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Chappie #13 – I Still Stand By My Principles
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A few days later, I finally cornered my father so we could straighten things out. The wedding was in 3 days, and I at least wanted us to be speaking before I became Mrs. Vaughn. I asked him to meet me at the warehouse because I had some important information that I needed to share with him.

I was waiting inside, hoping he didn't see through my ploy. He came in a few minutes later, and I stood firmly in front of him.

"What is it that you felt so important to share with me?" he asked immediately.

"Hi to you too Dad." I said.

"Hello. And since you're calling me Dad, I think this has something to do with what happened a few weeks ago." He replied.

"Yes, Dad, it does." I began, "Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you the way I did, but you know I had good reason to. I've loved Vaughn for quite some time now, and your reaction to my pregnancy was completely uncalled for." He nodded.

"I may have overreacted slightly, but I still stand by my principles. I'm disappointed that you're pregnant before your wedding. It may not seem to you like my place to say that, but I see it as my place because I'm the one who's spent most of his life trying to protect you from things like this." He said, pointing at my belly.

"It's not your job to protect me from my life. I knew that this could happen, but I love Michael and I know I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him. Dad, he's the only man I've ever loved this much. I didn't feel half as much for Danny as I do for Vaughn." I replied.

"I've seen that, but I still can't be a part of this. It goes against everything I staked my life on. You have my blessing that you have a beautiful wedding, and that your marriage is everything you dreamed of, but I can't be there to witness something like that." He said. A few tears streamed down my face.

"I understand." I said simply, walking out.

My own father wasn't going to be at my wedding. I know I'd planned for this the moment I told him off, but the realization that my father wouldn't be giving my hand to the man I love was cutting at me more than I thought it would.

I spent the last days of the week working and trying not to think about what was taking place on Sunday. I strained to pay attention to briefings and do my paperwork, but it was a lot harder than I imagined.

Finally, Saturday night came. Carrie had been planning my bachelor party since I told her about my engagement, so I knew I was going to have fun on my last of being an unmarried woman.

We went to Sceptre, a local dance club, and partied the night away. Carrie tracked down Nancy, Elizabeth, and Sarah – a few friends from high school – and she invited Will's sister Amy, as well as many of our female coworkers.

I knew Vaughn was having as much fun because Weiss told me their plans the previous day. They were going to a club across town and partying & drinking the night away. I told Weiss to make sure that Michael didn't have too much to drink, because I refused to marry Michael if he had a hangover.

Lucky me, I wasn't allowed to drink because of the 3-month old fetus growing inside me, and Carrie made absolute sure of that. We all spent the night in a local hotel, because Carrie said it was bad luck for me to see Vaughn the night before the wedding. Despite Carrie hiding my cell phone, I found it anyway and called Vaughn. It was 11:30pm and he was still at the club with the guys.

"Hello?" he yelled over the loud music in the background.

"Vaughn, it's me." I said loudly.

"Syd? Hold on a sec." He said. I heard the music soften, so he must've gone outside for a moment.

"Hi." I said.

"Hey Syd. Having fun?" he asked.

"Of course. We're at the hotel already; we decided to call it an early night."

"Yeah. I think Eric & I are gonna head out in about 30 minutes."

"Okay. Anyway, I think I hear Carrie coming so I'd better go before she steals my phone from me again."

"Alright. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you too and I can't wait. I don't know how I'm gonna sleep tonight."

"Me either."

"Oh well. I'll just have to imagine you snuggled up beside me so I can make it through the night."

"I think I might have to do the same."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow baby. I love you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams, and I can't wait to see you in your dress."

"Bye."

"Bye." I hung up the phone and sighed. I would have to make it through an entire night without him.

The next morning, Carrie woke me up bright and early so we could get ready. The ceremony was starting at 2:00pm and it was already 10:00am. That gave everyone 4 hours to get everything ready. It took about 2 hours for me to get my hair done, makeup done, and my dress & veil put on. All my bridesmaids were ready in another hour, and we were all ready to go. I suspected that all the guys were already finished, so it was just a matter of taking the last hour to get over my nervousness, and to get the guests seated.

The ceremony began at exactly 2:00pm on the dot. An arch was set up about 3 feet from the end of the pier, and everyone was seated in the chairs that had been set up earlier in the morning.

Carrie & Weiss walked first, followed by Nancy & Marshall, and Amy & Will. I heard the wedding march begin, and the butterflies that had earlier vacated my stomach came fluttering back. This was it. I was about to get married. I almost asked Dixon to pinch me, but I decided that a tiny red mark on my shoulder wasn't worth the realization that this wasn't a dream.

Dixon took my arm and I walked up the pier toward an eager Vaughn. I made it to the arch in a minute or so and saw Vaughn's smiling face.

"Who gives this woman to be married?" the priest asked.

"I do, with the blessing of her father and her mother, god rest her soul." Dixon replied, resting my hand in Vaughn's.

The ceremony seemed to go on forever, but I knew that every minute that passed was a minute closer to eternal happiness. After about 15 minutes of preaching from scriptures, the priest asked for the rings. He placed Vaughn's in my hand, and mine in Vaughn's.

"Now Sydney, turn to Michael, place the ring on his left hand, and announce your vows before God and this congregation." The priest said. I placed the ring on Vaughn's hand and said the words I'd been planning to say for 5 years.

"Vaughn, I've loved you since the moment I walked into your office. I know I probably looked rather unbecoming in my red wig and bruised face, but I saw in your eyes how much you cared for me, even though you'd just met me. Over the years, I saw that caring grow even stronger, and as I'm standing here, I see it growing even more. You've given me everything I've ever wanted, and there is no other way I can say how much I love you but to put this ring on your finger and be yours forever. Je t'aime." I said.

"And now Michael, turn to Sydney, place the ring in her left hand, and announce your vows before God and this congregation." The priest said. Vaughn slipped the ring on my finger and I saw tears beginning to fill his eyes as he spoke.

"Sydney, I've loved you since the moment you came into my office 5 years ago. There was just something special about you that made me so protective about you. You were the most beautiful woman I'd ever met, and you smiled even after what you'd been through. I always admired your strength and courage, and I knew from that moment on that I would make it my life's mission to have you as my wife. And now as I stand here today, my life's mission has changed from making you my wife to making you as happy as you make me. I wanna wake up to you every morning and I wanna be there for you always. Je t'aime." He said. Tears began to stream down my face as well as a few others'.

"And now, in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, in the presence of God and his witnesses, I pronounce you man and wife. Michael, you may now kiss your bride." The priest said.

I smiled and Vaughn pulled me in for the most romantic kiss of my life. We came up for air after a moment, both smiling at the realization that we were really married.

"And now may I present Mr. And Mrs. Michael Vaughn." The priest said. Everyone stood and clapped as Vaughn pulled me in for another kiss.

We walked hand in hand back down the aisle, and into the waiting limousine that was taking us to our reception.

We had our reception at The Rose Garden, which if you don't remember, was where we had our first date after Vaughn proposed. We danced our first dance as husband and wife to "I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes, and we danced and partied the night away before retiring to our hotel room in Santa Barbara for the next week.