A/N: Hello reader! Thank you for viewing my story! Be sure to leave a favorite and review and let me know what you thought!
"You look beautiful, Cal," Stef told her 22-year-old daughter from the doorway of the dressing room in the wedding hall.
She could see Callie's eyes glistening with tears from the mirror Callie was facing and she slowly walked over to her oldest daughter, "Callie, what's wrong, baby?"
"I wish she was here," Callie sniffled with tears in her eyes.
Stef sighed and rested her hands on Callie's shoulders.
Callie turned and faced her adoptive mother, "Please don't take that the wrong way. I'm sorry, mama. You're my best friend. You and Lena mean everything to me,"
Stef shushed her, "You don't need to be sorry. It's okay to feel that way. Your mother would be elated to be here if she could,"
Callie hugged her mama and held on tight. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Mariana lightly knocked on the door.
"It's time, Callie," Mariana spoke as she handed Callie's bouquet to her.
Callie took the bouquet with shaking hands and looked at her sister, "Is AJ okay? Did he get cold feet?"
"He asked me the same thing," Mariana laughed, "He's going crazy waiting for you. Now, let's go!"
Callie grabbed her mama's hand as they walked out of the dressing room, "Catch me if I fall,"
Stef squeezed her hand, "Always,"
As she descended the aisle to the love of her life, she looked around at their friends and family who gathered together to celebrate AJ and Callie. Mariana was, of course, her maid of honor, and AJ's brother, Ty, was his best man.
As they reached the end of the aisle, Stef and Lena placed Callie's hand in AJ and gave her their famous 'mama-sandwich'.
As everyone took their seats, the officiant started the ceremony, "Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. We gather here today to celebrate the wedding of Callie and AJ. You have come here to share in this formal commitment they make to one another, to offer your love and support to this union, and to allow Callie and AJ to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them. So welcome all, who have traveled from near and far. Callie and AJ thank you for your presence here today, and now ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their decision to be married. I was told that you both have vows that you would like to share with each other?"
Callie and AJ both nodded.
The officiant gestured to AJ, "AJ, go ahead,"
AJ shifted on his feet and took a shuddering breath, "Callie Quinn, I feel like everything in my life has led me to you. My choices, my heartbreak, my regrets. Everything. And when we're together, my past seems worth it, because if I had done one thing differently, I might not have met you. I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you. I can't promise you that dark clouds will never hover over our lives or that the future will bring us many rainbows. I can't promise you that tomorrow will be perfect or that our lives will be easy. I can promise you my everlasting devotion, my loyalty, my respect, and my unconditional love for a lifetime. I can promise you that I'll always be here for you, to listen and to hold your hand, and I'll do my best to make you happy, and make you feel loved. I can promise you that I can see you through a crisis and pray with you, dream with you, build with you, and always cheer you on and encourage you. I can promise you that I'll willingly be your protector, your advisor, your counselor, your friend, your family, your everything. If I did anything right in my life, it was when I gave my heart to you. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the universe,"
Callie wiped AJ's salty tears that were rolling down his face as she dabbed at her own and everyone laughed as Callie giggled, "I don't know how I'm going to top that, but I'm gonna do my best,"
Callie looked over to her moms for reassurance and they both beamed at her.
She took another deep breath as she poured all her love into her words, "I always thought it would be difficult to find someone who will love me when I'm always scattered in a thousand pieces. It's like trying to complete a puzzle when you don't even know if you have all the right pieces. But then you showed me that every piece doesn't have to be in place to create something beautiful, that love can exist in the most imperfect, lost, and broken people. You found pieces of me I never knew existed and in you I found a love that I no longer believed was real. I was so undeserving and yet, you were so relentless. I pushed, and you pulled. I wept, and you embraced. I bled, and you repaired. I faltered, and you shushed. I stopped, and you smiled. I was a disaster - the worst of its kind - and yet, you still had the audacity to let me know that I was beautiful. I choose to give you my whole heart with abiding courage and faith. I choose to laugh, cry, and grow with you, to respect, encourage, and support you. I choose our unconditional love and I choose our forever. Anthony Joseph Hensdale, thank you for being my fairytale,"
By the time Callie spoke the last of her vows, there was no dry eye in the chapel.
Callie and AJ exchanged rings and couldn't stop smiling at each other.
