'If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?

Years of tearing down our banners, you and I.'

*ALTHEA'S POV*

October 28, 2023.

"M'rning, Peachy."

I jolted as high as if I'd woken up from a dream at the quiet, gravelly voice in my back, although all my nerves were fully aware of the pinch of my nails on my forearm as I tried to shake away any hazy flash from last night before turning to meet Asher's bright gaze.

At least, he wasn't freshly shaven and groomed. But his bedhead and morning stubble made my nails dig deeper into my skin.

"You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just tired. I didn't sleep well last night..." I shrugged, glancing toward the double doors to check if any kids arrived. There wasn't.

Of course, he'd chosen the only quiet moment in the busy morning to show up, and even Oliver and Carol had left to escort some kids to their physiotherapy, making the usually lively room so empty, which surely explained the loud echo of my heart when Asher asked,

"Oh, so that's why you didn't come for the PT this morning?"

"What? N-no, no, it has nothing to do with it," I defended quickly. Too quickly, when I hadn't been attacked by anything but a reminiscing surge of warmth at his choice of words.

"S'not because you woke up late?" His eyebrows furrowed, the shade of worry coming with it making the green even more piercing under. "Then why?"

"Oh, um, this, yes, yes, it is because I was late. Just not because I didn't sleep well or because of whatever was in my drea—nightmare. Just because I was late," I stammered, forcing my lips closed as my voice sounded more and more cracking.

It was the truth though. I'd come—arrived late this morning because I'd spent too much time in front of the mirror, preparing myself mentally for this PT, and it wasn't the dream in itself that was the problem; it wasn't the first dream I'd had about Asher, waking up in damp sheets.

Yet it was the first time I had to face his penetrating gaze after. Even if I was currently avoiding it, turning towards the kids' lockers to make sure their jackets and bags were orderly—they had been before.

"A nightmare you say? Looks like it's really shaken you."

"You can say that," I mumbled under my breath, still feeling the aftershocks rattling through my nerves as loudly as the locker doors when he added,

"What was it about?"

I wasn't one to curse, but the words did cross my mind as Francis' superhero cards flew all over the floor, and they weren't the only explicit things flashing through my mind when I knelt down to pick up the papers, and Asher leaned closer to help me with his hand—his right hand.

The other was still crippled in a distorted fist, no sign of movement, no half movement, no reason for more tingles of warmth to rush along my skin like they did when he caught my lingering stare there.

"So what monster haunted you?"

Well, except for the too-familiar sparkle lighting under his cocked eyebrow, gazing at me as if he already knew everything, or at least, he soon would.

"I... don't remember."

Thankfully, the double doors opened at the same time, an excited 'Mr R'bot!' diverting our attention. Although Asher's gaze still flickered to me before the small group could join us as he whispered,

"You know you still have that twitch in your jaw when you lie, Peachy."

***

"So I heard about what happened yesterday..."

"Yesterday?"

Too many memories of what had happened yesterday flashed behind my lids as I blinked at the question, and my heart stopped with each one of them.

Was it me or everyone chose words with ambiguous meanings today?

In this case, it was probably only me and my lack of sleep, judging by Giada's amused smile.

"The basketball game. Why? Is there something else I should know?"

"No, no, it's the most important thing that happened yesterday," I assured, forcing away any other flash of victorious sparkle in Asher's jade eyes. "Though he also tried the walking bars without harness."

"He did?" Giada's eyes lit up, a different shade of green, a different twinkle than her son, yet it still gathered warmth up my cheeks. "Mamma Mia, you're really doing miracles."

"It's not me. I didn't do anything. It's him, his work, and all the doctors', what they're doing now, and all they've done before..." While I hadn't been here.

I swallowed harshly this part, keeping it in the lump of my throat, with too many bottled-up emotions resurfacing all of a sudden, and I wasn't sure why.

Maybe it was because of the lack of sleep, or Giada's too-kind look. Or maybe it was all the white around.

"Of course, and I'm forever grateful for every doctor who has attended to him. I know I wouldn't have my son without their great work. But..." she paused, she too trying to hold back many things inside, except it was behind the veil of her glistening eyes. "There's a part of him they've never brought back, and I'm not talking about his hemiplegia or his leg. I'm talking about—"

Again, she stopped, as if weighing her next words, something I'd never witnessed Asher's mom doing, something that wasn't reassuring when my ribcage was already on the verge of crumbling down.

