It was set to take place at 2:00pm and the clock had now stuck 1:45. Justin was in the back of the church putting on finishing touches on his tux.

“Chris,” started Justin, “I know you were against this wedding but thank you for coming and being one of my groomsmen.”

“Anything for you buddy,” Chris said with a smile.

“Have you talked to Dasia?”

“Yeah, all the time. Why do you ask?” Chris said nonchantly.

“No reason,” Justin said, not wanting to tell Chris why.

‘I hope she comes,’ he thought.

“Who is it?” Justin asked, noticing Chris’ cell phone was going off.

“Probably no one but I better go check it.” He quickly walked out of the room and shut the door. “Is everything set?” he questioned, knowing exactly who it was.

“So far so good here. What about there?” Tiffany asked in return.

“As far as I can tell. But why aren’t you here yet? We need to get this plan in motion before it’s too late,” Chris urged.

“I know. We’re running late and we haven’t even left yet plus the highway is closed off to destruction so it’s going to take forever. Please try to stall,” Tiffany said a little worried.

“How do you expect me to stall a wedding that’s about to take place in seven minutes!” he said, trying to keep his voice down.

“Just think of something, this is important.”

“I’ll think of something, just hurry.” He hung up the phone and turned to walk away unaware of the presence behind him.

“What was that about?” Joey asked out of curiosity.

Chris jumped in surprise. “It was nothing.” He was at a loss for words.

“It didn’t sound like nothing to me,” Joey argued.

Chris went to make some wild excuse up but decided Joey was just the person he wanted to see. “You’re the ring bearer, right?”

“Yeah. Justin thought it would be funny if I got stuck with the job for a five year old while JC gets to ride high as best man.” Joey pouted.

“Tell me something, Joey. Who do you want Justin to marry?”

“Dasia, of course, but he’s not so there’s nothing I can do but help out with this wedding.”

“Actually there is something you can do.”
 
 ~ 2:11 pm ~

“LANCE!” Justin called. “Did you find her?”

“Sorry man, I didn’t see her anywhere,” Lance said, worried.

“She couldn’t have stood me up on our wedding day, would she?”

“Of course not Justin! Don’t even think like that. I talked to Jennifer, her maid of honor who was with her all morning and she said Claire went back to get her other shoes in the girls dressing room and never came out,” Lance said.

“Did you check in there?” Justin asked.

“Of course I checked there! Calm down, we’ll find her,” Lance reassured his friend.

“I’m checking for myself,” Justin hollered as he ran towards the room.

He stood in the middle of the room not knowing what to do. ‘This never would have ever happened if I married Dasia,’ he thought. He headed for the door when he heard a noise coming from the closet. He quickly opened the door.

Claire gave him a huge hug when she saw who it was.

“Oh Justin, I’m so happy to see you. I went to get my shoes out of the closet and the last thing I remembered is the door closing and I couldn’t open it. I mean I tried and tried but it wouldn’t budge. I was so scared I would never get out of there and I heard people come in so I called for help but they were all talking so they couldn’t hear me cause the door is so thick. I thought I was going to be locked in here forever and miss my own wedding but you rescued me!”

She was rambling so fast, Justin could barely understand a word she was saying. Before he had a chance to say a word, she slapped him and put her back to him.

“What was that for?” he asked, trying to turn her around.

“Stop it Justin. You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding or it’s bad luck! Now everything is ruinnned,” she whined.

“Everything is going to be fine, now let’s get married,” he said.
 
~~~~

Everyone was back in their places and ready for the wedding to begin.

‘Great, Claire’s free and they’re still not here yet!’ thought Chris. ‘Time for plan b.’

He looked over to Joey to make sure Joey knew what to do. Joey noticed the look he was receiving from Chris and just nodded to show he understood.

The wedding began and was going smoothly until the reverend asked for the rings. Joey looked down at the pillow to reveal no rings.

Everyone went nuts.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find them,” yelled Chris. He fell to the floor and started crawling retracing Joey’s steps.

“Are these them? They were under the guest book.”

Chris gave Joey a ‘is that the best you could do?’ looks. Joey just shrugged his shoulders.

Claire’s aunt continued. “I was signing when I accidentally knocked the book off the table and here these were.”

People were relieved that they were recovered, but Chris wasn’t. They still weren’t there and time was running out. The ‘I Do’s’ were finished and it was time for the final question.

“Does anyone here have any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, please speak now or forever hold your peace,” spoke the reverend.

The room was quiet.

‘This is it,’ thought Justin.

“I now pron…”

“Stop the wedding!” yelled a voice from the back.

Everyone turned to see whom it had come from.
 

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Love Happens - Chapter Eighteen (Last Chapter)
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World Of Our Own Fiction