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"Honey, wake up," mum shakes my shoulder and earns a sleepy groan from me. "Your aunts and uncles are here. I have to go and help Jade get ready at the hotel, okay?"

Slowly, I open my eyes, notice my dress covered in the dust-proof bag hung on the wardrobe door and realize today is the day.

"Okay," I answer mum before a quick yawn escapes my lips. She kisses my forehead and opens the door to exit my room. As she opens the door the noise from downstairs instantly hits me. Loud voices, laughing, running through the house - yep, my relatives are here.

I check the time - 11.21am. Jeez, I've slept in.

I allow myself to quickly brush my teeth and clip my hair back so it doesn't go in my eyes before going downstairs.

"Willa!" aunt Jillian exclaims and a second later I'm engulfed in her embrace. "Look at you, you're all grown up and so beautiful. I bet all the boys are after you!" she smiles and runs her eyes along my frame. We haven't seen each other in few years since they moved to Australia because of uncle's job.

"She has a boyyyfriend," Christopher comes out of nowhere and wiggles his eyebrows playfully.

"Yeah, and apparently he's taking her to Paris after the wedding," dad butts in as he passes by, his tone mocking when he mentions Paris. Auntie gasps and a devilish glint passes in her eyes.

"Oh, honey, that's amazing! Is he handsome? What does he do for a livi- Oh, Mellisa, Shannon!" auntie calls out to my other two aunts as she sees them walking in the living room with two of my cousins, Olivia and Erica.

I groan, knowing that the next hour will be me getting interrogated while drinking coffee with the aunts and Olivia and Erica.

They asked me about his age, if he's a student or has a job somewhere, how we met and if I've met his family. I answered their first two questions truthfully, but for the last two? I had to dodge them because it was weird telling them we met through his brother who kidnapped me. They knew all about the kidnapping fiasco, of course, but I didn't want them to feel different about him after I told them how we really met.

They let me go only after I show them a picture of Lazzaro. While they're talking amongst themselves how handsome he is, I slip away and go upstairs to start getting ready. It's almost 1 pm and the wedding starts at 4.

I washed my hair last night so I just hop in the bathroom to take a quick shower, but the warm water is gone. I guess from all those people downstairs it was bound to be.

Usually I wouldn't mind the cold water, but it's winter already so hotter water would've been more welcoming.

After I get out and dry myself off, I decide to just straighten my hair and style it behind my ears. Simple, yet elegant enough for the wedding.

Erica, knowing her way around makeup better than me, does my face. She chooses earthly colors for the eyeshadow, puts some light foundation, a little bit of bronzer and blush, mascara and finishes the look with nude lipstick.

While I curl her hair, she does her makeup, too.

Just as we finish up, we hear females giggling from downstairs. Erica looks at me in confusion, but I suddenly remember what that would be.

"Oh, no,"

"What is it?" Erica's voice rises and she perks up an eyebrow.

"Lazzaro is here to pick me up. I should've been done by now and he was gonna drive us there, but you guys held me back with the interrogation."

Erica chuckles and stands up from the chair, her dusty pink dress coming down to her knees. "Don't worry. I'll go downstairs and make sure they don't eat him alive while you finish dressing up, okay?" I nod and she dissappears behind the door.

I do as she tells me. I put on my just- bellow- the- knee satin dress, some cream stilettos, grab my clutch and black coat before heading down. I can hear them all asking Lazz questions as I climb down the stairs.

"Guys, let him breathe!" I also hear Erica, and chuckle.

Just as I enter the living room, I notice everyone is already dressed to impress, but my eyes lock on Lazzaro, specifically.

Just when I thought I've seen the peak of his fashion sense, he comes here dressed in a dark tuxedo and whooshes my common sense out of the door.

Before anyone notices that I'm practically drooling over him, I move my legs and walk towards the group.

"I see you've all met Lazzaro," I smile and catch the group's attention, especially Lazzaro's, whose eyes are glued on me.

"They're all so... welcoming," Lazz smiles awkwardly as aunt Jillian gives him a side hug.

"Will, he plays football and he says he's damn good at it," my uncle Tom, Jillian's husband, beams a surprised smile. Uncle Tom is a football coach for a smaller league in Australia and safe to say for him football is everything. He'll probably be obsessed with Lazz for a while.

Then they all start saying how sweet and polite he is, but when dad gets annoyed a little by the attention, he ushers them all to start getting in the cars because the wedding will be starting soon.

