Page 65 of When We Were Young
The most breathtaking beginning.
She turned the page and looked at the pictures that followed. All of them had been used in a post at one time or another. Noah didn’t waste anything. The last half of the album contained pictures from their wedding.
They had a full wedding album, of course. But the candid shots were here, a reminder of the season when Emily said yes. When they both said I do. She stopped at the first picture of them on their wedding day.
She ran her finger over the image of him, young Noah, his blond hair and blue eyes. Muscled shoulders filling out his handsome dark gray suit. The white button-down shirt looked crisp against his tan skin. The black bow tie, a perfect finish.
“What happened to us?” She spoke straight to the photo, as if the younger Noah from those days might hear her and find a way to change things. “It’s over. Can you believe it?” The words hurt to say them. “Who could’ve seen this coming?”
Her eyes shifted to her own image. Her smile was brighter than the sun. “You don’t smile like that anymore, Emily.” She spoke to herself as she ran her finger over the dress. Even through the plastic of the photo album, Emily could feel the silk and lace of that pretty white gown.
But nothing could touch the look in her eyes. The excitement and expectation, the certainty that Noah Carter would be hers, and she would be his forever and evermore. This had to be true for most divorced couples. If they tried hard enough they could all remember a time when they stood before family and friends to celebrate forever. When getting married was the brightest, most beautiful moment in their lives.
So how did everything fall apart? Especially for Noah and her?
Despite the situation at hand, Emily managed a slight smile as she turned the page. The wedding was stunning. A packed church, his brother and a few teammates serving as groomsmen. And his father as his best man. Emily’s bridesmaids were friends from dance, but her maid of honor was Clara. There could’ve been no one else.
Emily didn’t invite her father. He hadn’t reached out since her mother’s death. Nothing she could do about that. So Emily walked down the aisle by herself. At least it looked that way to people at the wedding. The truth was Emily took that walk with the one who had stood by her all her life.
Her Heavenly Father.
She remembered the vows, remembered promising her life to Noah. When they would talk about their wedding in the years that followed, they would remember every look and nuance of that day.
Emily closed her eyes and she could hear him speaking the words, like he was standing right here in front of her. “Life is short, the days never promised. But I can promise you this.” He had been lost completely in her eyes, his fingers wrapped around hers. “I will never let go of your hand, Emily. I will walk beside you through the valleys—the way you walked beside me through mine in college. I will celebrate with you on the mountaintops and I will be the constant you need, the love you deserve, the life both of us want.”
Tears filled Emily’s eyes. Every word was still etched on her heart. The look on his face, the sound of his voice. It was all right here, with her still.
The way it always would be.
She remembered her vows, too. How she had looked deep to the place in his heart that was hers alone. “We are never promised tomorrow. You taught me that. But in the days we do have, I promise to stand by you and support you, to cheer you on and believe in you. I promise to stay, Noah. I’ll always stay. No matter the season, whatever happens, I will be here. Forever and ever.”
Neither of them could remember a thing about the reception that followed. There were finger foods and music and dancing in the church hall. But all either of them could think about was the night to come.
In the week leading up to the wedding, Clara had hit it off with Noah’s mother. Though Noah’s brother and his family had to fly back to London, Noah’s parents stayed at the house with Clara. So Noah and Emily could have a honeymoon.
They spent the first two nights in a bed-and-breakfast on Lake Superior. Emily could still feel the butterflies in her stomach as they left the reception. Just the two of them. They talked about those early days of the honeymoon often. Especially during their first year of marriage.
Emily and Noah were already passionate about each other. Every touch, every glance. Every kiss and embrace. But after coming together during their honeymoon, they felt sorry for other people. Like no one could’ve had a love as great as theirs. It was better than anything either of them had dreamed.
Noah and her, wrapped in each other’s arms, whispering and laughing beneath the sheets, skin to skin.
Emily took a slow deep breath.Enough.
This wasn’t helping. Images from their honeymoon remained, but she pushed them away. Replaced them with the real Noah Carter. The one moving out in the morning.
When they returned from their honeymoon, they spent a few days with his parents. But as soon as his parents’ plane took off, Noah turned his attention to his and Emily’s social media. People were dying to know about the wedding. They wanted details, anything Noah could give them.
Yes, Noah. Everything about their Internet presence was always driven by him.
They might’ve shared the social media accounts, but that didn’t mean their fans were dim. Noah did the posting—everyone figured that out from the beginning. And that first week as husband and wife, living at home with Clara, Noah posted enough material to keep their followers busy every day.
“It’s good for people,” Noah told Emily. “Look.” And he’d show her comments from their followers.
All I want is to be like Noah and Emily Carter #Goals.
I’m going to church now. I’m doing anything Noah and Emily do. I want their life! #jealous.
Why is the highlight of my day @When_We_Were_Young? #RealGoals.
