Chapter 28

4 weeks later…

Alex woke up at 7AM feeling extremely nervous and excited at the same time. There's one day left before her surname officially changes, and she becomes Mrs Booth. She laid in bed turning around to the empty spot next to her. Ryan and Caleb went for their usual morning jog and then he'll stay over there for the night, since the girls booked a hotel suite to spend the night in and get dressed there before heading to the wedding venue. She was just about to turn around and get some more sleep or at least try to, when her phone buzzed. A text from Ryan. Good morning, sweetheart. Can't wait to see you tomorrow. I know you'll look beautiful. I love you. She smiled like an idiot after reading the text covering her face with her hands looking like a love sick teenager. She lingered in bed a few hours longer drifting in and out of sleep when there was a knock at the front door at 8:30. Her three bridesmaids where standing there dressed in yoga pants and loose t shirts. "Why are you still asleep?" Nimah asked entering and the other two followed. "Ryan get out of the house you're not suppose to see your bride before the wedding!" Natalie yelled upstairs. "Caleb came to kidnap him this morning he'll be there for the night. They need some bonding time before he is tied town." Shelby laughed. "I don't know how to feel right now. Is it normal be nervous and excited at the same time?" Alex asked no one in particular when she took a seat next on the couch in the corner. "If you think this is nerves, wait until tomorrow." Natalie said smiling. "You need to relax man everything's going to be fine tomorrow." Shelby said. "Now go get in a shower we have a spa date at 10AM. The rest will be here anytime soon," Nimah said referring to Ryan's sisters and Theresa and Sita. Alex got up to go upstairs for a shower and to make the bed, but halfway she turned around on the stairs. "We need to go get the bridesmaids dresses, the boutique said they'll be done today." Alex yelled panic starting to kick in. "It's in the hotel hanging against the cupboard door." Shelby said waving her up the stairs, while getting up herself to make them some coffee. By the time Alex was done, the whole entourage who attended the wedding dress shopping were sitting downstairs chatting and laughing. "Am I allowed to overuse your Parrish name for the last time today Alex?" Her mom asked as Alex came over to hug her and Theresa, while high fiving Simone, Nadia and Amorey. "Let's get going before we're late." Simone said and Alex grabbed a banana and an apple from the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter before heading out the door with the rest.

They arrived at the spa and were treated to a foot massage sitting in a half moon with some champagne in hand. "Are you nervous?" Amorey asked her, drinking orange juice since she was 18. "More excited than nervous, but the nerves are there." Alex said smiling at the ambitious 18 year old. After the foot massage they got a manicure and pedicure and they were served some sushi when they were done. "Guys can I just say thank you for everything you've done for me this past few months. I know I've said it a bunch of times but I mean it every time." Alex said sincerely making eye contact with each of them. "Don't get us all weepy eyed again Parrish, let's get to the hotel for a day of doing nothing before your big day tomorrow." Simone said leading them out of the spa. When they got to the hotel she checked on the dresses hanging in front of the cupboards and it was exactly as it should be, and her dress looked even better than it did they day they went to pick it up. And for the rest of they day they literally didn't do anything. Since Shelby is her maid of honor she did all the calls checking that all the last minute arrangements were still on track making sure her bride didn't have anything to worry about. The spent the rest of the day lounging around watching movies, having some girl chat and enjoying the room service. At 8PM they all left Alex's room since she had a single suite and the rest shared a double room sleeping two in a room. Her mom was the last one to leave and she hugged her tightly. "I wish dad was here to walk me down the aisle." Alex said eyes shining with tears. "I know baby, me too. But I'm sure he's so proud of you right now looking down at you, smiling at the beautiful young women you've become." Sita said wiping her own eyes. "Now, get some sleep you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow." She said kissing her forehead before heading down the hall to her room. Alex laid there in the darkness wondering what Ryan was up to right now.

"Can I get you another one?" Caleb asks as he discards the empty beer bottles that were on the table. "Nah, I think I'm good." Ryan replied, wondering if Alex was as nervous as he was. He told her earlier he'd take it easy and not go bonkers by standing at the altar with a hangover. He missed her, although they've seen each other this morning and he'll see her again in 24 hours where she won't be his fiancée anymore, but his wife, and the thought of that made his heart flutter. His nerves was kicking in slowly but surely and he just wanted tomorrow to run smoothly. "Guys I'm going to call it a night." Ryan said getting up and heading towards the guest bedroom.

