"And that is why, my love, I said you should not come back yet." They were still sitting on the dusty, pebble-covered ground near the edge of the cliff, both embracing one another, in silence and then in husky little talks. Their jeweled sun had disappeared below the horizon a while ago, leaving behind twilight across the sky and a jewel on Sofia's ring finger.

"This time I want to have you step into our home and life in the way you deserve... donning a wedding dress, bright with hope and happiness as a bride should be and no shadow of distress anywhere near you," He was caressing the skin around the ring with his thumb as he spoke. "We'll share the joy with both of our families, and I'll get to twirl you around as we perform our first dance."

She pressed her face closer into the crook of his neck, feeling his skin there wet with her tears, he felt it too. Sighing, he grasped her chin and tipped it upwards so that he could look at her eyes.

"I can't stop crying," She gulped down the lump of emotions in her throat. "I've always wanted to get married with all the rituals, as mom did." And then she was shaking with sobs.

Max's face crumpled. With a sharp intake of breath, he hugged her tighter. "I'm so sorry, Sofi, so sorry," his voice was as broken as he looked. "I was a foolish bastard. I would have turned back time and fixed every wrong that I did if I could, but since that's impossible, let me give you the wedding that you deserve. And I promise I would try my best to make it better than what you've dreamt of," he indulged, appeasing hands rubbing her back while chanting sorry so many more times.

She squirmed, making him loosen his hold and wiping her tear-soaked face. She lifted herself up from his embrace. "Stop apologizing," she chastised, her voice contrastingly soft, however. "I've my fair share of mistakes as well. After all, it was me starting the saga of hurting each other in our teen days. I'm sorry, too, for pushing you away from me at that time, for separating us. You're not the only villain in this story, Max, but that is beside the point." She sighed, brushing away the strands of his hair that had swept down to rest on his forehead because of the mighty wind. "It's time we move ahead of our past, and even if we can't forget any of it, we must stop bringing it up to torment ourselves. There's no point in hurting because of all that, over and over again."

"But I..."

She cut him off by softly pressing her lips to his mouth. "No buts. No more of it." When she moved back, his lips had lifted up just this slightly, into a tender smile of affection.

Her dress was spread around her, its cotton-lace material getting increasingly dusty every passing second. The same was the case with his dress pants. But none of them cared about their dusty clothes or the pebbles that were beginning to dig into their behinds. It was easy to forget all the discomfort when they were together, like this especially, and within a moment they knew they would forever remember. Not that any moment they had with one another was forgettable, but still...

"It's getting late," he stated, breaking the silence.

"It is," she replied, not really wanting to end their evening yet.

However, all that starts must end at some point. It's an inevitable pattern of the universe.

Max moved his feet to get up, hoisting up Sofia too with himself in the process.

"I'll be visiting grampa tomorrow the first thing, to ask for your hand. And then, we'll fix a date right after Neil and Skyler's big day. What do you say?" he asked, eyes trailing down her body. He bent over then, and started to, without any pre-announcement, slap down the dust from her clothes.

She watched with her eyes reflecting the smile of her soul, as he dedicated himself to doting on her not giving a rat's eye to his own untidy self.

How could someone care for someone so much?

Sofia knew then, that the strings of their hearts were tangled and knotted in such an intricate way that it was impossible by any means to severe them. Their dissimilar tunes had traveled a long way of heartbreak and pain and loss, and along the way, somewhere, had merged to never be separated again. Bodily distance would never stand a chance in front of what they shared.

She knew then, she could let him go without any fear, for just like he had said – he would always return.

Max had been Sofia's since the beginning and would be Sofia's till the end.

And as the wires of all fears and insecurities uncoiled from around her throat, at that moment, she breathed in the smell of certitude and exhaled every hint of negativity that could have been left behind. She would have gone back with him to their home right then, but knew a little more wait instead would be so much more worth it. He was resolved on giving her her dream wedding and she would be a liar if she said she wasn't looking forward to it.

