Chapter 80 Wedding day
~After a few weeks~
As the solemn music played, everyone seated turned to look at the designated entrance as they expected Carter to show up.
In front of the congregation stood Derick, dressed in an emerald green suit, and behind him was Arthur, dressed in the same kind of suit, but about two shades lighter.
Happiness and joy flowed from within Derick as he waited patiently to see his husband and make him his for life.
In the congregation were Aurora and the kids, Brenda and Derick’s son, and a few friends from Derick’s workplace.
All of them wore green outfits, and so were the flowers, cards, and decoration. It all looked very beautiful and organized.
A priest stood in front of everyone, waiting to join the two men in holy matrimony.
Suddenly, the solemn music grew louder as Carter stepped into sight. He had an emerald green veil on his head, and he wore a suit to match, with lots of embellishments on it.
Everyone stood up as soon as he began to walk down the aisle to where Derick stood. Seeing him dressed like that, Derick couldn’t shake off the tears that threatened to roll out of his eyes.
Tears streamed out of his eyes as Carter moved closer and closer to him. And just when he got there, Derick moved closer to him and whispered in his ear;
“You’re so beautiful, Carter.”
Carter smiled softly and stared at him through the see-through veil he had on.
After Derick returned to his position, the priest took over.
“If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before God, as I have defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives to each other.”
“I want you to repeat after me, Mr. Derick.” He started, and Derick nodded, showing his readiness.
“I, Derick, take you, Carter, as my lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.”
After Derick said these words, the priest turned to face Carter, and they did the same thing.
“You will now exchange rings as a symbol of the lifelong commitment and abiding love which you as husband and wife have promised to each other. Please Derick, place the ring on Carter’s finger and repeat after me…”
“I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.”
After Derick said this, Carter also did the same, placing the ring on Derick’s finger too.
“Having said your vows, with the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss your husband!”
With cheering from the congregation, Derick moved closer to Carter. He slowly lifted the veil off his face, and when he saw his face and the cute little makeup he had on, fresh tears heated the back of Derick’s eyes.
Tears rolled down their cheeks as their lips touched.
“Yayyyyy!” The people applauded as they watched them kiss. Their lips trembled as they broke into tears of joy in each other’s arms.
“Finally, Carter. Finally!” He mumbled against his lips and embraced him tightly, kissing his head.
“I love you. I love you so much.” Derick mumbled.
Tears heated Aurora’s eyes as she watched how beautifully they sobbed against each other. “That is one true love,” She muttered, cleaning her eyes with her finger.
Just then, she was prompted to look back and when she did, she saw her mother seated at the back. Her eyes widened in awe and she approached her.
“What are you doing here? Who invited you?” She asked, reaching for her hand and pulling her away from the people.
“Wait. I overheard you talking about it with Arthur the day I came to visit you at home.” Rachel answered.
“But you weren’t invited. You shouldn’t be here.”
“I had to come so I could talk to you.”
“What else do you want to say? You’re always wanting to talk anytime we see each other. What else do you want to say?” Aurora asked in frustration.
“I want to know how you got engaged to Arthur! Didn’t you two hate each other??” Rachel inquired, and Aurora scoffed.
“So you’re here to poke your nose into my business? It’s best if you leave.” She turned to leave, but Rachel hastily held her hand, making her stop.
“I’m sorry, okay? I’m not trying to poke my nose into your business, I was just curious. Did I make you two fall in love? Maybe this will make me hate myself less.”
Aurora scoffed and shook her head. “You were selfish, and now you’re trying to justify that? No matter how good the relationship between Arthur and I is, it’s not your doing.”
Rachel gulped hard and nodded. “What can I do to make you forgive me?” She asked with remorse in her eyes.
Before she could respond, the kids appeared and hung around Aurora. Ryan stared at Rachel’s face, as she seemed pretty familiar to him, but he couldn’t really recall.
“I have to go now. You should leave.” Aurora replied, holding the boys as she turned to leave.
Rachel let her go, staring at her and the kids as they walked back to the party. She gulped hard and heaved a sigh.
“Maybe I should just disappear.” She muttered. She returned to the congregation to pick her bag so she could leave, and that was when Arthur saw her.
“Mrs Rachel?” He called, walking briskly to her.
“Don’t worry. I am leaving already.” She uttered with sadness as she headed out.
“What happened? Have you spoken to Aurora?” He asked as he followed behind her.
“Yes, and she doesn’t want me here or anywhere around her. I think I’ll just leave the way I did back then. She’s very happy without me, I shouldn’t ruin that.”
“So you’re just going to give up? She has every right to be mad at you. You never saw her as your priority.”
“What else can I do? I’ve been apologizing for almost a month now.”
“It doesn’t make up for how much you’ve hurt her, okay? You can’t just give up! Don’t you want to be there to witness the big day in her life?” Arthur further asked, causing Rachel to crease her brows.
“You mean her wedding day?”
“Of course. You need to be there because both of us don’t have anyone to stand as a parent for us. And you’re here! You have to make her forgive you and you have to show up to our wedding because it’s your responsibility, and you can’t run from it.”
After hearing this, Rachel let out a deep sigh and nodded. “Can you at least help me talk to her too?”
“I’m trying my best, okay? But you have to keep pushing and pressing. Except you really don’t care and want to give up on her.” Arthur answered.
Rachel nodded in understanding, and before Arthur could go away, she remembered that she wanted to discuss something with him.
“Lest I forget, do you know of a man that visits Aurora’s restaurant? Handsome? Long hair? About six feet tall?” She asked, and Arthur furrowed his brows.
The only image that came to his head as that of the man that dropped Aurora off that morning at the restaurant.
“No. Why?” He asked, and she hastily shook her head.
“It’s probably nothing. I should head back to the party.” She answered as she briskly walked away, leaving Arthur confused.
‘Why did she ask after him? Is there something I should know?’