Dirty Little Heart

Wedding Day.

 It was the day of the wedding. I was getting dressed with my bridesmaids. It was funny that I didn't have any family left to attend to this loveliest day of my life. But I guess it was alright. I did have a family I chose.

I slipped into my gown, and the makeup artist does the rest of the work.

"You look so beautiful, Anna," Hailey states, covering her mouth in appreciation and wiping off tears.

"Thank you, Hailey. It means a lot."

"So, nervous yet? Do you need to run? I can open that bathroom window for you if you're having second thoughts." Mai mocks me.

"Oh, shut up. I'm not having second thoughts. In fact, I've never been so sure about anything else before. Ethan is the man that I love, and I do want to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Uh uh, save this for the vows, sweety," Stella reverts.

"Hey, where are the ushers? We are supposed to be with them in 10 minutes!" Jay asked.

"They're gonna be here soon. Don't worry about it," Hailey says.

And finally, after a long chitchat, it was time to walk down the aisle. I was nervous, fucking nervous. I had no one to walk me down the path so, he came. Mr Polanski. He was more like a father to me, and he genuinely cared for Natalia and me.

It was terrible that she couldn't make it to the wedding, but I was going to meet her later.

The music starts, and Mr Polinski and I were standing at the end of the path. It was mostly covered, so no one could recognise we were there.

"Are you ready, dear?" he asks.

"I...I am." I smile at him and he lets out his arm for me to hold.

"You look beautiful, Anna. I wish Natalia's mother was here to see how amazingly she raised her daughters."

"Oh, Mr Polinski, I...thank you."

"It's time," he says.

After hearing the music grow louder and everyone standing up to see me, my heart was beating furiously. Just like a race car engine. Mr Polinski and I started walking and I finally see him standing at the stage.

I smiled at Ethan, who was trying to hold his tears back. All his ushers were telling him about how beautiful I was looking. And all Ethan could do was ignore them and focus on me.

The walk down the aisle felt like hours, but I eventually collide with him and Mr Polinski gives me away.

"Take good care of her Ethan,"

"I will."

I hold Ethan's hand and we both face the father for the ceremony.

"You look beautiful." Ethan says.

"Are we allowed to talk like this?" I ask him, smiling.

"Who cares as long as we don't?"

After the priest resumed the progress, I focused on Ethan. Thinking about what life would hold in the future.

"You may speak your vows," the priest says.

Ethan and I faced each other, and we laughed.

"Are we doing this?" he asks.

"Maybe," I say, trying to hold in my laughter myself.

He holds my hands close and tight, looking straight into my eyes.

"Anna, since the day I met you, I never thought I'll be spending the rest with you. Before you came along, I was a man, an ambitious one who cared nothing about but himself. You changed that for me. You made me better than I was before. And now, I need you to give me a chance to be better for us together. In sickness and in health, till death do us part."

I could see Mai and Hailey already started crying. I was about to burst, too. But I needed to let him hear what I had to say, too.

"You've given me a life I never thought I'll have, Ethan. And I couldn't give all of it back. That doesn't mean I'll never try. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, not because I had to, but because I knew I couldn't survive without you. Every single second we spent together made me realise only we can handle each other's behaviours. We can handle anything together. As long as we are together. I love you, Ethan. Even in sickness and in health, till death...do us apart."

"Do you take Annabelle Lockwood as your wife?"

"I do,"

"Do you, Annabelle Lockwood, take Ethan Cooper as your husband?"

"I do,"

Everyone was now ready to shout and cheer as hell.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Ethan doesn't waste seconds. He holds my waist and kissed me so aggressively, yet did it smoothly as everyone shouts congratulations.

We locked our lips for a few seconds before breaking apart.

"I Love you, Ethan Cooper."

"And I, you, Anabelle...Cooper."

We both share a kiss again and finally, the bridesmaids and ushers walked towards us, celebrating and wishing well. It was all so joyful. I never thought I'll be here in this part of my life with so many people around me.

This may not be my blood family, but it was everything that I wanted. And I love each one of them.

I was finally...happy.

Ethan held my hand close, and we all started dancing and celebrating together. Everyone was laughing, eating, drinking and literally getting on with each other.

Hailey and Stella found their party keeper. I guess they needed it, too.

It was our first dance together as husband and wife, Ethan, led me to the dance floor and swings my body alongside his.

"How're you doing, wife?"

"Better than you, I think." I say, smiling at him.

"You do not know how happy I am to call you fully mine, Anna. You do not know."

"I guess at some point I do."

I lean into him and kiss him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and melting into his body. After a few hours, we got ready to leave for our honeymoon. And no, I did not throw the bouquet just so the next person garbing it can get married,

For us all, it was all about fate and the choices we make. Our choices will lead us to something we need or deserve. And they knew it was a fact. Everyone enjoyed. Even Mr Polinski.

Ethan and I were getting in the car for our next destination to start our honeymoon.

Where?

Well, Hawaii.