At Her Sister’s Wedding, My Best Friend Caught the Bouquet… Then Walked Straight to My Table!
Chapter 14
A decade passed.
Emily and Sophie built a life together.
Their home was filled with books, photographs, and the sound of children running through the hallways.
Claire had two children of her own.
Ben visited every holiday.
The foundation created scholarships for young construction workers.
The old warehouse became a school for vocational training.
The family story was no longer whispered.
It was remembered openly.
One afternoon, Emily found Sophie in the kitchen making blueberry pie.
“You know,” Emily said, “this is suspicious.”
Sophie looked at her.
“What?”
“You only bake when you have something to say.”
Sophie smiled.
“Maybe I do.”
She pulled out a small wooden box.
Emily recognized it.
The same kind of box from the old house.
“What is that?”
Sophie opened it.
Inside was the original photograph from the wedding.
The bouquet.
The first letter.
And one new photograph.
It was their daughter.
Seven years old.
Standing beside Claire’s daughter.
The two girls were best friends.
Emily smiled.
“They already look like trouble.”
Sophie laughed.
“They learned from us.”
Emily looked at the old photograph.
“Our whole life started because you caught that bouquet.”
Sophie shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“It started because I walked to your table.”
Emily smiled.
“Fair.”
Sophie took her hand.
“There was one thing I never told you.”
Emily raised an eyebrow.
“Another secret?”
“Not a secret.”
“Then what?”
“I had planned that night.”
“The bouquet?”
“Yes.”
“You planned to catch it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sophie smiled.
“Because I knew if I waited another year, I’d never tell you.”
Emily looked at her.
“So you caught it on purpose.”
“Very much on purpose.”
Emily laughed.
“I knew it!”
“You absolutely did not.”
“True.”
They kissed.
Then their daughter ran into the kitchen.
“Mom!”
“What?”
“Grandma Claire says we’re late.”
“For what?”
“The anniversary dinner.”
Emily looked at Sophie.
“You forgot?”
“I remembered.”
“When?”
“Five minutes ago.”
They laughed.
As they left, Emily glanced once more at the photograph.
The seventeen-year-old girl standing beside her best friend.
Neither of them had known what the future held.
Neither had known how many secrets would have to be faced.
Neither had known that love was already standing beside them.
Waiting.
