13 Welcome to the family

Grace was shocked at what she said, who let's people hear about their wish? Well nobody except Felicity, she thought.

Felicity was so happy that she opened the car door and got down, she picked her gown in her hands and started running towards the church. Katherine and Mercy's car just arrived and she saw Felicity running to the church, she jumped down from the car immediately "Felicity!" But she didn't hear her, she looked to see Grace just standing without doing anything "Grace stop her!"

Grace seemed to be called into presence and she shouted to Felicity "wait Felicity, stop running" due to being a little bit closer to her, Felicity heard her and stopped, she turned around and saw Katherine running towards her and she ran to her.

"Aunty Katy" she shouted as she ran to Katherine, her face sparkling with her joy, she looked so angelic running with her wedding gown. Her ankle twisted due to her heels and she wobbled, thankfully, Katherine was already close to her and so she caught her. Even though Felicity almost fell, it didn't change her mood "aunty Katy look, little Ray made my wish come true" she gingerly pointed at the white carriage, her face beaming in happiness.

Katherine was still trying to catch her breath when she heard her "little Ray?"

Mercy caught up to them while Grace majestically walked up to them "what's wrong with you Felicity, why did you suddenly take of like that?" Grace asked with a frown.

"Yes, that's true" Katherine looked like she has been called back to her senses and looked at Felicity with a frown "why did you suddenly start running? If I hadn't caught you, do you know you would have fallen and scratch your body and on your wedding day!"

"I'm sorry aunty Katy, I was just so happy about the carriage and I wanted to find Raymond and thank him. You taught me to always say thank you when someone give or do something for me" Felicity said in a docile tone.

"Even if you want to thank him about the carriage, you have plenty of time to do that. Why run now and almost hurt yourself? You just acted foolishly and stupid" Katherine was angry.

Felicity's eyes welled up in tears immediately and they threatened to fall at any minute "you called me stupid, you are mean just like the lady in the café shop" she looked so wronged and her face turned red.

Seeing what she has caused, Katherine heart ached "no my dear, I didn't say you are stupid. I only said your attitude..."

"Let me take it from here" Mercy intervened and looked at Felicity, she cupped her face in her hands "if a single tear drop from your eyes then you will look ugly and Raymond won't marry you anymore and then you won't even get a chance to ride your carriage neither say thank you to him."

Hearing her words, Felicity fought hard to keep her tears from falling but she still felt wronged in her heart "aunty Katy said I'm stupid."

"No no my dear she didn't. You just didn't hear what she said."

"I only wanted to find him and say thank you, just like she thought me" her voice was full with grievances.

"I understand, which is a very nice thing to do but just at the wrong time. You see, now, everybody inside there are all waiting for you to walk in like a bride, if you go running then Raymond will be embarrassed and your aunty Katy doesn't want that, that's why she is angry. You will have plenty of time to say thank you to him. And the perfect time will be when you both are riding in the carriage, don't you think?"

Felicity thought on what she said and nodded, she sniffed and wanted to wipe away her eyes but Katherine stopped her. She smiled to her and used her handkerchief to dab at Felicity's eyes "I'm sorry aunty Katy" she apologized.

"It's alright my darling. I understand how you feel but now you need to look beautiful like Raymond's bride okay? Now smile for me."

Felicity smiled then and Katherine hugged her "I'm so sorry my darling."

After the little episode, they escorted Felicity to the door before leaving to enter through another door. The big door opened then and the man that opened it smiled at Felicity and shifted aside for her to walk in. The piano started then, playing the traditional tune 'here comes the bride' all head in the church turned to watch her and she got nervous. Her eyes darted around the room and spotted Raymond who was standing at the altar, he was smiling at her and she felt her heart move, remembering the carriage outside again, she recovered her enthusiasm and just like her aunty Katy taught her, she followed the tune and walked slowly but gracefully to Raymond.

Raymond was stunned to silent when he saw the lady at the door, she looked so beautiful that he felt like shielding her from the eyes of everyone in the room, he wanted only him to look at her. Even he was surprised at his heart longing but unknowingly, he was already smiling to her. He watched her with his heart in his throat as she walked towards him, he knew she doesn't walk well in heels and he fears of her falling down now and not only embarrassing herself but him too.

