The Mysterious Girl
Chapter 22

Raven

“Mommy?” Hailey says entering the room completely dressed and I turn around to look at her.

“Mommy, you look beautiful,” she says and I smile. She was dressed in a short pink bridesmaid dress, looking adorable as her dark hair was braided and left open, and she had adorable shoes on her feet.

“Thank you baby, you look breathtaking,” I say and she smiles coming closer to me. Hailey was now six years old and I had just got my makeup and hair done and was sitting in my wedding dress.

“Just one last touch up,” the stylist says and I stand up in my sheer strapless lace mermaid dress with floral embroidery made from ivory and silver sequins. The dress was semi-sheer with an underlay of French lace. My makeup was kept natural and my hair was pulled back into a sleek up-do and I had statement ear-rings to go with my silver pointed heels.

“Alright, last piece,” Sophia says placing my cathedral length veil on top of my head and I smile.

“You look perfect,” Amy says and I smile. Amy and Hailey were my bridesmaids, Sophia as my maid of honor with Violet being my flower girl. Today was my day, the day I never taught would come. Today I was getting married.

“You do,” Sophia says handing me my flower bouquet and my parents enter the room with mum.

“Darling, you look stunning,” Mum says and I smile. They all gave me good wishes and my wedding planner called everyone out to be seated as the ceremony would begin soon.

Chris and I waited for a year before we got married because we wanted to have stable jobs so that we can pay for our own wedding. He was a forensic psychologist and he usually helped his dad in his firm too since he had a law degree too and I was a psychiatrist on my own and I usually attended seminars and gave speeches.

“Are you ready mommy?” Hailey asks and I nod. She held her own flower bouquet in her hand and walked out with Sophia and Amy as I stood behind. I waited for my que and when I was asked to go, my stylist straightened my dress as the doors opened and the music changed.

Everyone stood up to look at me and I smiled. I decided to walk down the aisle alone because in my entire life journey, I made it without anyone believing in me and now I didn’t want to be seen weak and I felt confident enough walking alone.

I looked up at Chris who was dressed in his suit. He smiled at me through tears in his eyes and I was helped on the podium.

“Please be seated. Welcome family, friends and loved ones. We are gathered today to celebrate the union of Raven Rex and Chris Davis. We are all here to support this commitment of love and to share the joy of Raven and Chris as they choose to spend their lives together.

Today, you gain an equal partner that will be your confidant, your defender and your motivator through all of your aspirations and goals. You will celebrate each accomplishment, provide peace through every setback and most importantly, give love in life’s both big and little moments.

Marriage is not easy, but from what I’ve seen in the two of you, I know your relationship will be an example to follow. You show care and compassion, you trust one another and most importantly, you are each other’s best friend,” the officiant said as I held Chris’s hand.

“Raven and Chris have decided to make their own vows. So Raven would you like to go first?” he asked and I nod.

“Chris, ever since the first time I saw you, there was something about you I admired. Well not since I met you because you kept bugging me and I hated you for it,” I say and everyone laughs.

“Anyways, I remember looking into your eyes the first time we sat next to one another in one of our classes and I felt some how safe. I felt like I could trust you but I couldn’t trust anyone then. We might have not met in an ideal way like in the movies but we ended up together. You are the most handsome, honest, humble and down to earth and the best chef I have ever met. You make me smile no matter what happens and you are pretty much the only thing I wake up in the morning for.

“When I see how perfect of a father you are to Hailey and I feel so proud. You were there for me throughout my highs and my many lows. You are the reason I am where I am right now. You gave me the courage I needed and you believed in me. I never thought I would ever replace true love in my life but little did I know that I would replace the most perfect guy in the world who would chose me out of those millions of girls who wanted him,” I say and he wipes his tears.

“You patiently waited for me as I recovered. You never rushed me and I love that about you. You helped me get back on track in life. You helped me in trusting people and you made me the better person. You gave me something that no one could ever give. You are my strength Chris. You are the love of my life and you are my man.

“I do not think that I love someone as much as you. Being here with you is crazy. So that is why I will make promises to you on this day which I will always fulfill. I will support all the decisions you make no matter how stupid that might be. I promise that I will be 100% honest with you at all costs and I will stay with you forever and will stick to your side through your entire thick and thins. You have given me the best 5 years of my life and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” I say and people wipe off their tears.

