Another Chance Book I of III

Book III-Chapter 120, With This Ring

With This Ring

Bella's POV

Bella woke and stretched, taking her time in opening her eyes. "Holy Father," she said to herself, "today is my wedding day; today, I will marry Prince." A big grin spread itself across her lips. Picking up her phone, she looked at the time. It was 7:30 AM. She looked over at Elaine, who was sleeping on her side and was turned away from her with a pillow over her head. She smiled at her best friend. She always was a wild sleeper, she thought, smiling even more. She got up and went into the bathroom, did her morning ritual, and washed her hands. She then went to the little kitchenette and put a pot of coffee on. As it started to brew, she thought about preparing for the wedding today-hair for all in the wedding party and nails for the two brides. She and Elaine had appointments at 9:00 AM for their nails and 11:30 for their hair. The others in the wedding would be in the hair salon beginning at 9:00 AM. All would be done and ready for makeup in the Brides' dressing room in the chapel by 1:00 PM. Bella got up and poured herself a cup of coffee, and dressed it. Elaine wandered into the kitchen and said, "good morning Bella." "Morning, Elaine." Both girls looked at each other and then took each other's hands and started to jump up and down and squealed. "Today is the day," Elaine said. "Our wedding day," Bella said. They grinned, and then Elaine headed to the shower. Bella would be right behind her when she finished. In the meantime, Bella finished her coffee. She was putting her coffee cup in the sink when she heard her phone ring. Dashing into the bedroom, she picked it up, saw it was her Prince, and said, "good morning, my handsome Prince." Prince laughed and said, "good morning, sweet Bella. I just wanted to hear your voice before I left to get my hair styled and a shave". Of course, Prince's hairdresser was invited to the wedding and was styling his hair this morning. He had let it grow out while they were on tour, and he looked divine with long hair and manscaping! On the way, I want to have a bellman drop off my things, as tonight, I will be sleeping in the room with my bride"! "I am so happy, Prince," Bella said. "I can't wait to marry you," Prince responded. "See you soon Mama. I love you"! "See you soon, love of my life," Bella said. She showered, and the two girls were getting dressed when they heard a knock at the door. Looking through the peek out, Bella saw it was the concierge and a bellman with Prince's things. The concierge said, "Prince said to tell you that we have already been tipped." The bellman said, "very generously I might add," and smiled. The minutes and hours clicked by, and soon enough, their nails and hair were done, and they were off to the chapel. It was 12:45 PM as they entered the Brides' Room inside the chapel. The girls slipped into their wedding lingerie and their wedding robes. The robes were short and comfortable, and it was time for makeup.

The room was filled with White Gardenias and Orchids courtesy of their future husbands. The fragrance was wonderful, and the girls were so excited and appreciative of this gesture of their loving men. There was chattering going on among those in the wedding party. However, their mothers and Prince's grand were in another room with part of the makeup team applying their makeup. As the wedding party was made up, each woman, when completed, went into the room where Bella and Elaine's moms were as there were lots of couches, and they could be comfortable and allow the girls to focus on the solemnity of their Wedding Vows in the Brides' Room. Bella's eyes filled with happy tears as she thought about what she wanted to say to Prince. "Father, please help me say the words that are stored up in my heart," she prayed silently. Elaine then spoke to Bella, "Bella, there is no one on earth I would rather share this day with, outside of Carlos, of course, than you. We have come so far together, and you are more than my friend...you are truly my sister". Bella stood and walked over to Elaine and said, "and you are mine. Having Prince as my love and you as my sister has made my life incredibly happy. I can tell you things that I cannot tell anyone, including him, and I am so grateful that you have always been willing to listen". "I love you, Bella." "And I love you, Elaine. Let's go get ourselves married". The girls hugged, and their makeup artists patted the happy tears away, touched up their makeup, and then helped them get into their dresses. Savannah and Nita were made up and waiting to see the girls. They were in the second room with Kendra and Linda. Prince and Carlos had given the girls their wedding gifts at the rehearsal dinner and told them not to open them until they were dressed today. Kendra and Linda had kept the lovely boxes for them, and without being asked, appeared at their door to put the beautiful jewelry onto the two lovely women. Prince's grand was with them, as were Savannah and Nita. Both girls were now in their wedding gowns and shoes. Their hair and makeup was done perfectly. "Bella, you look so lovely," Kendra whispered. "Elaine, you look just as I hoped and imagined you would whenever I thought about my little girl becoming a bride," Linda said. Their mothers put the necklaces on their daughters and helped to get their earrings on as well. Both girls had been blown away by the beautiful jewels. Savanna and Nita were in awe of how gorgeous they looked. Kendra and Linda went to the valet stand and picked up the veils their daughters had chosen. Kendra put the combs that anchored the veil securely into Bella's flowing, long, thick mane. "My God," she whispered as she looked at her daughter. Her eyes filled with tears, and she said, "you look just like a princess Bella." Linda's reaction as she looked at her Elaine was much the same as she adjusted her veil. " You look like royalty," she said. Grams, Prince's grand, had sat in silence with a brilliant smile on her face taking in the two exquisite women. "Come here," she said softly. Both brides walked over to her. She took each of their hands and said, "it is my prayer for both of you that your saddest day has the level of joy and contentment you feel today, at its end, and that your happiest day exceeds your joy today 100 fold". She stood and kissed each of the girls on their cheeks. They let the photographer in to take the first pictures of the gorgeous brides. They took shots like the mothers were just putting the veils on and then shots of them appreciating the beauty of their young and lovely daughters as they held their two hands standing across from them. The rest of the wedding party returned to the Brides' room to get their flowers, and Bella and Elaine put the lavender orchid wrist corsages attached to pearls on their mothers' wrists. There was a knock on the door. David and Andy came in announcing that most of the guests were seated and were sent by the wedding planner to tell them they should be ready to begin in about 15 minutes. The mothers of the Grooms hurried out so that they could be seated. As David and Andy entered the room, both men were absolutely floored at the beauty of their daughters. "Oh daddy," Bella said as her father embraced her and said, "Bella, you look like an Angel from heaven," he said softly. "I am so very proud at this moment." Andy had stood there, not able to find the words that could convey all that he was feeling at that moment. "You are stunning, Elaine," he finally said. "Carlos is the second luckiest man on earth, he continued. Because I, as your father, am the luckiest". Elaine kissed her father on the cheek. "It is time for the mothers to walk down the aisle now," David said. Prince's grandfather was standing in the doorway. "Yes, it's time," he said to them all. Grams went to her husband's side, and he walked her down the aisle, following one of the ushers who guided them to their seats. Next, Kendra was walked down the aisle by Prince's Best Man, Sidney Davis, his keyboard player. She was followed by Linda, who was escorted by Miguel Torres, the rhythm guitarist and Carlos's best man. Both men returned to the back of the church and walked around to the side door where they met Prince and Carlos and stepped into the church with them getting into their positions. While the girls were dressing, the best men had secured both sets of rings to the appropriate ring cushion. The wedding planner had double-checked that detail and also given the flower baskets to the flower girls. The Groomsmen walked into the Church and took their places next to the women; they would escort up the aisle. They got into the proper order, with the two matrons going first. The maids of honor entered next. Bella and Elaine were escorted to the door by David and Andy but stood just out of sight of those seated in the chapel.