Bonus chapter 5 | The Marriage Of Bella & Kayden Taylors

My eyes fluttered open to the sunlight beaming through the thin-laced curtains. The sun was shining brighter, the birds were singing and the colors of the trees, neighbor's houses and the grass seemed more vibrant this morning because today was the day I was marrying my soulmate.

Now that the day was here, it was starting to feel real, like his proposal and wedding planning wasn't just a figment of my imagination. Mom welcomed herself inside. Her eyes were already tearing up, her hair was sticking up all over the place and a tired smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Good morning, my love." She sat on the edge of my bed next to me and tucked a strand of hair that was stuck to my face behind my ear.

I knew she was seconds away from having an emotional breakdown so I rolled my eyes and mentally prepared myself to endure her spiel. "My only child is getting married today." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "I can't believe it. Time flies so fast."

"Mama, please."

Mom waved me off as her eyes were now trained on the white 'Bride-To-Be' sash that was hanging over the edge of my headboard. Olive bought it for me for my bachelorette party.

It was just her and I watching the sunset on the beach with a cooler filled with Malibu drinks. It was lowkey, but all I wanted was to spend it with my only female best friend.

Mom wore a sad expression on her face as she looked at it, like the sash was a representation of how grown up I was from the baby she was holding in her arms.

She shook her head and twisted her body to face me. "The ceremony isn't for another seven hours so you have time to relax and spend time with Olive, but just know, we have to be at the church at two thirty to get your makeup done. Don't forget to bring your hair curler, love."

I groaned as I rolled over on my side and stretched out my limbs. My sleep was on and off all night because of my nerves taking over my thoughts and all I wanted to do was snuggle with my sheets and crawl back into the world of oblivion. A ping came from my phone and I rolled over to see it was a message from Kayden.

Kayden:

Can't wait to see you at the altar, future Mrs. Taylors.

Bella:

Are you gonna cry when you see me?

I dragged myself out of the warm duvet and sheets and my feet carried me to the bathroom. The first thing I did was splash water on my face to wake myself up more. After I brushed my teeth, washed my face and brushed my hair, I went back to my phone to check for any more messages from Kayden.

Bella:

You have to think about it?

What, is my beauty not worth your tears?

Shortly after, three dots bounced across his side of the screen.

Kayden:

Of course not! I was just cooking breakfast for Zach. Obviously I'm gonna cry. I'll be seconds away from becoming your husband.

I got dressed in my neon green hoodie, high-waisted leggings and black-and-white-checkered vans. I threw my hair up in a ponytail and picked up my purse from my nightstand.

When I stepped downstairs, stray white balloons were thrown all over the living room floor and white streamers were hanging over the back door.

Mom was the last person I thought would decorate the house to celebrate the morning of the wedding, but there was one person I knew would take any opportunity to take a trip to Party City.

Olive turned around from her spot on the couch to face me and mom was sitting on the other side. She was shaking her head with an amused smile at how extra Olive was being.

"Happy morning of the wedding!" Olive shot her arms up in the air with a bright smile reaching her eyes. She was in my white halter top with her hair in a curly, split ponytail, high-waisted, torn denim shorts and her white, fluffy 'Bridesmaid' slippers.

Her face still shined from the face masks we put on last night and she was wearing the 'will you be my maid of honor?' bracelet I made her.

She had been taking that title very seriously. She even carried around her iPad that had a list of things that still needed to be done and wore a headset to take calls on from the caterers or florists.

"Open the present Kayden left for you!" Olive bounced up and down on the couch and gestured toward the wrapped present on the coffee table.

I was taken by surprise when he said he had a present for me and, more than anything, I felt guilty. We agreed on not getting presents for each other. At least that was what I thought we agreed on. I felt bad that I didn't have anything to give back to him.

Hesitantly, I picked up the present and began ripping apart the paper. It appeared to be a jewelry box as it had a velvety material and it was only medium-sized. Upon opening it, my eyes lit up at what was inside. It was a charm bracelet with each step of our relationship in chronological order.

The first charm was a heart to represent when he fell in love with me. The second was a pair of lips to represent our first kiss. The third was in the shape of a diamond ring to represent when we got engaged. The fourth and final one was a glass of champagne to represent our wedding.

Each charm held a special memory that I would remember even when we're old and gray. All of those would be wrapped around my wrist for as long as I was alive. A card was left underneath the bracelet that read:

And we still have plenty of memories to add. Our first baby. Our first home. Our first family trip. Can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, love.

Love, Kayden

I pursed my curled lips together as I reread the note over and over again. My thoughts were interrupted when Olive cleared her throat.

"What is it?"

My eyes lingered on the priceless piece of jewelry that felt cold in the palm of my hand. My fingers secured it and the slew of butterflies woke up at the sentimental gift. I shook my head and turned to Olive. "It's nothing."

-

We arrived at the church where the ceremony was being held. It was a tall building with a cross that crowned the roof, stained glass decorated the high ceilings and and there was a sitting room outside the rooms where the masses were held.