“Ray, where do I start? You are the ray of sunshine in my life, more like everyone else’s life,” he says and I laugh through my tears at his stupid pun.

“Seriously Raven, I have never met a woman like you. I have never met a woman who was so powerful, smart, strong and willing to fight against the whole world for something you knew you were right for. When I see how much of a good mother you are to Hailey, it makes me so happy because I want nothing more than our daughter to be as strong and powerful and beautiful as her mother,” he says and I wipe my tears.

“Even though Hailey is a mommy’s girl, I promise to never get jealous,” he says and I laugh again.

“You have always been the only woman I was interested in, fell in love with and I am getting to you right now. You bring out the best out of me and your hard work pushes me to my extreme limits. I have never adored someone in my entire life. Hence I make these promises to you. I promise that I will stay by your side till we die and beyond. I promise that I will make amazing food for you every day. I promise that I am ready to make any number of sacrifices for you. I promise that I will keep you in shape. I promise that I will be the best husband I can be and lastly, I swear to love you forever and ever till death does us apart and beyond that,” I say and I wipe tears off my face.

The Officiant gives us our rings and asks us to repeat after him.

“Raven, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today,” Chris says and he slips the ring onto my finger.

“Chris, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today,” I say and I slips the ring onto his finger. We said our “I do’s”.

“Having pledged your love and promise to one another today in front of all of your friends and family and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” he says and Chris kisses me very gently like I was very delicate.

“Congratulations! Friends and family, it is my honor to introduce to you: Mr and Mrs Davis,” he says and we walk down the aisle. Everyone congratulated us and were happy for us. When I threw the bouquet, Sophia caught it.

I had my dance with my dad and then my first dance with Chris. Oh how amazing he looked in his suit. It felt like it was only him and I in the room an no one else as we swayed to the music. He also danced with Hailey. People danced and soon we cut the cake and it was time for speeches so we all sat down.

“As I look at this beautiful woman before me in the lovely wedding gown, I can’t help but reflect on the girl she was and the woman she has become. She became “Daddy’s Girl” on the day she was born and has always been a princess to me. All through her life, she has brought joy to her mother and me, and while not every day has been perfect, the love I feel for her has been.

And today, she has joined hands with a wonderful young man, and in addition to the the sparkle I have always seen in her eyes, today I see a love and joy there beyond anything I have seen thus far. Raven and Chris today have completed each other as they become a new family unit.

Please join me today in wishing Chris and Raven every happiness possible and a long and joyful life together as husband and wife,” dad says and I smile at him.

“Good evening! First of all I want to thank all of you for coming and celebrating this beautiful new marriage, especially all those who had to buy a plane ticket and take off work to be here. We so appreciate you.

For those who don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sophia and I’m the little sister of the stunning bride tonight. And when Raven asked me to be her maid of honor, I was so honored although slightly nervous about this task right now.

Anyway, when I started thinking about a speech I was really nervous and I even contemplated asking her if she would mind if I didn’t speak. I have several anxieties. But I quickly scrapped that idea because for those of you who know my sister, you know that she does not take no for an answer. I can elaborate with a short story to help pin up a better picture for you.

On a more serious note, Raven is a type of sister that everyone probably wishes that they had, I’m not going to cry. As far back as I can remember, you’ve been the voice of reason, my biggest cheerleader and my role model.

Above all, you’ve been a great friend. Even though she’s faraway, she’s still the first person I call with good news or bad or someone just when I need advice, or someone to listen to me bitch. She’s that person. I honestly don’t know what I would do without you. Chris, I’d like to officially welcome you to our family. We all love you very much. I’ve always hoped that Raven can replace someone that can keep up with her, someone who challenges her, makes her laugh, enjoys the same thing she does. Above all, I would hope she found someone who can put her in her place and you are that someone.

You’re a true gentleman and Raven couldn’t have picked a perfect man. To finish up Chris, I would like to share a few tips with you, tips that are supposed to guarantee a long and happy marriage. Number one, when you’re wrong admit it, when you’re right shut up. The best way to remember your anniversary is to forget it once. Happy wife is a happy life. And finally Chris, never be afraid the Raven will leave you, she has spent years training you and she will not give that up.

With that said, I’d like everyone to please raise a glass, I’d like to make a toast to Raven and Chris. I wish you a lifetime of happiness. May the road be long and the party never end,” Sophia says giving her speech and I hug her.