Chapter Seventeen
The next few days went by and Rosalie became more busy with her organic farm. They hired farm hands to prepare the soil. She went to check the work twice a day with Betty.
Her father returned to Travis Springs with the boys. The wedding preparations were going in full swing. Her mom came down to visit her many times. Rosalie also went to visit her at her dad's family house. They bonded well and Rosalie gave her inputs on her mom's wedding dress design. They went to the boutique in the marketplace for the bridesmaids dresses too. She would be the maid of honour.
The wedding would take place in the backyard of her dad's house. They built an arch and would decorate it with flowers. A small family gettogether would follow the wedding ceremony.
Everything was planned to perfection. Jade too helped them. Ryan and Ryder followed her around, like lost puppies. Rosalie couldn't blame them. She was too gorgeous for her own good. How Dustin didn't acknowledge her presence was a mystery! She smacked Ryan and Ryder at every opportunity she got.
When they were alone at last, Jade asked her,"Did you have a word with Jaden?"
"Yeah, I convinced him to help Dustin. He spoke to his PI. The moment we get a true picture of what happened that night along with evidence, we will approach Jayson to take up his case," said Rosalie.
"Thanks a lot. But Dustin doesn't have money to pay Jayson and the PI. After he was arrested, his grandma somehow managed the restaurant. It doesn't make enough money as no one from Travis Springs goes there due to Dustin's jail sentence. I buy essentials for her and also help out at the restaurant. She's seventy-five years old and she's so helpless, " said Jade, as fat teardrops accumulated in her eyes.
"Don't worry dear. I can see that you love him unconditionally. Everything will fall in place, believe me. These are difficult times and may God give you the strength to face it," she said and they hugged each other.
"I can also do with a hug," said Ryan, pouting.
"I think I'll spank your bottom, Ryan," Rosalie said, glaring at him.
"Hey, chill sis, I'm nineteen and not nine," he said, glaring back at being admonished in front of Jade. Jade laughed and Ryan blushed.
"Jade's older to you. She's nearly twenty-one," said Rosalie.
"Oh, I don't mind," said Ryan and Jade again laughed and walked away to see aunt Rosalind.
The day of the wedding soon arrived. Jade got Rosalie's mom ready. She was helped by Rosalie's aunties too. Rosalie was shown around and hugged by everyone. They all loved her. She couldn't help much given her fragile condition.
Rosalie walked down the aisle followed by the bridesmaids, Jade and Rosalie's aunties and Ryan and Ryder who were the groomsmen. Her uncles walked her mom down the aisle. Her father stood at the altar with the officiant and Jaden's dad who was the best man.
The wedding ceremony brought tears to Rosalie's eyes. It meant so much to her parents. They had waited for this day for the last twenty-five years of their lives. It was a very emotional and happy moment. After the wedding ceremony, they all posed for the photographs.
Jaden had helped her parents with the food and decorations for the get together. The party went smoothly and everyone had a good time. Christopher Meyers gave a heartfelt best man's speech and Rosalie said a few words too as the maid of honour. They cut the cake and then started the first dance and drinks. One by one all couples joined in. Rosalie didn't drink because of her pregnancy. Jade stayed with her throughout the party. The party ended soon.
Ryan and Ryder gladly went to spend the night at Jaden's dad's house to give the newlyweds some privacy. After two days, they would fly off to Mexico for a honeymoon.
Rosalie and Jaden returned home and got ready for bed. "I'm so happy, Jaden. Finally everything good is happening to us," she gushed.
"I can make you happier, ecstatic to be precise," he said.
"How?" She asked and squealed with delight when he got down on one knee and held her hands.
"By asking you to marry me. So will you marry me Rosie and start a new chapter in our lives together?" He asked sincerely.
"Oh yes Jaden," she gushed with a grin. She really was ecstatic as he said she would be.
He got up and took out a small box from his closet and returned with it. He opened it to show a dazzling and sparkling ring in his hands. He slipped it onto her finger. She gasped at the sheer beauty of the ring. A heart shaped diamond in the middle and small diamonds encrusted along the sides, made the ring exquisitely beautiful.
"It's beautiful, I love it. When did you get it?" She asked.
"I wanted to propose the day we went for the ultrasound. So I bought it the day before but when we returned from the hospital I forgot about it as we had to confront Mr McAllister," he said frankly.
"In a way, it's good that we got our closure. That chapter has ended, thankfully, " said Rosalie.
"You're right. So we will have the wedding in a fortnight. What do you say?" he asked her.
"I can't do the preparations at such short notice, Jaden," she said.
"Don't worry, we will hire a wedding planner. We will have the wedding in dad's backyard. The ceremony can take place in the garden beside the swimming pool in dad's house. What do you say?" He asked.
"Yeah, fine," she said. "We will draw the guest list tomorrow. I want a family affair only. Not too many guests," she said and he agreed too.
They discussed some more and cuddled up to sleep. Tomorrow they would announce to their families and finally start the preparations. Jaden would ask his dad to contact the wedding planner whom he had hired for Jayson and Juliette's wedding.
