The First Dance

(7:57 AM)

Jenny kept looking at the big red digits of the alarm projected on her bedroom ceiling, waiting for it to turn 8:00 and the alarm go off, she had been awake for a long time now, just staring at it. laying on her back on that poor bed she once bought online without even asking to see it 1st, with that mattress that hurts her back daily. Jenny couldn't get herself to change that bed or return it. Whatever pain it causes was simply forgotten by the fact that here was the 1st time she slept in his arms.

“Where do you want to put it?” Said the delivery guy to Adam who was standing there waiting to sign for the bed.

“just there by that wall where the daisy painting is hanging,” he said

The guy looked at what Adam was describing as a “painting”, a piece of a sketch drawn on it with a pencil a poor try of a daisy, he smiled sarcastically and asked Adam to sign the receipt.

He jumped on his back on it then shouted in pain 

“Ouch… What the hell have you bought,” Adam said to her once he laid down on it, she turned to him, leaned her head and swung her golden ponytail, that had always got into him fast, she had her way of pulling his attention when she needed or distract him when she needs.

“Well, I liked the ad”

 Jenny was a white average height girl with athlete body that she worked daily at the gym to reach for years and years. He pulled her and forced her to lay down beside him to test how it felt. she kept laughing while he kept pinning her to the mattress and commenting on how this would be a horrible place to start her daily happy-ever-after fantasy daily.

he looked her in her hazel eyes and smiled teasing her and saying:

“you are gonna have to return it, or we are gonna just have to make peace with back pains for the rest of our lives. Oh my god, can you imagine our kids jumping on this bed?” pulling her closer to his hug. “Here it shall all begin and end, just like that, I want to wake up to and sleep on every day from today till forever,” he whispered in her ears before he kissed her forehead. 

“Can you believe it? just a month and we will be one ?” he said, excited as he always does whenever he remembers how close their wedding is.

“One month to go,” She said with a fading smile…

(8:00 AM)

The Frozen melody Alarm pulled her out of her daydream and into the tough reality, the reality that she is about to make a phone call today she was was not comfortable at all doing, not because she doesn't want to, but simply because its hard on her. But she is running out of time, and options. She knew she had to call him, after her best friend Kate begged her to, she even offered to make the call herself but she really needed her to, she even slept over there to make sure Jenny was going to make that call, and to organize other wedding stuff. 

Kate was the kind of brides who gets worried over the smallest things and can be very overwhelmed for nothing. A tall brunet girl with a bronze look that seems like she had just tanned.

Pulling herself up by force, Jenny went straight to the nightstand beside her bed and grabbed her robe wearing it over her black fluffy shorts and white cut top. She went straight to make herself a cup of coffee right after washing her face couple of times to make sure she was sober enough for this

“I wish I wasn’t," she thought to herself. 

She tried dialing but no one picked up the phone, two times in a raw and yet there was no answer. She wasn't surprised at all that he didn't answer, in fact, she remembers his last words to forget he ever existed and never contact him again ever. But desperate times calls for desperate actions and so she had to call. And with her trying to call him in the past and him ignoring, she was not surprised he didn't pick up.

“Adam, Hey. Long time we di…did not talk , I dunno if you are sleeping of just ignoring me but I will go with sleeping… or ignoring me, whatever. you should answer, am sorry, if you could please call me back, it's urgent, it's not about that, call me. bye”

For almost 2 minutes she kept holding the coffee mug in her hands almost at her lips, frozen like a Walt Disney character, Not believing she had just left that voice mail. 

“What the hell would I have said If I wasn't sober,” she said to herself.

Finishing that coffee mug which her white T-shirt got the bigger share of, she went to shower and called out Kate for breakfast and discuss wedding preparations.

Not so far away that voice note was played over and over again, he kept pressing the replay button and not knowing what to do. 

“Jenny seemed troubles, or in another word she seemed worried and in a hurry,” He thought to himself, he knew he would have to call her to check what is wrong, a call he had been avoiding for over a year now even though she never gave up hope on trying to reach him. But something seemed about to change. She had been trying to call him for a long time, leaving voice notes, messages, she even went as far as poking him on Facebook just to get his attention, yet he never called or texted back. But this time he knew she was desperate enough to call him, not only because he knows her good enough to know when she is desperate, sincere, frank from just her tone, But she said “it's not about that”, this must be something and am her only hope. 

