Chapter Twenty Seven
I disclaim and I only own Leila.
In regards to some content of this chapter, I tried to tell you the website to see the picture but it messed up the whole post (hence two emails for those on alert). I'll give you directions to it and you'll have to hunt yourself!
AlfredSungBridals dot com, collection, paradise, row 6, dress 3
Leila stood in front of the floor length mirror and stared at herself. This was it; this was the moment in life she never thought she'd experience. Tears were threatening to spill out as she looked at the gown. When she was being fitted none of the detail had been applied, none of the beauty shone through, now she was pleasantly surprised at how great it was. She had decided to choose something not too revealing since her boobs were filled with milk and she didn't want to look like a stuffed sausage or Pamela Anderson. There was tasteful and there was tacky.
Three days ago she was in a complete panic about Dave and Xander, now she knew why he took him and why he had packed so much. If he told her the truth, his efforts would have been spoiled. She looked at the huge bouquet of flowers that had been the first thing she saw this morning and the card that lit up her morning. Nice and simple,
Will you marry me tonight?
-D
She truly adored him and couldn't believe her good fortune. As she let her eyes drift around her hotel suite, she looked at Xander's toys, the flowers, the engagement ring and the wedding dress the emotions took over. She was so tired of crying and yet all she'd done for a year is cry. Between therapy, her mother's death, Dave's flip-flopping, her son and all the other bullshit she was cried out. The funny thing was she would do a lot more tonight and she knew it. She lay on the bed and closed her eyes, thinking about anything to distract her.
Leila began stirring and looked at the dresser across from the bed. A beautiful bouquet of wild African flowers greeted her first and she smiled. Then as she began moving she felt a freshly shaven, girl shaped leg next to her. Definitely not Dave. She looked over to see Stephanie stirring too. "Um, how drunk was I?" She asked causing Stephanie to laugh.
"Not that drunk, but what are you trying to say?" She smiled to her friend.
"No offense of course I just expected someone with a penis to be in my bed." She smiled back to Stephanie.
"The men took the babies and went golfing. Actually it's just you, me and Michelle until later." Stephanie answered her and motioned behind Leila. She looked over her shoulder to see Michelle begin to stir.
"Why are you both in my bed?" Leila said giggling.
""We have a full day planned and I was afraid we'd never wake up if we were all separate and you have no clue what's going on so this was easier. Can't let you go off by yourself snooping now can I?" She blew her friend a kiss as she jumped out of bed. "Get your ass up and shower, you dirty girl."
"Thank you, but I showered before I went to bed so there's no way I stink." Leila said getting up also.
"I didn't say stink, I said you're dirty and I didn't mean unclean." Steph shooed her friend to the bathroom. "That was quite a show last night, Lei." Leila came bursting back into the bedroom with her hand on her mouth.
"How far did I go?" She was appalled at her behavior.
"Far enough to excite us all, nice bra too, that was sexy." Michelle answered and shoved her back in and laughed with Stephanie.
The day was spent at the spa again, can't get too much of a good thing, and lounging at the pool. Diana and Mary took Audrey and Maggie shopping while Leila was given a bridal shower. Stephanie had reserved one of the smaller banquet rooms for the shower and Leila was once again surprised at the organization of the entire weekend. Everyone had also teased Leila incessantly about the great time they'd had last night all courtesy of Dave and Leila's exhibition. None of them complained and they all asked if she'd do that again tonight.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and Vince walked in with Steph, Shane and Linda. Michelle would be in after a few family minutes. They shared memories of growing up together, first days of school, proms, graduations first boyfriends and Vince's intimidation of any boy who walked in the door to date either of his girls. Vince and Linda shared things the three kids didn't realize they knew, like sneaking out and sneaking back in, drinking and smoking. All three of them of course denied ever doing anything wrong.
As the laughter died down Shane stepped forward and knelt in front of Leila handing Leila a blue box. It had taken him a day of nonstop searching to locate it but he was so happy he did, just by the look on her face. Leila couldn't speak, she just looked at the blue blanket, and she instantly recognized it as the one she carried around most of her life. It had been her brother's woobie for four years and he passed it to Leila when she was born. It was always in a secret place but she had it everywhere she went until she graduated high school. Linda had saved boxes of Leila's things, just like she did for Shane and Stephanie, and Shane had rummaged through all of them for this blanket.
