It Wasn't Meant To Turn Out Like This

The background noises of excited woman chattering faded to a dull murmur as Mayza watched Mae eagerly suck the milk from her bottle. Mayza sat in front of a mirror surrounded by a semi-circle of lights at a vanity in the room of the church where the bridesmaids and bride were getting ready. Mae looked up at Mayza out of her innocent chocolate brown eyes and Mayza found it hard to believe she could love something so new to the world as much as she did. And, on top of it all, she was a bride today. It felt surreal.

Behind her, Gena stood putting the finishing touches on her hair. The previous day, before the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, Gena wanted to try out some different styles on Mayza’s hair. After attacking Mayza’s hair with a straightening iron for two hours straight, Gena finally got Mayza’s hair straight and then pulled half of it back into a braid, onto which Gena stuck a few fake flowers. Without trying anything else, Mayza told Gena that she wanted it in that style for the wedding.

Mae finished her bottle and Mayza sat it on the vanity. Mae stretched and then settled into Mayza’s arms, looking ready for a nap. Over the past two weeks, Mayza had been pumping breast milk like crazy so she would have a good stock for the wedding. It was impossible to breast feed in her dress. They learned that the hard way when Mayza had tried on the dress and Mae conveniently got hungry so Mayza had to hurriedly change back to feed her baby.

Mayza chose Gena, Lacey, Val, and Leana as her bridesmaids, with Val as her maid of honor. Brian chose his four band mates as groomsmen, with Jimmy as best man.

“Okay, this show goes on the road in ten minutes,” Val called out.

Mayza smiled down at her daughter. Ten minutes, and she would be changing her life forever, marrying the man she loved and adored with all her heart.

“Make-up check,” Gena demanded and Mayza looked up at her so she could make sure Mayza’s make-up was up to snuff. She passed inspection and Gena moved on.

“C’mere, gorgeous,” Suzy cooed, sweeping over to take Mae. She had kindly agreed to watch the baby during the ceremony. Suzy and Senior had both instantly doted on the baby, as did everyone else. Mae was quite the little charmer, despite being only three months old. Mayza had a feeling there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Mae was her father’s daughter when she got older.

“She just took a bottle,” Mayza told Suzy as she gently passed Mae into her grandmother’s arms. “It should last her through the ceremony and pictures, but she might need another one at the beginning of the reception, unless she decides to be a booger and demands one between now and then.”

“Oh, she’s pure perfection,” Suzy gushed, pressing a kiss to her granddaughter’s forehead. “Speaking of which, you look gorgeous, Mayza. You’ll knock that son of mine right off his feet.”

“I’m afraid I already have, Suzy,” Mayza answered with a smile.

“Alright, everyone, let’s line up,” Val yelled out. Suzy gave Mayza a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before turning and hurrying out of the room to take a seat in the sanctuary. All the ladies filed out into the hall as the guys, minus Brian, stepped out of a room further down the hall. Everyone lined up in order on either side of the door. Gena fixed Mayza’s skirt and then linked elbows with Zacky. Moments later, the music began and Val and Jimmy began their trip down the aisle.

Within moments, Mayza stood by herself out in the hall. She clutched the bouquet of black and white roses in her hand. The color scheme of the wedding had been black and white. The bridesmaids wore alternating black and white dresses; the groomsmen, in turn, wore alternating black and white ties. Mayza smiled to herself as she thought back on the look on Brian’s face when she had told him in honor of the color scheme, she’d be wearing black underwear underneath her dress.

Mayza and Brian had long since agreed that they felt sorry for the people who booked a cabin anywhere near theirs. Since they lived in a pretty warm climate, Mayza wanted to go somewhere new and exotic, at least to them, so they had booked a cabin for two weeks at a gorgeous ski resort in North Dakota. Jimmy had joked that the two of them would have to be careful, or else they’d set off an avalanche. Mayza had a fantasy of making love to Brian on a bearskin rug in front of the burning fireplace, but the cabins were very modern and probably didn’t have a bearskin rug in the first place.

Mayza inhaled and exhaled slowly as the bridal music began to pour from the organ. Senior had volunteered to walk Mayza down the aisle, but she had declined. She felt that maybe it was disrespect to her deceased father to have another man walk her down the aisle, especially the man who had bought her as a slave. Mayza knew Senior never viewed her as a slave, but still. She could walk herself down the aisle. It would not tarnish her wedding day.

Mayza walked through the double doors into the sanctuary.

A white velvet walkway led up to the podium where the wedding party and the preacher stood. Mayza slowly raised her eyes from the standing guests to meet Brian’s gaze from across the room. He smiled as their gazes met, his eyes twinkling. Mayza smiled back as she started down the aisle, never losing eye contact with the man who would be her husband.

Brian extended a hand towards her as Mayza neared the podium. She accepted it and stepped up onto the podium, handing the bouquet to Val so her other hand could slip into Brian’s remaining hand.

The better part of the wedding ceremony flew by in a blur. Before Mayza knew it, the two of them were reciting their vows and putting on the rings.

“Do you, Brian Elwin Haner Jr., take Mayza Haner as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Mayza Haner, take Brian Elwin Haner Jr. as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

For a brief moment, Mayza tore her gaze away from Brian’s eyes to take a visual sweep of the room. Her eyes fell upon Suzy, McKenna, and Senior first, with Mae lying peacefully sleeping in Suzy’s arms. Suzy, McKenna, and Senior had been her family for the little while that she’d been on Earth. They had shown her compassion and companionship, letting her know not all humans were evil, foreign creatures with cruel hearts. They had given her freedom, and perhaps the best of all, had introduced her to their amazing son.

And here, standing on this podium, were her family as well. Everyone standing either behind her or across from her behind Brian had shown her friendship and kindness. And to think that she would have the privilege of spending her entire life with them!

Mayza smiled as her gaze focused on Brian once more.

“I do.”