My Only Exception

Chapter 24

I think about the years I spent

Just passing thru

I'd like to have the time I lost

And give it back to you

But you just smile and take my hand

You've been there, you understand

Its all part of a grander plan

That is coming true

Now I'm just rolling home

Into my lovers arms

This much i know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

-Bless The Broken Road

Rascal Flatts

She stared outside the window of the plane where she was sitting. After weeks of preparing for the decision that she came up with, she was able to finally settle what she needed to do. She filed a claim for her insurance, sold her car, her equipment, her furnitures. She submitted her resignation letter and though they tried to retain her by offering her something bigger, she declined. She ended her lease with the home owner, cut her subscriptions, paid her bills, and packed their things. Ethan patiently waited for her to finish her obligations and booked a flight for them as soon as they were done.

She knew she left something big behind her but she would be facing something bigger now that she would be home in a bit.

"Nanay, are you excited?" Cali asked her.

She smiled and pinched his cheeks. "You?"

"I'm excited," he answered. He always had been fascinated with flying and after his first plane ride, he'd been constantly telling them that he wanted to be a pilot. "Lola said they're getting my room ready."

Thirty more minutes, they were already getting out of the plane and finally got out of the airport after getting their bags. His parents were waiting for them. Cali ran to his grandparents and gave them a warm embrace. They headed straight to Ethan's home where his place was waiting for his family. Sa sobrang excited ng mga magulang nya, they stayed for the night sa bahay ng mga ito and slept beside their grandson.

Ethan already talked to a wedding planner and the following day, they started preparing for the event. They met with their event planner to discuss the details of their wedding and she presented a lot of options for them. Cali stayed at home with Ethan's parents and would sometimes go to the lectures being held by Raffy's dad. They met with their couturier on a weekend and had the measurements taken. They attended wedding events and went to different food tastings, chose their wedding cake design, the flowers to use, the motiff, the invitation.

They attended wedding seminars and had fun learning each other more. Cali often stayed with his grandma on her bakeshop where he watched people bake and design cupcakes. If not, he would be on Gavin's home and spend the whole day playing war games with his cousin. They broke one glass at home one day which made them face the wall for ten uninterrupted minutes. Three hours later, they broke another one. Paul ended up bringing the two kids at the mall.

Ethan and Raffy had their pre-nup photoshoot on the places that became a part of their lives - their university, Intramuros, the bakeshop, Starbucks, Rockwell, Batangas, Subic, and Boracay. Cali went with them and Ethan told him the stories behind the places they went to.

They sent out their invites to their friends and families, booked a ticket for Seff, and went back to their designer to have their final fitting. It was a bittersweet tiring moment for them for they needed to deal with the people who became a part of their lives and have hurt them one way or another. They spent the nights on their home, playing with Cali and building bigger dreams together.