Two Months Later

The sun was shining brightly, and even though it was the beginning of August in Texas, there was a cool breeze coming from Barton Creek Springs and Lady Bird Lake. Everything was perfect.

But I was having a panic attack.

"Rose!"

"Lissa," I gasped, turning away to face the patio. "What if he got cold feet?"

"Rose." Audrey sighed from where I knew she was standing next to Lissa behind me. "He didn't get cold feet. I promise."

"But what if–"

"Rose. Look at me."

I turned slightly to see Lissa over my hunched shoulder. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and even though she was barefaced, and in a robe, she was gorgeous. She took a couple more steps onto the patio, just enough so that she could reach me, and turned me around so that I was completely facing her.

"Dimitri is so in love with you, Rose. If he doesn't love you, the sky isn't blue."

"Liss–"

"No 'buts', no 'what ifs'."

Taking me by the hand, she led me back into the house, and over to the dark oak table that dominated the room. One of the "Save the Date" cards that we had sent out a month ago was sitting there.

"What do you see when you look at this picture?"

I didn't even have to look at the picture to answer her since I knew it so well, but I humored her regardless and studied it intently. The background was one of our engagement photos, which we did at the Barton Creek Greenbelt in mid-June. Dimitri's arms were wrapped around my waist, and I was grinning at the camera. Dimitri, however, was beaming at me. Across the bottom, written in cursive, was "Save the Date" and below it read "Rosemarie & Dimitri ~ August 8, 2022" and then the address of the bed and breakfast that we were getting married at.

"I see myself and Dimitri." I was being petulant, and I knew it.

Lissa rolled her eyes. "Look at Dimitri's expression, Rose. Do you see the way he looks at you?"

I glanced back down at the photo, focusing on Dimitri, and didn't say anything.

"Dimitri so obviously loves you. Trust me, okay?"

"Okay."

Lissa grinned brightly and dragged me out of the dining room and up the stairs. Passing by closed doors, she finally came to a stop at the end of the hall and walked into the room, tugging me in after her. We were in the master suite, and the bathroom had been converted into a makeup paradise by the artist that Lissa had hired.

Lissa pulled me across the floor and into the bathroom, forcing me into a chair in front of the artist, Isla.

"All good?" she asked.

Lissa nodded, and Isla turned around to grab makeup off the counter before ordering me to close my eyes. I could hear Lissa moving behind me and heard the unzipping of a garment bag a moment later. I relaxed into the chair, using a breathing technique that Makenzie had taught me to remain calm. Breathe in for four seconds. Hold your breath for seven. Breathe out for eight.

"Do you have your vows ready, Rose?" Lissa asked from across the room.

"Yes."

The words that I would be speaking in less than two hours ran through my head for the umpteenth time.

"Relax, Rose," Audrey chastised. "Everything is going to be perfect."

I couldn't resist. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, Rose, Dimitri is so in love with you," Audrey said.

"That's what I told her!" Lissa exclaimed.

"I don't know if you have ever noticed, but every time someone mentions you, his face lights up like a little kid at Christmas time," Audrey continued

"And yours does the same," Lissa said. "You two are perfect for each other. I've never seen you happier than you are with Dimitri."

"What if it doesn't work out?" I trembled, biting my lip. Isla gently tugged it away from my teeth.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, you listen to me." Audrey spoke with conviction, and Isla paused in doing my makeup so that I could open my eyes and look in Audrey's direction. "You are insane if you think that this won't work out. Dimitri is your soulmate, and he will be with you for better or for worse. I could see that from the moment that I met him, and I didn't even know him at that time. I haven't known you as long as Lissa has, but I'd have to be blind if I couldn't see how happy and content you are with Dimitri."

"You two are going to grow old and die together with a gazillion grandbabies," Lissa chimed in.

I bit my lip again. "But how can you be so sure?"

Lissa spun me around in the chair so that I was looking at her. "What does it feel like whenever you're with Dimitri?"

"I feel safe, comfortable. When he kisses me, I feel like everything will be right in the world. As long as I'm with him, but only with him."

"Exactly." Lissa smiled confidently. "That's how you know. The love between the two of you doesn't break away or fall apart without a fight. You both want this to work out, and it will. Dimitri is your everything, and you are his. It's as plain as day whenever you're in a room together."

