Absence makes the heart grow stronger
I look in the mirror. The white flowing dress fits perfectly. I'm partly glad my dress got ruined because standing here in my mother's wedding dress feels so right. The full length skirt glitters in the sunlight coming through the tall bay window beside me. The beach front property is the perfect venue for our wedding. Wedding, the word sends a shiver down my back. In just under three hours I'm going to be Mrs Kate Houghton Beckett Castle, and I am so excited. The amount of times I have denied my obvious feelings for him has all lead to this.
The only thing that could make this already great day better was if my mother could be with me but it is just something I cannot change. A small tear escapes down my cheek. A quiet knock on the door pulls me from my cascade of thoughts. After wiping away all traces of the tear, I open the door. I open it to find Martha standing before me. " Oh darling you look gorgeous, oh just spectacular. I have a present for you." We walked over to the mirror. She hands me a small box. I opened the box and removed a blue topaz earring. "Martha they're beautiful." I whispered. " They were passed down through many generations on their wedding day, and I am passing it on to my daughter." A huge smile spread across my face. I am overjoyed. I slip the earrings on and turn towards the mirror. They are so pretty. She snakes her arms round me and pulls me in to a warm embrace. Shortly after that another knock on the door is heard. Alexis and Lanie enter all dressed and ready. All we are waiting for now is the love of my life.
Twenty minutes later my phone begins to jingle. Richards ringtone is wedding bells, per his request. I jog over to it and answered. "Rick, where are you? The wedding is in a few hours." " I'm twenty minutes out, I have the marriage licences and I'm all set. I will be there soon Babe." I clicked off the call. It was only going to be a bit longer. The excitement was becoming to much to bear. Alexis is running left and right making sure everything is perfect, she's going to be the best daughter-in-law. Me, Martha and Lanie are just sitting drinking champagne and talking about our honeymoon. "We still haven't decided." I said. "Girl, you two our the most difficult and indecisive people I know and you don't have long to decide." Lanie remanded. I think she has had too much champagne already and we haven't even gotten the party started yet.
It has been an hour and Castle hasn't arrived. "Where is he?" I asked. I try his phone, nothing, straight to voicemail. " He would never turn his phone off." Alexis exclaimed. "and especially on your wedding day darling." Martha said, comforting me. It didn't help though. I was still worried. I kept trying him. Time was running out, I was on the verge of going outlandish finding him myself. But just then the phone rang. It wasn't wedding bells. It was a local number. I answered the phone with caution. "Detective Beckett?" "Speaking." "We found a car registered to Richard Castle, alight in a ditch." The rest of the phone call was a blur. The call ended and I fall to my knees. Martha Alexis and Lanie lift me over to a chair. I feel so numb.