Love gives hope

Chapter 30 "i Do"

Meredith's Point-of-View

13 hours later, I was staring at my half naked form in front of a full-size mirror in my hotel room. My tiny belly was no bigger than a burgeoning blister. Today was my wedding day, and I never thought I'd have one much less be pregnant as I walked down the aisle.

Behind me in the mirror was a simple white wedding dress I'd found in a local gift shop. Apparently, last minute beach weddings weren't as rare as we thought.

I heard a soft tap on the door that took my trance off my stomach and suddenly realized I wasn't in any condition to be answering the door.

"Just a minute."

I turned and threw the white ensemble on quickly, luckily being able to reach the zipper myself, I fluffed my delicate curls and pulled them upward into a simple laid back updo and touched up my lip gloss before turning to the door.

"Hello?" I called as I pried it open. A small Hawaiian woman who worked at the hotel greeted me with a joyful smile.

"They are ready for you." She said. "Your future husband is waiting."

The sound of the word gave me goosebumps...but not in a bad way.

I followed her out of the room, through the hotel hallways, down the elevator, and towards a back entrance that led straight out onto the beach. I was quiet the whole way down, she would say conversation points every five minutes to get me talking, probably assuming I was a nervous wreck...and I was.

My mind was running a million miles a minute as I thought about what a bride should be thinking about on her wedding day. Did my hair look alright? Was my make up too much, too little? Did my dress fit me ok? Do I look fat? Were my shoes going to hurt my feet?

I stopped at that thought as I hit the sand and suddenly realized that I forgot to put shoes on all together...stupid pregnancy brain.

I started to panic but then my eyes looked across the horizon and I forgot all worries. The sun was starting to set across the palm tree horizon, casting golden, purple, and pink hues across the tropical skyline, the ocean crashed in the background, creating a sweet and salty taste in the air, the breeze moved quietly around us and under one of those magical palm trees stood the man of my dreams... waiting for me.

He was smiling the moment he saw me walking towards him. I swear I saw him bounce on his feet a little, his eyes took me in as a starved man took in food. He was barefoot too in his sand-colored linen suit, no tie, a white button-down shirt underneath. He reached for my hand when I got close enough, I reached for his and felt our new connection start.

I don't remember much of what the Hawaiian minister said. His voice was just a simple hum in the wind. I was too busy getting lost in Derek's eyes and hoping like hell that this wasn't some sort of dream. That I wasn't going to wake up at any moment and find myself on the floor of his empty room after they'd taken him to the morgue.

"I do." Derek mumbled gently.

My thoughts jarred for a moment as I fought to concentrate on what the minister asked me.

"Do you, Meredith Elizabeth Grey, take this man to be your husband, in sickness and health, richer or poorer, for better or worse, so long as you both shall live?"

I answered without hesitation...

"I do."

I tuned him out again as I got lost in the image of my future, my healthy future... where our baby, and more babies to come would bounce on Derek's knees, or tackle him to the ground with giggles...and I wouldn't worry. Because the cancer is gone.

He slipped my wedding rings on my finger, I was surprised they fit and gasped as they took my breath away. It was a beautiful white gold three-ring set...he always did like showing off.

I took my turn placing his ring on his finger, a simple white gold band with a few stones placed around it. He gripped his hand after I slid it on and smiled as if he liked the way it felt.

"I now pronounce that you are husband and wife...you may kiss your bride."

My trance broke yet again as Derek folded me into his arms and dipped me down. He cradled me as his lips devoured mine under that magical palm tree. When our lips broke, he lifted me into his arms and carried me across the sand to the edge of the ocean.

We looked silently and contently into the sun setting into the horizon, its colorful rays reflected on the water as it set underneath it. He let out a full soft breath against my ear and smiled.

"This is the first day of our lives, Mrs. Shepherd."