The lump in her throat was constricting her airways and the only way to release it was to cry. She hugged Shane as tight as she could and cried with all her heart. She wasn't sad but she was missing her brother, Shane had been the perfect stand in for all things little sisters needed brothers for, he had just proved that to her yet again. The fact that he even thought of something from ages ago and took the time to search for it was more than Leila could have ever dreamed.
When she regained herself, Linda was next and gave her a long thin box. Inside was a delicate ladies handkerchief, she recognized it from Stephanie's wedding. It was the gift Vince's mother gave to Linda on her wedding day and it was her something borrowed, it was also Stephanie's something borrowed and now Leila's. Vince's grandmother had given it to Vince's mother, his mother gave it to Linda at her passing. It silently told Leila she was as much of a daughter to Linda as Stephanie was and it meant the world to Leila.
Stephanie stepped forward next and handed Leila another box. Inside were diamond pearl drop earrings and a note.
Our Beautiful Leila,
I wore these earrings when I married, it is only appropriate you wear them next.
Thank you for being the light in David's eyes and the song in his heart. Welcome to this family.
Dave's mom provided Leila with something old and matched perfectly to the bracelet Linda let her borrow. Shane, Stephanie and Linda hugged Leila and stepped out of the room. Vince took Leila's hand and they walked out to the balcony. They stood there for awhile before he spoke and when he did his voice shook with emotion. "When we first met the feisty pig-tailed little girl all those years ago I thought you'd be nothing but trouble. Your eyes reflected nothing but mischief." Leila giggled as she remembered. "I was so wrong. The day I brought you home to this family was the third greatest day of my life. You have been a constant source of love, positivity and you bring me such pride." A few tears fell down his cheeks and Leila wiped them. "I'm not ready for this day, Macushla, so forgive me for being a bit clingy these last few moments."
"Thank you for everything you've done for me." Leila hugged him and they both held eachother as the sun began to set. It would soon be time for Vince to walk her down the aisle and he still had to give her the gift from Linda and himself. They had debated what to get her since she appears to have everything, new car, new house. They wanted to get her something special to reflect how much she means to all of them but decided the most meaningful would be the same thing they gave Shane and Stephanie.
"Little girl I have something for you." He said as he handed her a large envelope. She smiled and opened it to find a portfolio of investments in Xander's name and the deed to their home. As she read everything she was stunned.
"I can't accept this, its crazy." She tried to hand it back but he wouldn't take it. "It's too much."
"I can't touch it, only you, Dave and Xander have access to everything." Vince and Linda bought Xander's college tuition in the form of a savings account with a starting deposit of $100,000. He also had 5 percent stock in the WWE which could change at his parents choosing. "You can't ask for the money back, we've already paid off the mortgage. You and Dave own your home in full."
"By the time he's 18 the amount of money he'll have is ridiculous." Leila said trying once again to give it back. "You can't pay for our house, that's too much."
"It's for anything he may need as the years pass and he can't touch it until he's 25 unless its for college or permitted by his parents." He took the envelope and put it inside under her pillow. "What if something happens to Dave? What if something happens to you both? He'll need a safety net. This also ensures he can go to whatever college he wants without financial worry." He hugged her again. "Like I said, I can't ask the bank for the money back once it's paid for so the house is irrelevant at this point." He sat her down on the bed. "Little girl, we did the same thing for Shane and Stephanie when they got married, all of our other grandkids have the same things Xander has. When will you accept the fact you are our daughter? Ours."
Leila sat there looking at Vince and couldn't believe it. They never once, not once made her feel like she had a different mother and father; she was treated as if she'd been there since day one. Vince pulled a chair in front of her and held her hands, taking a deep breath. "I was not happy when I heard you were with Dave. I was less than that when I found out you were pregnant. I accepted the fact that Stephanie would marry a wrestler, they're the only people she's ever talked too since she's always working. When you didn't go into the family business I thought you'd find a nice young man at school or at work. A doctor, lawyer, grocery manager, anything but a wrestler. I didn't want this life for you." It seems she wasn't the only one having trouble with the tears today.
