☙☙

I posed for a few more solo picks as the wedding photographer did her job. I smiled softly taking in everything. I was getting married again to the love of my life. My friends and family were all here, and most of all, I was happy.

"One more of the bride", called the photographer.

I posed for one last picture while my bridal party stood to the side watching with grins upon their faces. There is nothing too traditional about today. Then again, anything that involves a Vitro never really is. Instead of the traditional white dress, I am clad in a black dress with a pair of matching black stilettos to match my groom's black on black attire.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids were clad in black as well.

If you did not guess already, the theme of our wedding is black and white. Nonna calls it the grown and sexy occasion. I knew better than to argue with the matriarch of the family so I let her have her way.

"Amore mio, mio Omi, sono incredibilmente felice di essere qui con te oggi. Non ho mai pensato un giorno simile con nessun altro che non tu. Non posso, non sarò con nessun altro perché sarebbe inutile sapere con tutto quello che sono che sei tu quello fatto per me. Mi avete benedetto con tre splendidi bambini e reso ogni spazio che abbiamo occupato una casa. Senza di te non c'è né noi né me. Senza il tuo amore non sono nient'altro che un guscio di un uomo perché sei il mio cuore. Tu e i tre piccoli umani che abbiamo creato sono tutto mio e senza di voi non sono niente. Ti amo Naomi Lopez-Vitro. Quindi sono qui davanti a Dio e a giurarti oggi, il giorno che per la prima volta abbiamo solidificato il nostro amore, per amarti è il mio prossimo respiro, trattenerti nei giorni bui, farti sorridere quando sorridere è dell'ultima cosa che ti senti di amare come i gioielli più preziosi che sei. Non posso ringraziarti abbastanza per avermi dato l'opportunità di amarti e di essere tuo marito. Non posso ringraziarti abbastanza per amarmi, Omi. So di non essere la persona più facile da affrontare, ma non mi hai mai fatto sentire come se fossi inferiore o come se non fossi mai abbastanza. Mi ami senza riserve e non potrò mai ripagarti abbastanza per farlo. Per avermi amato e sopportazione per me. Posso essere un idiota testardo, ma il tuo amore per me non c'è mai. Mi correggo quando mi sbaglio e mi sollevano quando cadgo. In cui sono in corto e ricopro tutte le basi per rendermi forte. Mi completi e ringrazi Dio ogni giorno per avermi benedetto di aver incontrato una persona così pura e affettuosa come ti ha reso nella mia vita. Non abbandonerò mai né te né il tuo amore, tesoro mio. Ti amo, Omi e lo farò per l'eternità."

It must be in this man's DNA to make cry. I fought so hard to not ruin my makeup, but it seemed as though my tear ducts had other plans. Tears escaped my eyes trailing down my cheeks. They were not there for long as Nathaniel reached out for me gently wiping away my tears with the pads of his thumbs, a gentle smile upon his face as he did so.

There were audible awes from our family and friends. It did not matter though. There voices barely touched my ears as we became lost in one another.

"I don't know what he said, but that shit sounded nice. Got our girl ready to risk it all for another 18 years. Okay. I see y'all."

You would have thought that it had been lucky to make such a comment. On a contrary to popular belief, Luc had been on his best behavior today. I guess daddy duties can tame even a demon. Back to the commenter that ruined the moment. Turning our heads we casted Markel a playful glare that caused him to raise his hands in surrender while muttering an apology for interrupting our ceremony. Clearly Marcel and Amanda have been together for way too long as everyone shared a bit of laughter at the change up of our friend's personality.

"Your vows Naomi", the pastor said while featuring for me to recite my vows now.

Taking a calming deep breath I closed my eyes before opening them once again.

