Page 49 of Choosing a Forever
“She’s been working so hard. Dancing in the living room, downstairs in the family room, staying late at the studio. She said it needed to be perfect because it’s important to her.”
“Well, she nailed it. I would give her a twenty out of ten if I were judging.”
Angie and Lyle chuckle, and Lyle reaches past Angie to pat me on the shoulder. “You’re a good one, Talmage. Thanks for treating her so well.”
I’m getting married today.
To Mackenzie Thorpe.
My first kiss, my first love, and the girl of my dreams.
I just wish my parents could be here to see it—to support me.
My mom called me a week after our disagreement and asked if I had changed my mind about marrying “that Thorpe girl.”
I told her no, I’m confident in my decision, and I hoped they could come and be supportive. Be happy for me—forus.
She told me she was disappointed in me, and she hoped I got my head on straight soon and thought about the eternal repercussions. To think about what I want my forever to look like.
I told her I’ve never had a clearer head. I know what I want from my life, and I’m finally going after it. My life doesn’t revolve around the arbitrary rules of the church anymore.
She hung up after, but that’s okay. I still think she’ll come around after she has some time to process. I can only imagine how hard it is when your oldest son leaves the only religion he’s ever known and marries a girl you’re not a fan of—which I don’t fully understand. I don’t get why she’s still holding a grudge.
It’s just a shame she and my dad won’t be here for what’s sure to be the greatest day of my life.
Today, I get to marry the love of my life with my best friends and her sisters by our side. I reached out to Thomas and Lauren to see if they wanted to come, but they both said they weren’t sure if they wanted to deal with the blowback from Mom.
I expected it, but it still stung a little. I’d hoped they’d want to support me.
That’s okay, though. I’m sure things with them will calm down, too. As soon as Mom comes around, everything will go back to normal.
I’m standing in the lobby of the Utah County Passport and Marriage Office with Nathan and Enoch, and I’m wishing we planned for a different location. This doesn’t exactly scream “romantic” with the drab wood floor, gray walls, andfluorescent lighting.
Mack and Iwillhave a bigger, better ceremony or party later on. I’m going to make sure of it.
The front doors open, and—like every time they’ve opened in the last few minutes—my eyes track to the entrance hoping to see Mack.
Only, it’s not Mack who enters. It’s her sisters, dressed in identical pale pink dresses with the hem falling to their knees in a flowy material and the sleeves cuffing at the wrists. They look cute, like they’re going to a school dance with their hair in braided crowns around their heads.
Lizzie walks in next in a simple black slip dress with a lace undershirt and hot pink cowgirl boots that match the shade of her lipstick and the pink of her hair.
“Dude. Who is that?” Enoch whispers, smacking me on the shoulder.
“Mack’s best friend, Lizzie.”
“She looks like she’dabsolutelydestroy my heart. I think I’m in love.”
“Please don’t. I don’t want to have to pick my wife over you if things go wrong. And theywill.You two are total opposites.”
My best friend scoffs, running his hand through his shaggy brown hair, leaving it looking tousled in a way I know women go crazy for. “You’d pick your wife over me?”
“Any day of the week,” I trail off, because I see her. My wife.
Looking like a literal angel.
Her hair is in soft waves with half of it pulled back away from her face, and her make up is simple butelegant, the shimmery eyeshadow on her lids makes her eyes glimmer in the light.
But the dress…
