better things — good things.
And when the music started playing, letting everybody know that the bride was making her entrance, Michael remembered the day he had seen her in a new light. When they met after so many years in the company that his father had brought to life.
However, his eyes finally came up to find her coming down the aisle, holding Bill's arm as she looked at him and at him only.
Wise man say, only fools rush in
Michael didn't know Janet could sing. Hell, there was a lot of things he didn't know about Janet. But his eyes didn't even went her way as he kept looking at his future wife coming to him with a big smile on her face.
But I can't help falling in love with you
Neither of them knew that Janet had hired a pianist and a few violinists to accompany her through the opening song. The whole room was carefully decorated and even though neither the groom nor the bride were looking at the decorations, everybody was feeling emotional at the sight of Michael's softened expression.
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
"Mr. Jackson, this is so emotional", Michael heard Daniel Jameson say at his left, he was slightly regretting making him his best man. And even though Jameson would sometimes irritate him, Michael knew damn well that he was a friend to him.
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be
"This is taking too long", Michael thought, but he hadn't realized how impatient he was. It wasn't taking a long time for her to finally reach him. But he was just stuck in the moment, slowly realizing that maybe there wasn't any other event in life that could ever top this very moment.
And when Louisa finally reached him, Bill hugged her and whispered words she'd never forget: "Thank you", he said and she knew what he meant. Turning slightly around to Michael, she held her breath, watching him as handsome as ever, offering her a hand to walk the stairs up to him.
Take my hand
Janet's voice was the only thing to be heard now, as the musicians stopped. Louisa's eyes glistened in emotional tears at the sight of an smiling Michael. Taking his hand softly, she finally stood pair with him.
Take my whole life too
Mrs. King, or should we say Mrs. Jackson now? Was weeping quietly as Mrs. Oaks was holding her hand tightly. The happiness couldn't even compare to anything in this world. This was one of the few times they had ever seen him this happy.
For I can't help falling in love with you
"I love you", she mouthed at him as the preacher waited for a few seconds in silence until finally starting the ceremony.
"I love you too", he said, in a whisper. And it was enough to make her cry more and more, making him giggle. He loved her more than anything in the world, and it was then that he realized that she was the only woman he would tolerate seeing cry.
It was no lie when the sisters said they poured their souls into the decoration, even though the newly wed could only notice after exchanging rings.
"Well, this is surprisingly nice", Michael said after they were out in the garden, looking at the multiple tables and ebony wooden chairs. He had to wait for Louisa to change into the other dress she had insisted to wear for the party.
"Don't be mean, at least today", she said, trapping his arm with her own and looking around as everyone stood up and started clapping at them.
"Everyone, please give a round of applause to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson!", Jameson could be heard saying at he was given a microphone for it.
"Damn, who gave the mic to Jameson?", Michael tensed up as Louisa looked at him with pity. "I swear to God he'll just—"
"Mr. Jackson, I just want to thank you for your trust", he started crying and Louisa could see his wife beside him rubbing his arm and looking apologetically at the newly wed couple. Louisa simply smiled at her, letting her know it was okay... at least for her. "I had dreamed of you two being a couple but this is beyond amazing"
Fearing that Michael would throw a tantrum, because he didn't like to be embarrassed, Louisa looked around for help.
"Thank you for being my best friend and also, I wish you guys nothing but—but—happiness!", Daniel started weeping and when Louisa thought Michael would lose it, she heard him laugh. Relieved, she sighed and let his husband go and hug Jameson, that came to him.
"I'll stab you in your sleep Jameson", she heard Michael say as Jameson laughed.
He might be accustomed to Michael's kind of love, she hoped.
"Thank you sir"
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were making their rounds through the few guests, toasting and receiving congratulation and good wishes here and there. Louisa had to take her shoes off and let her feet touch the grass, the shoes weren't that comfortable.
"Are you hungry?", Michael asked her as she was rubbing her feet. "You want me to look for some flip flops or something?", he said a bit worried.
"Nah, I'll manage... I want to try some wine though", she said, looking at the vast collection of wine in a table. The whole wedding theme was vineyard, so it was very appropriate.
"Okay, wait for me here, rest your feet", Michael said, kissing her temple and going his way to pour some wine. In the way, he found some of his cousins and got a little bit entertained.
Louisa though, had found amusing to see someone standing a few meters away from her, with a flower bouquet. She instantly stopped rubbing her feet and walked closer to the man. "Mr. Collins—?"
George's father was standing there, looking neat with a black tuxedo and smiling warmly at him. "Hi Louisa, congratulations", he said, opening his arms to hug her.
"Thank you, but how did you—?", she asked and then saw Mr. Collins look behind her, right where Michael had smiled at them and waved a little.
"He's a good man", Mr. Collins said and sighed. "I'm sure you'll be in good hands"
Louisa felt some tears come through. "I know, I'm a very lucky woman"
"And he's a very lucky man", he paused and looked around. "I had a dream a few nights ago", he started telling her. "Georgie came to me, you know he chose to be a detective because he hated the cop uniform, right?", Louisa nodded, remembering him, even though she couldn't remember his face as well as she used to. "His white shirt with the sauce stain", he laughed, making her laugh too, remembering that damn shirt.
