by Natasha West
‘I’m sorry. I’m an idiot’ Izzy sniffed. ‘Would you marry me anyway?’
‘Yeah, of course’ Alicia said and leaned in, kissing Izzy. Izzy grabbed her and pulled her tight, kissing her fiancée hard. She was a lucky fool. ‘What was this about a gift, anyway?’
‘Oh!’ Alicia said and excitedly opened her bag. She pulled out an ornate silver double photo frame. One side held a photo of two girls, a selfie taken in the back of a bus. They were laughing, young, happy. ‘From when we were twelve’ Alicia told her. ‘I think it was about a week after we met. I already had a crush on you. You were so weird and fun, not like anyone else.’
Izzy sighed happily at the photo. She noticed that the other side of the frame was empty. ‘What goes there?’
‘Today’ Alicia said, grabbing Izzy’s hand. ‘Us getting hitched. I wanted you to be able to look at it and always remember that some things never change.’
‘But some things do’ Izzy said, brushing away a fresh tear. ‘Some things really do.’
‘That’s right’ Alicia told her. ‘Speaking of which, can we go and get married now?’
‘Yes please’ Izzy replied, sighing with contentment. It was time to get this show on the road.
***
As Izzy walked down the aisle, she walked past a lot of people she cared about. She walked past her repressed mother and her angry father, sitting separately with new partners. She saw her brother standing alone next to the aisle, ready to supply the ring she would slip onto Alicia’s finger. She saw her old boss Jeremy and her new boss Bell, sat with their spouses. She saw Gabby and her date, a new guy, as ever. She was glad to see them all, smiling at her, wishing her happiness. She wished it right back to them.
As she kept walking, she imagined other people who might have sat in the rows. She saw Sophie, too keen to give her heart away. She saw Mackenzie, too quick to settle down. She saw Zoe, who didn’t know how to. She saw a young Alicia, too wounded to let anyone get close. And Izzy imagined that in all their different ways, they all wished her well too.
She didn’t want to forget those lovers. They’d taught her things that she had to remember as best she could. They were her history, the Book of Izzy, to be kept on a high shelf, taken down and perused occasionally, its lessons always there when needed. Izzy knew she still had a lot to learn. She needed to keep learning how to be happy when things were good or how to be strong when they weren’t.
Then Izzy imagined her own young self, sitting in the back, confused, not knowing if she could ever figure out how to love someone, or indeed to be loved. That girl wasn’t gone, she was a part of Izzy now, living quietly inside her, part of the story of how she got to this moment, to her wedding. To the rest of her life.
She reached the front of the aisle and turned to face Alicia. She’d made it, through the miles and years, to the place she was meant to be. She smiled at Alicia. Alicia smiled back. Izzy leaned into her before the registrar could kick it all off. ‘Hi. I know I only saw you ten minutes ago but can I say, you look incredible.’
‘So do you’ Alicia whispered back.
Izzy was glad to hear that. She’d had only a few minutes to put herself back together in her room – not to mention tell Simon and her mother that the wedding was going ahead - before it was time to come back down.
Alicia kissed Izzy on the cheek. ‘I can’t wait to ravish you on our honeymoon. But I guess we have to get married first. You ready?’
‘Yes’ Izzy said, fixing her bride with a steely look. ‘I’m ready.’
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In the meantime, feel free to enjoy these other books by Natasha West
Hawke’s Prey
Hawke’s Game
Hawke’s Flight
The Plus One
Plus Two
Something for the Weekend
A Marriage of Connivance
Joined at the Hip
A Mistletoe Moment
Real Love
Waiting for the Punchline
Chase Me
Close Ups and Mess Ups
Meet You at the End of the World
By Any Other Name
Never the Bride
The Dropout
Only Ever You