He moved in his regular grey sweatpants and Adidas T-shirt, and walked to the counter by his kitchen, placed a new filter in the coffee machine, grinded the coffee beans on the top and the pot was being filled, he then took the pot, placed it in the fridge and took out a soda can and opened it. Only when he reached his desk he looked surprisingly at the can and felt confused, and laughed at himself a lot for his high levels of concentration… 

After showering, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stood in front of his long sized mirror looking at himself

“You are gonna have to call her, you know you won't be able to live with yourself if you knew she needed you and you were not there,” he said to himself out loud.

Adam is the kind of guys you might say was born with a six-pack, a tall black haired guy with a body that tells you everything you want to know about how much he works out. Adam was in fact jenny’s trainer at the gym when he fell in love with her and after a long time of sessions, and free sessions he finally got the guts to ask her out on a date. He gazed into an old memory, looking at her working out from distance, he knew that this was the girl he wants to spend his life with. He approached her and told her how a great body she has, and with some coaching, she could reach perfect goals. Offering to coach her she couldn't refuse, she liked him once she saw him. after a while, she looked at her gym card and realized she had used all her coaching sessions a long time ago, yet Adam never stopped his weekly sessions. when she brought it up to him he smiled in a childish shyness and told her he liked her for a long time, and that he had been trying to ask her out but she was never getting the hints. 

A message on his phone got him out of his nostalgia. It was from his assistant to update him on the daily schedule. He then made the hardest call he had ever have to make. with every peep, he kept wishing she would not answer, but at the 4th she did.

“Hello”

“….”

“Hello, Adam…”

he kept holding the phone not knowing how to mutter the word hello, the mind knows the word but mouth refuses to obey…

After a while of not speaking, she broke the silence

“Adam I know very well you don’t want to talk to me, I know you have been avoiding me for the past year, and I can remember our last talk when you told me to leave you alone. I can’t tell you how much I am sorry, how much I wish I could turn the time back…” she said it while she sounded broken.

“Jenny I told you million times back then I don't care who’s fault it was or what was the reason, we are over, please deal with it and stop bothering me and humiliating yourself.”

He paused after that last word, knowing he probably shouldn't have said it., trying to talk again “Jenny I didn't mean to…”

She tried to sound strong and not in tears,

“I won't… Anyway, Adam, am not calling for this as I told you. I called because of Kate my best friend. Her wedding is in 2 weeks and her photographer had to cancel for a family emergency, her wedding planner is a complete mess, and she is having a hell of a month at work. I would love to help her out in any way. I will pay for your fees myself. Am not asking for a favor there, am just asking you to agree on the date since we called your office yesterday and they said you don’t take orders on that short notice.”

“She called my office before calling me? man she must be really desperate”

“Mr.Adam,” A women voice came in

“yes?”

“I am Kate, the bride. I am really sorry we are pressuring you but am really desperate and you are my last hope…” 

He asked when was the date and asked her to wait for few minutes to check his schedule on his IPAD. A minute later he told her he is free on that date and would gladly do it. Never did he agree before on a date without meeting the couple 1st. Little did he know that this was just the beginning.

“Oh my god, you are really everything Jenny ever said you were. Thank you, sir, so much. thank you” her voice switched from a crying bride who is overwhelmed to an excited person.

“well, glad I could help”

He asked her to put Jenny back on the phone. He told her he has only 2 conditions, the most important is that he is making it for the poor bride who’s life is upside down not for her and the other is that there would be no direct connections between them, he is there for the bride not for her. With the worst heartache ever she agreed, she knew he could never forgive her for what happened, but she could only hope. 

“Adam…” she wanted to tell him that she still loved him, but she couldn't. 

“I know I did hurt you, but I know you know I still love you, and never stopped. I know you can never forgive me, but you have a big heart and I know you would never break a woman’s heart. Please, I know you can help, and she we really desperate to have a good photographer. Thank you again on her behalf… Ouch”

“are you ok?” he asked

“yes its just my back” 

“so you still have that thing,” he thought to himself

He hung up after setting up a meeting that same day to work out the details. Kate then gave Jenny the biggest hug, for her she was her savior, remains the issues with the wedding planner but she knew she could deal with it herself.

