The white Lilly
Chapter 25
Aiden watched Arylan walk up to him dressed in a white gown, The weather was promising...The crowd was not that of a large on and Aiden held his sweaty hands together as he watched his wife walk up to him sparkling...tears he tried to hide falling to the ground as she took her final step towards him smiling brightly, there was nothing more that he could ask for.
Yasmin and uncle Tim passing her over to him to commence with the wedding vows, A day of celebration and ease, a day that they would be tying the knot, reciting their vows, and promising to be with each other forever. After the Islamic requirements were fulfilled, they hugged it out and rushed over to have a meal beside each other.
Every time Aiden looked into Arylans eyes he thought about the moments they spent together since childhood, their senior year, University, and every other day he had her beside him. He was grateful for the beautiful memories she gave him the amazing lessons she thought him and the meaning his life had after spending half of his time beside her his understanding of love and what it means to want someone. How it felt not to be alone, how it felt to miss someone…how being a human isn’t a crime.
He sat beside her watching her smile with the crowd it was their day…Uncle Tim who was the other man walking beside her, and Eric who watched the couple from afar. His brother was there as well and his sister…They could now start their new lives together and continue to fight beside each other.
They took three flights over to their honeymoon, due to hiding Abdullah wasn’t present at the occasion.
“ what made you change your mind kiddo?” uncle Tim asked folding his arms as he walked up towards Eric who was seated alone outside the wedding venue.
“ I realized that my father won’t stop asking me to earn love from him even if I robbed a bank and killed all his enemies.”
“ that’s exactly how I felt towards Abdullah I was always there for him, helping him caring for him but he ended up betraying me and telling me that I haven’t done enough.”
“so what did you do?”
“ I let go of him, the rest is history.”
Eric stood up turning towards uncle Tim, “ like you said the rest is history, hopefully when they get back…we can go camping like the old days.”
Tim shook his head patting his shoulder as he watched him leave with everyone else. Was Eric really willing to let go?”
“ here you are silly, ” Salema said handing him his phone, “ looks like I should’ve sold it, where’s my thank you?”
“Thanks a million.”
“no problem, by the way, are you upset because my sister got married? Or is it something else...”
“it's something else, ” he says smiling, “ im happy for your sister and Aiden is one of my best friends.”
“phew! If you would’ve liked my sister it would’ve made my crush on you look disgusting!”
She covered her mouth trying to calm herself, Eric laughed looking towards her.
“ it’s nice to know that I still have a few lady fans, but we both know that a crush is just a crush. Focus on school okay, ”
After winking at her he continued to take a walk around the area. Was he upset about his current situation or the fact that his unemployed and living with his mother again? He checked his watch one more time before looking up into the sky, thinking of grandmother…a woman who treated him like he was the only one in her world.
The honeymoon went smoothly and they were back home a week after Aiden finally found work and was living with Arylan at a rented apartment. Eric would often third wheel finishing all the food in the house. Arylans sister would come over with her mother and they would often have small heart to heart moments. Over time the medication Arylan was on reduced and her memory was finally whole. She enjoyed the family time she had and a month later they were out on a camping trip with uncle Tim.
Eric was busy with the operation of starting his own construction company, while Aiden saved up for a house and a future firm, Arylan continued reaching out to troubled teens...
“ bring the marshmallows the fires about to fade!” Eric yelled
Aiden rushed over with them as they sat around the campfire watching uncle Tim and Arylans mother rush over to them with some more firewood. The meat was on the braai stand and Saleema was covered in sticky marshmallow gooup.
Aiden sat with his hand around Arylan and the rest beside each other randomly, they snuggled together gathering up for the story Tim wanted to tell for ages…just like the good old days.
After fighting with each other about who has to clean up they finally allowed him to share a tale from his young days.
“ young lads, this happened when I was 17 years old back in high school…when Biel had a full set of teeth and Abdullah a conscious.”
The crowd laughing then growing silent after a short ‘shush’ from Saleema.
“ My parents had just kicked me out of the house for finding out that I had helped Abdullah smuggle drugs into the playground near a school, which I'd like to clarify today…is not true. By the time they had taken Biel hostage to get me to keep quiet, I was alone, homeless, and hungry…powerless too. I walked through the streets and lived off left overs. Abdullah had abandoned me at that time as well...One evening they found me drugged me and dragged me…I was taken to the head of the operation…a high school dropout with nothing to offer…after beating me to a pulp they turned me into one of them…and I was the closest to the mastermind like his son. He trusted me more than anyone in this world, a war was already waged against Abdullah's side of the industry and I did something wrong, I betrayed my master for Abdullah…he promised to hand Biel back to me, treating her like an object.”
“ What happened next?” Arylan yelled
“ you know since childhood I don’t finish my stories…”
“savage and nothing changed, ”Eric says upset, “ that was the good part!”
Uncle Timed laughed serving the food, Arylans mother and sister being first-timers were confused so Eric sat beside them explaining everything from the start as the other two went over to fetch a couple of cool drinks…