After they all scatter around, some looking for jackets, others for purses, the house empties slowly but surely and the cars load up.

"Honey, you're driving with Lazzaro, right?" dad asks me once again to be sure. When I nod, he turns to Lazzaro. "Drive safely, kid. We'll meet up at the reception." he warns Lazz and tells us to head out so he can lock the door.

Lazz leads me outside, his hand resting on the small of my back, and before opening the door for me, he leans down to whisper in my ear. "You look beyond stunning, by the way."

"You're not bad yourself." I tell him with a smile and Lazz closes my door after shooting me a quick wink.

***

We get to the location fairly quickly. Lazzaro only stopped on the way to get his present for them since it was finished and we were back on the road in no time.

The location Jade and Gio chose is a breathtaking inn with a lake view just an hour outside Washington. They wanted a secluded yet modern venue and this place is just that. Although it's winter and freezing, the ceremony will be held inside, but the lake will be the main background of it.

We get out of the car and walk hand in hand towards the inn, the present under Lazzaro's other arm. The place is already buzzing with people coming in, some I know and others I don't.

Lazzaro and I reach inside where the chairs are placed for the ceremony. The band has already livened up the atmosphere with light jazz as the guests chatter lightly.

"Willa!" Out of nowhere I hear Vince's voice and instantly get excited. I turn around only to see him dressed in an actual black blazer and a wool coat, dress pants and a white button up shirt. Of course, he still has his red Chucks on, but the stylish blazer surprised me. He looks handsome nonetheless.

"Vince!" I exclaim and let go of Lazz to hug my friend. We hug for what it feels like the longest time and when we pull back, he and Lazz do that shake only guys use.

After catching up and talking about everything, I leave the boys to call my mum and ask her if they need my help with anything. She only tells me to make sure all the guests are properly seated because Jade should be down in few minutes.

The light music in the background is replaced with the ceremonial "here comes the bride" as I get to my seat next to Lazz and Vince.

It's like a crazy dream, really. Mum, dad, our grandparents, our aunts and uncles-everyone is waiting impatiently to see Jade.

None of us saw this coming. None of us thought Jade would be the one to get married first. Yet, there she is; walking down the aisle in that beautiful pearl white dress and a long veil trailing behind with dad by her side and our little brother walking in front of them, throwing white rose petals while enjoying himself.

I told mum we should've asked our little cousin Sophie to be the flower girl, but Christopher felt hurt by this idea.

"Sarah, would you stop crying? You'll ruin the ceremony." Aunt Jillian says to our teared up mother from behind her in a hushed tone. Mum nods to her sister and hiccups yet doesn't have any intentions on stopping her tears anytime soon.

I avert my gaze from my mum to Jade again. Dad has walked her to Gio and has sat next to mum. The soon to be married couple are smiling like lunatics and have their gazes set only on each other.

It's stunning to see them so in love with each other. It's as if they don't acknowledge the world around them until they have to say their vows and tell the I do's.

"I, Jade Maxwell, take you, Giovanni Sartoti, to be my beloved husband, best friend and partner in crime, to love and cherish you in good and bad times, in sickness and in health until death do us part." The vows finally come and Jade starts first, holding the biggest smile I've seen on her since we were little kids.

Gio smiles too and even quickly wipes a runaway tear before taking the ring for Jade and putting it on her finger.

Huh. Who knew he's a crier.

"I, Giovanni Sartoti, take you, Jade Maxwell, to be my beloved wife, my best friend and partner in crime, to love and cherish you in good and bad times, im sickness and in health until death do us part." Gio repeats and Jade does the same with putting Gio's ring on his finger.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!" the wedding officiate announces loudly and cheers light up the around us as Gio and Jade share their first kiss as a married couple.

The second half of the wedding moved far too quickly for anybody's liking. There was dancing, eating delicious food, getting to know Gio's family, cutting the cake, more dancing, crying, but overall having a blast.

Vince and Erica also got to know each other and I think they got to know each other a little too much, too, in the men's bathroom.

The night comes to an end with Jade and Gio thanking all the guests for coming then mum crying once again when we had to send them off in the car for their honeymoon so they could catch the night plane.

Lazz and I also said our goodbyes to catch the 11pm plane for Paris, but surprisingly mum's crying stifled down this time.

She knew I'd come back.