Lissa turned me back around so that I was facing Isla once more. I glanced in the mirror and saw bits and pieces of the girl that Dimitri called beautiful. Isla kept my makeup light, highlighting my eyes using a touch of eyeliner and mascara, along with a graceful sweep of eyeshadow. There was light blush dusting my cheeks, but no foundation or concealer. My lips were swollen slightly from biting them, and red from lipstick that had been applied.

"Do you like it?" Isla asked.

I nodded. "Thank you."

I stood from the chair, Lissa taking my place. Audrey had disappeared from the room, and when she returned, she had the hair stylist that Lissa had hired in tow.

"Rose, this is Chelsea," Audrey said. "She's going to do your hair."

"Hi."

Chelsea had me sit in a chair near Lissa's while she set up all of her supplies. She worked deftly and had me facing away from the mirror so that I couldn't see anything until she was finished. I wasn't sure how much time had passed before she turned me around, but when I looked in the mirror, I was stunned. My hair had been pulled back and twisted into a complicated chignon. A jewel-encrusted headband, one that I recognized, had made its home in the dark locks.

"Lissa," I gasped, turning to look at where she was still sitting next to me.

"Something old," she whispered. The headband was a Dragomir family heirloom, one that was passed down through the women in their family to be worn on their wedding days. "Rose, you're my family. Always have been, and it's only right for you to wear this today."

I stood and hugged Lissa. "You're going to make me cry."

"I love you too."

Audrey took my place in Chelsea's chair while Lissa stood from Isla's to help me into my dress. Lissa was planning on leaving her hair down, already having gone through the process of straightening it this morning.

Last-minute alterations had been made less than a week ago, and the dress was perfect. Lissa helped me get the dress out of the garment bag before helping me step into it for the final and most important time. The gown was cool against my skin, satin placed between the lace of the bodice and my torso. The bodice had long sleeves, and the collar was cut similar to a crewneck. The skirt of the dress was made of satin material with a layer of tulle over it. There was a wide train that swept elegantly across the ground as I stepped forward and into my white heels.

Audrey came up behind me, having finished getting her makeup and hair done. She and Lissa quickly stepped into their mid-length, dark blue dresses. They were strapless with a sweetheart neckline and flared out past the bodice. Their shoes were simple nude pumps, which they left off for now.

"Rosemarie?"

I turned around and saw my father standing just inside the doorway, his eyes suspiciously wet. He had Katerina in his arms, and she looked gorgeous in her dark blue flower girl dress.

"Momma!" she called out.

I smiled at her. "Hi, Katya. Did Grandpa help you get ready?"

She nodded and stuck her thumb into her mouth. My father smiled down at her.

Dimitri and I had had a huge argument surrounding whether or not to invite my father to the wedding. My mother wasn't even considered after everything she had done, but the childish part of me wanted my father there to walk me down the aisle. Dimitri finally agreed, given the agreement that Janine wasn't to step foot in Austin and my father wasn't to tell her where I was. We had spent the last month rebuilding our relationship outside of my mother's influence via FaceTime and via a trip that I made to New York to visit him. I trusted that he wouldn't tell my mother where I was or give her information about my life in Austin, given the fact that they had separated for good after the incident and my father had won full custody of Aiden.

"Hi, Dad," I whispered.

"You look gorgeous," he mused, stepping forward as he handed me a small black box, before saying, "Something new."

I delicately opened the box, which revealed a pair of earrings. They were simple, diamond waterfall in style, and perfect.

"Something old," Lissa reminded me, gesturing to the headband.

"Something borrowed." Audrey stepped up behind me, fastening a chain around my neck. I glanced down at a circular diamond pendant and turned to her with wide eyes.

"Audrey," I whispered, fingering the pendant.

It was something that she always held on to, even when we were held captive by Adrian. She had told me that it was a gift from her father, the one thing that gave her comfort while locked up. She smiled and blinked tears out of her eyes as she hugged me.

"And something blue," my dad said, handing Chelsea a sapphire and pearl-encrusted hairpin to tuck into my chignon.

"Rose, I'm so happy for you," Lissa told me, "You look so beautiful right now; you're glowing."

"Is this a dream?" I whispered, catching another reflection of myself in one of the many full-length mirrors in the room. Everything was finally coming together.

Lissa laughed. "No, it's not. This is real life."

"It feels like a dream."

"You've made it, Rose. It won't be ripped away at the last second. I won't let it," Audrey swore. "You deserve this. You deserve your happy ending."

