Chapter Thirteen
"Tyler where are you taking me to?" Asked River as they drove to a different direction than her apartment. She tried to tell him but he wouldn't listen to anything. He stopped the car in front of the Marriage License Bureau of the county.
"Why are we here, Tyler?" She asked, staring at the marriage bureau office in front of her.
"We're getting married, " he said, with a determined expression on his face.
"Now? But I don't want to get married this way," she protested.
"We're getting married and that's final," he said, going out of the car. She got out too.
"You have to learn to trust me first, Tyler," she said, now getting upset with his stubbornness.
"I do. I don't trust my brother, " he said, locking his car. "Look, if you don't marry me now, I'll stop all renovation work right now. It's that serious. Decide fast what you want, " he threatened with a dark, angry face.
Her face fell. He was again being impossible. She had so many dreams of her wedding, she never expected it to be this way. She didn't want the renovation work stopped.
She loved him and was getting to marry him. So, she should be happy with what she was getting, she reasoned. "Ok, let's get married, " she said, giving up.
Tyler led her inside and they procured the Nevada marriage license in an hour and left. He stopped in front of a wedding dress and accessories boutique.
"Chose a dress and everything else that you require. They have it all," he said summoning an attendant to help her.
"Ensure that she's ready in her wedding finery. I'll come in an hour to pick her up," said Tyler to the attendant and she nodded.
"Don't even think of escaping me, River. I'll hunt you down," he threatened and left to God knows where. She didn't want to escape at all. She loved him and would marry him and then take her revenge.
She chose a beautiful chiffon dress with 3d floral embroidery, a plunging neckline with mesh inserts and a full skirt cascading around her, adding a romantic touch to the dress. She chose a veil with the same matching 3d floral embroidery and accessorised it all with floral drop gold and silver earrings with shimmering crystals embedded in them.
The attendant took her to the dressing room where her hair and makeup was done, preparing her for her special day. She wore the dress and they helped her fix her veil. She picked up her all white classic bridal bouquet of white garden roses, tulips, peonies and ferns.
Satisfied with her look she went out to the lobby where Tyler was waiting, looking dashing in a navy blue tuxedo and a white dress shirt. His freshly combed hair and tingling smell of cologne all made her excited. His jaw dropped and he gaped at her as she stepped out of the boutique towards him.
He opened his arms towards her and she walked into his embrace. "I love you, River," he said, softly in her ears. She felt so overwhelmed hearing the words for the first time, words that she had always wanted to hear for the last nine years.
All his anger had left him and she was glad. She held him close to her and whispered, " I love you too, more than words can say."
"Let's get married? It will be as real as you and me. As real as the sun and the moon. As real as the whole universe. It will be for life. Are you ready?" He asked her softly.
"Yes Tyler," she murmured and he led her into a limousine which was waiting for them. She gasped at the grandeur of it all. She hadn't expected him to arrange for so much within an hours time. She was overwhelmed with emotions at his thoughtfulness.
They drove to a small chapel a few blocks away. The entrance was decorated with a white floral decorations and small flower pots were lined at the sides all the way upto the entrance. As they approached, Russell and Rowland came out of the chapel, grinning like idiots.
River's jaws dropped. Her family, her brothers were here? At such short notice how did Tyler manage to call them? She looked at Tyler and found him looking at her with a grin.
He went inside the chapel with Russell towards the altar where the ceremony was waiting to start. Rowland waited to escort her when her sister-in-laws, Janette and Sharon came towards them along with Carmella. All of them wore pale pink gowns.
River gasped seeing them. "How did you guys manage to do all this in an hours time?" She asked in surprise.
"Hours time? No Tyler called us to prepare for his wedding with you around 2 hours back," said Carmella. River realised he must have called before going to the marriage bureau.
"What was the urgency to get married? Are you pregnant or something?" Asked Carmella with a nudge.
"Rubbish, we didn't do it yet," she whispered and Sharon who was nearest to them, grinned.
"That's the urgency," she surmised and they all giggled.
The bridal procession started and Sharon's six year old son proceeded first as the ring bearer followed by Carmella and then Sharon and Janette. Russell stood with Tyler as his best man while Rowland walked her down the aisle towards her Tyler. Tyler's parents and Russells sons sat at the rows of seats happily watching the entire ceremony.
The wedding ceremony was very heartwarming and the vows were said impromptu, without any preparations. They were said from their souls meaning every word they said to each other. They were married at last, declared as man and wife in the eyes of God.
The wedding ceremony was complete and they took photographs. Tyler's parents invited all to their house for celebratory lunch. It was the happiest moment of their lives. River called home and spoke to her parents and her entire family and they all congratulated her. She promised to visit them soon.