Alex woke up the next morning feeling as if she only slept a few minutes. Smiling to herself as she checks her phone. A text from Ryan popped up on the lock screen. Can't wait to see you in a few hours and calling you my wife would be the best part of it all. I love you babe. "Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" Amorey said bursting into Alex's room flopping down on the bed next to her, making Alex jump a little. She reminded Alex of her 18 year old self, a bundle of teenage excitement jumping up and down and always having energy on reserve even in the early hours of the morning. "I'm up. I feel like I've only blinked and when I opened my eyes again it was daylight. I'm really excited though." Alex told her. "Good morning sunshine go get in a long bath we'll order breakfast once you're out." Natalie said when she and the rest of the entourage came into the room. "I'm too nervous to eat right now, my stomach is in knots." Alex said heading for the bath. "No problem, more for me then." Natalie laughed. "What time does the make up artist and the hairstylist arrive?" Alex asked Shelby who had her phone pressed to her ear again checking how things were going at the venue. Seems like Alex picked the right person to be the maid of honor. "What's wrong? I knew it was to good to be true that everything was running as smoothly as it did." Alex said starting to panic. "The venue is sorted they have everything in order, but the make up artist, texted me now and she said she won't be able to make it." Shelby said trying to think of an alternative person to do make up. "I knew something would go wrong what am I going to do now?" Alex asked to afraid of what the answer would be. "You can go get in the bath once you're out we'll have someone here for you. Stop stressing." Nimah said pushing her in the direction of the bathroom. "Simone does make up right?" Natalie asked Amorey and Nadia who paced the room. "Yeah she does, but like her own, I don't think she ever did some for anyone's wedding before." Nadia answered. "But it always looks good so she's our go to person right now." Shelby said and Amorey hopped off the bed to go get her eldest sister wherever she was in the hotel.

When Alex got out of the bath their breakfast has arrived and Simone was there with her make up case smiling brightly. "Simone Booth to the rescue." Simone announced. "Of course you're always doing your own make up why didn't I think of asking you I the first place." Alex said feeling really dumb. "We told you not to worry about anything we've got your back girl. Now eat something, and get ready to be pampered we only have three hours to kill before you need to walk down the aisle." Nadia said guiding Alex to the chair where they ate their breakfast. "Oh and a friendly word of advice try not to smile for the next 3 hours, your face will be sore before the photographer even gets here." Theresa told Alex and they all burst out laughing. "I'll keep a neutral face from now on them." Alex said trying hard not to smile which made the group laugh even harder.

"Should we be doing something?" Ryan asked Caleb when he was laying on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV not really interested in anything to watch. "I doubt it." Rob said. "I mean we need like what fifteen to thirty minutes to get ready, so you might as well enjoy the last few hours of single life lounging around." Rob answered. "Makes me wonder what Alex is doing right now." Ryan wondered out loud. "They've probably been up since the early hours of the morning getting ready. The more women you put in a room the longer it takes them to get ready, bro." Ethan informed his friend. "Quick jog around the block?" Caleb asked seeing how nervous Ryan was getting as the clocked ticked by. "Yeah I could get rid of some of this nervous energy I'm feeling right now." Ryan said getting up to get changed.

Since the wedding was at 2PM they decided that they'd start getting ready at noon just to be save, because they still had to drive to the venue even though it wasn't that far. The hairstylist and the photographer arrived and Alex took a seat in the chair in front of the mirror nervously playing with her fingers in her lap. "Everything's going to be fine Alex, you need to relax." Justine said as she was busy curling a stand of hair. "I'm trying my best t relax." Alex laughed nervously. Once Justine was done working her magic on Alex's hair. The sleek messy bun she did was everything but messy, more like a classic/messy bun. Every strand of hair placed in the correct place fastened with a few sparkly bobby pins. Justine the went on to do the three bridesmaids' since they all choose the loose beach waves to go with their off white/cream sweetheart neck chiffon long dresses. Simone took over once Justine was done with Alex's hair and they went for a natural look with a soft pink lipstick, and Alex was really impressed by how well her make up looked, smiling every now and then at the photographer who took pictures as they got ready. After all of them were sorted with hair and make up he left the the room briefly so Alex can change into her gown. Her mom and Theresa helped her get ready, and she heard Sita sniffing every now and then. "Mom, you need to stop now ." Alex said laughing slightly while Theresa buttoned up her back and Sita straightened the front of her dress. "I can't believe you're getting married today baby girl. Feels like yesterday when I first held you in my arms in the hospital and look where you are now." Sita said smiling proudly. "Before any more water works happen we took an hour and a half to get dressed, we have half an hour left to before you're officially Mrs Booth." Nadia said, and opened the bottle of champagne they had in the room. Having a quick toast once the photographer came back into the room before time passed so quickly that it was time for them to get going. "Five minutes." Shelby said when Caleb texted her to say that Ryan was at the venue.