"Did you know he hadn't watched a single basketball game, even on TV, since his accident? I hadn't heard him utter a word in so long before last Sunday, and most importantly, I hadn't seen him look so alive in three years."

What to reply to this? My heart seemed to have a lot to say, crashing deafeningly against my ribcage again and again, but I had no idea how to translate it, or even find a breath as my trembling lips opened and closed, again and again.

"The future bride is ready."

These words didn't come out of my mouth. Only a shaky breath did as I snapped my large eyes toward the dark-haired saleswoman as if she had just landed here.

No, in fact, it was surely Giada and I who were coming back from a corridor in time, both of us blinking at the dazzling contrast.

It was all white around too, but in so many shades from ivory to pearl, and no asepticized blank reflecting blinding neon lights. Here, it was a delicate crystal chandelier and tiny fairy lights forming the words 'best day'. Such a contrast.

Even Kylie's anxious gaze appearing on the other side was different. "So what do you think?"

"Bellissima! Breath-taking!" Giada stood up, coming back to the present faster than me, although the tear she brushed off at the corner of her eye might have been carrying more than the emotion of seeing her future daughter-in-law in her wedding dress.

"And the famous New York designer, what does she say?" Kylie tilted her head towards me, her hands smoothing over the ball gown that made her look like an angel or a cupcake—in the most flattering way, like Paxton always called her 'cupcake'.

"I'm not famous, nor an expert in bridal fashion, but I would say you look stunning, and the gown fits perfectly your slim silhouette," I hummed, walking closer to take in all the details of her dress, from the light ruffle of tulle as airy as whipped cream, the few pearls embedded along the bodice, in just the right amount, like the sugar in all her pastries, and the sweetheart neckline that would undoubtedly make Paxton drool.

"And can I tell you my view as just me... your best friend?" A shy smile pulled at my lips as I met Kylie's widening blue eyes flickering between me and Giada in a silent question.

The latter not aware of Asher's lies, we couldn't say anything, but our grins slowly stretching and mirroring each other were enough.

Yes, she was still my best friend in spite of everything that had happened, and if I hadn't already forgiven her, it would have been impossible to stay mad at her when she nodded with a cracking 'yes'.

"Paxton will be the luckiest man on earth."

"I love you," she sniffled, pulling me into a hug, and from her small platform, she was just at the right height to whisper in my ear, "Thank you, Thea."

"I love you too." I smiled, my words slightly muffled between her hair and tulle, which I pushed away before I could stain it because mascara was hard to wash off this kind of delicate and embroidered fabric. "And I love this veil."

"This is Giada's. She's kindly lending it to me." Kylie leaned away, nodding at Giada who replied with a wave of her hand.

"Oh prego, carina, it's yours now. With two sons, I don't think anyone will claim it for inheritance. Well, unless Asher's future wife loves it too..." Her voice trailed off, as smoothly as her gaze traveling between me and the veil my finger was tracing, as smoothly as her son's hints. "Then I'm sure you'll arrange with her."

My heart jumped almost as fast as my hand away from the soft tulle at the possible ambiguous meaning, which wasn't so ambiguous, from the sound of Kylie's muffled giggle before she decided to break the awkward silence.

"Um, yes, we'll see then. But still, thank you for this and everything. I don't know how I would've done without you since my mom couldn't be here, and weddings aren't her specialty anyway."

It was Giada's turn to get a hug, this final wedding dress fitting quickly turning into an emotional ceremony of appreciation. Though it must have been usual because the saleswoman didn't look surprised, gesturing with a knowing smile at the tissue box on the pastel chest of drawers behind me before walking out of the room, just when Kylie and Giada stepped away from the embrace with glimmering eyes.

"Aw, it's an honor for me because I'd given up long ago on this kind of experience, and you know I love my boys more than anything in the entire universe, but nothing can replace girl times like this." Giada extended her hand towards me, and at first, I believed she needed a tissue until she grabbed my arm, pulling me with them. "So thank you to you both."

She was including me in their hug, in this moment, but also in her family, and in the warmth of their arms, I realized these two women were my family no matter what.

"No, I promised myself not to cry before the wedding," Kylie sniffled, leaning away to wipe a tear at the corner of her large smile.

"Oh, carina, trust me, this is only a taster for all the tears and love you'll feel on the big day, and it'll follow you many years after," Giada said just as I reached the tissues on the chest of drawers, her gaze shining with a nostalgic glint that made me grab the whole box, especially when Kylie asked,

"How many years it's been for you?"

