Chapter Forty-Two

April 2019

This was it.

Mandy stood staring at herself in the full-length mirror. She shouldn't recognize the girl standing there without black yoga pants—an activity she didn't actually partake in—or paint on her cheek and under her nails, wearing a formal white dress. But for some reason she did know that girl. Her hair might have been swept up in elegant curls and her fingernails may have been painted all the same shade of pale pink, but it was still her. She was even a little glad her mother talked her into a veil. It was simple and easy to put on and take off, but it did complete the look. But best of all, it actually made her feel like a bride—not just a girl in a pretty dress.

Everything that had gone wrong that day didn't seem as important right then. Standing there, looking into the eyes of the girl in the mirror, Mandy felt invincible. Today she was going to marry her very best friend in the entire world. The person who made her complete. Mandy had spent the entire day worrying about anything and everything that could go wrong, that she hadn't taken a moment to consider everything that could go right.

Today was just the first day of the rest of her life.

No matter what went right or wrong, in the end, it didn't really matter. All that did matter was that her future was starting, and it was one she was excited for.

Mandy did not wear the heels her mother wanted her to wear. They had somehow mysteriously vanished somewhere between the car and her dressing room. She would have to thank Candy and Austin for that later. Not that she could see the Chucks from under her gown, but she knew they were there. She wouldn't slip and fall in them, and she was comfortable. No pinched toes.

Like Mandy, Isa had kept her attire for the day a secret, so she would likely tower over Mandy in her own high heels, but Mandy couldn't have cared less. Isa could walk down the aisle in a potato sack and Mandy would still think she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Soft, romantic music from the string quartet they had hired played in the distance as their guests arrived. While it meant that they would be starting any minute now, Mandy breathed easily.

Mom and Dad had gone out to make sure everything was going okay, and to help greet their guests, so Mandy took the moment of quiet to gather her thoughts.

A soft knock on the door, and Candy poked her head in. "Ready?"

Mandy gave herself one final look in the mirror, and then without hesitation replied, "Absolutely."

The guests were already standing at attention when Mandy exited the main building on Dad's arm and headed through the tunnel of twinkling lights hung among the trees. He wasn't giving her away. Because Mandy was her own person, who made her own decisions. She didn't need his permission or even his blessing—though she had both—but she still wanted him to walk her in. It was still the dream leftover from childhood that she didn't want to let go of.

As Mandy and Dad came around the last aisle of chairs, she got her first view of Isa. Mandy's breathing stopped, and everything around her faded, leaving only one person. Isa was stunning! She wore a simple off-white dress that curved with the shape of her body, and a rhinestone belt. Her dark hair was swept up to one side and held back with a rhinestone clip, and like Mandy, she had a simple veil that tucked in under her curls in the back. But really, the one thing that made Mandy's heart pound louder than the thunder that had come with the rain earlier that day was Isa's smile and the way she looked at Mandy. A look Mandy knew with her whole being.

Mandy couldn't focus on any of her guests as she passed them, although she was sure Sophie, Nikki, Grace, and every member of the Jiménez family was there. All she could see was Isa.

This was really it. And Mandy could hardly wait a second longer.

She hadn't been to many weddings, but standing up there listening to their officiant speak of love and faith and commitment, Mandy was sure this was the best wedding of all time. Her hands were steady in Isa's as they stared into each other's eyes ready to finally exchange their vows. When they had decided they were going to each write something, Mandy knew exactly what it would be, and today she would finally get to share those words with the person she loved more than anything.

"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's I do plan to stick by you when times are hard. I do promise to try not to hurt you, and if that happens, I'll do whatever I can to fix it. I do want a forever with you even if I don't know what the future holds for us. I do love you, and I do accept 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 overstuffed leather 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."