Whatever he had to give, she would take, and she would give back tenfold.

The wind kept blowing past them making his hair ruffle around wildly, the lonely cliff sung with the air whistling in a hushed tone. Giving into the potent urge, she reached forward and touched his hair ever so lightly with her fingertips. Her heart did several back-flips by the time he was done and stood upright.

Eyebrows pinched together; he clicked his fingers before her face. "You alright there? You didn't answer my question."

What was that he asked again.

"I love you," she smiled nonchalantly. "Is that a fitting answer?"

His lips crooked up into a boyish grin. "That is always the most fitting answer."

--

True to his word, Max arrived early in the morning at Haydens' right when they were about to sit for breakfast. His eyes had a sparkling mixture of love and desperation, bliss and nervousness. Aunt Marla went to usher him in excitedly and had him sit at the table for breakfast right away.

Sofia came up to put a plate before him, both smiling at one another before she turned and took a seat right beside him. A moment later, Skyler walked out of the bathroom with Pasta wrapped up like a baby into a towel and Sam dedicatedly in tow.

"Where're you taking Pasta?" Sofia asked, seeing Skyler going up the stairs leading towards the roof.

"She needs some Vitamin D, sis," Skyler turned briefly to say it in a duh tone, and then she left with Sam chattering away about the necessity of Vitamin D in the human body.

But did they realize that Pasta was no human?

Sofia shook her head while Max chuckled. Marla looked highly worried about her children's over-the-top addiction to taking care of the dog.

Grampa joined them soon after. With the help of a cane, he walked down the distance from his room to the table, visibly perking up as he spotted Max. Twice his bones made cracking noises as the old man settled to his seat at the head of the table.

Max was looking concerned, but before he could even ask about the eldest Hayden's health, grampa waved a hand dismissively.

"No need to look so worried, son," grampa said, beginning to stir his steamy porridge so that it cooled down a little. "These are the normal side effects of my age, nothing to bother about. Anyway...," he stared at Max with curious eyes. "Is there any specific reason for your early visit to my home? Not that you're not welcome here at any time, but the way you two are looking like eligible candidates to be models in toothpaste advertisements, I am beginning to guess that it has more or less to do with your issues, whatever they're, are being solved at last. Am I right?"

Sofia snapped close her otherwise grinning mouth and blushed.

"Yes, you are, grampa," Max rubbed the back of his neck, the tips of his ears turning red quickly. "You're always right."

"So," grampa leaned back into his chair with a content look. "You wish to take your wife back home, now that she'd agreed to let you?"

"I wish to ask for her hand," Max said, glancing at her briefly but indulgently. "I wish to marry her, properly and with rituals this time around before I finally take her back to our home. I'm asking for your blessing."

Sofia swore she saw grampa's eyes turning glassy before he covered it up with an amused chuckle.

"But is it not already in yours?" The eldest Hayden's chin jutted in the direction of Max's hand which had clutched Sofia's while he was speaking.

She hadn't even realized. Startled, she squirmed to take her hand back but he didn't let her, his hold strong.

Everyone chuckled around the table. And while Max grinned, she smiled with her cheeks warm the whole time.

"It is," Max confirmed with a mischievous nod at grampa who laughed some more.

Incorrigible, shameless bull.

As the laughter died down, she picked at the toasted bread before her, while grampa talked animatedly about wedding dates and inviting guests with her equally thrilled aunt.

"Are you not hungry?" he asked in a low voice leaning towards her ear.

She was pressing her lips thin and was hoping that he wouldn't notice. But surely, anything could hardly ever escape his lawful eyes.

"I am." She truly was hungry but only if the food could smell a little better than a rotten pile of mouse limbs, especially during early mornings. Must be because of getting less sleep, but then again, every afternoon these days she was seen napping with her head resting in her arms—drooling away on top of her desk in the restaurant. It was pathetic how she had been getting so unusually tired doing things she'd been doing always.

