Chapter 9 - The Dress and the RainThe morning of our wedding arrived with a dramatic midwestern summer storm.
Dark, bruised clouds rolled in over Lake Michigan, unleashing sheets of heavy rain against the glass windows of the Blackwood estate. For a brief moment, panic threatened to ripple through the wedding party as outdoor ceremony plans had to be hastily scrambled.
Yet, as I stood in the grand bridal suite overlooking the gardens while my hair and makeup were expertly styled, I felt an absolute, unshakeable peace settle deep within my soul.
The dress I wore wasn't some ridiculously expensive designer gown dripping with diamonds. It was a simple, elegant ivory lace dress with long sleeves and a flowing chiffon skirt—timeless, graceful, and entirely me.
There was a soft knock at the door.
“Come in,” I called out.
The heavy oak door creaked open, and Richard Blackwood stepped inside, leaning on his cane, wearing a sharp tuxedo with a white rose pinned to his lapel. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he looked at me.
“My word, Clara,” Richard said, his voice thick with emotion. “Ethan is truly the luckiest man on the face of this earth.”
Before he could say another word, Noah burst into the room wearing a miniature tuxedo that matched his father’s, clutching a velvet ring pillow tightly in both hands.
“Mommy! You look like a real princess!” Noah shouted, running over to wrap his arms around my waist, carefully avoiding the hem of my dress.
I knelt down, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, my sweet boy. Are you ready to be the best ring bearer in the whole world?”
“Born ready!” Noah beamed proudly.
Just then, the door opened wider, and Ethan walked in.
He was breathtaking in his black tuxedo, his silver-streaked hair neatly styled, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of me standing there in the sunlight that had suddenly broken through the storm clouds.
The rain had stopped entirely, leaving the gardens outside glistening like diamonds under a brilliant, post-storm summer sun.
“Clara,” Ethan breathed, stepping forward and taking my hands in his. “You are... absolute perfection.”
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“So is the weather,” I smiled, nodding toward the French doors that opened out onto the lakeside garden.
Ethan laughed, a rich, joyful sound that echoed through the room. “Dad had the estate staff working overtime to dry off the chairs. It’s time, my love.”