The officiant reached the end of the procession, "By the power vested in me by the state of California, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. AJ, you may kiss your bride,"
AJ pulled Callie close to him. She wrapped her arms around him and sealed the declaration with a kiss.
"I am pleased to present Mr. and Mrs. Hensdale!" The officiant exclaimed.
Everyone jumped to their feet at the declaration as AJ and Callie pulled apart.
Today is Callie and AJ's 2nd wedding anniversary. As they did last year, they're going over to the Adams-Foster house to celebrate.
Callie was finishing her makeup when she heard the front door open and her husband call out into the apartment, "Cal! I'm home!"
She touched up her mascara and put her makeup back into the vanity drawer.
She felt AJ wrap his arms around her from behind, "You look beautiful,"
"Thank you," Callie smiled. She got up off the vanity chair and walked over to the closet.
AJ watched her pull out a small box wrapped with a bow, "Babe, I thought we were going to wait until after dinner to do gifts?"
Callie beamed and handed him the box, "Well, this one can't wait,"
AJ raised his eyebrow and opened the box to find a baby's shirt that said, 'And then there were three' and an ultrasound picture. It took a couple seconds for him to understand, but when he did, he covered his eyes and felt the tears puddle in his hand.
Callie laughed and hugged her husband, "Aww, baby. Why are you crying?"
AJ held her tight, "I'm just so happy,"
Callie and AJ pulled apart when her cell phone dinged. She laughed when she saw it was Mariana who asked when they were going to be there, like she had done 5 minutes ago.
"We should go now before my phone explodes," Callie giggled.
They drove to the Foster-Adams house from their apartment, which was 10 minutes away.
As they walked through the front door, they heard arguing coming from the kitchen.
"Stop eating the food, Jesus!" Mariana growled at her brother.
Jesus whined, "I'm starving! I won't eat it all! They're taking forever,"
Callie laughed from the hallway that led to the kitchen and living room, "We're here. Jesus, you can eat now,"
Callie and AJ were engulfed in hugs by the whole family. They ate dinner and gathered outside to eat dessert.
"So, as you all seem to be finished with dessert. AJ and I have something for you guys," Callie spoke as she pulled out boxes from behind her chair and passed them out to her family.
Callie folded her hands, "I had these made a couple of days ago. Go ahead and open them,"
Everyone ripped open their gifts and Mariana screamed with joy, "Only the best sisters get promoted to aunts! Are you pregnant?"
Callie nodded and smiled as Mariana wrapped her arms around her big sister.
She was surrounded in hugs by her brothers and one of her mothers.
As Jude let go of his sister, Callie looked behind her brother to see her mama staring at the picture frame with their baby's sonogram in it.
She walked over to her mama and bent down in front of her, "Mama? Are you okay?"
Stef looked up at her oldest daughter, "I can't believe my baby is gonna have a baby,"
Callie started to sob into Stef's shoulder, "Thank you for everything. Thank you for being my best friend,"
Stef kissed her temple, "I'll always be your best friend. I'm so happy for you, baby,"
Stef gestured AJ over to join their embrace, "Thank you for making my daughter happy again,"
The night came to an end as they all celebrated the new life that would be joining their family very soon.
"She's so beautiful," Callie whispered as she traced her daughter's face, who was born only an hour before. AJ kissed Callie's temple, "I'm so proud of you,"
Callie turned her head to connect her lips to his. They heard a knock at the door and Callie's nurse poked her head in, "There are some people here to see you if you're up for it?"
Callie spoke, "Yes, we're ready,"
The Adams-Foster family shuffled into the decent sized private hospital room.
They all exchanged hugs with the new parents and Mariana was anxious to meet her niece, "I've been waiting literally forever to hold her. Can I?"
Callie beamed as she passed her daughter to Mariana, "And she's been waiting for forever to meet you,"
Jude spoke up as he sat in the chair next to Callie's hospital bed, "You guys still haven't told us her name yet,"
Callie caught Stef's eyes and a grin grew across her face, "Her name is Ayla Stefanie Hensdale,"
As Ayla was passed around to each family member, she finally was placed in Stef's arms.
Stef tried so hard to hold it together, but her attempt failed when Ayla opened her eyes to reveal chocolate brown orbs, much like the ones she saw when Callie first arrived at their home.
"You're gonna be my best friend, you know that? Just like your mama is," Stef whispered to her newborn granddaughter.
A/N: You have reached the end of this story! Thank you again! Be sure to favorite and review! XOXO, Sarah.
