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“Isa, today here in front of our friends and family, I’m ready to say, ‘I do.’ A sentence of two small words and three simple letters. But there is nothing small or simple about their meaning. ‘I do’ isn’t only about today or taking each other at our best. It’sI doplan to stick by you when times are hard.I dopromise to try not to hurt you, and if that happens, I’ll do whatever I can to fix it.I dowant a forever with you even if I don’t know what the future holds for us.I dolove you, andI doaccept your love in return. I don’t want to live in a world without you, so today I say two small words and three simple letters, and that is ‘I do’ to us doing all the things together forever.”

Isa wiped her eyes with a special handkerchief she had attached to her wrist so she couldn’t drop it. “How am I supposed to follow that?” she said, and it earned her a hearty chuckle from everyone. She cleared her throat. “Mandy. Amanda. Darling. Sweetheart. Love. Babe. The absolute truest love of my life. I have so many names for you, and after today I get to add wife. I’ve dreamed of this day since the moment I first confessed my love for you under a trampoline. It’s taken us a long time to get here, and for a while I didn’t think it was ever going to happen, but love is stronger and more stubborn than even me. Through everything we’ve been through, all our ups and downs, it’s also the one thing I never stopped doing—loving you. So today, here, in front of all our family and friends, there’s nothing I want more than for you to be my wife, and to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Mandy couldn’t resist leaning in and kissing Isa.

“It’s not that time yet,” their officiant scolded, and everyone laughed, but it was worth it.

They exchanged rings, and one of Isa’s cousins sang a love song, and they got to kiss—during the right part—and then they were finally married.

After that, the rest of the night seemed to go by in a blink of an eye. Pictures. Food. Dancing. Cake. And so much kissing. It was Mandy’s favorite part when everyone would clink their glasses, and Mandy and Isa got to kiss. Mandy never wanted to stop kissing Isa.

Hours that felt like only moments later, Mandy and Isa sat hand in hand in the back of a limousine on their way to the airport. Everything Mandy had been worried about didn’t make any difference in the long run. No one noticed the different fish. All the pictures were taken and then some. No one got too drunk and puked on the dance floor. Mandy got to say hello to every single person there. If anything, it all happened a little too fast.

“I think we can officially say that was the best wedding ever.” Mandy squeezed Isa’s hand.

“Without a doubt.” Isa picked confetti out of Mandy’s hair. “You were right about these shoes.” Isa crossed one leg over the other, showing off her own pair of Chucks. Mandy had been so surprised when Isa picked up the hem of her dress earlier in the night to reveal them. “I don’t think I’m ever wearing heels again.”

“Is it too early to start saying, ‘I told you so’?”

“Yes.”

Mandy kissed Isa on the cheek. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”

Then it was quiet except for the gentle thrum of the tires.With Isa pressed into Mandy’s side, everything was finally perfect.

Mandy sat in an overstuffedleather chair, sipping her coffee and staring at the large painting of flamenco dancers that hung over the couch—the skirts on their colorful dresses spread out like wings. Less than twenty-four hours ago Mandy wore a dress that now was likely being cleaned and preserved along with Isa’s, per Mom’s request. It was less than twenty-four hours ago that Mandy sat alone in a hotel room with nothing but her thoughts crashing inside her head like a fork stuck in the garbage disposal. But this morning, Mandy’s head was clear, and her chest was light. Her coffee was rich and sweet and extra hot like she preferred.

“Awake already?” Isa rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she came out from the bedroom.

“I was just thinking.” Mandy set her coffee on the table so Isa could climb onto her lap.

Isa rested her head on Mandy’s shoulder. “It was awesome, wasn’t it.”

“The best day ever,” Mandy said. “I’m not sure how we’ll ever top it.”

Isa kissed Mandy’s neck. “We can always try.”

Mandy pulled Isa in tighter, her warm breath on Mandy’s neck, the smell of Isa’s coconut shampoo filling her senses as she continued to stare at the painting. The artist used such precision in the dancers’ faces, they almost looked alive. They seemed content in their action—just like Mandy was in that moment.

“I wish Abuela could’ve been there,” Isa said.

Mandy kissed the top of Isa’s head. “I think she was.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I do. I mean, did anything ever happen that she didn’t know about?”

Isa laughed. “No. You’re right. She’s probably why it didn’t rain. She was up there like, ‘Oh, no. Not on my granddaughter’s special day.’ ”

“That sounds like her all right.”

Isa let out a soft breath and snuggled in tighter next to Mandy.

“I love you for real,” Mandy said.

“I love you for real back.”

Epilogue

Amanda Dean is still inlove.