“So your parents aren’t married yet?” Brooke asked quizzically.

It was the question I had been asked time and time again about my parents. I was used to it, but retelling the story was increasingly tedious. The fact that they would be married in a few short weeks didn’t exactly help either.

“No they aren’t married but they are going to be in a few weeks,” I replied tired of the constant questioning, “It’s a long story you don’t want to hear about it”, I said to keep her from asking.

But low and behold she asks anyways .

“No, tell me!” Brooke exclaims.
“Oh okay. I’ll explain it. When I was born my parents were only dating and broke up right away. They stayed like that for a long time and I just went back and forth between houses. Then one Christmas they announced to the entire family that they were moving in together and my dad proposed to my mom about two years later,” I explained quickly trying to keep it short and to the point. Brooke knew I didn’t want to keep telling it but she was curious.
“What happened when he proposed?” She asked.
“Well he did it on Valentine’s day,” I said with a smile, “It was really cheesy and that’s why she didn’t expect it”.
“Awe that’s so sweet! Congratulations!” She says.
“Thanks so much!” I reply and walk away.

That was a little while ago and now the wedding is finally here. Everyone is milling around the front yard, smiling and laughing. I can feel the buzz of excitement through the air almost like little electric shocks. I was probably the most excited because it was finally here! My parents were going to get married and I wouldn’t have to explain why they weren’t anymore. Only took them twelve years, I thought to myself jokingly. I smiled and stepped into one of the few patches of sun not being shaded by the oak trees in the yard. It was a bit chilly but once the sun started warming my back I felt instantly warmer. If I start getting ready then the time will pass and before I know it the wedding will be here, I thought as I trotted up the stairs to my room. What seemed like only a few minutes later I was being driven over to the hotel to meet up with my mom and the other bridesmaids. I was a bridesmaid too so I had to make sure I was ready early so the bride had as much time as she needed. We had to put these little plastic circles on the heels of our almost four inch heels. My aunt told me it was to keep them from sinking into the ground since the wedding would take place outside in the mushy grass. I started walking up and down the halls for some much needed practice. The carpets were those horrible 70’s style ones that you saw in almost every hotel and they were accompanied by hotel-type wallpaper to match. It was that off-white color that almost reminded you of cake batter and let’s just say it could use some updating. So as I wobbled and bobbled down the hallway everyone comes out of my mom’s suite when my aunt says, “Come on let’s go we’re going to be late!” I didn’t have to be told twice.

We all hurried downstairs to the cars and drove back to the house. To be secretive, we parked along the side of the back building so that nobody saw my mom before the wedding started. That’s when I heard the wedding march start playing. Right when we got out of the car you could hear the wedding music begin to play and it was as if everything slowed down for a minute.
I looked out at all of my family in the crowd as I walked down the aisle. All eyes were on me. I realized my face was blank so I leaned over towards my uncle that was escorting me and said “I guess I should probably smile huh?” He laughed and replied “Yes, I think that would be a good idea.” So I smiled. I had a smile so big you would think my face was about to split in half. And that was the moment when I realized everything was going to change. We were going to be a real family. My mom, my dad, and I. But I didn’t understand until later that it had been that way all along.

The wedding went on and the woman who was marrying my parents talked about family, trust, and loyalty. But I didn’t really listen to much of it because I was fighting back some tears that were quickly surfacing. I didn’t want to be the girl that cried during her parents’ wedding and then have everyone circle around me and tell me it’s okay afterwards, so I held it in. My cousins looked slightly amused by all of it but at the same time like they would rather be watching paint dry than to be here right now. I was staring at the ground when the woman said “The couple would like to notice their daughter Rhayna by presenting her with a necklace.” Since when was I in the ceremony? My mom never said anything about this! I thought to myself surprised. I walked over towards the altar dodging the layers of tulle on my mothers wedding dress, which was beautifully covered in pearls. I stood in between my parents. My dad pulled out a blue velveteen box that had a little pearl necklace inside. My dad took one side and my mom took the other. They both struggled as they latched it around my neck then when that was done the woman who was marrying them gave another family speech that I knew I would never remember even five minutes later. Then it was over. Everyone started moving out to start the line of hugs and congratulations, but I just stood there a minute and tried to take it all in.
Later that night I walked down the dock and looked back on the wedding. I watched everyone dancing and laughing under the tent. I knew that I really had a family that was one in a million to have not just stayed separated but to get back together. It made the entire family whole again and I was so proud of them for that. I layed down on the dock and just looked at all the stars for a long time, happy and ready for the things that lay ahead of me.