"Juntos estamos ante nuestros amigos y familiares, Neil. Te prometo ante Dios y el hombre que te ames continuamente como tú me tienes. Me comprometí a retenerte en tus noches más frías y regocijarme contigo en todos tus días más brillantes. Seguiré siendo tu mejor amigo y confidente. Nunca te abandonaré, amor mío. Tú sigues siendo el mismo hombre que he amado. Espero que nunca cambies, que tu corazón nunca cambie y llegue un día en el que ya no me ames igual porque estaría devastado. Ha habido veces que he llorado por nosotros y a veces nos he cuestionado. Sigo siendo insegura, cariño. Todavía me pregunto por qué me quieres tanto, pero estoy muy agradecido de haberlo hecho. Tú y nuestros hijos valéis más la vida que cualquier otra cosa. Sonrío y me reí tanto porque tú. Haces que mi corazón y mi alma sonrean, Nathaniel y yo nunca pudiéramos darte las gracias como esposa y amigo. Me consueles y me amas sin fin, incluso en los días en que no veo por qué me amas dentro de mí. Nuestra familia me da motivos para seguir luchando cuando me canso y quiero dejar de hacerlo. Doy las gracias a Dios por nuestra familia todos los días y gracias también por elegirme y amarme tan sin esfuerzo que pueda estar aquí hoy como la mujer que soy ante todos en esta habitación. Me compromito a seguir estando al lado y seguir apreciándote como te quiero sin cesar con cada día que paso en esta tierra. Te quiero, Nathaniel Vitro", I spoke sincerely, tears cascading down my cheeks freely as my emotions overwhelmed me.

"Te quiero más, cariño", Neil spoke his voice cracking, tears beginning to spill from his eyes as well.

Nathaniel taught me how to love. He may not know this, but he truly has. I knew how to love platonically, but this man showed me love uncomprehendingly without my knowledge. I thought that love happened by chance and that my chances were slim to none because of the way that I look. I am human before anything else and I was hurt. I was hurt by society and my peers.

I was told that I was too fat and inadequate because I did not look like the girls on the covers of magazines and in advertisements. I was discouraged but I held my head high. I wore a smile when all I wanted to do was cry. I never understood why I was never enough until this man came barging into my life. He showed me my beauty and I had to open not only my eyes, but my heart to see it too. I am confident, capable, and beautiful. I am enough.

The awes from our audience had not gone unnoticed to either of us, but we did not care. We were lost together. We cried together as we exchanged our rings, honk ding on tightly to one another's hands as we stood with tears cascading down our cheeks with smiles upon our faces.

Inside of our bands was our wedding and anniversary date engraved with our respective heartbeats. We are extra so we had to outdo ourselves by adding in that little detail to our rings. With the go ahead from the pastor I found myself dipped and thoroughly kissed by my husband as our friends and family hooted and hollered cheering us on.

I am seriously reconsidering why I married Nathaniel Vitro. One moment we are cutting our personal cake then the next my husband has the mic in hand giving a small speech.

He then proceeded to surprise me with a performance completely ignoring LaLa's exclamation for everyone to speak English for the remainder of the reception. A second after the beat of the song my husband intended to perform began. I facepalmed out of pure incredulousness as Lucky slid from behind Nathaniel with a mischievous smirk rasping a mantra into his own mic.

'There's some whores in this house,

There's some whores in this house,

There's some whores in this house,

There's some whores in this house...'

I was mortified when Nathaniel began to rap into the mic.

'I said, certified freak

Seven days a week

Wet-ass pussy

Make that pull-out game weak, woo

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, you fucking with some wet-ass pussy

Bring a bucket and a mop for this wet-ass pussy

Give me everything you got for this wet-ass pussy...'

What made it even worse was that he was rapping in Italian and ignoring the glare I was sending his way signaling for him to stop. Did he concede? Hell no. It seemed like he and his groomsmen were determined to be cremated where they stood as the guys took turns singing their tweaked version of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP. I hate every single one of them, especially Nathaniel who was throwing his flat ass in a circle as he danced a decently choreographed dance to the song. I honestly should not have been surprised, this is Nathaniel we are talking about.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

As if things could not get any more ridiculous, Nonna started hyping them up and Nonno was not stopping her. My traitorous bridesmaids were rushing to the dance floor to stop them. At least I had thought before those hussies started dancing with them. I have never been so amused and mortified before in my life. Fortunately, the children had been moved to their own little reception area so that the adults could have their fun without interruption and any accidental scarring to minors.

Then again, if you can't beat them, join them. All it took was my husband seeking me out for me to join the mess and festivities as well.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Currently, we were jumping around with our friends passionately rapping along to Daechwita by Agust D. I was having fun just being in the moment with everyone. There were flashes of cameras as the photographers moved around the reception room taking photos and recording video messages from our guests to us. I sent a wink to my cousin Monica who was dancing with Christian. Her response was the bird, but the smile upon her face as she danced with our lovable brother never faltered as they moved closer to one another. I knew it and Nathaniel owes me a hundred bucks.

"Excuse me, may I steal the bride for a couple of minutes?", a familiar voice called over the music.

