Page 117 of Freeing the Wild
Olivia takes a sip of her champagne.“You and Haden are written in the stars.Did you expect anything less?”
I glance in the mirror behind me to study my vintage dress.The lace-covered top is fitted, long sleeves billow to my sides, and the skirt falls in soft flowy tulle to the ground.The back is wide open to my waist with vintage buttons beyond my hips.I’m not wearing a veil; just a floral crown.All the men are wearing dark jeans and white button-downs with their trademark cowboy boots.It’s sweet.Simple.Perfectly us.
I hear the harpist begin to play and my mama pokes her head into the tent.
“Knock knock.Someone is ready to walk down the aisle with Mama.”She smiles, holding Quinn’s hand.My baby is glowing; her little dress is white and fluffy to her mid-shin and the same flowers that are on my lacy top cover her arms.On her head, she wears the same baby’s breath crown as me.Everyone tells me she is my mini-me.And, in this moment, I see it.
“Mama is so pretty,” Quinn says, running to me and jumping into my arms.I hug her close as my mama approaches.She’s already crying as she grips both sides of my face.
“Mama,” I scold.“I can’t ruin my makeup yet.”
She sniffs.“I know, baby.I just … I want you to know how blessed I feel to have been given this second chance at life.To live close to you girls.You’re both so happy, and I’m just so happy for you.”She chokes back a sob.“Your daddy would be so proud of you both.”I squeeze her hand as she turns to the room.“I’m proud of all of you girls, really.I really feel like I’ve watched you all go through life.Witnessed you all experience happiness, sadness, change.Through it all, you stay close.And well, I just love you all.”
CeCe sniffs and rises to hug my mama.“We love you too, Glenda.”
I kiss Quinn on the cheek.
“Can we marry Daddy now?”she whispers to me, loud enough for the room to hear.
I smile as the girls laugh.“Yes, baby, we can.”
We make our way out of the tent to the back of the aisle and I watch all my girls—women I am proud to call my best friends—walk before me.CeCe, Ginger, Olivia, then finally Ivy.
My mama locks arms with me and kisses my cheek.I look down at Quinn squinting up at me in the midday sun as she holds my hand.She isn’t the flower girl.She’s my best girl.When she smiles at me, I see myself as a child.I see all the dreams that once lived in my heart that have now come true: an amazing partner, a fulfilling career doing exactly what I love, and two children that light up my soul.
As we begin to walk and I see Haden with tears in his eyes at the end of the aisle under that big old oak tree, standing beside his own father and Papa Dean.I see all the happiness I could ever want and all the dreams we haven’t dreamed yet that we’ll dream together.I smile at him through my own tears, knowing I’ll never need to fake it ’til I make it again.
Here goes nothing.