"Are you sure?" Max asked with a dubious look.

"Of course, I am." And to prove it, she chewed on a piece of the toast, gulping it down forcefully. Her throat constricted in protest, her stomach twisted and she almost had a vision of her intestines beginning to make a wave of rebellion. She clamped her mouth shut with all the force she could muster up and braved a smile at Max who was apparently watching her closely with narrowed eyes and all.

It was complete willpower that helped her hold it down. However, her hands were shaking under the table, ignoring them, she smiled some more.

--

It was confirmed that their re-wedding was to take place four days after Skyler and Neil's.

There was a nice option to have the two daughters of the same home married on the same day too, but everyone agreed that both of the girls had the right to be the only princess on their separate wedding days. That way they both could relish one another's weddings as well.

At first, they had thought that the small-time limit to prepare for Neil and Skyler's wedding meant it was going to be a small event. But then, aunt Marla went overboard at some point while inviting the guests and aunt Katherine begrudgingly followed suit with Lolo putting up her own demands and expectations.

It had been a month since Lolo's husband, Neil's elder brother, had gone abroad to attend a meeting with possible investors for his new business, it had left Lolo feeling depressed. And when a fashion-conscious page three woman was depressed, it meant celebration to the designers and boutique owners of the city. The upcoming, back-to-back weddings in the family had proved to be the devastating patrol to Lolo's fire of fashion.

"Relatives who're going to be coming from far," Sofia said. "We'll just simply have them stay for my wedding as well. Thankfully, most of our close relatives are here in the city, so there wouldn't be a big crowd at home for the next week."

Skyler nodded positively. "True. Are you sure though that you don't want to buy a new gown?"

"I'm very much sure, Skyler," Sofia replied with no hesitation. "I want to wear my mother's dress the ones she wore at her own wedding. This way I'll feel like she's with me throughout the ceremony. Sure, it would need some alterations. I've already made appointments with a couple of seamstresses with good reviews."

Skyler smiled. "Aunt Mary must be so proud of you, Sof, you've got the biggest of hearts."

Sofia shook her head, smiling as they both walked out of the house. The darkness of a hot evening in the city lurked high above the lamp posts.

As planned, after Sofia returned from Mary's, the sisters were going out to go wedding dress hunting for Skyler.

Two whole days had passed since Max had asked for her hand from grampa. The wedding preparations were in full swing as the dates grew nearer, and the couples were banned from meeting each other until they were properly wedded. Sofia didn't know about Neil but Max was determinedly following the custom. Facebook, Skype calls, and late-night phone calls were, however, the obvious loopholes that kept them from any insane attempt at rebellion.

After getting Skyler's dress which was a masterpiece according to both of them, they bought two huge boxes of sundae ice cream. Skyler was having late-night cravings and Sofia kind of also wanted some. After all, who doesn't love ice cream?

"Sof?" Skyler looked alert when they got into the car, and after four tries the car started. "I think your car's making more weird noises than ever before."

Sofia's brows pinched together as she concentrated on the road ahead. "Even I'm beginning to also feel the same."

"I understand that you're against getting rid of it for sentimental reasons and all, but at least take it to the mechanic and have him see if things can be fixed by changing some parts or something."

"I've planned to do just that," Sofia admitted, briefly looking at Skyler. "But not before our weddings. There are going to be just so many expenses. Besides...," she trailed off, hesitating to continue.

"Besides—what?" Skyler inquired, curious.

"The money Max's father gave me to save our house, I still need to pay it back—"

"Sof, you're still stuck there!" Skyler interjected looking aghast. "I thought everything's fine between you and your lovesick husband for a while now."

Hastily, Sofia shook her head. "It's got nothing to do with Max and my relationship. I just wish to restore my self-respect by doing what should be done, by completing the promise I had made to myself."

It was a much-needed closure that she needed. Not for anyone else, but for herself. This was the last chain that remained while all the others had been broken.