He reached out his hand to hold her immediately she was closer and only then did his heart rest, they both walked up to the priest while everywhere went dead silent and the priest's voice rang out "dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining into a holy matrimony of Raymond Baldwin and Felicity McCarthy..."

Although she could hear the priest's voice in her ears but it was faint, almost like a background noise. Her mind concentrated on the man beside her, he looked so handsome that she feels like he was taking her breath away, her heart started beating fast and she wanted to touch her chest to know why her heart was beating so loud in her ears but she couldn't because of the flower she was holding and again, she doesn't want to do something that her aunty Katy will call her stupid again.

A man's deep but captivating voice rang in her hear "I do" she looked up at the man beside her but his gaze was at the priest, she heard the priest call her name then and she turned to look at him "do you take Raymond Baldwin to be your lovely wedded husband, in sickness, in health, in richness and in poorness till death do you part?"

From the corner of her eyes she saw Raymond looking at her and her heart missed a beat, she had been practicing this with her aunty Katy but why does it seem like she has forgotten what to say? She knew her delay is dangerous and she decided to copy what Raymond said a while ago "I do" immediately after uttering the two words, she remembered that that was exactly what her aunt had told her to say so why did she forget in the first place?

While still lost in thought, she felt someone grab her hand, she looked at the man opposite her to see him holding a ring "I vow to be by your side in your good times and bad times, to be a pillar of support to you, to love you truly without forsaking you in your time of needs, with this ring, I thee wed" and then she watched him slid the ring on her finger. It felt so serene to her, so this is how the brides she use to watch in the television used to feel?

She picked the second ring which looked so big in hand but she paid no mind to it, she fought to remember what her aunt told her to say, she just don't know what is wrong with her today, why is she forgetting things? No, she will just follow little Ray's footstep again "I vow to be your second half" as she opened her mouth, she started remembering what her aunt taught her and she couldn't explain her happiness as she let the words roll out of her tongue "to be a support in your difficult times, to cry with you during your hard times, to laugh with you in your happy times. To be loyal and fruitful to you and to let my love solely belong to you, to love you today, tomorrow and forevermore, with this ring, I thee wed" she slid the ring on his finger, she looked up to him and beamed.

Raymond was dazzled at that moment, her happy smile seem to etch in his heart, watching her sweet heart shaped lips that was smeared with light pink lip gloss, he felt this urge of leaning forward and kissing her with or without the priest's go ahead, 'what is wrong with you?' He questioned himself and just then he heard the priest "by the power vested in me by our most high father, I hereby declare you man and wife. You may kiss your bride" now that was the line Raymond has been waiting for without even knowing, he leaned forward with his hand on her chin, he slowly claim her lips and he found himself delaying to let her go because he wants to savour the feeling of her lips.

Remembering that he was in the church and not just that, a lot of eyes are on him, he reluctantly let go of Felicity's lips, he looked at her to see that she was staring at him with something in her eyes that he wasn't able to read because someone started clapping and the rest joined, making Felicity to look away from him and to the audience. He cursed silently but still faced the audience and smiled.

Raymond grabbed Felicity's hand and they walked down to where family and friends came to hug and congratulate them. They made their way outside the church where they stood to take pictures with friends and family before only the both of them.

"Little Lee" Hana called and Felicity's eyes brightened when she saw her.

"Grandma" she let go of Raymond's hand she was holding and hugged the older woman who hugged her tightly as well "I missed you grandma."

"Me too my darling, me too" Hana said before releasing her "you look so beautiful my dear."

Felicity blushed and replied rather bashfully "thank you grandma."

"Little Lee" Desmond called and Felicity hugged him too "welcome to the family. You are now officially a Baldwin" he looked at Raymond "you finally decided to do the right thing, congratulations."

"Thank you grandpa" Raymond replied.

Katherine, Mercy and Grace walked up to them "congratulations" they all said.

"Aunty Katy" Felicity hugged her "I will not be living with you anymore" her eyes welled up with tears and few escaped.