Chapter 22: Breathing Too Loudly

December 22, 2019; Present

Reese stepped through the doors of the bride's room. "Wow, you actually don't look half bad," she commented.

"Lupin," Rachel snarled. "Where's Teddy?"

"Whoa," Reese held up her hands in a mock surrender. "Don't forget, you're going to be a Lupin after today, too. God help us," she muttered.

"Where's Ted?"

Reese sighed and pulled a fake sad face. "What's wrong? Was Teddy breathing too loudly?"

"No, he gave Diane the wrong flower order and now the whole thing's ruined!" Rachel cried.

Reese snorted. "I'm sure whatever flowers Teddy got look better than the ones you picked out." Rachel shot her a murderous glare. "Look, I just came to tell you you're on in two."

"Two! I'm not ready," Rachel shouted.

"Yeah, well, I may have been supposed to tell you that eight minutes ago. Hurry up!" Reese hurried out of the room, only pausing to dodge the flying bouquet before laughing slightly as she rushed into her seat at the second-to-the-front pew.

The organs started playing and the back doors opened, revealing Rachel, her bridesmaids and her Maid of Honour.

As Rachel reached the end of the aisle, Teddy grabbed her hands and grinned down at her. His hair was a light brown color as Rachel had forbid it to be blue for the occasion; something Ginny and Andromeda both heatedly thought was stupid.

The priest read, "Rachel Brianne Weston, do you take Ted Remus Lupin to be your husband? In sickness and in health, 'til death do you apart?"

"I do," she murmured.

"Ted Remus Lupin, do you take Rachel Brianne Weston to your wife? In sickness and in health, 'til death do you apart?"

In the fourth row, Victoire decided she couldn't do it. She was wrong. She couldn't watch him vow his love to Rachel. Ducking quietly out of the pew, Victoire started running towards the back doors, trying to beat the tears that had already started falling.

In the back room, the Past People looked up as hurried footsteps ran towards them. They saw Victoire run past the door and out in the sunshine.

Back inside, Teddy briefly closed his eyes. At first he thought of Rachel but then another memory popped up. It was of him and Vic arguing over what to watch on the T.V. at Harry and Ginny's house. Then suddenly, Teddy knew. It wasn't Rachel.

It was Victoire.

He glanced at the pews and saw her running out the back door. So, she knew too. He glanced at Reese and saw her looking worriedly at where Vic had been moments earlier. She knew. Did everyone know? He thought of Ginny's words, Kiss her.

He stepped away from Rachel. "I can't."

A gasp could be heard all across the room. "What?" Rachel demanded.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I should have realized earlier. I can't marry you, I'm sorry."

Then he ran. Towards Victoire. Away from Rachel.