"Does Max know of this? That your mind is still set on paying the money back?" Speculated Skyler.

"Not yet," she sighed, but then she smiled with confidence. "But I know he'll understand."

A few months ago, it wouldn't have been possible for her to muster up this level of confidence, that was for certain. But now, so many things had changed. Max and her, both were in such a depth of their relationship where faith had become a lot like breathing.

Sure, she knew, he would explode like a volcano when he knows of her plan of paying back the money to his father. Nevertheless, she was also certain that it wouldn't take him long to come back to the right track. By now, she had become quite familiar with the pattern.

This was who he was; this was who she had fallen in love with and had accepted with her whole heart. Just like he had her. With her flaws, anger, and stubbornness and all.

--

"I bloody wish for the day this car will start, without giving me a headache, and will move without stopping on me in the middle of the road," Sofia whisper yelled, shaking her fist at the sky in frustration.

Stood at the driveway before Haydens', the car looked cheesed off under the glaring sun. And when Sofia narrowed her eyes at the white bonnet with rage, it felt as though the metal surface winked at her meaningfully through the few dents and scraps over it, credit goes to her new technique in starting the car since nothing else seemed to be working recently.

The heat of an incredibly sunny day in mid-summer soaked into Sofia's sweltering skin with cruelty, perspiration trickled down the sides of her face. She huffed feeling the most unladylike at the moment. And she was sure that Lolo would have fainted if she saw her like this, after all, a sun-burnt bride was not quite the iconic these days.

Huffing, Sofia stomped ahead and went inside the car, to try again and start it.

"Are you sure it will work?" Skyler asked with uncertainty as she stood by the bonnet.

Sofia blew away the strand of hair that had fallen on her face. Determinedly clenching her jaw, she replied, "It has to. Because I'm more than fashionably late and I need to be at Mary's today."

Because, from tomorrow she was taking a very long leave for the weddings—her sister's and her own.

She needed to make certain that everything would run smoothly in her absence in the coming week.

But to make it furthermore difficult for herself, she'd slept in late, and it was irritating how she couldn't even put the blame on Max. For he had been cutting their late-night conversations short recently, saying that she needed to sleep off the stomach bug that she had apparently gotten from consuming brick powder instead of chili powder supplied by Vagga. Max's words.

Max had even booked an appointment to their family doctor at the hospital tomorrow morning. And she'd given in this time, admitting in silence, that no woman should get married while suffering from a twisted case of diarrhea.

Sofia threw a look at Sam standing at the rear. "On the count of three."

"Okay, di," Sam looked more excited than his sisters.

And, as the ominous three left Sofia's mouth, Skyler hit the bonnet with Sam's bat, and at the same time, Sam gave a push to the rear with as much strength it was possible for a kid of his age to muster up, nevertheless, it was enough to have the vehicle roll forward a bit. Lips pressed into concentration and brows pinched together, Sofia twisted the key simultaneously.

Skyler and Sam squealed in joy as their united effort had the car come to life. Sofia grinned wickedly.

But then her grin lessened hearing a weird ping from somewhere inside the car. Her eyes wavered, trying to locate where the sound had been produced. But the noise was brief and never happened again.

Sofia let out a weary sigh. "Just don't stop dead on me, okay," she patted the car soothingly.

To be on the safe side, she drove slower than usual today. And upon reaching Mary's, she squared her shoulders before stepping into a day she knew waited for her with an impossibly great amount of workload.

But who knew, there also waited for her someone unexpected as well.

She'd just stepped inside her office when she halted, finding Joe standing before a man whose suit-clad back faced her.

"Sofia—" Joe had just begun to speak when the man giving her his back, turned around.

Sofia's bag slipped down her shoulder and onto the floor with a thud.

Masterchef Jason Ramsey! Like, freaking hell!

She blinked. Once, twice. But the face didn't change to someone else's. Her heart skipped a beat when he started forward, and only then did she finally begin to believe. It was truly him.