Chapter Fifty

“You look stunning,” Soonja said, straightening Olivia’s veil around the shoulders.

Olivia stared at their reflection in the mirror. She did feel beautiful in her ivory mermaid wedding dress. She trailed her fingers over the lace and relished the feeling of the soft fabric. Soonja had helped her choose the dress. Olivia smiled remembering that day. Soonja, being Soonja, wanted an extravagant wedding dress fit for royalty. Olivia, on the other hand, insisted on a simple dress. She didn’t even care if it was a white evening gown and not an actual wedding dress. After all, they were going to have a beach wedding. “Can you imagine me trying to walk on the sand with a who knows how many meters train that is?” she had asked Soonja, pointing to the dress she wanted Olivia to have.

In the end, they had compromised. A wedding dress with an intricate lacy pattern (that Soonja liked) and short train and thin straps (that Olivia liked). Looking at herself in the mirror now, she knew they had chosen well. This was THE dress for her. She really felt like a bride in it, and she couldn’t wait to see Owen’s reaction.

She complemented her dress with her mother’s earrings as her “something old” and Soonja had helped her put on a gold necklace with blue stones earlier. “Your something borrowed and blue,” Soonja had told her. “I bought it the day I became a grandmother. I think it’s fitting, now that that brat of a grandson of mine is getting married,” she had added with teary eyes. Olivia had hugged her, not less emotional herself. Soonja had been like a mother to her for the past two years, ever since she found out she was pregnant to little Sonia. Always there for her, giving Olivia all the help she had needed. She knew she would forever be grateful to Soonja.

“Mama is pretty,” Sonia said, trying to wedge herself between the two women so that she could see herself in the mirror as well.

Soonja picked her great-granddaughter up quickly and stepped away from Olivia. “Let’s not mess with Mama’s beautiful dress now, okay?”

Olivia pecked her daughter’s cheek. “You’re prettier,” she said, which earned her a giggle from both Sonia and Soonja. Olivia stared at the pair for a moment. Her daughter had inherited Soonja’s eyes and of course was named after her—although they had decided to use a slight variation of the name—and Olivia hoped she would grow up to be as formidable as her great-grandmother one day.

“I think I am ready,” she said to Soonja.

“Great! I’ll take this little monster out and let everyone know,” she replied. “I’ll send Jude in.”

***

Olivia stepped out of the bungalow, Jude by her side, and admired the setting before her. For their wedding ceremony, Owen had booked the same hotel they had stayed on Bora Bora. Almost in its entirety, the hotel was reserved for the guests of Kim family, most of whom had arrived in private jets arranged by Owen. Security was tight to preserve the guests’ privacy and guards could be seen everywhere. Olivia was thankful for that. Although everything around her seemed extravagant, she still wanted her wedding to feel like a family event and having the media around would certainly not provide that feeling.

Half of the beach was covered with wooden planks so that walking was easier for the guests and row upon row of chairs had been set right and left, leaving only a narrow path in the middle, down which Olivia was about to walk. An arch decorated with white and blue lilies, the same type as in the bouquet she was now holding, indicated the beginning of the ‘aisle’ and there was a similar one at its end, where she could now see Owen waiting, in an elegant light-blue suit.

Soonja nodded and the small orchestra started playing. Two young girls walked down the aisle first, delicately strewing Olivia’s path with rose petals. When they reached the end of the aisle, they stood on either side of the arch waiting to rain the couple with flowers at the end of the ceremony. Jacky, Olivia’s best friend and bridesmaid, walked next holding a similar bouquet as Olivia’s but smaller. Olivia had chosen a blue gown for her friend that smugly hugged her figure and made her look beautiful.

“Our turn now,” Soonja said and gently urged Sonia, who was serving as the ringbearer today, to start walking. Soonja followed closely behind making sure that the rings would be delivered to the bride and groom and not get lost on the way.

Once they were both at the end of the path, Olivia turned to Jude. Her young brother was in a grey three-piece suit that made him look mature beyond his years. Today, he was stepping into their father’s shoes, taking on the responsibility of delivering the bride as the only man in their family. Olivia smiled. Her little warrior, the bravest person she had met in her life, was safe and healthy and standing next to her on the happiest day of her life. She raised her gaze to the sky for a moment and send a silent thank you to God and to her parents for guarding Jude from up there. “Ready?” she asked, looking back at him again.

Jude nodded. As they took the first step crossing the arch, the guests got up from their seats and turned to look at Olivia and Jude. By the looks and smiles she received, she knew she looked beautiful. As if in a slow rhythmic dance, she and Jude gracefully made their way down the path. Upon reaching the end, Jude turned to look at her. “I wish you a happy married life,” he said and gave her a quick hug.

“I love you, Jude,” Olivia said, just before her little brother took her hand to pass it to the groom as was customary.

Owen wiped his eyes before accepting Olivia’s hand and mouthed a thank you to Jude. Olivia took a step forward, handed her bouquet to Jacky, and then turned to face Owen. Meanwhile, Jude took his place behind Owen, serving as his best man as well. Soonja with Sonia stood by Olivia’s side, waiting for their cue to hand in the rings.

The minister started the ceremony by asking everyone to be seated. Olivia stared deep into Owen’s eyes and without realizing, her mind wandered back in time, reminiscing all the events they had been through ever since they met.

A squeeze on her hand brought her back to the present moment, suddenly aware that she had missed something. “What?” she mouthed to Owen.

He nodded towards the minister and Olivia realized she hadn’t heard anything from what the minister was saying. She turned her gaze to him, and the minister asked again, “Do you take Owen Kim as your husband?”

“I do! Of course, I do!” Olivia replied hastily. She took the ring from the small platter her daughter was holding and placed it on Owen’s finger.

The minister repeated his question to Owen. “With all my heart,” he replied and put the ring on Olivia’s finger too. Owen didn’t wait for the minister to say, “You may kiss the bride.” He had already wrapped his arms around her and, to the delight of the audience who started clapping and cheering, he kissed her passionately.

When he broke their kiss, he lifted Sonia high in the air, who giggled and asked her father to do it again and again. Olivia, the ever-watchful mother, cautioned him, although secretly enjoying the pair’s antics. She looked around her at the smiling faces of family and friends and felt her heart bursting with happiness. She wished this feeling lasted for the rest of her life.

***

An hour later, the party at the beach bar was in full swing, the guests dancing and drinking without a care in the world. Food and drinks were ample; Owen really hadn’t spared and made sure everything their guests might want was provided.

Jude walked towards the sea. He took a moment to roll the hem of his trousers a few times before taking the final steps to stand where the water started licking his feet. He looked out to sea, a beautiful turquoise blending with the pink and orange hues of the sunset. His sister’s laughter reached him, and he smiled in contentment. Olivia had given up so much in her life to take care of him and he was glad she was finally happy.

As for him, he was glad to still be alive. The Fatemaker had granted his wish…

THE END