“I know how hard it was to you Jen, will you tell him?”

“No, it's either he knows and don't care, or don't know and still don't care”

 Kate then went and washed her face to freshen up and get ready to meet her new photographer. 

Adam looked at himself in the mirror, for almost 5 minutes he didn't move, just staring, gazing in a fantasy world, went a couple of weeks before they broke up. They were now standing in front of a furniture shop, he pointed at a bed and told her.

“Let's get this one, instead of your online poor excuse of a bed that you bought. My back still killing me by the way, thanks for that” he said smiling. 

“Well, you told me to buy whatever I want and stop asking you, so I did, deal with it”

“my bad… am sorry I meant my back” and they both laughed after she punched him in his arm.

returning to reality he went to his desk where he always keeps his watch, wallet, and other stuff, he held an envelope that looked like it was not yet opened. He looked at it front and back, checking the feminine writing on its back, although it was not open yet it was still clean despite the small tears around the edges. Then gave a soft smile, and placed it on the desk. went to his dressing-room, pulled out his navy black Armani suit that he bought a year ago when he was visiting Milan. Adam was the kind of a guy you would say was born with a suit, not only that he often wear them, but the times he doesn't people think he is a different less attractive person. he finished tying his tie and placed the navy hook cufflinks in place, wore his watch, placed his wallet in his back pocket, and the letter in his left jacket pocket and left…

----

“For me, coffee is the essential meal of the day, and without that coffee, in the morning I can't imagine I can function for the day. And since I hate wasting time I realized that working near you guys would actually help me function better”

“Well, I was simply asking why did you choose a double shot today instead of the regular single daily shot. But good to know Mr. Adam” said the Barista while smiling at Adam.

Since the 1st day that Adam decided to open his own office there were a couple of important factors for him to take in the location selection process. For example, he needed it to be near his residence so that he never need to worry about traffic going to his work, he also needed a place for people to park easily so that people don’t spend time searching for parking and so on. But the most important factor to him was to be located near a Starbucks  place. 

Jenny once said to him that one day he will find that his blood type changed from O- to Espresso Single

He never changed his daily routine for a long time now. Starts 7 AM with a run around his block for an hour then heads back to his home to take his morning coffee followed by a shower then walking to Starbucks then to his office which is 10 mins walk from his residence. That makes him usually arrives at his office around 9:30 AM. Spend 15 mins on reviewing his schedule for the day between the meetings and his orders, and another 15 mins on phone call with his mother.

 Since he left his mother’s home by the age of 21 he never ignored or forgot to call her daily at 9:45 sharp, and the few times he didn't it was either that time where his flight was in the air at 9:45, the times he is sleeping over at his mom, or that one time he got really sick and was admitted to the hospital. And so was his assistant, who started working with him from day 1. Jim who was Adam’s assistant for a long time now started working with him after graduation as a sort of an extra source of income but turned to have enjoyed his work there very much. Especially that he was not graduated with high scores so it was not easy for him to find work. 

“Good morning Adam,” said Jim as he took Adam’s bag and opened his office lights. The A/C was already on as he always does 5 mins before Adam arrives. He took the iPad from Adam’s bag and connected it to the PC to sync the calendars. 

“You will find an order on the 17th, please make sure it is there”

Jim took a look at his PC calendar then asked surprisingly “17th? as in the one in 2 weeks? I don’t have it on my calendar. Under who's name and where is the venue? maybe you have the date wrong”

“It's not on your calendar Jim, it's on the iPad, I made it today morning”

“YOU WHAT???” said Jim not expecting that answer from Adam.

Jim was very punctual, from the 1st look at him you may see a normal guy but he was really more sophisticated than that. He was a slim tall guy with a wavy short brown hair who used to wear a vest over his shirt always. He had a pair of black glasses he never changed since he started working there, he used to have a pair of frameless glasses but realized frameless and photography does not work with each other well.

After listening to his justification as for why he took an order that close to date he was not fully convinced with the reasons of being there for a bride in need and all those stuff. “you are doing it for Jenny, be clear to yourself Adam”.

“The meeting is in couple of hours Jim, let focus on our other stuff now”

Adam was used to holding meetings from the morning till 4 PM then starts getting ready for the night events unless there was a morning booking, he then doesn't take any appointments. 

