‹ Prequel: Maid of Honor
Sequel: The Newlyweds
Status: Complete ♥

The Bride

Twenty-One ♥

I stared at my reflection as I finished my make-up for the rehearsal dinner tonight. I was still a little shaken from my fight with John earlier. His words ran through my head over and over again. I’m not so sure anymore. What did he even mean by that? It killed me that he had said that simple sentence. I just wanted more than anything for this to be put behind us.
I took one last look at myself in the mirror. My brown waves were slowly turning back blonde. I huffed and shook my head. I looked completely different from the girl I was a month ago. I wore more eye make-up than I used to, I wore more dresses, less converse and vans, and definitely carried more girly products. Oddly enough, I was ashamed of myself. I took a big, deep breath, and I turned around out of my bathroom. My heels clanked against the hardwood floor, my heart pounded louder with each step. Eventually, I ended up at John’s bedroom door. I knocked softly, and waited for a response. I heard the guitar stop from the other side , and his feet bring him over to the door.
“Hi…” I trailed off, feeling awkward. John just pushed the door open further, and he turned around without another word. “I’m sorry,” I said the second I sat down on his bed beside him. I didn’t get a response at all. John didn’t even look at me. He was staring straight ahead at the wall. “Say something, please?”
He huffed, and put his hands over his face.
“I love you, Dorinda, but you’re pushing my limits. You’re spreading me way too thin, baby.”
“I realized that…and I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I should have never taken that trainer position at Robby’s gym. I should have talked to you about it first. I realize how selfish I was being…” I trailed off. John still wasn’t looking at me. “Johnny…baby…please look at me?”
“I…I was being pretty selfish too.” He finally admitted after his eyes connected with mine. “I shouldn’t have blown up at you like that. It’s just that…you’re changing so much. It-it scares me, Dorinda. What happened to the girl I knew in high school? The girl who has blonde hair and that infectious smile two months ago? I want her back.”
“I’m still here, John,” I replied. “I just now realized that I’ve missed her more than I thought.”
John cracked a smile.
“Really?”
“Oh course,” I smiled back at him. “I won’t go back to gymnastics if you don’t want me too.”
“Of course I want you to go…” He trailed off. “But I don’t want it to run your life again,”
“It won’t,” I promised.
“Then after our honeymoon, we’ll sit down and talk to Robby about it,”
I smiled widely and I cupped John’s face in my hands.
“I love you so much, John.”
“I love you too, Dorinda.” He smiled before he kissed me softly. “Are you ready to go to our rehearsal dinner now?”
I nodded.
“Yeah. I am,” I agreed. John stood up and held out his hand. I took it quickly, and laced our hands together. “You look amazing by the way,”
“I figured we should match somewhat,” John blushed. “You look gorgeous,”
“Thanks, Johnny,” I replied.



“Can I just say how excited I am for this?” Momma Ohh stated five minutes after John and I had arrived at our rehearsal. John chuckled and placed a kiss in my hair.
“I’m excited too,” I replied with a wide smile.
“Took you crazy kids long enough,” My dad stated playfully. His house nurse was sitting by his side just in case he was having problems with his wheelchair.
I rolled my eyes, and John laughed.
“I can’t believe it’s Saturday,” Maria giggled. “My little Dorinda’s growing up,”
“I’m older than you,” I laughed, shaking my head.
The girl rolled her eyes.
“Oh…whatever,”
Kennedy laughed and placed a kiss on his wife’s cheek.
“I’m glad that everyone’s here,” John whispered in my ear. I blushed lightly, and I nodded. John chuckled to himself as everyone started drinking some more whine.
“I’m glad that Kendra could make it. Look at her and Pat,” I whispered back. John and I creeped on the cute, and innocent couple. They looked adorable together.
“I’d like to say something to the lovely couple,” Julie stated, standing up. Everyone got quiet and gave the blonde their attention. She smiled sweetly at the two of us. “First of all, I would say something to Dorinda. Thank you for stopping John from making the biggest mistakes of our lives. If we didn’t stop at the altar, we wouldn’t be where we are today. You two are absolutely perfect together, and I don’t think anyone else would want to change that. So I want to propose a toast to the best couple I know, Dorinda and John.” She finished. Everyone brought up their glasses, and toasted to us, making me feel awkward and the center of attention, which I wasn’t good at.
After some more toast, John pushed out his chair, and stuck out his hand.
“Do you care to join me for a dance?”
I smiled.
“I would love to,” I replied, settling my hand in his, and he pulled me up. Two Steps Behind by Def Leppard had just started when we reached the center of the room. Even if it was only our family and closest friends, I still felt awkward with everyone staring at us. I don’t know what it is about people staring at me that made me uncomfortable, but it always did.
One of John’s arms wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly to his body, while the other held me hand softly, and my other hand was placed around his neck. We swayed in silence. We made eye contact the entire time with smiles on our faces. I knew that even though we had our argument earlier, all was forgiven. I couldn’t stay mad at John, and he couldn’t stay mad at me. That is the way that we’ve always been. That’s why we just work. Maybe that should have been the first clue toward us. Why didn’t I realize that I loved John after our first kiss? Why didn’t I realize that something more was there when we had sex more than once in the same night when we were teens? I should have seen us coming. I should have been with John for a whole lot longer than just a month. And I plan to be with him for longer. I plan to be with John for forever.
“What are you thinking about, beautiful?”
“If I’m honest…you…us,”
“Hmm…not having second thoughts?” He joked.
“Never,” I smiled at him. “How could I have not realized how much I love you sooner?”
John shrugged simply, and turned us around some.
“I have no idea. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I’ve known you,”
“That night…at the field…that should have made me realize it. I should have known that we were meant to be together for the rest of our lives…but I didn’t. I didn’t even think love existed for me. Why did it take me years to realize it?”
“You were so dead set on the idea that you forgot to even give love a try.” He answered wisely.
“You’re too perfect, O’Callaghan.”
“I’m far from perfect, but as long as I’m perfect for you, I don’t care about anything else.” He replied before kissing me softly.
♠ ♠ ♠
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Check out my Jonathan Cook fics: The Way She Moves, I Don't Want This To Fade Away, As Easy As It Came, and coming soon, Baby, I'm A Lightweight

♥ Rae