Chapter 40: Best.
"Good morning." I say into my phone.
"Good morning, wifey. How are you feeling?" Zachary asks as I check the time on the clock.
It's 6am.
I'm getting married in like five hours and I couldn't be more excited than I already am.
The Bahamas is beautiful. The serenity and peace here is something else. Since we're having a destination wedding, the guests are just going to be family and friends, just like I wanted it.
"I feel fine. I can't wait to marry you." I tell him, blushing.
"I can't wait to marry you too." He replies.
"Valarie!!!" I hear my mother say as she knocks on the door. "Are you awake?" She asks.
"My mom is here. I gotta go. I love you." I tell Zachary.
"I love you t-" I hang up before Zachary can finish his sentence and I walk to the door and open it.
"Good morning, my angel." My mother says, smiling at me.
She's in a good mood today.
"Morning, Mom." I say as I walk back to my bed.
"Are you feeling okay?" My mother asks me as I sit on my bed.
"Yeah. The sun isn't up yet, but I feel fine." I tell her.
"I just wanted to check up on you before everything gets hectic." She says and I nod.
"How's Anna?" I ask her. I haven't seen my daughter since yesterday. I miss her chubby cheeks and her cute dimples.
"She's okay. She's with Abuela." My mother tells me and I nod.
"What would you like for breakfast?" She asks me and I think for a second.
"Some avocado toast." I tell her.
"Alright, I'll make it specially for you." She tells me and I walk up to her and hug her.
"Thanks, Mom. For everything." I tell her before I pull away. She kisses my forehead before she leaves the room.
I head to the shower and I run myself a hot bath. Today is going to stress me out, so I might as well start my day relaxing.
Nine o'clock rolls around quickly and I wonder where the time went. I'm currently getting my hair and makeup done and Alicia is taking pictures of me.
"You look beautiful." She says, smiling as she takes more pictures.
Anna starts crying and I ask Alicia to bring her to me. I start breastfeeding Anna and she stops crying immediately. She holds on to me as she suckles on my breast. The makeup artist takes a break and I stare at myself in the vanity mirror in front of me. I look so pretty and she's not even done yet. Staring at Anna, I see that her mouth is open and she's asleep. I hand her over to Alicia and the makeup artist resumes her work.
***
"Nieta, you look so beautiful." My Abuela says and I smile at her.
"Thank you, Abuela." I reply.
I am now wearing my wedding dress and I just came out of my room, so my family can see me. My mother is a crying mess and hasn't been able to form a sentence since she saw me.
"The car is out front." My father says and Alicia helps me hold my veil. As expected, she is my maid of honor.
I take my time as I walk to the car. I get into the limo with Alicia's help and she gets in after me.
"Are you nervous?" She asks me as the car starts moving.
"Yeah. But it's a good kind of nervous." I tell her.
"It's going to go great. Nothing can ruin this day." She says, holding my hand.
"Except rain. That'll ruin everything." I say and she laughs.
"It's not going to rain." She says, chuckling.
"You don't know that." I tell her and she squeezes my hand.
"It's okay to be nervous, Vee. You're about to make an irreversible decision. A lifelong one. You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Alicia asks, concerned.
"No, never." I tell her.
"Then it'll be fine." Alicia tells me.
We sit in silence for a few minutes before the car comes to a halt. Alicia looks out the window and she squeals.
"It's so beautiful, Vee." She tells me as she stares out the window.
***
Lana Del Rey's "Love." plays as I walk down the aisle with my dad by my side. Zachary looks breathtaking. I see Zachary wipe his eyes as he stares at me.
This man is crying.
"Here you go." My father says before he hands me to Zachary.
"Thank you." Zachary tells my father before taking my hand. "You look breathtaking." He whispers to me.
I mouth the words "Thank you." back to him.
"We are gathered here to join Mr. Zachary and Valarie Henderson in holy matrimony." Pastor Miguel says and I smile. He's my Abuela's pastor.
He quotes some Bible verses and gives a short speech about love and tolerance.
"Now, the couple will exchange their vows." Pastor Miguel says as he steps back into the wedding arch.
Zachary clears his throat before he starts speaking.
"Vee, everyday I wake up with you in my life is a blessing. You are such a force. An irresistible, breathtaking, sweep-me-off-my-feet kinda force." He says and I giggle.
"You're a firecracker. Your love for me is the eighth wonder of the world." He says and the crowd laughs. "I am in complete awe at the fact that you can love a man as complicated and fucked up as I am. The mere thought alone, that your love for me hasn't faltered since we met, shows how enduring and committed you are to loving me. Standing here in front of all these people, I can proudly say, without a doubt that you're my person and I am so honored that you have given me the privilege of doing life with you. From this day, I vow to cherish you, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, so help me God." He says, smiling at me.
