Accepting Fault Is Part of Growing Up

It's Finally Over Part 1

After Oliver took his place at the altar he started scanning the room. Once his eyes moved past his family with no hesitation she realized with dread that he was looking for her.

Lucy didn't even need to ask Tim to do anything, he'd come to the same conclusions she had and wrapped an arm around her. Revelling in the comfort the action gave her, she turned and gifted Tim with a bright smile, receiving one in return. When Lucy turned to the front again she was met with Oliver's eyes boring into hers.

He had a wide smile plastered on his face but it was slowly shrinking the longer the two of them held eye contact and his eyes... They didn't match the smile he had on his face. They were dark and sunken, as if he had just turned himself off, if that even made any sense.

Lucy could feel Tim's frown from beside her.

"Uh, I've never been married before so I could be wrong, but aren't you supposed to be happy on your wedding day?"

"Yeah... Something's... Off here..."

Before the conversation could be continued 'A Thousand Years' by Christina Perri started playing through the church speakers and the first bridesmaid was making her way down the aisle.

"Do you have any idea how many weddings I've been to where they played this song?"

"Tim, shhhh!"

The maid of honour, who was a mutual acquaintance from college but cut contact after the cheating came out, walked down the aisle in a floor-length orange dress. It wasn't pylon traffic cone orange or anything, it was actually a lovely soft shade, but it was definitely a little odd amongst the light blue and white decorations.

The next two bridesmaids wore the same dress, they all looked lovely as they stood at the altar, across from Oliver and his three groomsmen... Even though their bouquets of light blue roses were much more visible and therefore clashed much more visibly with their dresses.

Then, the main church doors were opened completely allowing Addison to be seen by all as everyone who could stood to their feet.

She was wearing an empire waist gown that was very, very poofy. And she was wearing her retail smile, big and bright enough to make people think she's happy when really she's at the end of her rope. Not the smile Lucy thought she'd be seeing.

"Huh."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"C'mon, Luce."

"Really, it's nothing. It's just... She's probably changed since we were friends, but she hated baggy and poofy clothes. It was always either skin-tight or nothing. But people change, so..."

"Yeah, people change."

Addison was almost halfway up the aisle when the song ended. As in, the song finished and did not either loop around or have another song play after it. There were a few panicked seconds where Addison's carefully placed mask slipped, but Addison managed to plaster that fake smile they used to joke about on her face once more and continue to the altar in awkward silence.

When Addison finally reached the altar and everyone sat back down, Lucy could hear more than one sigh of relief.

"Family, friends, we have all gathered here today to bear witness to the joyous union of Oliver and Addison. May the happiness we share with them today be with them always. Now, repeat after me. 'I, Addison'..."

"I, Addison..."

"...'Take thee, Oliver'..."

"Take thee, Oliver..."