It only happened once that he had a high profile appointment request where he couldn't say no to on the same day that he had a morning booking, so he asked the client to meet him at the venue.

Jim had never seen Adam bend a rule that he made once since they started working together 5 years ago, so he knows when he is doing what for work and when he is doing it for something else, and he had never seen him do anything for any reason other than work. 

Jim was still not believing that the main reason for Adam changing his rule is to “help the poor bride” as he said earlier. But Adam tried convincing him that when the couple arrives he will stress on the point that this had never happened before and that the exception is for the sake of the bride.

“We will raise our fees for the sake of the tight timing for squeezing them in like that, don’t worry Jim,” Said it Adam with a solid face.

A couple of hours later and the bride stepped into Adam’s office. She was entering alone, and with one look at her, one could see how stressful and tense she was. Adam greeted her and welcomed her to his office. offering her 1st something to drink before they get to talk. 

“Adam, I want to thank you again for agreeing to do this. I hope I didn't pressure you much. I know it's not like you to take an order that close to the date, but I am really desperate. And I can't even start telling you about my wedding planner, or my DJ or….. am really a mess and Jenny said you are my only hope to get things right” She stopped talking for few seconds then said

“She still loves you, you know that? She says it every day, and even when she don’t, it's clear in her eyes. Adam its not my place to talk but you should really listen to what she has to say”

He looked at her with a sad look, opening his mouth to say something but closed it again, then said

“Well, look at what's making our bride tense and stressed, please forget about all of this and lets focus on your big day, a lot of work to do.”

“Am sorry if I overstepped.”

“No, its ok. I just like to concentrate on what's on hand. Now I suggest we do a beach session, it always looks good this time of the year don't you think?”

“I agree, that would be amazing” she got very excited.

Kate was excited when she was talking to Adam and more excited with every extra offer he made. Yet she got worried about the cost, after all, she was on a budget and all what Adam said might cost a fortune.

“But I still need to know how much this will cost me, each part to be able to adjust my budget” Kate had to raise the issue at the end. and with that Jim secretly looked at Adam to see what he will say.

“Kate, that is the last thing you need to worry about now. don't consider the money to be an issue here”

A loud giggle came out of Jim where he tried to cover it with a cough. Adam gave him a rough look and turned back to Kate

“So Saturday dawn we meet” 

“Ok, but I need a last favor if its ok. I know it's too much, but Jenny is kind of my planner since am literally all over my head. So if you don't mind she will contact you to set more details if needed.”

He gave a cold smile and reached with his hand to check the place in his pocket where he healed her letter. They shook hands after agreeing to meet for the pre-wedding shoot.

He then called Jenny to informed her in a direct way

“This doesn't change the fact that we are not speaking, this is just for Kate”

Jenny smiled at herself in the mirror a smile of satisfaction and took a deep breath. On the other side, Adam took out the envelope, looked in it, and closed it again, with Jim looking from distance and smiling.

Adam knew Jim would have issues with this deal, he raised few already before Kate arrived, and he was prepared to use the “I am the boss” card. But to his surprise, this didn't happen. Actually, Jim looked at him and said 

“You are the boss” in a friendly way, then reminded him that they have a meeting with a couple in fifteen minutes who's wedding was after 2 months. 

 -------

When Kate left she called Jenny to meet her at home. She knew she will be happy to know the details of how the meeting went. But to her surprise she already knew.

“He called me and told me about the meeting. So you pinpointed me, placed me in front of the cannon? Kate, he wants nothing to do with me, please stop trying to fix things for me and let's concentrate on our lovely bride, that's probably why you are stressed in the first place. Stop worrying about other stuff please”

Kate smiled a deep smile and turned her seat to face Jenny

“Now what should I wear on that photo session?”

“you are going to drive me crazy Kate, we have the caterer now to worry about, and your spa appointment. Leave the damn session until its time come”

“Ok, let's call the caterer. oh and by the way, from how Adam looks, he still misses you.”

A couple of days later and just as agreed they were all at the beach to catch the dawn for their pre-wedding photo-shoot. 

“Guys, please let's focus for a little while, we want to catch the sunrise perfectly” Said Adam to the couple while they were getting off the car.

“it is still dark practically, I don't know what the hell we are doing here. Kate, I really don't know. ” Said Sam her husband in a rather aggressive and furious way. 