Pristine ivory-colored walls surrounded a brown, three-cushioned couch, two matching armchairs opposite each other and a wooden coffee table in the center.

The room where we were having the ceremony had immaculately high ceilings made of more stained glass in colors ranging from yellow, purple, green and brown. I put in a request for an arch to be put in the front bordered with red roses and a string of lights.

A beach wedding was my ideal. Feeling the ocean breeze, listening to the waves crash onto land as I recite my vows. Nothing would be better. At least, that was what I thought.

I didn't take into account walking in heels on the unsteady, sandy ground. Not until the day we were out in search of the venue. I ended up throwing off the heels I was wearing that day and got them all dirty with sand when I put them back on later.

We decided that a church would suffice for the ceremony and my aunt offered her house for the reception. Hosting was her forte, so this wedding was nothing to her. At the end of the day, it didn't matter where I was marrying him. I just wanted to be at an altar and speak my vows to my soon-to-be husband.

Mom, Olive and I were in the bridal suite. The gray walls surrounded the room, a black couch and armchair set were facing each other with a wooden coffee table in the center. I was sitting at the desk in front of a lit-up mirror while the makeup lady was finishing the last touches.

Once she was done and out of the room, Olive left us alone to deliver a note I wrote to Kayden. I glanced at mom through the mirror and found her leaning forward with her arms over her knees. I could tell she was deep in thought with her eyes staring off into space and flitting toward the armchairs and the table.

"Mama? Are you okay?"

She inhaled as she sat up and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She nodded. Mom stood up and walked behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest and resting her chin on my shoulder. "I always knew that Kayden and you would end up together."

I furrowed my brows. "You did?"

"Of course. Whenever we took the three of you to the beach, took you out for ice cream or watched you play together, we noticed how he looked at you. He looked at you like you were the most beautiful girl in the world."

How could I have been so oblivious? Talking so passionately about my drawings of Zach, Kayden and I or jumping up and down in excitement when mom announced my favorite aunt and uncle were coming to visit. The whole time, Kayden was staring at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

Even my parents knew. They saw the day coming. When he kissed me, confessed his irrevocable love for me and asked me out. They saw this day coming. When we would finally marry after all those years. In the meantime, I was going about my days knowing none of that.

"Even when your aunt and uncle came to town that summer when you were seven, they watched you play around in the backyard and asked me if he was your soulmate." She was lost in the memory of us chasing each other around and playing hide and seek behind the trees. She left a lingering kiss on my cheek and squeezed me in her arms.

Our moment was cut short when mom suggested she help me get into my dress. It was a silky, plain dress with thin straps and a hem that flowed elegantly to the floor, paired with white heels which were only three inches high. I finished the look with the bracelet that Kayden bought for me and gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror.

I curled my hair myself before the makeup lady arrived and mom added a diamond hair clip that she wore to her wedding to the back of my hair. Olive knocked on the door and poked her head in.

"It's time, Belles."

I sighed and swallowed my nerves down my throat.

"Come on, love. Your dad's waiting by the doors." Mom held out her arm to hook with mine. A warm smile crawled across her face and tears accumulating in her eyes. The double doors weren't that far away, but with my feet carrying me slowly and my hand shaking, it felt like it took forever.

When we got there, Zach was facing the doors. From the side profile, I could see the water works starting to pool in his eyes. He was similar to my dad and to his own as far as keeping his emotions in check.

Zach sensed my eyes on him and suddenly gaped at my dress. His watery eyes were surveying me up and down and he pivoted his body to face me. "You're crying," I commented with a small smile forming on my face. His first instinct was to violently shake his head and to harshly wipe his eyes, but it was too late. I had already seen him vulnerable.

"No I'm not. My eyes are just... tired. From working out all day." Zach weakly flexed his biceps. The tears making their way down his cheeks said something else entirely. His eyes finally met mine. They were glossy with more tears, but he forced his lips to twitch into a smile. "I'm waiting."

My face scrunched up. My head slightly tilted to the side. "For?"

He gave me a look like it should've been obvious. "For my thank you. You do realize I basically set you up with your future husband, right?"

I rolled my eyes, but on the inside, I was amused by him taking credit for making this day happen. "He was my best friend first. I brought him into your life. So technically, technically, I'm the reason why this day is happening."

"As long as we're being technical, he was the one that initiated your very first conversation. He was the one that started your best friendship. Not you."

He was speechless, trying to come up with a better argument, but he failed. Zach stammered, but he paused with a finger pointing at my face. "We were still best friends. You just tagged along because you were too shy to make your own friends. You clung to us like a lost puppy."

I lost. There was no way I could argue with that. An incredible moment was shared between us as we exchanged watery eyes. Damn him for making me get all emotional. He wasn't the one who had makeup on. Wordlessly, he curled his arms around my back and held me tight.

It was as if he was the one giving me away. Which, if the tradition allowed it, I would've asked him to. Zach was practically my twin brother. We were born best friends and we'd spent all our lives glued to the hip.

