All That Was Forgotten

Everything was beautiful. Perfect. Even though the forecast had promised rain, the sky seemed to have other plans. The sun was shining high above the coast, scattering gold across the restless sea, making the ripples of the waves looked like it sparked with magic. I can't help but grin at the sight. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating with us, defying what was meant to be. From my window, I watched as Alex pushed the tents we've set up the night before, along with his friends. The wind from the sea tugged at the white fabric, carrying the scent of salt and seaweed through the air. He still hadn't put on his suit. He was still dessed in his black workout clothes, with his earphones hanging loose around his neck, like he had just came back from his morning run. "Hey Alex!" I shouted over the winds, leaning out the window of my bedroom, feeling like a modern-day Juliet. Except, my balcony overlooked the backyard we were about to marry in, and the beautiful, vast ocean beyond. He looked up, hand covering his eyes. Those dark green eyes, bright with life and laughter, met mine across from all the commotion. He broke into a grin, his hair already a mess from the wind, but he was still so easy on the eyes. God, I can't believe I'm about to marry that man. I pressed my palm against the window frame, heart pounding with excitement while I waved at him with my free hand. Everything just felt so impossibly light. Too light and vibrant to be real. I was about to marry the man of my dreams. "We're getting married!" I laughed, when he stalked closer. Close enough that I could see the sunlight catching his dark hair. The sea breeze tugging at his T-shirt. He stopped just below my window, looking up at me with that teasing smirk of his that never failed to make my heart skip. "Shouldn't you be changing into your dress by now?" he asked, crossing his arms, grinning wide. "You're not getting cold feet, are you, Lila love?" I rested my chin on my hand, pretending to think. Even as my chest swelled with disbelief that this man, the one I thought had only existed in fairytales, was about to become my husband in just an hour. "I don't know," I teased, shrugging slightly. "Am I?" He grinned, that reckless spark flashing in his dark green eyes. "Well, then, looks like I'll have to remind you, don't I?" Before I could say anything, he reached for the nearest pipe. His fingers curling around the cold metal like he was going to climb. Wait a minute, he wouldn't actually going to do it, would he? "Wait, Alex!" My laughter faltered, the joy in my voice giving way to alarm. "Stop, you'll hurt yourself! Alex! What the hell?" He only looked up and winked, as if the world would always bend for him. Something tells me he was used to power. But that couldn't be true. He was only a software engineer. Our little commotion must've caught our friends' attention. They were still wrestling with the tents, trying to fold them back together. When they noticed Alex halfway up the pipe, climbing like it was nothing, their heads snapped up, eyes wide. "Alex! You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding, you buffon!" Mia, my best friend, shouted from somewhere below. "Dude, what the hell are you doing?!" another yelled. Josh, I think, though I can't be sure. “We actually need your help here, man!” “Later!” Alex called back, already climbing higher. I gasped, stepping aside as he swung himself over the sill. “You’re insane,” I breathed, half-scolding, half in awe. He was panting, sweat gleaming along his jawline. His hair damp against his forehead from his morning run, but he still looked unfairly good. The kind of good that made my heart forget how to beat. I couldn't stop smiling. The whole world could've fallen apart right then and there, and I wouldn't have noticed. Hell, I wouldn't want to. Why would I? This is heaven, right here. "I'm only insane for you, Lila," he murmured, his voice low against as he slipped his hands around my waist. "You should know that by now." He tilted my chin up, his dark green eyes softened before his lips brushed mine. Slow, deliberate, full of everything that lasts forever. I wrapped my arms around his neck as we swayed, a soft laugh escaping me. Half joy, half in disbelief. In an hour or two, he’d be my husband. Were we insane for doing this? Getting married after only three months? Absolutely. But am I so hopelessly, recklessly in love that I couldn’t imagine living the rest of my life with anyone else? Damn straight. And well, the fact that he looks devastatingly easy on the eyes didn’t hurt either. “Why aren’t you getting ready?” he asked, pulling back just enough for me to see the faint crease forming between his brows. I glanced down at my white silk robe, then back up at him, arching a brow. “Not that you don’t look beautiful,” he quickly added, grinning. “You know I’d marry you in a sack, or preferably naked, if it were just us. No priest. No witnesses. Just you and me.” “The dress is in that bag, Alex,” I laughed, pointing to the garment bag just hanging from the closet door. “I just need to finish my hair and put it on.” He nodded slowly, that grin still tugging at the corners of his lips. “Okay. Just checking.” I giggled, unable to stop myself. Happiness bubbled out of me like sunlight spilling through the windows. I kissed him, soft and sweet, filled with everything I couldn’t put into words. “Don’t worry,” I whispered against his lips. “I’m not getting cold feet, if that’s what you’re actually worried about.” He exhaled, laughing quietly. “Oh, thank god.” I hesitated then, my heart thudding a little too fast. There was a reason why I looked out that window. It wasn’t to actually see how everything had progressed. I actually needed the fresh air. “Actually,” I began, swallowing the lump in my throat, calming the erratic beat of my heart, “now that you’re here, there’s something I have to tell you.” His smile faltered. “What is it?” he asked, brows knitting together, shoulders going rigid like he was bracing for something. I looked up at him, barely able to contain the tremor in my voice. “I’m pregnant.” An hour later, we stood beneath the open sky, the sea stretching endlessly behind us. The ceremony was purposefully small. Just a handful of friends, the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs, and the scent of salt in the air. He was waiting for me at the altar. The wind tousled his dark hair, his black suit crisp against the sunlight. When our eyes met, he smiled. All wide and boyish. And for a second, the world just…stopped. I didn’t even remember what the priest had said. I only remember the way his hands trembled when he slid the ring onto my finger. The way my heart clenched when I whispered, I do. And when he pulled me close, kissing me as the ocean roared behind us, I thought, This is it. This is forever. My forever.