“Hey, Sam right? from what I hear you are most probably the most patient, tolerant and understanding groom I have ever met. Believe me, most of the guys I meet would never wake up that early for their girls no matter what.”

Said Adam, and was met by a warm smile from Sam who shook hand and told him how thankful he was for doing such a thing on such a short notice.

Kate was looking amazed by how friendly Sam looks with Adam in comparison to his bad mood that day.

Jim started setting up the equipment for a while, and by the 1st ray of light, they started their photo session. for around 30 mins they were shooting different poses and Kate keeps insisting on changing every while and on some poses.

“Wait a minute, I want to change again. Is that ok Sam? Adam?”

“Sam, I really envy your patience.” laughed Adam as he said it.

“Hey Jim, today is your lucky day. Let's see how you will do the following couple of photos, this might be your kickstart” Said Adam referring to Jim always wanting to be a main photographer rather than just an assistant

“I spent a lot of time with you, I learned a lot, am good am qualified and am ready” he always used to say. So Adam handed him the gear and took one camera and walked away. For Jim, this was an opportunity he wouldn't miss, for over a year he had been asking Adam for this and he has been delaying it. So it was only normal for him to look to where Adam was going, sure he didn't do this out of his (kind heart) only. And there she was, walking in a white beach dress that's touching the sand.

“What am I doing here, how come I didn't tell him what he really needs to know?” she was talking to herself while kicking the water with her barefoot. 

“No, I won't. I don't care what Kate says about him still missing me. He doesn't want anything to do with me…. But I miss him” She kept walking by the beach and he was with his camera capturing her walking.

Jim turned to the couple and started doing his job, while Adam continued looking at Jenny through the camera lens, as she walked down the beach and dropped off her white dress revealing a golden bikini that was just as the beach sand, goldfish yellow. And just like that, he starting shooting again her walking on the beach with her feet touching the water, then moving into the water just as a mermaid that's going back home. He had always told her in the past that she looks like a mermaid. He didn't feel himself or realize how many photos he was taking except when his assistant told him about the couple that they are having huge disagreements. 

He went and sat with them, to see what he can do to fix things. The bride was saying that he is not committed enough to that photo-shoot and that he is on the phone most of the day.

“We came here to have fun Sam, that's what we are doing. Creating special moment for us, and what you are doing? you are working even now”

“That's the point Kate, you want to create a moment, that's a failure. moments happens not created. And yet here I am not at work, but I have a moral obligation to my clients If they call I need to answer”

At this point Jenny noticed the voiced, and she  turned she saw Adam photographing her, she look at him then started getting out of the water with her eyes fixed on him.

“Adam, you really need to intervene,” said Jim while Jenny rushed out of the water and wrapped herself in a towel. 

“Kate you need to calm down and come with me” Jenny dragged Kate aside, and Adam started talking to Sam.

“So do you wanna tell me what's really wrong? you and I know you didn't come here out of going along with Kate, you wanted this just as well. am I right?”

“Of course I did, why the hell would I have taken the day off and why would I have takes a month off for the honeymoon while workload is a killer these days?”

“So what's wrong, why the sudden aggressiveness?”

“1st of all Adam you need to know I am a divorce lawyer, my life is based on other couple’s failed marriages. I have seen all, the good and the bad and the ugly. I just need to be practical, I need her to know that while this shoot is important so is my cases that am postponing a lot of them for the honeymoon and who need my consulting now. She doesn't get that, she wants a photo shoot now so I have to be here totally and not slightly think of the people who are depending on me” Sam said while lighting up a cigarette.

“You are right, but still she is stressed, and we guys have the smarter mind always to know how to deal with those situations.”

“If so, then why are you and Jenny not a couple anymore?”

Adam stood silent for few seconds before Sam apologizing for talking about an issue that's not his to talk about

Adam knew their issue is just natural stress, while it's clearer on the bride’s side yet the groom looks super stressed as well.  

“We are not a couple because I didn't let it go, but I can understand why it looks like Jenny is the bad guy here. She feels responsible and me ignoring her endorsed that feeling”

“Am sorry Adam for intruding, but don't think I didn't notice you still care. Also, this wedding is pushing my financial limits very much and with the honeymoon, am is just too stressed .”