I increased the space between us, but just slightly. My finger gently swept away a lone tear from his eyes and I closed my eyes as he left a lingering kiss on the top of my head.

"Thank you."

His brows furrowed.

"For not getting mad at me when I confessed my feelings for him to you. For giving us your blessing. And for sticking by me. Us."

"Don't. Don't thank me. You're good together. No, wait. You're perfect together." He returned the gesture and swept a tear away, moving a strand of hair that was stuck to my face behind my ear. "I love you... sis."

My heart swelled hearing him refer to me as his sister. "I love you too... bro." I gave him a playful punch to the arm like a sister would do to their brother. He managed to crack a brighter smile and a light chuckle broke out of his lips. A sniffle interrupted our conversation and we turned to Olive dabbing her teary eyes with her handkerchief.

Suddenly, I was reminded that I was minutes away from marrying my soulmate. I stepped aside to allow Olive to take Zach's arm and approached my dad. His eyes were glistening with tears, but he was holding his head up high and staring straight ahead. A frown formed on his face. "Are you okay, daddy?"

He snapped out of his trance and turned to me. His lips tilted upward seeing me in my dress with my hair curled and mom's hair pin on the back. I wasn't sure if he was lost in the memory of his and mom's wedding or of me when I was only a fragile baby he was holding in his arms. Whichever it was made more tears pool in his eyes.

I supposed that a girl getting married brought out the emotional side of men. "I remember when you were only three years old. You would yell out 'daddy' when you see me picking you up from preschool. And now you're..." He shook his head and held out his arm for me to take. It was time for the double doors to open and for the procession to begin. The violinist was in the front playing Can't Help Falling In Love, the beautiful music filling in the room.

Through the inside, I saw everyone that had been a part of my life since I was a baby. Even the minister who married my parents and had known me since I was only months old was in the middle of the altar.

My cousins were filming the procession with their phones, the photographer was taking photos in the back of the room and Kayden was standing with the priest at the front. It wasn't long before it was my turn to walk down the aisle.

All eyes were on me as they stood up and their smiles widened at the sight of me and my parents. I could hear the photographer behind us capturing their reactions and the videographer was in the corner of the room filming my every step. My nerves relaxed the second my eyes landed on Kayden.

The guests surrounding me, the clicks of the camera, feeling eyes on me, they all disappeared. It was just me and Kayden and nothing else existed as long as my eyes were trained on my fiance. Time slowed down as I scanned his tuxedo. His hair was neatly gelled back and his eyes were bloodshot with tears sitting in his eyes.

Once I reached the altar, mom and dad kissed my cheeks before taking their spot in the front seats.

My hands were sweaty and my eyes were starting to water up at the moment we'd been waiting for for over a year finally being here. I let out one last shaky breath when the minister began the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Isabella Price and Kayden Taylors..."

-

From the church, we drove to my aunt, Auntie Krissy's, house for the reception. A welcome sign with our favorite engagement picture on it stood in front of her expansive backyard, fairy lights hung above the grass to add a romantic aura and tables surrounded a dance floor, where couples were already starting to dance.

An outdoor bar was in the corner where a bartender was stationed to mix drinks and more strings of lights were wrapped around a gazebo that stood in the middle of the yard.

Their house had a wrap-around balcony where you could see a slither of the beach and Perfect by Ed Sheeran began playing for our first dance as husband and wife.

I found a love, for me
Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead.
Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet.

Kayden led me to the center of the dance floor and placed his arms around my lower back, mine around his neck. We swayed back and forth to the slow music and the soothing sound of Ed's voice singing the romantic lyrics.

But darling, just kiss me slow.
Your heart is all I own and in your eyes, you're holding mine.

"I can't believe I can finally call you my wife." Kayden broke the silence in a soft voice. I adjusted my chin to rest on his chest and looked up into his ocean eyes. By simply looking into his eyes while we slow danced, my stomach knotted up all over again and a warm feeling stirred inside me.

"I can't believe I can finally call you my husband." My voice came out in a whisper so only he could hear. It only took the first five years of my life to meet my soulmate, to fall in love with the boy I was born to marry.

It took him thirteen years to confess his feelings toward me and to kiss me. It took him seventeen years to propose to me. Now, the day had finally come when we would share the rest of our lives together. I was excited to start this next chapter of our lives.

-

Quote graphic ❤:

Wedding aesthetic 💒:

AUTHOR'S NOTE-

And this marks the end of my writing journey (sobs into my hands).

It has been a really fun time rewriting TOY for the third time. This is honestly the best version of Bella and Kayden's (formally known as Keith) love story and I'm super glad I decided to extend it, to let the plot develop a lot more.

Who knows? Maybe you'll see one of my books being sold in stores which would be a dream come true.

It took me quite a few days to write this one because I wanted to take my time with this and make sure it turns out the best it could be.

Thank you so much for supporting me through my writing journey! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.