Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Romance

Ella

Two months had passed again, and soon enough it was Ericka's wedding day. Whitney, Carolyn (Ericka's sister and maid of honor), and I stood in Ericka's room as she stared herself in the mirror. She wore a long lace gown with a strapless, sweetheart neckline. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into an elegant updo, leaving her back and shoulders exposed. Her lips were painted a pale pink which perfectly complemented her white skin. She was beautiful, like an angel.

Whitney giggled, in her long, strapless  pale pink bridemaid's gown, "You look like a princess!" 

Ericka turned around, her dress flowing around her ankles as she did, "I'm so nervous! But totally not in a cold feet kind of way; I mean I'm totally excited."

I smiled, placing my hand over my small baby bump, "I'm excited for you, too."

Carolyn beamed, her bleach blonde hair looked just as fake as her smile, "Oh, it's so new to see my boy-ish sister look so feminine."

Ericka's smile faltered for a split second as she plastered on another smile, "Oh, thank you, Care!"

Carolyn remained beaming as she giggled aloud, "Mother and I were beginning to think you'd never get married."

Ericka's eye twitched and I quickly changed the subject, "How do you feel? Are you nervous?"

"Not at all," a blush crept across her cheeks. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

I smiled, "Whitney has too; she's been looking for an excuse to get drunk and hook up with Brand--"

Whitney flushed and smacked me, "S-shut up!" as I protested, "Don't hit the pregnant lady!"

Ericka laughed and clapped her hands together just as there was a knock at the door. Whitney and I were closest to the door, so we opened it slightly, quickly stepping outside as we realized it was Captain Cooper. He was dressed in a black tuxedo, lined with satin, contrasting his classic white tie. I smiled, "You look nice, Captain, but you know as a bridesmaid, I can't let you in."

In that moment, I saw everything there was ever to see: James Cooper made puppy dog eyes. I shuddered in horror, "Do not ever do that again." I carefully stepped back into the bride's quarters.

~oOo~

Approximately an hour later, I began to walk down the aisle behind Whitney and Carolyn, smiling brightly and imagining what my wedding with Gabe would be like. As I reached the altar and took my place, I caught Gabe's eye as he winked at me and I smiled to myself. The bride's procession began to play as Ericka began down the aisle, her father quietly sniffing as he gave her away. Beside Gabe, Captain Cooper gasped and wiped at his tearing eyes. 

Ericka smiled, her eyes shining as she climbed up to the altar and she joined hands with the Captain. The preacher smiled as he began, "We are gathered here for the union of--"

He was cut off by the sound of a gunshot, causing a surprised gasp from the assembly. All eyes turned to the back of the crowd where a man, dressed in a gray suit stood, slowly clapping. Behind him stood a group of men, all holding at least one gun. "Ah," the man smiled sarcastically. "Don't mind me; continue with your wedding. You look beautiful private."

Ericka's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowed to slits, "Who the fuck are you?"

The man feigned hurt as Captain Cooper stepped in front of Ericka, "Didn't we go to the academy together?"

Ericka's eyes widened in shock as she gasped, "Godfrey?"

"The one and only," he grinned. "Now carry on, I simply need to pick up certain guns and narcotics that belong to me."

Gabe began stepping forward angrily but suddenly stopped, glancing between me and one of the men holding a gun, "Oh, Sergeant Whit! Congratulations on being a daddy! Wouldn't want anything to happen to the baby." Godfrey snapped his fingers and in the crowd, Private James stood up, pulling a gun out of his jacket and pointing it at me. I froze, fear penetrating my veins. I glanced at Gabe as I placed my hand over my belly, his eyes promised me everything would be okay.

Godfrey laughed as Captain Cooper narrowed his eyes at Private James, "It was you, Chase?"

"Yes, sir," Private James sneered. "You never even suspected me, dumbasses."

"We trusted you," Gabe growled. "And now you're pointing a gun at my fiance. That's cheap," Private James's jaw twitched as he glared at Gabe. "aiming a gun at an unarmed, pregnant woman. I should've expected you to be such a coward."

Private James growled as he turned the gun to him, "But who's a coward now? Between you and I, who's the one in immediate danger?"

"Who's the one pointing a gun at an unarmed man? You wouldn't be doing this unless I was unarmed. You know you'd lose."

The gun fell to the ground as Private James got into a fighting stance, Gabe following suit. Around the assembly, the rest of the soldiers were on their feet, assessing the situation. Private Morgan grabbed Whitney, Carolyn, and I and began slowly backing us up, "Get back to the MTC. Make sure everything is fi--"

Shots carried through the air as reinforcements began pressing in on the intruders. Godfrey and his men held their ground as they began fighting through the men. Screams from the civilians rang in my ears as I was being rushed away. I glanced back one last time to see Gabe, struggling with Private James, both men looking fierce in a way I had never seen before. My stomach dropped, I couldn't lose him. Not now.

Whitney grabbed my arm, suddenly stopping, "Brandon. Where is he?"

Ericka began trying to pull the two of us back, "You have to go! There's no time!"

"I can't leave him!" Whitney shrieked, tearing her arm out of Ericka's grip. "I love him!" She dashed off towards the screams and gunshots.

"Whitney!" I screamed after her. Ericka grabbed my wrist, her eyes begging me not to follow her. "Whitney needs me. You take Carolyn to the MTC, you can't lose the baby." I tore my heels off and dropped them before I ran after Whitney, hoping to find my best friend before it was too late.

I left Ericka behind in her beautiful white gown, sobbing, "Ella! This isn't supposed to be happening!"