“you know what? while you are a divorce lawyer who has seen the ugly side, am a wedding photographer and I have seen the good side. there was once that couple who I photographed them in their wedding, it was a lovely day I still remember the positive energy that was flying in the air. And 2 years later I was hired by them to take photos of their 1st baby girl. For me it was very special, I have been at their most intimate moments. So believe me the good exist too”

The groom then calmed down, and went to Kate and kissed her forehead.

“Am sorry Kate, you know am here, but if I bailed on my obligation to my clients you know you yourself would have felt guilty. But am here with my undivided attention”

Jenny took a lot of courage and started walking slowly toward Adam, moving front two steps and going back one.

“Am really impressed Adam, you did a lot to fix this. Thanks a lot. I really missed this Adam” said Jenny with her eyes fixed on his.

“It's for the bride and the groom, not for you,” he said again

“By the way Adam, what you just said about the couple who you photographed is a lot load of crap for a guy who says he stopped believing in true love.”

That was all because of you, he thought to himself. you are the reason I believed in love and you are the reason I stopped.

------

Arriving back home by 8 Pm Jenny was just searching for the bed to throw herself on it, without even changing for PJ’s or anything. It was a really exhausting day for her, between the photo shooting and fixing things between Kate and Sam, and between thinking what did that day mean? Adam was fixing on her, he kept photographing her and he kept making fake stories or real she don't know, but he kept saying stuff to fix things between the bride and groom as well. She didn't know what that mean, all she knew was that nothing will be the same from now. She turned to her nightstand, grabbed her medicine and slept…

On the next day, Adam was scrolling through the photos, transferring them from the cameras to the computer, he couldn't but notice that the photos taken by Jim were actually good.

“You are naturally talented Jim,” he said with a confident voice, that was only answered by a smile of gratitude. Jim had never been the person who can answer a complement.

“Remember Jim, the wedding is in 3 days. We need to finish processing those photos for now, and don't forget tomorrow is Fred’s bachelor party at 6 PM sharp, which means we must be there round fivesh.” 

“That shouldn't be a problem, tomorrow’s last meeting is at 2 pm so we will have plenty of time”

When the night came, and as Adam preparing to sleep, he got a voice note from Kate thanking him for all what he did for her and fixing things up with him.

“I can't thank you enough Adam, for everything. You are a good guy, don't allow yourself to convince you otherwise. You were hurt in the past, please don't allow this to change you into someone you are not. You are trying to convince yourself you are heartless, while you only have a big heart. Anyways, thank you”

He listened to it a couple of times before replying with you are welcomed and thank you text. he couldn't hold himself to say anything else.

He just got out the photos he took for jenny and kept watching them.

“She is a mermaid, a magical creature of nature” he said out loud.

The days past fast till it was the wedding day already, for this event was very different for Adam since for the 1st time he was a photographer and a guest. He was there 4 hours before the event, to make sure everything was working smoothly and without any glitch, which was totally unlike him, he usually would have sent Jim to check, but it was a special day after all. At the beginning he was doing this for Jenny, everyone knew that even Jenny herself although Adam himself didn't know, or didn't admit to himself. But after 2 weeks of dealing with Kate, he was actually there that day that early for Kate and Sam and not for anyone else. 

Standing there in the studio room at the ceremony venue, Adam was in his dark gray Armani suit making sure of his gear, and of the studio setup, before going outside and checking on the hall to see if everything was as agreed on or no.

“You know what Jim, we really should expand to include event organizing to our activities and services.”

“I do agree, but let's take it step by step, for example, let's start by making me A DAMN MAIN PHOTOGRAPHER,” he said with a sarcastic smile.

“Well Jim, you can try but you………” and he went silent…. Jim looked at where he was staring and saw her. Jenny, wearing her backless tight black dress, looking like an angel in black. 

“What!!!!!” he asked

“I didn't say a word,” said Jenny. 

“Yeah, hmm, well everything is just as planned, where is Kate?”

“She is arriving, we should start the photo session soon”

“We?” he asked sarcastically

“Well, you…” She said, looking at his face and realizing this was the 1st time he smiles at her since their break-up. 

“Could it be a sign of forgiveness?” she thought to herself but was answered quickly as if he heard her thoughts that after this event the only link between them shall be when he delivers the photos to her.

She held herself from crying not to ruin her looks, and not to show him her weakness, yet a single tear escaped, but she managed to hide it well.

