Chapter 300

Hannah

The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in.

It was the day of our wedding.

In less than a few hours, I would be walking down the aisle, marrying Noah—again. I closed my eyes, taking in the quiet of the room, the anticipation humming under my skin.

This time, everything was different.

The stillness didn’t last long, however. Not even thirty minutes after I had gotten up, Viona, Amber, and Emma showed up, bursting into the room like a trio of tornadoes. Each of them was carrying something—a bag, a bouquet, a tray with coffee and pastries—and before I could say a word, they had swept me into their morning chaos.

“Alright,” Amber said, not even bothering to address the fact that I hadn’t seen her in months and here she was, “let’s get you ready. Today is all about making you the most radiant bride anyone’s ever seen.”

Emma held up the garment bag with my dress, smiling at me. “Are you ready?”

I laughed, still reeling from their sudden appearance. “Yes, I think so,” I replied.

They led me to a chair in front of the vanity, settling me up like some kind of queen. It was funny, watching them flit around me, each one focused on their own tasks with single-minded devotion.

Emma carefully laid out my makeup on the table, Viona pulled out her curling irons, and Amber arranged the bouquet on the bed beside Melody’s tiny flower girl dress, taking the utmost care to make sure every petal was positioned perfectly while she chattered away about her experience overseas.

“So I told that doctor, ‘If you’re not looking to put a ring on my finger, then you can keep your dick in your pants’...”

“Amber!” Emma chided, covering Melody’s ears.

Amber just grinned impishly. “What? She doesn’t understand what I’m saying…”

Melody was propped up beside me, already dressed in her little flower crown and white satin dress, her chubby legs kicking happily as she watched all the commotion. Every so often, she would clap her hands, laughing like she was in on all of it. Sometimes, I wondered if she really did understand every single word.

“Alright, let’s start with the hair,” Viona said, picking up a section of my hair and running her fingers through it thoughtfully.

I watched her in the mirror, seeing her reflection smile back at me as she began curling the ends of my hair, giving it a gentle wave. Each curl fell like a soft ribbon, framing my face, and Viona would pause every so often, stepping back to inspect her work and nodding in satisfaction.

Emma handed me a cup of tea and a decadent pastry. “How are you feeling, Hannah? Nervous?”

I took a deep breath and smiled, trying not to move for fear of pissing off Viona in the midst of her work. “I feel… happy,” I said softly. “It feels like a second chance. A second chance at happiness.”

Viona’s eyes softened as she looked at me in the mirror. Only she and Noah knew about the rebirth still, and I wasn’t sure if I ever intended to tell anyone else. It felt so long ago now.

“You deserve every bit of happiness, Hannah,” she said. “Noah’s one lucky man.”

“He’s more than lucky,” Emma chimed in, setting out the last of my makeup with a grin. “And don’t you forget it.”

They all laughed, and I felt a warmth bloom in my chest, knowing I had friends like them—women who had been there through thick and thin, who saw me for who I was, who loved me.

Once Viona was finished with my hair, Emma moved in, dusting a light layer of powder over my face, brushing on just a hint of color, blending it softly until my features felt highlighted but not overwhelmed. She kept pausing, leaning back to inspect her work, her face a picture of concentration.

“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect.

Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.”

Amber was already at my side, helping me step into the gown, her fingers adjusting the layers of fabric with care. The moment I pulled it up over my shoulders, the fabric settling around my waist, a hush fell over the room.

I looked down and ran my hands over the silk, feeling the baby bump poking out. The gown I’d chosen was simple, a cream-white silk dress that hugged my curves and fell to my ankles, with my grandmother’s wedding veil and a string of pearls that Lily gave me.

The bridal boutique owner had suggested something that would hide my bump, but I wanted it to be on display.

Viona came up behind me, adjusting the straps and smoothing down any stray imperfections until everything was in place. She looked at me in the mirror, her eyes misting slightly as she smiled.

“You’re beautiful, Hannah. And I’m not just saying that because it’s your wedding day.”

I laughed, my own eyes prickling with tears. “Thank you. Really, for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you girls.”

Emma wrapped her arms around my shoulders from behind and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “We’re always here for you. Always.”

Amber took my hand, her expression softening as she whispered, “This is your moment, Hannah. Enjoy every second of it. You deserve it.”

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, the reality of the moment settling around me. I was really doing this. Marrying Noah, again, but somehow, it felt as if this were our first time all over again. Only better. Happier.

Just as I was adjusting my veil and the others were busy putting on their bridesmaid dressed, Viona leaned in. “How do you feel about marrying Noah for the second time? In regards to the rebirth…”

I paused, taking a deep breath. “The rebirth felt like a second chance at life, but this… this feels like a second chance at happiness,” I whispered. “And after everything… after being given this new life, this second chance…” I trailed off, looking down at my bouquet, feeling the tears building. “I know I’m going to make the most of it.”

Viona leaned down, brushing a soft kiss to each of my cheeks. “And you will be the happiest woman in the world, Hannah. Until the end of your days.”

Her words echoed in my heart, settling deep inside of me. I knew she was right.

Just a few moments later, it was time. The girls gathered their things, Amber picked up Melody, and we made our way to the chapel doors. I could hear the sounds of the pipe organ playing inside, and my heart began to pound as the finality of it all began to set in.

The doors loomed ahead, and my hands began to shake slightly as I adjusted my grip on the bouquet in my hands. This was it.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

In those moments, I felt a calm wash over me like the ocean flowing over the sand—like the way it had felt on my toes, cool and comforting, as I had picked up that shell for Noah all those years ago. The shell that had brought him back to me, that had changed everything.

And I knew, without a doubt, that I was ready.

As the doors opened, my gaze lifted, searching, and there he was—standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for me. His green eyes met mine, and the world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of us.

The love in his eyes, the way he looked at me… it was everything to me.

I took a deep breath and gripped the bouquet a little tighter.

And then, letting that breath out, I took my first step.