Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bouquet more tightly. She looked over at the door at the end of the room, what could she do?
Life had been so simple before this. But what unexpectedly happened at the last second meant she couldn’t avoid the inevitable anymore. She had to make a choice that would affect a lot of people.
Even though there were gonna get married in a year to Allie Livingwater she felt that it was much closer.
Whenever she saw something that reminded her of a wedding she would feel butterflies in her stomach. She had dated Timothy for three years and they were finally going to tie the knot. It felt like fate.
Timothy finally popped the question two months ago and Allie cried tears of joy. She couldn’t wait for what would be coming. But there would be something unexpected.
She spent the next month making sure everything was arranged. the centerpiece, the venue, everything was organized in her binder. But there would be one hitch along the way.
In her mind, she saw invitations, a honeymoon, and of course a white wedding dress. This was all a lot more complicated than she thought.
They had gone to so many boutiques for flowers but there was nothing that stood out to her yet. She wanted to break down in tears when she saw the flowers she wanted. She had no idea that it would be only a few blocks away.
Allie visited her grandmother and decided to talk to her about the wedding. She sat at her kitchen table drinking tea.
She wanted to borrow her grandmother’s pearls for the “something old, new, borrowed, blue” tradition. She had her eyes on the jewelry since before she could even reach the box they were in.
Her grandmother had another great idea, she should look through her attic for anything that she could find. Maybe some old picture frames or knickknacks that had stayed in their family.
Allie then noticed something white sticking out of a bag in the attic. But her grandmother merely said, “don’t bother with that, dear.”
Allie couldn’t cure her curiosity that easily.
She decided to take a look despite what her grandmother said. It was an old wedding dress. But her grandmother didn’t seem to think that there was any kind of place for that kind of style. Annie still wanted to try it on, even if it was out of fashion.
Annie couldn’t believe that the dress fit like a glove, it was like fate.
Just a few repairs here and there, as well as some dry cleaning, and it would be ready to wear down the aisle. Her grandmother clasped her hands to her mouth, tears trickling down her cheeks. But when Allie found a hidden pocket and pulled out a crumpled note, her grandmother’s tears grew.
“I can’t believe that’s still there,” she whispered. “After all these years.”
Allie unfolded the note. Her eyes grew wide. She read the words over and over again. Had her grandmother actually spoke these words during her wedding?
The months rolled by, and Allie ticked off the finished tasks one by one.
During that entire time, however, she had never told anyone she had found something in the dress pocket. She simply had the gown cleaned and went about life … at least for now.
When the big day came, Allie sat in the bridal suite, fidgeting with the bracelet she had borrowed from her mother.
It had been an internal, back and forth, struggle as to whether or not she should reveal what was on the note. It wasn’t what anyone would expect. Even as she walked down the aisle with her father, she was torn.
The music ended and she stood before Timothy, his eyes wide with joy and awe.
The officiant talked about love and commitment, and then it was finally time to share their vows. Allie glanced at her grandmother, who looked so proud, but then at the exit at the back of the church. She took a deep breath and pulled out the note.
“I wasn’t sure how to do this,” Allie said, holding the paper in her shaking hands.
“But this note had been hidden away in my grandmother’s wedding dress since the day she was married. It gives one simple piece of advice – run.”
Timothy flashed a look of worry and whispers passed through the congregation.
Allie kept reading. “Run. I run towards you to be with you always. I run beside you while holding your hand and overcoming any obstacle. I run for you when your burdens are heavy. I run. I run to love and for love.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw her grandmother burst into tears.
The note had the vows from so long ago – and now they were brought to life again. It wasn’t just a dress she had found in the attic it was a legacy of love passed down through the generations. They were the perfect words, and she was honored to say them.