In less than 15 minutes Sam was there, standing at the end of the aisle in his black tux, looking confident and happy. Waiting for Kate to reach for him. Then the door opened and there she was, wearing a Bohemian white dress. She walked to him in confident steps, steps of a person who knows where her coming years are going, and yet she can't wait to take the adventure. 

The ceremony went smoothly, and it was time for their Vows

Sam:

I didn't know what I was going to say, search a lot and I do have a pile of paper on my desk with a lot of wordings I wanted to say. For there are no words to describe how I feel now, I couldn't just find the right words. Until now, so forgive me for the improvisation. I kept on thinking of what should it be what I say until I talked to a new friend of mine, who taught me a lot in the past couple of days. Most of you know that I work as a divorce lawyer, so do I believe in true love? yes. Do I believe it survive everything? until a couple of weeks ago the answer was NO, and that while true love exists yet it is fragile. Until my new friend showed me what true love is, how even when hidden, even when we deny it or escape it, it still exists. And that the difference between true love and anything else is that only true love stands against time. He taught me that life without love is a living hell, I saw those couple who I help get divorced and while I know they loved each other yet it wasn’t enough, and I know am never going to be one of those, for when am marrying you am promising you this, I promise we will fight, I promise we will get angry and upset, but I also promise we will never go to sleep without  us making out, without a smile. I love you and I know that if the odds are 1:100000 we are that one.

Kate:

When I was 6, I wanted to marry an angel to protect me and cover me with his wings, this changed when I was 14, I wanted to marry a superstar to walk and be proud in front of all my friends and point at him and say this is my husband . when I became 20 I wanted to marry a doctor, someone to look after me, to always know what to do when I get old and gray and by the age of 25 my dream was to marry a businessman, someone to secure me financially and get me all I want. Little did I know that Everything of those can truly exist only in a real man. Angel wings, walk of pride, a shoulder to lean on and security from time, all of those are only found in a real man. So Sam, In your arms I found my angel wings, in your success, I find the pride. In your care I find support, and in your love I find security. I love you…

When the ceremony ended, and they both gave their vows, they both left for their photo session before the reception.

By that time Adam had already been familiarized with both of them and somehow close or in other words he has seen a lot of them. So he knew how much troubles they had for a long time and how stressed they both were. 

“Please, guys forget that there is a camera, talk to each other or to me, tease, tickle or do whatever you would do if we were not shooting now. I want everything to be as natural as possible” He said, that had been always his philosophy and style, to leave the couple act normal, and capture real moments not face artificial ones. 

“Well, if there were no cams I believe I would have been strangling her now” laughed Sam

“Then do it, but if the police came I will testify with you Sam” they both laughed.

“I want to thank you Adam, for everything. You have been a great help” said Sam

“When I took the job I took it for the sake of doing good for a needing bride, but god knows once I met you guys I was doing it for you”

With him holding the camera, the groom looked at Kate, and just kept going over every single detail of her face, telling her how every inch of her was perfect, how she was not only the woman of his dreams, but the woman of his life, the one and only he would want in real life, fantasy, or even afterlife. He then placed his left arm around her waist, placing his palm right above her hips and pulling her closer. for a second there she closed her eyes while he reached to kiss her cheeks, and for Adam, she wasn't there anymore. once he touched her, once his hands were placed just above her hips, and his lips touched her forehead, Adam would have sworn he saw a glow coming from her. it's like angel wings burst from behind her. Her complete body was in serenity, she closed her eyes and for few seconds she was not there. She was in harmony now with herself. 

The scene itself touched Adam so much that he called for his assistant and gave him the camera

“I need a quick break, Jim, you can handle this now for few minutes”

“is everything ok?” asked Sam

“Yeah, I was here for a long time I just lost focus so I need to go freshen up in the bathroom first.”

Jenny looked at him with sad eyes, she knew he was hurting, she could feel him.

Out there he took out an envelope from his pocket, that same envelope he had been holding for a long time, ever since Jenny called him. But this time he got the courage, or maybe the tolerance to open it, and read it. 

“Dear Adam,

I know you hate me now, and I know the last thing you need is any words from me. Am even sure you might probably tear up this letter, or at least not open it and forget all about it. And I can't blame you for any of this. For you, I am a selfish person, the girl who left you two weeks before the wedding. I am the one who broke your heart, who left you alone. But this is not the truth Adam, I am not a bad person no matter how it seemed, or maybe I am, you tell me. 

