I'll Never Feel Alone Again With You by My Side
One
The day was perfect: a clear blue sky met my eyes; my best friends were bustling around me, getting ready; and the most beautiful dress I could ever dream of was hanging in my closet. Plans were going smoothly and on schedule. But why wasn't I happy?
"You ready?"
"Yeah. Give me two minutes."
I sighed, gave myself a quick last glance in the mirror, and got dressed. The black dress was a bit unconventional, but it was the one I instantly fell for. It wasn't like traditional dresses: long flowing train or elegant bell sleeves. It was strapless and stopped at the back of my knees. As I said, I immediately fell in love with it.
"Do you, Emily Taylor Yorke, take Alexander to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I...I...
I looked around the chapel and found one of my best friends. He smiled supportively, and I continued searching.
He's not here.
I gazed up at Alex and felt a twinge of shame in my stomach. "I...I can't. I'm sorry."
With that, I handed my sister the bouquet of roses and hurried down the aisle. Matt held out his keys, and I grabbed them on the way. I could hear people whispering as I opened the doors; the bright sunshine blinded me temporarily. I ran as well as I could in high heels to Matt's truck and started it up. I tossed my heels onto the passenger seat and drove away. After parking, I walked up to the house and knocked twice. When I get no answer, I began pounding on the door with my fist. Finally, he answered in just jeans and no shirt.
"E.T.? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting married?"
"Yeah, but not to Alex."
"Then...who?"
"You. You are the only one I want to marry. I didn't realize that till five minutes before I was supposed to say 'I do.'" I paused. "Y'know, if you were at the church, this would've been so much easier."
"Yeah, well, I couldn't watch my best friend that I've given my heart to without her knowing, marry someone who is so not right for you. But, E.T., honey, you---"
"I love you. More than anyone. Yes, even more than Matt. He's the one who helped me see that you and you alone, were the one I loved more than anyone could ever be loved."
He pulled me to him and kissed me. I ran my fingers through his wet hair and breathed in his fresh-out-of-the-shower smell.
"I don't want Alex. I want you."
"Damn it, Emily. I want you more than you know. But I think we've got an audience."
I turned and saw everyone, my ex-fiancé included. He stepped forward and handed my best friend the rings.
"Marry her before she slips away."
"Emily Taylor Yorke, will you be my wife?"
"If you say no, I'll kill you!" my sister shouted.
I laughed. "We don't have a minister."
"Yes, you do."
"Daddy!"
"Mr. Yorke, make her marry me."
"Emily, say yes, or you're grounded."
I looked at my best friend. "Of course I'll marry you. That's the whole point behind me running from the church to find you and tell you how I felt."
"Oh. I didn't know that."
I smiled. "I do."
With these words, I went from Miss Emily Taylor Yorke to Mrs. Zachary James Baker.
"You ready?"
"Yeah. Give me two minutes."
I sighed, gave myself a quick last glance in the mirror, and got dressed. The black dress was a bit unconventional, but it was the one I instantly fell for. It wasn't like traditional dresses: long flowing train or elegant bell sleeves. It was strapless and stopped at the back of my knees. As I said, I immediately fell in love with it.
"Do you, Emily Taylor Yorke, take Alexander to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I...I...
I looked around the chapel and found one of my best friends. He smiled supportively, and I continued searching.
He's not here.
I gazed up at Alex and felt a twinge of shame in my stomach. "I...I can't. I'm sorry."
With that, I handed my sister the bouquet of roses and hurried down the aisle. Matt held out his keys, and I grabbed them on the way. I could hear people whispering as I opened the doors; the bright sunshine blinded me temporarily. I ran as well as I could in high heels to Matt's truck and started it up. I tossed my heels onto the passenger seat and drove away. After parking, I walked up to the house and knocked twice. When I get no answer, I began pounding on the door with my fist. Finally, he answered in just jeans and no shirt.
"E.T.? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting married?"
"Yeah, but not to Alex."
"Then...who?"
"You. You are the only one I want to marry. I didn't realize that till five minutes before I was supposed to say 'I do.'" I paused. "Y'know, if you were at the church, this would've been so much easier."
"Yeah, well, I couldn't watch my best friend that I've given my heart to without her knowing, marry someone who is so not right for you. But, E.T., honey, you---"
"I love you. More than anyone. Yes, even more than Matt. He's the one who helped me see that you and you alone, were the one I loved more than anyone could ever be loved."
He pulled me to him and kissed me. I ran my fingers through his wet hair and breathed in his fresh-out-of-the-shower smell.
"I don't want Alex. I want you."
"Damn it, Emily. I want you more than you know. But I think we've got an audience."
I turned and saw everyone, my ex-fiancé included. He stepped forward and handed my best friend the rings.
"Marry her before she slips away."
"Emily Taylor Yorke, will you be my wife?"
"If you say no, I'll kill you!" my sister shouted.
I laughed. "We don't have a minister."
"Yes, you do."
"Daddy!"
"Mr. Yorke, make her marry me."
"Emily, say yes, or you're grounded."
I looked at my best friend. "Of course I'll marry you. That's the whole point behind me running from the church to find you and tell you how I felt."
"Oh. I didn't know that."
I smiled. "I do."
With these words, I went from Miss Emily Taylor Yorke to Mrs. Zachary James Baker.