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“I’ll go,” her mother said softly and started to turn. “I just wanted to see you one last time...”

“Mother...” Amelia sighed, and her mother spun back around. “You don’t... you don’t have to go.”

“I... I don’t?” Hope embodied her, and Amelia couldn’t help but smile.

“Of course not. You’re my mother, and I’m glad you’re here.”

“Really?”

Amelia beamed. “Yes, really. And I want you to know that I don’t blame you for our father. It was he and he alone that did those things, and you... you did you best.”

Her mother hesitated as her smile took over. Tears formed in her eyes. She fiddled with her hands, not sure what to do. And then, as if overcome by emotion, she threw herself at her daughter. “Oh, Amelia!”

“Mother!” Amelia gasped as her mother fell into her arms.

It was a strange thing. Amelia had just been wondering what the happiest moment of her recent life might have been, and while her time spent with the Duke was certainly at the top of the list, this moment right here might have been a close second. She and her sister were close and always would be. But to know that she also had a mother who loved her, and one who she could love in return... the feeling was indescribable.

Her mother left her shortly after that, giving Amelia just enough time to double check her hair and make-up before Bridget popped into the room to inform her that it was time to get started. She was buzzing with excitement, but that was nothing compared to how Amelia felt.

Seeing as she didn’t have a father to give her away, Amelia had asked her sister if she would do the honors. And so, together and hand in hand, they left the anteroom and walked into the church, ready to finally marry.

* * *

Evan had never seen anyone look so beautiful. And yes, that felt like a cliche to say, but it was true! When Amelia appeared at the end of the aisle, when she fixed him with a smile that reached her eyes, Evan’s jaw hit the floor. It was like seeing an angel. Light streamed through the windows, shining a halo behind her. The orchestra that played was angelic, as if her beauty was the cause of the melody. And as she walked, it was as if she was floating... or maybe that was Evan?

In short, as Amelia walked down the aisle to join him, Evan was forced to remind himself that this was no dream, and the word happy seemed to fall painfully short of how he was feeling.

“Try and contain yourself,” David whispered into Evan’s ear.

“I will not,” Evan grinned at his best friend.

“All right, but when it’s my turn next month, I’ll remember this.”

Evan rolled his eyes at David... catching the way he looked past Amelia to Martha who was following in toe as she made her way to a seat at the front. David and Martha had announced their engagement only days after Evan and Amelia had announced theirs. A surprise to some, a shock to others, perfectly predictable to Evan as he’d been the first to know how much the two loved one another.

And for the first time ever, Evan found that he didn’t have to worry after his friend. No need to guard him against heartbreak. No need to make sure that he wouldn’t suffer as he had so many times before. This was love, Evan realized whenever he saw them together. He knew it for fact because he was in love also, so he recognized the signs.

The ceremony got underway as soon as Amelia reached him. They held hands as they looked into one another’s eyes, not really listening to the sermon, not caring about the words spoken because they didn’t matter. They didn’t need to be told how they felt. They didn’t need to be ordained in front of others. They knew what they were, and as Evan stared into his future wife’s eyes, and she stared back, this shared sense of knowing spoke volumes. So lost were they in one another that when it came time to kiss, they nearly missed it.

But kiss they did! A glorious thing. Not the first. Certainly not the last. But one that they would remember for it signaled the beginning of the rest of their lives, lives which started the moment they walked down the aisle together, hand in hand.

Just months ago, if Evan had found himself married, he probably wouldn’t have been able to name ten people he’d want to share the experience with. Funny that today, half thetonhad turned out, all eager to bask in his and Amelia’s love. He smiled at them as he walked past, waved and nodded and simply enjoyed himself; it was a good feeling, knowing that one’s happiness might inspire others.

And it continued as they left the church and climbed in the carriage, sitting in the back seat, right before the window, so they could wave everyone off. Which Evan intended to do. He turned back and readied to wave as the carriage kicked off, but his wife, ever the scoundrel, had other ideas.

She grabbed hold of his face and pulled him into another, rather inappropriate kiss. One that the entire wedding party bore witness too. One which had them crying out with joy and clapping their salutations as the carriage rattled down the road and out of sight. And all the while, Evan continued to kiss Amelia, wondering if he would ever want to stop, knowing that he probably wouldn’t, realizing that there was no need.

She was his, and he was hers. They would spend the rest of their lives together. And that kiss... it would be but one out of a million shared, a single memory in thousands he planned to make with her. This was happiness, Evan thought to himself with a smile as he kissed his wife. This was love. And seeing how good it felt, he couldn’t help but wonder what it was he had been scared of all this time.

The End?