"I watched Dave like a hawk every single moment of everyday and I didn't care about the rave reviews he got from his peers. I didn't care that he was an upstanding guy or a good genuine person at heart. He was your first true love and he was going to take you from us." He paused and wiped the tears and Leila sat in his lap. Vince cradled her like he'd done all those years before every time she'd had a nightmare, every time she couldn't sleep, when she was beat out as head cheerleader, when she wasn't voted prom queen. He thought of all those moments as he held her and rubbed her back.
"The only flaw I found in Dave was fear. I'm not sure if he recognized it but I saw it immediately. I knew he couldn't make up his mind and he couldn't stay away either, nobody told me, I could tell." Another deep breath from Vince, Leila loved to listen to his heartbeat; it relaxed her and let her know everything was okay. "He's a good man, sweetheart. I couldn't have found anyone better suited for my little girl." He kissed the top of her head and they sat there together until there was a knock on the door. Stephanie and Michelle walked in and said it was time to go. Leila touched up her make-up and looked one last time in the mirror. She was about to be married, she was about to be Dave's wife.
Meanwhile, Dave had been getting ready in Paul and Steph's suite with all the guys. He had been calm the whole day and now he felt like a caged animal. He couldn't wait to marry her and continue their life. He had been planning this day for so long and now that it was here he was beyond excited. He hoped it was everything Leila had ever imagined and more. The only glitch was when marrying in a foreign country it was ceremonial only; they'd have to visit the Justice of the Peace when they returned. Not that he minded, he'd marry her everyday if he had too.
The guys had been teasing him all day and he took it like a man, he couldn't have cared less if he'd never be with another woman, whored himself with ring rats or any other scenario they'd thrown out that day. Honestly, none of them acted like that ever, very few ever had. As Dave checked himself in the mirror one last time Ric and Paul told him it was time to head outside. The ribbing continued as the group moved from the suite to the elevator to the lobby and out to the grounds behind the hotel.
All the guests were gathered outside the tents that had been erected earlier that afternoon and congratulated Dave on his family. Xander was getting so much attention Dave wondered if there were some long term effects, probably not, he and Leila did the same things. Dave excused himself and went into the tent for the ceremony. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw, your imagination is one thing but to witness it he was overwhelmed. The candles wouldn't be lit until it was about 10 minutes before Leila arrived, but all the flowers and the intimacy of the entire thing were stunning. He had no doubts now that Leila would love this.
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Michelle and Stephanie took Leila's hands and they walked out with Vince and Linda behind them. Shane had already gone downstairs with Dave's daughters and would meet them outside. Everyone was silent as they made their way down and outside. They walked up the same small hill from last night and Leila stopped when she reached the top. The sun was setting and she saw two very large tents each lit with candles. Shane and his wife were at the bottom of the hill with Dave's daughters and they all looked at Leila, she had never looked more beautiful as the breeze caught her hair and dress. Shane walked up to her and Michelle walked down the hill. Michelle and her girls walked with Shane's wife, Marissa and Vince and Linda while Shane and Stephanie followed with Leila.
The entire walk Leila fought the emotion by taking deep breaths. "You're going to hyperventilate if you don't stop that." Shane teased her. Leila smiled but she couldn't help it, she hadn't even seen anything else but the tents and she was on the verge of breaking down. She could hear the music inside and knew everything she'd ever wanted was right inside; all she had to do was take it. Shane hugged and kissed her then he and Marissa went through the opening with Linda, and Dave unknowingly mimicked Leila and he took a deep breath. It's time.
He watched Audrey walk in first and she barely made it to the front, he knew she was overcome with shyness so he kept smiling to her. Michelle was next followed by Stephanie and Maggie who dropped white rose petals behind her. Dave's emotions began surfacing as he looked at his son sitting in his grandma's lap and his two girls. He thought back to the last two times he was married and neither of them felt like this, neither was so powerful. Leila was right outside and he thought he'd explode from the desire to see her, kiss her and touch her.
The small orchestra began playing the song softly and Vince stepped into the tent. He looked Dave squarely in the eyes and although he smiled Dave knew the hidden meaning behind those eyes. As Leila stepped inside Dave's breath caught in his throat and time stood still as she held Dave's gaze in hers.