STELLA
Alex and Ava’swedding took place in early October, at a gorgeous vineyard in Vermont. Stunning red, orange, and yellow foliage transformed the setting into an autumnal fairytale, and the beautiful sky draped over us like a sheet of azure, sun-warmed silk.
Bridget, Jules, and I stood on one side of the extravagant floral wedding arch in matching bridesmaid dresses while Alex, Josh, Rhys, and Christian stood on the other.
Originally, Alex had wanted no groomsmen other than a best man, but Ava had convinced him otherwise.
A rustle of leaves kicked up before the familiar strains of the wedding march filled the air and Ava appeared.
I didn’t cry in public often, but moisture prickled my eyes when she walked down the aisle on Ralph’s arm.
Ralph was Alex’s old Krav Maga instructor and the closest Alex and Ava had to a parent these days. They visited him every Thanksgiving, and his face glowed with emotion as if she were his real daughter.
“Am I crying?” Jules whispered next to me. “Can’t tell if it’s the wind or not.”
“No,” I said through my smile. I didn’t look at her, afraid any movement would break the well containing my tears. “Am I?”
“No…well, a little. But our mascara is waterproof, so it’s okay.”
“Shh,” Bridget hissed. “No one is crying.” She discreetly wiped a tear from her cheek.
Ava drew closer.
The skirt of her gorgeous mermaid-shaped gown trailed behind her in a cloud of soft tulle, lace, and silk, adorned with ripple-like textures that resembled the crests of ocean waves.
Her face was radiant, her eyes bright and her smile brighter still.
She looked so beautiful and happy my chest warmed until I no longer felt the fall chill.
Bridget had been the first of my friends to get married, but Ava’s wedding hit on a different level. She and Alex had perhaps the darkest pasts and the rockiest path toward their happily ever after. Seeing them overcome all of that to finally be together was incredible.
Across from us, Alex resembled a statue in his stillness. He was always attuned to Ava, but in that moment, he looked at her like the world was the night sky and she was the only star in existence.
For once, his eyes weren’t hidden beneath a layer of ice. Love shone through, so clear and bright it eclipsed the sun.
It intensified when Ava reached the altar, and he murmured something that made her cheeks pink with pleasure.
Their eyes lingered on each other before they faced the pastor, who began the official ceremony.
“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate Alex Volkov and Ava Chen in holy matrimony…”
While his speech continued, my eyes connected with Christian’s.
Our lips curved and our gazes lingered before we turned our attention back to the wedding.
The old, insecure me would’ve kept checking to confirm he was still there and that he wasn’t a fantasy I’d concocted.
The present me knew he wasn’t.
He was real, and no matter what happened, he would always be there.
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