A scowl washed over Nathaniel's face as he stared down the person interrupting our fun. "No, the fuck you can't steal my wife. You can't even steal a hair off of her head. Shoo, go bother some desperate woman that gave up on life somewhere", he snidely called over the music.

Rolling my eyes I linked arms with our guest while subtly sending my husband a warning look as I escorted our guest over to a quieter corner of the hall.

"He still hates me I see", he said.

I shrugged my shoulders because it was more than deserved. Nathaniel was entitled to feel the way he felt towards him and I would not try to persuade him to feel otherwise. With time his feelings may change, but for now, he cannot stand the blood flowing through his veins.

"He does not. He just dislikes you with utmost contempt", I retorted.

He tsked shoving his hands inside his pockets. "I guess. How have you been, Naomi? It feels like forever since we last saw one another."

I hummed. "It does, but as I recall, someone vanished without a trace after the court case, Ishmel. I am happy. I have been happy. How have you been?", I responded.

Ishmel let out a sigh, his eyes darkening slightly as our eyes met before quickly looking away. "I have been okay. I missed you while I was away, Naomi. I had a lot of time to think while I was away. I just wanted to apologize once again", he said while avoiding my eyes.

"It's not fine what you did, but I forgive you, Ishmel. I forgave you months ago. When are you leaving?", I said gazing out into the crowd of happy family members and friends.

I was not stupid. I knew that he had only come to say his goodbyes. Before he and I had dated we were friends. I still remember my good friend Ishmel Logan Luciano. A smile graced my face as I watched Mrs. Grier doing the bump with my mama and mama Vitro. The three older women have become thick as thieves over the recent months.

None of us blamed the other woman. She was a mother that believed that the child she raised was still just that. It was not her fault that Madison had turned out the way that she had. She had done the best she could and unfortunately, her daughter strayed from her humble upbringings. I could still remember the look of raw heartbreak upon her face in that courtroom as she watched her daughter behave like a wild animal and curse her very name. It had taken some time before she had been welcomed into our family, but now she is a moving part as if she had always been here with us.

As for Ishmel, he made no effort to come into our fold. Instead, he opted to vanish seemingly into thin air. I had worried about him while he was gone, but life went on without him. I have a family of my own to worry about so thoughts of my missing old friend were put on the back burner. He is a capable man, but at times he was reckless as I recalled the man I knew. However, we are both different people than we were then.

"You still seem to know me so well", he muttered wistfully. "I leave in another two hours. I just wanted to tell you goodbye and apologize for being a shit person to you, Naomi. From the day I broke your heart up until now, I want to say sorry. I have no excuse for being a terrible lover and friend. I hurt you repeatedly and I am sorry. I know that it is not worth much to you or anyway, but I sincerely apologize for all of the pain I have caused you. I was a foolish boy, but I am working on it. I am not yet a man fully, but someday I will be. If I ever fall in love again I would hope that the woman I fall for is as generous, loyal, loving, fierce, and beautiful as you. I am asking a lot but if you and Nathaniel will, will the two of you allow me into Aiden and Aryan's lives someday? I know that I don't deserve it, but I would like to know my children someday. I don't expect for them to acknowledge me as their father because I am not deserving of such, but I just", he paused. "I want them to know that I am not as shit of a person. That there is still good in me. Please, will you two allow me to meet them one-day? I am a coward for running away again, but I can't meet them, face them as the person I am now. It would do neither of us any good. I will be going back home for a while until I am truly ready to face the music. You look as gorgeous as the day we met, Naomi. Your husband is blessed to have you. I hope that he continues to love you as he does and that your light will only illuminate even brighter. I love you, Naomi."

I listened to his words intently as I gazed out at everyone. Tearing my eyes away from the view before us I met his gaze.

"I love you too, Ish", I said with a smile.

"But not like I want you too", he responded solemnly.

I shook my head in denial. "Not like you want me too, no. You will find your happiness someday. Firstly, you need to move on. Then you need to forgive yourself. We had our ups and downs, but that's life. Don't love your life regretting and thinking about the what-ifs. Live, Ishmel. Nathaniel and I will discuss the whole situation so for now, I cannot make any promises. However, when you come back and Nathaniel sees the change in you that I see then I see no problem in you meeting Aiden and Aryan. See you soon, Ishmel", I sincerely told him.

He hugged me. He embraced me tightly while muttering one last apology and placing two small boxes into my hands before taking his leave. I had no know then, but that would see the last time I would see Ishmel for years to come.