Respect | S. Rogers [1]

30 | ECHOING FEELINGS

January 1953
New Jersey, USA

"I can't believe this is happening," Peggy said with a shaky voice smiling.

"You deserve it," Rose said to her finishing her own hair.

Peggy glanced at Rose with a beaming smile. "I'm getting married."

It had been almost 3 years since Lawrence and Peggy started dating. After two years together he proposed and the day had finally arrived. Turns out, Rosemary had been right suggesting Peggy to call him.

The wedding had been pushed back due to a couple of urgent SHIELD missions but recently there hadn't been missions that absolutely requested the bride to go, so they decided to do the wedding now before that changed.

"I know Lawrence is a good man and will treat you right, but if he hurts you the slightest bit, you let me know and I'll kick his ass for you so you don't feel bad about it."

Peggy laughed. "I know you will." The glim in her eyes dimmed as she became nostalgic. "Do you think he—" She swallowed, it had been a long time since she mentioned his name. "Do you think Steve would've liked him?"

"As a person? Yes. As the man you're marrying? Probably not," Rosemary pursed her lips. "But he would want you to be happy. And after seeing how happy he makes you, then Steve would have walked you down the aisle himself."

Peggy smiled, her eyes watering. "Yeah, he would've." She had lost the man she loved and had thought she wouldn't find someone else that would make her truly happy, but life had given her another chance at love. She didn't know it then —and she wouldn't find out until many years later— that even though life had crossed the paths of her and Steve, their love was meant to be temporary because both had the love of their lives waiting for them. They just needed to be ready to realize it.

And although Steve would always have a piece of her heart, Lawrence had put the rest of it back together. It only took her a few months of knowing him for her to know she had met the one she would share her life with, in a way she wouldn't do it with anyone else.

Wiping her tears away, she went back to her unusual giddiness. It was her wedding day, she was allowed to be unusually perky. She looked at Rose. "Thank you, Rose. For everything."

Snow contrasted wine when they tightly hugged, careful not to mess their dresses, nor their makeup and hair.

Rosemary smiled widely, intoxicated with Peggy's excitement. "I hope you are aware that I will forever take credit for your successful love life," she pulled away.

"You've been hanging out with Howard and Daniel too much."

"Well, I have to share my best friend with her boyfriend now, so sacrifices must be made."

"Your sacrifice is acknowledged," Peggy said with irony.

"Come on, let's go and meet your husband to be."