It's my turn.
Whew.
Okay, no pressure. I'll try my best not to cry, but I can't promise anything.
"Trouble, you made my life a living hell." I say and everyone laughs including Zachary. "Loving you wasn't a bed of roses for me. In the beginning of our relationship, I almost died and had to avoid you for two years. It's ironic now because I wouldn't mind dying for you. I was called dumb and stupid for sticking by your side when everybody wrote you off. And I don't regret it one bit. You're my first love and my last. I vow to be your biggest fan and supporter. To love you on your good days and bad. To care for you like a mother and to be loyal to you like a best friend. From this day, I vow to cherish you, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, so help me God." I say as tears pool in my eyes.
"May I have the rings please?" Pastor Miguel says and the ring bearer hands him the rings. Pastor Miguel opens the box and lets Zachary pick a ring. Zachary picks up my wedding ring and I stare at it in admiration.
It's huge.
Zachary wasn't kidding when he said my wedding band would shock me. The ring is a thick diamond band. It has an engraving that says "V&Z forever." Zachary slides the ring on my ring finger and I look down at the ring, watching it glisten. I grab Zachary's ring from the box and slide it on his finger.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Pastor Miguel says and I smile at Zachary. "You may kiss your bride." He tells Zachary, taking a step back.
Zachary has this sinister smile on his face. He caresses my cheeks before he grabs my neck and leans into me. He takes my lips in his and the crowd cheers. A lone tear falls from my eye as we kiss.
"My man." I hear Chad yell and I try my hardest not to laugh.
When we pull away, I take Zachary's hand in mind and we face the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson." Pastor Miguel says and everyone stands up as they clap.
Zachary and I walk down the aisle as flower petals are thrown at us. I wave at my friends and family with a huge smile on my face.
***
As I walk into the reception hall, my mouth drops. Astrid has outdone herself. It's beautiful. And it fits the theme of my wedding which is 'Tropical Paradise'.
"It's so beautiful." I tell Zachary as we walk in. Our friends and family clap and scream as we walk inside.
The DJ introduces us and then we get seated. He tells us it's time for our first dance and I see Miley Cyrus.
There's no way this is real.
Zachary leads me to the dance floor and wraps his hand around my waist. I place my neck around his neck and I ask him what Miley Cyrus is doing at our wedding. He just laughs as the intro to "Adore You." plays.
"No way." I say, staring at Zachary, about to cry again. "You remembered?" I ask him and he nods.
When we were dating in the ninth grade he asked me what song I'd like to have my first dance to and I told him "Adore You." by Miley Cyrus. And now here she is, at our fucking wedding singing the song.
This is the best day of my life.
As Miley sings Zachary and I sway along with the music as he plants kisses on my neck.
This feels like a fairytale and I don't want it to end. I can't wrap my head around the fact that Zachary is my husband now. It's so wild.
After we're done with the dance, Zachary and I take a picture with Miley before she leaves and we carry on with the reception. When it is time for the speeches, Zachary and I are seated at a long table with our family members. I am now wearing a short strapless white dress and Zachary still has his suit on, he just took his jacket and tie off.
Adam hits the glass with his spoon signaling the room that he was about to speak. He grabs the microphone and stands up from his seat.
"I'm not gonna make this speech all sappy because the others have been. Alicia, I am talking about you." Adam says and everyone laughs. When Alicia gave her speech, she literally cried more than she spoke.
"Valarie, you're an amazing friend and I know you'll be an even more amazing wife. And I'm not saying this because I'm your best friend. No, I'm saying because I've known you since kindergarten and you're the only one who gave a shit about why I always ate alone at lunch. You're the only one who cared, Vee. And that is your superpower. You're a carer, Vee. Even for the people who don't deserve your empathy and love, you still show it to them. You're an amazing mother." He says and I wipe my eyes with a tissue. Zachary rubs the small of my back when he notices me crying.
"Even though I'm still gonna give you shit for naming your daughter after a Disney princess." He quips and I chuckle.
"Fuck off, Adam." I tell him and everyone laughs.
"I wish you and Zee boy over here, a long and healthy marriage. Because the road here was toxic as fuck, but you guys made it work. So, here's to you." Adam says, raising his glass up before he drinks it.
Music starts playing and the guests enter the dance floor and start dancing. I watch my parents dance and I smile as I look at them.
"We finally did it, Vee." Zachary says as he holds my hand.
"We sure did." I tell him.
"Wanna go join them?" He asks me and I nod.
"Hell yeah." I say before I stand up.
Zachary and I head to the dance floor and we dance with our friends and family.
How I feel right now is unexplainable. I am finally at peace and I am surrounded by my family, celebrating I and Zachary's love. It doesn't get much better than this.