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Down the aisle

When Claire got engaged, a bunch of questions began. Where were she and Rebecca getting married? Had they picked the colors for their wedding yet? Claire's family was Catholic and Rebecca's was Lutheran, so who was going to marry them? Had they thought about how big of a wedding they wanted? What were they each going to wear? How big were the two bridal parties? Joint bachelorette parties or separate ones?

But the one that had made Claire think the most was, who would walk her down the aisle? Rebecca didn't have any thoughts on it and just wanted Claire to pick someone that made her happy. Claire had smiled when Rebecca told her that and gave her a small peck on the lips. Rebecca was so lovely and supportive that the planning of the wedding went very smoothly.

They decided to get married in the park where they'd met. They picked their favorite colors: lavender and silver as their wedding colors. They decided to have the person who'd set them up on their blind date to officiate their wedding. They decided the wedding would be just under 100 people. They each picked wedding dresses, but didn't let the other see them, but the two maids of honor compared notes to be sure that they hadn't magically picked the same one. They each had seven people in their bridal parties and their bachelorette parties would be separate, but on different weekends so mutual friends could attend both.

But, once all of that, as well as a bunch of other decisions, was figured out, Claire came back to the question of who was going to walk her down the aisle. Claire thought about the kind of person she wanted to walk her down the aisle. She wanted someone who'd known her a long time, someone Rebecca knew and loved, someone who believed in her, someone who supported her, someone whom Claire loved and respected, and someone whom people could understand her picking.

Claire thought it over and over, she didn't know why she was so focused on this one choice. Perhaps it was because everything else with the wedding had gone so naturally and this was the only thing that snagged.

One night, Claire had an epiphany about who it should be. The person to walk her down her aisle had loved her since she was born and had never left her side. She knew for sure that Rebecca loved her, for she'd said it and showed it many times. This person believed in her and truly wanted the best for her. Claire told Rebecca her decision and Rebecca smiled, happy she'd finally picked.

Their wedding day came and Rebecca walked down the aisle first. Claire waited just behind a tree so that Rebecca wouldn't see her before she got to the aisle.. She stood up straight as she heard the music begin to swell, leading to her cue. When the moment came, Claire came out from behind the tree and stepped into the center of the aisle, alone.

She held her head high and didn't see anyone besides Rebecca whose eyes lit up when she saw Claire elatedly walking towards her.

For in the end, Claire chose herself to walk her down the aisle.

(Prompt by Odile van Deventer)

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