There was silence for a moment before my dad spoke. "Are you ready, Rose?"

I nodded, and Lissa dabbed at my eyes one last time, making sure that my makeup was still intact. Audrey handed me my bouquet, which was a mixture of lilies and roses with baby breath woven through out. Audrey took Katerina from my dad since Katerina was going down the aisle first with Audrey right behind her.

They stepped out ahead of us, leaving the room, and led the way down the stairs to the back door. The doors were open, but a white gauzy curtain hung down in front of the doorway, blocking the view into the house, even as it blew in the wind. I could faintly see the sun shining through the curtain as it set, casting a beautiful glow over everything.

As the music keyed up, Katerina walked out, and I faintly heard Dimitri calling to her to get her to walk down the aisle towards him. Audrey exited a moment later, and Lissa followed her a few moments after until it was just me and my father left. He offered me his arm, and I took it as "Here Comes the Bride" started. Everybody's eyes were on us as we stepped outside, onto the makeshift aisle. I kept my eyes focused on Dimitri, only Dimitri. He was grinning, and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. As we reached the altar, my father handed me off, and I handed my bouquet to Lissa so I could take Dimitri's hands. The breeze blew loose strands of hair into my face, but I wasn't bothered enough to brush the hair aside.

Dimitri couldn't stop smiling as the pastor started speaking, and I was sure that I was smiling just as widely. Half–listening to the pastor, I focused the rest of my attention on Dimitri. His eyes were bright, and his mouth was set in a permanent smile. He held my hands, his thumb moving in a circular motion against my hands to soothe me.

"Rosemarie Hathaway," he said when the pastor indicated that it was time for the vows. "I am the luckiest man in the world to be able to call you my wife. You tackle everything with such bravery and courage, even the things that scare you. You're an amazing mother, amazing friend, an amazing everything. I've loved you for years now, and I'm blessed that you said yes when I asked you out on a date, and I'm blessed that you said yes when I asked you to marry me, even if you said no the first time."

Dimitri paused, and a few of the members of the audience laughed.

"I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved you, and I will continue to love you in the same way for as long as you will have me. We've been through so much together, and we've always come out on top, even if we struggled. I want to keep coming out on top with you, Roza, and I am so proud and thankful that I get to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. 'Til death do us part."

I blinked my tears away, a few of them slipping down my cheeks. Dimitri squeezed my hands, still rubbing soothing circles, and smiled at me, blinking away his own tears.

I took a deep breath. "When we met again, I had hit rock bottom. I was drowning in my own thoughts. Most nights came with a new breakdown, which just filled my lungs with even more water. The pain that life brought me didn't seem worth it anymore. Until one day, you took my hand and pulled me above the water; you brought me back to life. You held me in your arms, and I could breathe again. You kissed me, and I knew things would be right in the world again. You told me that you were in love with me, and the demons that once lived inside my head vanished at the sound of those words coming out of your mouth. You made life worth living again. You took a broken soul and mended it back together. You saved me," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Forever and always, I don't want to be without you. I can't do this without you. 'Til death do us part."

Tears cascaded down Dimitri's cheeks. I faintly heard the pastor ask for the rings to be brought forward, but I was too focused on Dimitri. He picked up the sapphire and diamond wedding band, sliding it into place on my left ring finger, before picking up my engagement ring and putting it back where it belonged.

"With these rings, I pledge my love and commitment."

My hand was shaking as I picked up Dimitri's own sapphire and diamond wedding band. There was no going back. Dimitri grinned as I managed to get the ring on the right finger and repeat what Dimitri had previously said.

"With this ring, I pledge my love and commitment."

"By the authority vested in me by the State of Texas, witnessed by your friends and family, I have the pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The pastor sounded like he was at the end of a tunnel as he spoke the final words. I blinked, and Dimitri leaned forward. Our lips met in a gentle kiss, and I stepped closer to him so that Dimitri could fully envelop me in his arms. I could feel the tears streaming down my cheeks now, and when I pulled back, Dimitri had tears streaming down his face too. He cupped my face gently and kissed me again.

"I love you, Roza," he whispered.

"I love you too," I said.

Thank you all for bearing with me as I was delayed in updating last week. Had an extremely busy week at work, got my laptop back on Friday, and then tested positive for COVID on Saturday. Updates will hopefully return to their regular scheduling following my recovery!