"One would think Hailey was the one you were marrying," Nicholas joked and Astra laughed lightly. Astra was beautiful, mind-blowing, and she was going to be his wife. He had been nervous when he stood on the alter and was waiting for her. He could not explain the fear that he had, the fear that Astra would suddenly not be there. He loved her, he needed her so much. Nicholas was not sure he could function without her, at least not anymore. And when she finally arrived with her father, he was relieved, happy and glad. She looked like an angel and he was so lucky to have her as a wife.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to observe the holy matrimony of Nicholas and Astra," the priest said. Nicholas was barely listening anymore, he just wanted to marry her and be done with it, he wanted her to have his name and to love him forever.
"Do you Astra take Nicholas Michealson to be your lawfully wedding husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The priest asked Astra.
"I do," Astra said.
"Do you Nicholas Michealson, take Astra to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickess and in health, til death do you part?" The priest asked Nicholas. He looked straight into Astra's eyes and said. "Yes, I do."
"Do you have a token to symbolize your love for each other?" The priest asked.
"Yes we do," both Nicholas and Astra replied and then Brian came out with his little suit holding the rings out. Nicholas took the rings from him and gave him the rings. He blessed them and gave them back to exchange. Nicholas smiled at his wife as he placed the ring on her finger. She smiled back at him as she placed his ring on his.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the priest said and claps of celebration rang loud in the crowd. Nicholas was not listening to any of it, he held Astra and looked straight into her eyes as he kissed her lips softly. Finally, she was his wife, there was really nothing that felt better.
For a while, Nicholas forgot that they were in public and continue to suck on her lips. Astra did not help matters as she responded very well to him. It took the priest clearing his throat to bring them apart.
The moved to the reception after the wedding. It was all very nice. Astra was able to drag her eyes away from Nicholas then and so how much of friends and family had attended the wedding, she saw some of her friends from college and even from when she worked with Trevor Abbey. Jared and Sarah were seated together with their son. She could see Stephanie with some hot guy. Astra truly wanted happiness for her friend. She hoped that Stephanie would find happiness at the end.
She saw her mother in-law with her son, Brian. She could see Charise and her husband with their two kids Hailey and Isla were still with her. Astra even spotted Thompson's baby mama and his daughter. She could see herself becoming friends with the woman, Nicholas had introduced them together.
"What are you looking at?" Nicholas asked her. They were both seated together and viewing the crowd.
"Oh, nothing really. I am just happy that we made it this far," Astra said.
"Well, I am thinking of when we will have the time to go for a honeymoon," Nicholas said to her and she chuckled.
"Hailey is just three months old, I cannot leave her for two weeks. We will figure something out," Astra said to Nicholas. They already had that conversation before then.
"We will have more kids by then," Nicholas grumbled and Astra shook her head.
"Says who?" Astra asked.
"We will see," Nicholas replied.
"Uhh, they are calling us for the first dance," Astra said and they both stood up and went to the dance floor.
"This is very lovely," Nicholas said as he put his hand around her waist and they moved to Ed Sheeran's Thinking out loud. Astra agreed, it was really lovely.
"You are not to call me for anything. Anything at all, I mean it, I deserve this vacation. I have not been on one in years. My flight is leaving in a few hours and I just wanted to brief you, so please don't call me, thank you," Astra said to her assistant. She had opened her law firm, after she got married, finally achieving her dreams. She hoped that the company would not crumble since she was leaving for two weeks.
"What if it is really really important, like the building is on fire?" Tricia her assistant asked. Astra knew that she was just trying to rile her up. There were not just boss and employee, they had become friends over the years.
"I am not a firefighter am I? It's not like I can put off the fire I was there. So don't call me. It is just two weeks, you will be fine. I am not even taking my phone, it will just be, nature and my hot husband so please, thank you. If you need anything ask Jared, he will he willing to help," Astra told Tiana and she disconnected the call before Tiana could make any more complaints. Astra was trying to tighten all lose ends before she travelled and it was not as easy as it seemed.
"What has gotten you all worked up babe?" Nicholas asked her as he he massaged her shoulders. She was seated on the chair in their room.
"You would think that I am the only one leaving a company behind. You are too, but it doesn't seem to affect you at all. Maybe we should not go? There is so much happening here, maybe next year? Six is really such a nice number," Astra said to her husband.
"You said that last year, and the year before. We have to go and you need this vacation. Besides, by next year we would have a baby that you would not want to leave behind," Nicholas said. Astra was not so sure herself it was early days and she had not told Nicholas about it.
"What? How did you know? Do you really think so?" Astra asked him all at once and Nicholas shrugged.
"I am sure and I know you, we can take a test when we arrive Italy," Nicholas said.
"Oh, that means I can not take any alcohol," Astra moaned.
"You will survive. We can take non-alcoholic drinks together," Nicholas suggested and she smiled.
"Sure, thank you. You do know that I love you right?" Astra asked her husband.
"And I love you right back," Nicholas said. He was bending to kiss her when they heard a loud crash below their room. Nicholas visibly winced.
"I am guessing Hailey and Hazel are at it again. Just try and get ready, I will see what they broke this time," Nicholas said. Astra thought that she might go crazy with worry.
"I am coming down. How are we supposed to leave this children alone? And it is summer break, they are not going to school," Astra said and she rushed down the stairs quickly.