Adam, I have never loved a person or a thing as much as I love you, ever since I saw you-you had been the love of my life, my soulmate and guardian angel. And if you thought for a second that I left you at my own will you are mistaken and didn't know me that well. Remember when I told you that I need some time to rethink everything ? Before the wedding, I found out I have a tumor in my womb and that It can be treated, but shall take a long time, and most probably might never be able to have children. 

We never discussed such events, but I would never ask you to promise me in sickness and in health while I am already in sickness. I am panicking and I don't know what to do. So whether you decide to forgive me or no is up to you, but know that I never meant to hurt you, and never loved or would love anyone but you. I just need to deal with this on my own and need you to forgive me…

Yours,

Jenny”

---

He couldn't prevent a tear from slipping from his eyes, and with that tear, Jenny opened the door and came out when she noticed he was late. standing right behind him she took a glance at what he was holding not realizing he was having tears. She realized that letter once she saw it, and that it was just opened from the suited part of the envelope. she placed her palm on his shoulder, tapping it softly without a word. 

“Why didn't you tell me back then? why did you leave me all that time to think that you were that selfish? that you were that bad?”

“I wrote you the letter and I left, I didn't know what to do or what to say. Couldn't face you or confront you. I thought you would have read it, but apparently, My other guess was right, you did completely ignore it.”

He shushed her putting his finger on her lips and told her that there was nothing to be said. he gave her a kiss on her palm and a hug. He whipped a tear from his eyes and said

“Well, I hope you are better now, I don't know what to say now. Can we get back to the Kate and Sam please, I trust Jim yeah but not all that” he smiled and took her from her arm back to the bride and groom.

“I hope Jim didn't kill you guys,” Adam said forcing a joke

“Well, few minutes and we would have killed him ourselves. he is just too sweet to be killed, don't you think Sam?”

“Shut up, the guy is an excellent photographer, stop teasing him Kate” Said Sam with a smile.

“Well, I think we are done here unless you want something special”

“No that's perfect Adam, thank you”

 After finishing the photo-shoot, they all went to the ceremony. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome for the 1st time Mr and Mrs Sam Sanders”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, layer her face on his shoulder and drawn herself into his surrounding arms, and started dancing…

Adam looked at Jenny and walked to her, she was sitting at a table by the edge of the hall crossing her legs and holding her drink with one hand while paling in her bun with the other hand.

“Miss, Can I have this dance?”

She raised her head and looked up, her eyes were like a glass dam holding a waterfall behind it. She closed her eyes hard with a deep breath, then gave him a deep smile and shacked her head yes while mumbling it.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and held her hand with the other and started dancing on Enrique Iglesias (Hero)

She was flying, Her body was there but her mind no, it was at the Maldives with her laying topless on the sand with half of her resting on him and him playing with her golden hair as she always dreamed. She was in connection with her soul for the 1st time in very long. 

“My name is Adam,” he said

“What?”

“I can't promise that the past was forgotten, You were hurting but you hurter me as well. So, what about we start again, from square one? Now I know we just met, but could I invite you for a cup of coffee Monday?”

“Oh, you are asking me on a date?” she asked acting as if surprised from a stranger with her eyebrows raised. 

“Well, a second first date if it suits you” he smiled while saying it

“Yessss,” She said, and he held her and swing her for a couple of turns while hugging her.

“May I have your attention please” Said Jenny making her toast as the bridesmaid

“Love, Love is a strange thing that I have never been able to understand. I look at Kate and Sam and I know this is how life is supposed to be. I have seen your ups and your downs, and in your worst never have I seen a couple who were more in love than you two. And as a small advice, an advice that I didn't use myself before and did cost me a lot of wasted years I would have spent with the man of my dreams. Life always present us with hidden yet many chances, grab them and never waste them. Always find comfort in one another…”

Then she raised her glass “To the bride and groom”

everyone applauded her, and she walked straight to Adam after getting a thank you from Kate. She walked straight to him and without a word she kissed him a long kiss with her hands both in his hair. She then looked at him and smiled and said “I don't care if we just started dating, I kiss on first dates” then she winked and smiled…