Epilogue One
Three weeks later
Blakely
As I stareat my reflection in the mirror, I run my fingers over the delicate lace of my long white dress. The fact that Emilie and Bailey managed to get everything ready in less than a month is astounding to me.
Everything is perfect.
My dress is elegantly simple, featuring a serene shape and delicate straps, but it is absolutely stunning.
I styled my hair so that a few curls would frame my face and completed the look with a mid-length veil.
Bailey and Emilie look stunning in their emerald green gowns. I haven’t laid eyes on their dresses until today. I gave them total freedom to select their dresses, and I’m utterly in love with their choices.
Dressed to impress, my mam wears a beautiful beige trouser suit and a hat that adds a touch of glamour to her overall look.
I cannot be more thankful to have her and my da’ here with me.
I anticipated feeling stressed today, but surprisingly, I feel perfectly calm and relaxed.
We opted for a low-key reception in Caleb’s back garden, surrounded by beautiful flowers. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect location for the event.
With Em, Bailey, and my mam in the room, the air is thick with emotion, and my mam’s eyes are already filled with tears.
“Mam, don’t cry,” says Bailey.
“I cannae help it. One of my babies is getting married today.” Her response is accompanied by a sniff.
“Okay, Màiri, enough of that.” Em hands her a glass of what appears to be a mimosa, “You’re going to ruin your makeup. Here, drink this.”
With a shy smile on her face, Bai asks, “You ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The smile on my face says it all, “I’m proud of you and happy for you. You deserve happiness after all this time. But do not forget, I called it first.”
I give her a puzzled expression and ask, “What are you trying to say?”
“I recall telling you that he loved you and would never cheat on you. I knew he was still in love with you, so I think naming your first-born child after me would be a sweet gesture for your favourite sister.” With a mischievous grin, she wiggles her eyebrows up and down.
“You’re my only sister.” I burst out cackling.
“Even better.” She shoots me a wink.
“Hey. What about me?” Em sulks.
“You two are something else. But I’m not planning to have any bairn anytime soon.” It’s enough to make my mam gasp in horror.
“What do you mean you’re not planning on it? I can’t die without having a grandchild.” To add to the drama, she places her hand on her chest.
“Thank you for that,” says Bai, which makes me snort.
“Mam, I never said I’ll never have them. I’m just saying it’s not a priority right now. It’s not everyone’s dream to have bairns at a young age.”
“You’re 26,” Em speaks, coughing in between her words, causing me to give her a disapproving look.
“Annnd. You have two other bairns. They’ll give you grandkids. Do not worry about it.”
“As if Scott is even remotely ready to have a child. He can barely take care of himself,” ruminates Em.
I shake my head with a chuckle.
“Anywayyy.” Bai begins to speak, but the sound of a knock on the door cuts her off.
“Who is it?” Bai’s fingers are wrapped around the cold metal of the doorknob as she waits for the answer.
“It’s Caleb.” As she cracks the door, I hear the noises coming in from outside. His eyes meet hers, and he momentarily freezes in his movement. “Hm, I just wanted to give Blakely something.” When Bailey turns her gaze towards me, I respond with a nod, signalling for her to open the door entirely.
“Oh, wow. You look stunning.”
His words cause a noticeable blush to spread across my cheeks.
“I won’t take up much of your time. I just wanted to drop this off,” he explains. “I thought it would be something she would want you to have,” he says, handing over the small package. Looking at the black velvet box, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow in confusion. “Open it.”
“Oh my god.” I struggle to keep my composure, my hand pressed tightly against my mouth, holding back tears. As I touch it with my finger, I feel a sense of familiarity wash over me. Before me lies a beautiful pendant with keys that glimmer in the light.
Aisla’s pendant.
The one we gifted her for her birthday.
My mam and Bai’s emotions are palpable in the air around me.
Caleb clears his throat, attempting to suppress his emotions.
“Her love for you was beyond sisterhood, and she would have been overjoyed to witness this moment with you today. There’s not a single day I don’t think of my daughter, and I know she is here with us today. She never removed this pendant since Aidan gifted it to her. Do you want to know why?” I give a small nod of my head. “Because you helped him to pick the perfect gift for her. She said it was the most beautiful gift you both could have given her because you were the keys to her soul. Giving you this was long overdue, and I regret not doing it sooner.” He takes a deep breath. “You and Aidan aren’t to blame for what happened, and she wouldn’t want you to live with the guilt of thinking you didn’t do enough for her. The woman you’ve become and the cause you’re fighting for would have made her heart swell with pride.”
I’m in shambles, with tears falling uncontrollably down my face. When I look at him, I can see the wetness of unshed tears in his eyes.
I can hear the girls snivelling and whimpering, but I can’t bring myself to look at them.
People often talk about the possibility of having multiple soul mates throughout one’s life.
Aisla was one of mine.
I could never forgive myself for not being there for her or for not speaking up about her shitty boyfriend.
But I can’t live in the past.
What I can do is my best to ensure other women are never put in the same position she and Em were in.
I take his hands in mine, trying to steady my shaking breaths and wipe away my tears. “Thank you. This means so much to me.”
He pulls me close and wraps his arms around me, “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry. You hold a special place in my heart, like a daughter. You know how much I love you, right?” I nod. “And I’m more than happy you decided to give my son a second chance. Now, I’ll let you finish getting ready. There’s someone outside who seems to be losing patience and is threatening to come in and forcefully ‘remove his wife from this room’ because he thinks it is taking too long.” His eyes twinkle mischievously as he smiles. “I’ll see you later, girls.” Before leaving, he plants a gentle kiss on the top of my head.
As I turn towards the girls, I hear their sniffles and see them wiping tears away with tissues.
“Fine, you can name your first-born Aisla. I won’t object to it.” Bailey’s humorous comment lightens the mood and brings laughter to the group.
“Let’s get you fixed up before Mister Caveman shows up here.”