"31 years of marriage, and a little bit less than 33 years together. We got married fast because I was about to go back home, and Mark didn't want to let me go."

'So she left her country, her family, and everything behind for love...' I could still hear his voice trying to convince me love wasn't a bad thing. 'We wouldn't be here right now without it.'

To this day, I still wasn't converted, even if I could recognize this special shine in Giada's eyes. Funny how I'd glimpsed the same sliver of light in the jade shades then, well before I'd run away like a terrified little girl.

"How did you meet by the way? Asher never told me."

"In college. I was a foreign student, coming to the States to broaden my horizons and finding love wasn't in my plans, and even less getting married. Let's say I liked to have fun and go out, if you know what I mean..."

I wasn't sure what Giada meant with her wink, and apparently, Kylie either, our confused glances pulling her a laugh.

"What? From whom do you think the boys had inherited their charmer ways? Mark?" She shook her head as if she couldn't even picture, and indeed, the image appeared quite impossible, knowing their dad's quiet personality.

"He was the typical shy nerd. He'd never talked to me until we got paired for a project together. We started as friends, and then, one day when we were walking out of campus, I tripped on a step, and he caught me. It might be cheesy, but it was like in the romance movies."

Her dreamy sigh did sound like the heroines in those romances, from what I remembered at least, as it had been a while since I'd watched this kind of movie. When was the last time I'd even watched a movie, except for the Miraculous movie we'd watched with the kids last week?

"My heart raced like never before, and I felt so warm and safe that I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life in his arms."

"Just like this?" I asked, the question escaping me in an empty breath.

"Yes, well, I really knew he was l'amore della mia vita when he first kissed me. It made me feel more than any kiss I'd ever had." She closed her eyes as if she could still relive the moment, the world disappearing around them, the warm tingles of his hand locking around her jaw, the adrenaline rushing in her veins with the soft impact of his lips...

"And actually, everything we shared was more and still is: the chemistry, the laughs, and the times in the bedroom too, or else whe—"

"Okay, okay! Thanks, we got the picture," Kylie rushed, waving her hands in front of her as if it could erase the image.

For me, it didn't work, though maybe there were too many pictures flashing through my mind, and not only of Asher and Paxton's parents.

"Come on, how do you think the boys were born? Brought by a stork?" Giada laughed while Kylie muttered that she'd rather not have thought about it, and I took it as my cue to divert the subject and the corners of her mouth.

A grimace of disgust wasn't the best accessory for her sumptuous gown.

"And what about you? I remember how you met, but how did you know you would marry Paxton?"

The mere question was enough to pull her a tender smile.

"Well, it wasn't as fast as Giada, even if the kisses and everything have always been special. But we got together pretty quickly after the breakup with my ex, and I still had a lot of insecurities." Her blue eyes found mine, recalling our first encounter, although the look in them was so different.

If someone had told me all these years ago, we would be standing here right now...

"It's after our break that it really clicked. To be honest, when I left to join my mom on her humanitarian mission, I thought it was the end, and I cried during the whole flight. But we've kept in touch."

I remembered this too. I'd been there too, when Paxton would rush out of family dinners or Asher's games to get her calls.

"And then, when I came back, everyone was telling me things wouldn't be the same and maybe we wouldn't have the same sparks because we both had changed, and they were right. We'd changed, but between us, it felt like no time had passed. There were still the same sparks, but better because we were more mature, and I'd healed my past wounds.

"That's when I knew that if we'd got over the time and distance, we can face anything as long as we're together." She smiled, the kind of grin that outshone even her ethereal gown and that not even her hand could hide as she brought it to her mouth to whisper, "This last part will be in my vows by the way."

"I bet it'll be a beautiful speech then." And many tissues would be needed, judging by Giada's teary 'aw' as she took one from the box in my hand. At least, it had been in my hand until Kylie added,

"What about you?"

"Me?" I repeated, although the question had been pretty clear even over the loud thud of something falling on the floor.

How had I known I wanted to spend the rest of my life with—

"Jordon, what convinced you to tell him yes?"

Author's note: Thud... Thud... 👀

Did you expect this question? Althea clearly didn't! 😅

And who needs tissues too? 🤧🤧

This chapter was full of emotions from tears to blushes and laughs. Tell me your favorite part in the comments 👀, and don't forget to vote ⭐ if you liked it!

I love you, my little Peaches!! 🥰🍑❤️😘✨