The wind blew and a pleasant smell came through. It could've been from the flowers or the happiness in the air. But it made her feel at ease.
"He told me he was proud of you and that his heart would always be with you", Mr. Collins said and she looked back at Michael, that was playing with his youngest cousins, laughing wholeheartedly. He wasn't afraid to be himself with either her or children. "And that his heart ended up being in Michael's body for a reason"
"I'm more than sure that it is a good reason", she said as her mothers-in-law were barking at Michael, trying to keep him from getting his clothes dirty.
The wind blew a little bit harder. A cycle had ended, Louisa was sure of it.
Even though Michael wasn't excited to be photographed this much, he volunteered to smile in every single picture it was taken of him — he did exactly what Louisa told him to do.
"Think of this as my wedding gift", Michael had told her before the session began.
She rolled her eyes, but motioned him to come with her as they did the session and it ended with a picture of them with all of the guests.
"It's time", Abena had said in a singing voice as she put Louisa's bouquet in her hands.
"And remember, avoid throwing it at Lulu, she's too young to be the next of us to get married", Taylor said as a reminder.
"Hey! I'm the only one between you guys that actually has a boyfriend!", Lulu protested.
"You WHAT—?!", both Mama Imani and Michael yelled simultaneously as the youngest Oaks hid behind her older sister and Janet.
"Just throw it", Lulu said, hurrying Louisa that was turning around and teasingly pretending to throw it at the girls that were holding their breaths.
After finally letting the bouquet go, everyone was surprised to see Janet throwing the bouquet away from her hands. "Bitch, I don't even want to get married—", she yelped and then corrected herself after her mother glared at her. "—yet"
Things were a blur after that, but Louisa could've sworn Michael was drunk and started dancing like a devil on the dancefloor. He was making all these moves that nobody has ever seen.
"If you're ever bored, just give him some alcohol", Janet laughed as they saw him standing on his tippy toes for a few seconds and then almost falling. Jameson was having the time of his life, dancing next to his boss.
"This is weird, I've never seen him this hyped before", Louisa said, smiling awkwardly at the sight of his husband dancing.
"I've never seen him like this before", Taylor agreed.
"The man is happy, he had managed to tie a good woman down, I'd be happy too", Ashe concluded when Michael finally became tired and came to them, sitting on Louisa's lap.
"You're lucky you don't weight that much or else you'd be on the floor by now", Louisa said to him, half jokingly half threateningly as he took a bite of a snack on the table.
"Try me", he said, then hugging her tightly. "I'm drunk, but I have a good memory, Louisa Jackson"
But he certainly didn't remember anything next morning. And even though Louisa tried to hide the videos his sisters recorded of him dancing and being out of character, he still got the videos from his reliable source: his uncle Bill.
"Louisa, why didn't you punch me in the face or something?", he whined as they were having breakfast, they had to take a flight before lunch for their honeymoon. "Do you have something for the headache, by the way?"
"Here", Louisa handed him some pills. "You were having fun, Michael, you were happy"
"You're right", he sighed and leaned his head over her shoulder after taking a pill. "Thank you, babe"
Louisa squealed at the sound of that. "I like that", she said, taking a piece of apple.
"What?"
"That"
"What's that?"
"You calling me babe", she said, leaning her head over his.
"Oh", he said, he hadn't realized that he called her that. "I'd like you to call me something, too", he said and Louisa hummed.
"Really?", she asked as he nodded softly. "I don't know, it's not that I don't want to, but it's just that it's way out of character for you to have a pet name"
Michael huffed. "Say something sweet to me, woman", he said, lifting his head from her shoulder and glaring at her.
"I call you meanie, don't you like it?", she teased him as he rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, loser", Michael said, taking a piece of apple, looking away from him.
"Applehead, then", she said, making him turn around and gasp.
"Who told you that?", he said, almost standing up—too indignated to say anything else.
"Ashe told me they used to call you that", Louisa said, laughing at his expression.
Michael simply accepted defeat, sitting next to her again and nodding. "Alright, quite fair, we've got plenty of time for you to give me a proper name", he said and she smiled brightly at him.
"You're right, we've got long long years coming", Louisa said and pecked his lips. "I hope your mean self calms down at some point"
Michael snorted. "Never, if I ever am good at anyone at some point in my life, then you should probably be worried", he advised and Louisa wrinkled her nose.
"Ha, you're right", she laughed and then they looked at each other in silence, knowing well that they didn't say it out loud at every moment, they loved each other.
And even though the hard and rough times were now behind, there were many challenges ahead.
But now they weren't lonely, they had each other.
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A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING ME
I don't have words to say, since I'm pretty much emotional and happy that I've finished this book. Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to daddiescum for being the first one to ever vote and read me — and she's always the first one to read every chapter! You're gold, sweetheart, ily.
Now I'll probably go either to a short hiatus or write something new (or keep writing what's already published).
Life is unpredictable, but it's always filled with pleasant surprises. Let's be strong, everyone. Whatever hardships we're going through, there's always something better awaiting for us somewhere else.
Let's read each other next time, bye!