Debbie

“For what it’s worth, I think you made the right decision in the end.”

I turned my head to see my mother standing behind me.

“Thanks, mom,” I said.

Then I gave myself another look in the mirror. I was standing there looking back at myself in the most beautiful wedding gown I had ever laid eyes on. I never thought I could look so gorgeous.

I started to cry.

“Don’t cry and mess up your makeup,” My mom said with a smile as she hugged me warmly. “You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

“You have to say that,” I said. “I’m your little girl, remember?”

“No, you are my big girl all grown up and marrying the man you love. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, mom.”

The knock came at the door.

“It’s time!” Lara’s voice shouted.

“Ok, let’s get you married,” my mom said.

A few minutes later I was being led down the aisle by my father to meet Paul who was standing at the altar. He looked amazing in his black tux. His hair looked perfect. He’d even shaved smoothly for the occasion foregoing his typical stubble. He looked like he could have been a male model.

I was so lucky.

The ceremony was short, but beautiful. I felt so nervous walking down the aisle with everyone looking at me, but now that I was there with Paul all of that faded away. Nothing in the world mattered but him.

It meant a lot to me that my family and friends had finally forgiven Paul. He’d shown them all the past six months how much he cared for me and our daughter. He was a great father. And I knew he was going to be an amazing husband.

I never thought I could be so happy.

Before I knew it the priest was asking me to say those two special words.

“Debbie, do you take Paul to have and to hold, through sickness and health, forsaking all others ‘till death do you part?”

“I do.”

He asked Paul the same question and he quickly said, “I do.”

“I now pronounce you man and wife.”

The words hung in the air for several moments.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the pastor said.

Paul looked in my eyes, then he slowly peeled back my veil and then he bent down and kissed me so softly, so sweetly.

The church erupted in applause.

“Ladies and gentleman I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Debbie Henry!”

I loved the way our names sounded together.

Paul looked over at me and winked with a huge smile on his face.

Then we both glanced to our left where we saw my mother holding Emily, our sweet, precious Emily, on her lap. Our daughter was smiling widely from ear to ear and clapping her cute little hands mimicking everyone else around her.

“She is so perfect,” I said.

“Yes, she is,” Paul agreed. “Our family is perfect.”

I tried not to cry but the tears won out in the end. It was the perfect fairy tale ending to the story of how we became a family. But even though we’d been through so much together, so many ups and downs, so many hard times and good times, I knew that this was all just the beginning of everything for us. Our story, our family, our lives together—all of it was just starting now.

And the future looked very bright.

Looking back on everything that had happened and the way it happened, I’m not sure I would have changed a thing.