part0034

Before they knew it, April was upon them. They spent a fabulous few days with their parents, Abby, Ailsa, Janie and Marie who were also now engaged, Abby had joked that commitment was catching. They stayed at a hotel which looked like an Egyptian pyramid with a Sphinx outside, with a nod to their love of history. Spending time by the pool, shopping and wandering down the strip.

The day of their wedding was warm and bright. They’d managed to rent a fabulous three-wheeler Harley Davidson, with a driver who drove them to the wedding chapel, then to the cafe afterwards. Whilst the original plan had been a two-wheeler, Mia realised that this wouldn’t work with her dress, or go well with the champagne she planned to consume as she got ready.

They’d been forced to remain apart the night before, separating after dinner, and didn’t see each other until the bike arrived to collect them, although they had spoken on the phone. Steph was speechless as she looked at Mia. Her dress was a thin white lace to her knees, it hugged every curve and showed off her deep tan. A blue stone that matched her eyes hung on a silver chain down into the generous cleavage, itself accentuated by the dress. Her hair was combed back and held up with a small silver tiara with matching blue stones. White high heels finished the outfit.

Mia smiled as she took in Steph. A tailored white linen suit fitted her to perfection, and a green silk shirt make the colour of her eyes pop. White simple flat sandals meant that she didn’t add to her height. She wore no jewellery except for her rings, watch and a simple white gold locket her dad and Emma had given her, it contained photos of her and Mia.

They had agreed to walk down the short aisle together and did so hand in hand. They’d written their own vows. You could have heard a pin drop in the chapel as they began to speak.

Mia took Steph’s hands in hers as she looked into her eyes, her high heels meaning that she hardly had to look up. “Steph, I never believed in love at first sight, then I fell for you the first moment I saw you. Rob had shown me a photo and I turned up at the airport expecting this IT geek.” She smiled as tears appeared in Steph’s eyes. “Instead this model like woman walked towards me, with stunning bone structure and the most beautiful natural green eyes I’ve ever seen. I fell for you then. From then on as I got to know you, I realised that your beauty was far from skin deep and I couldn’t help but fall harder and harder, all thoughts of travel forgotten. We had a couple of bumps on the road but then Harley brought us together.” She winked at her fiancée, they’d never shared exactly how they’d got together, even with close friends. “Even then I thought it was too good to be true, and then you asked me to come to London and then Gibraltar. Each time I hoped for more and when you proposed you made all my dreams come true. Steph, I love you with all my heart and will care for you, love you and support you my whole life. Thank you for wanting to be mine.”

Steph’s tears had multiplied as she reached for and hugged her. “Remind me why I agreed to go second.” She took a deep breath. “Mia, I was fortunate, I saw you first. I fell for you when I saw you on the TV screen at arrivals. My immediate thought was wow, the second was like a knife to my heart, jealousy. I even started looking around for the incredibly hot guy I presumed you’d come to collect. Then I realised you were there for me. When my dad told me my future step mum had a daughter, he spoke of you as being the sister I’d always wanted. Well when I saw you I knew for a fact that that was the last thing I wanted you to be.” She paused as laughter filled the small chapel. “My attraction grew daily as I learned how fabulous you are, how caring and compassionate. I’m still learning, daily. I’m not proud of myself, I tried to deny my feelings given it was a strange situation, and I ran. You will never understand how much I regret that I hurt you. If I’m honest it was self-preservation, it wasn’t so much about our parents and that we’d be step sisters despite what I told myself, rather that I thought you’d be leaving on your travels again and that I’d not be enough for you. I couldn’t fathom how someone as beautiful as you would want me long term. You helped me see sense eventually thank goodness and here we are, here I am with the woman I love more than life itself.” Steph stopped for a second using her finger to gently wipe away the tears now rolling freely down Mia’s cheeks. “You thank me for being mine, you have no need, we’re meant for each other. I love you darling and I’ll shut up now because I can’t wait another second for you to be my wife.”

Seconds later she was.

They got back on the Harley to take them to a small local cafe they’d found since coming to Las Vegas. They’d thought they would have a private dining room at the hotel but had loved the food and ambience at the cafe and the owners had agreed to a secluded area being set aside for them for a wedding lunch. They were outside but undercover to protect them from the heat.

The speeches were short, and they laughed as they cut the cake. Abby and Janie had organised it and it had a small Harley Davidson bike, a plane and passport, and they were sitting on a small bench holding hands.

Mia made a further announcement at the end of the speeches, saying that when Steph’s contact ended they would be coming home, to Falkirk, to stay this time. “We’re coming home, we want to be back in Falkirk, close to all of you. Our wedding present to each other is a traditional Spanish house in Malaga’s theatre district, a European bolthole which we hope you’ll all enjoy, and which will give us the best of both worlds. It’s minutes from the beach. It needs some work guys, so we’ll be utilising all your DIY skills, but we want it to be for everyone here, an escape in the sun for our family and great friends, whenever you want to use it, and hopefully for get togethers. It’s a thank you for all of you who have supported us in our relationship and nudged us in the right direction. Without your interventions we know we wouldn’t be here today, together.”

As Mia finished speaking Steph looked around at- her new family, her dad who was blossoming with Emma. Emma who was now her mother-in law and step-mother, their relationship was close, and her relationship with Mia had brought them even closer. Emma had never been anything but accepting, it was her own fears that had made her worry about her and her dad’s reaction. Steph didn’t need another mother, and Emma didn’t try to be, but she was like a close aunt combined with a close friend who looked out for you and only had your best interests at heart. She knew her dad loved how close they were too, and he and Mia were very close too, she had even taken golf lessons in Gibraltar to surprise him. Steph had been surprised at how much Mia enjoyed it, she was already playing twice a week, and was much better than her and would mean some healthy competition for him when she eventually declared herself.