Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2019 18:52:19 GMT -6
“What does that moment feel like… when you’ve finally found the one? When you’ve finally found that person that loves you for everything you are and the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with? When the person that you just can’t live without is everything you’ve ever wanted… that could give you all the joy in the world… that could lift you up and encourage you whenever you’re feeling down? When that person knows you and every part of you so much better than everyone else? What does it all feel like?”
November 9, 2019
Victoria: So what DOES it feel like?
Victoria ponders this as she sits in the master bedroom of the cabin resort in Montana she’s staying at on the day of her wedding. Another woman is with her.
Victoria: Do you remember… Veronica? What it felt like? When you and Justin got married?
Veronica, one of her longest known friends dating back to their high school years, and the maid of honor for the wedding itself, smiles as she looks back at her.
Veronica: Perfect happiness. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. I mean… yeah he’s a bit of a dork and it was weird marrying someone who had been divorced before but… that didn’t matter to me. He’s my dork!
Veronica laughs.
Victoria: That’s one thing our marriages have in common… that whole “divorced before” thing… well, it was an annulment in my case but still. Anyway, thank you…
Veronica: For what? Being the maid of honor? You don’t have to do that.
Victoria: For… not being bitter about… you know. You had a crush on Gavin and he didn’t feel the same way about you because he had a crush on me and all?
Veronica: Vicky, that was what? 15 years ago?
Victoria: Well… when you found out that he had a crush on me, it would have been nice to know.
Veronica: Yeah...I’m sorry. We were kids. I was bitter… then. But, we’ve all grown up now and I’ve come to realize you two were perfect for each other all along. If it wasn’t meant to be, you two wouldn’t have run into each other literally what… weeks after your previous split?
Veronica walks up to Victoria and Victoria stands up. Veronica shares a quick embrace with Victoria which is quickly reciprocated.
Veronica: I’m overjoyed… for both of you! I think I’ll leave you to your “remembering” phase…
Victoria: What?
Veronica: Oh… it’s the part before the wedding when you remember all the good times you’ve had and it makes you even more excited for what’s coming… okay, I made that up. That was totally cheesy and I wanted to say something exciting before I had to leave.
Victoria: You’ve got to meet with the bridesmaids one last time, don’t you?
Veronica: Yeeeah… that. Most of them have been great... but, that Jazmyn woman? She’s a total bitch that needs to get over the “not maid of honor” thing. I just thought I’d let you know that. At least after today, I don’t have to deal with her anymore!
Veronica laughs to herself as she leaves the scene, with Victoria rolling her eyes knowing the reference all too well.
Victoria: Maybe I should reflect...
Victoria sits back down.
Victoria: ...because there’s so much to remember… when we went to that wrestling show… when I got hooked on wrestling for the first time… that backstage experience that was so inspiring to me that it made me want to be part of the business. If he never invites me to that show… what happens to my life? Considering how bad it was then, would it have ever gotten better? He was there when I had doubts about starting my career and he assured me I was going to pull through despite the heavy risk I was taking. He’s been there for me so much lately… through all of the confidence issues I’ve been having in the ring. God… I feel so guilty… all this time lamenting how my career hasn’t gone how I’ve wanted it to go for so long and as a result, he’s seen me at my worst more than he’s seen me at my best…
Said guilt that Victoria just expressed is starting to make her feel some doubt about the wedding. This doubt doesn’t come a moment too soon with Veronica re-entering the room.
Victoria: Veronica?
Veronica: Hey. So… everything’s in order. Are you okay? You seem to be… unhappy?
Victoria: Not unhappy. More like… guilty. Do I really deserve Gavin?
Veronica: Vicky… why the doubt?
Victoria: He’s hardly seen me at my best… especially lately… you know… my career worries and all.
Veronica walks closer to her.
Veronica: If you didn’t deserve him, he would have walked away a long time ago. He’s stuck by you… through all of this… because he loves you. You need to give yourself more credit than that. So maybe he’s seen you at your worst more than either of you would like but that doesn’t matter to him. He knows that you’re the strongest person he’s ever met.
Veronica lets out a sigh.
Veronica: Honestly, it’s better if he tells you all that himself. Still, it’s your day to be happy. Don’t let the last year and a half and that whole Vegas thing tell you otherwise. Are you with me?
Victoria nods.
Victoria: I’m with you. Today, I’m going to be the happiest woman in the world knowing that this is the day I’ve always dreamed about.
Veronica: I hope so, I really do. But I have all the faith in the world in you. Be strong, be happy. You deserve this.
Victoria and Veronica exchange one last hug before Veronica leaves the room again.
Two hours later…
The ceremony is moments away from taking place. Through a window, Victoria, in her wedding gown at this point, sees the crowd waiting outside for her with some of Glacier National Park visible in the background. She smiles at the setting knowing that this is exactly the kind of wedding she’d always wanted. The slightest sight of Gavin has her spinning away from the window for superstitious reasons as she heads toward the door. Right before she gets to it, the door opens and she’s slightly startled by the sight of her father.
Mr. Salinas: Wow…
Victoria smiles for a second as her father reaches out to hug her.
Mr. Salinas: You’re very beautiful…
Victoria: Thanks dad!
Mr. Salinas: This is a day I’ve thought about for years. Of course, it’s not about me. Are you feeling okay?
Victoria: Nervous… excited… it’s a lot. I didn’t feel any of this last time…
Mr. Salinas: Do me a favor sweetheart. Clean the slate.
Victoria: What?
Mr. Salinas: Forget about “last time”. It’s in the past.
Victoria’s eyes widen in shock, remembering how he was one of the most angry, vocal people about her last wedding and how he avoided going to it in protest due to his intense, strong contempt he had for her ex.
Mr. Salinas: I never liked the son of a bitch… I hated him from the moment I knew him… but if I of all people, am letting go of “last time”, so should you. I don’t want to hear about “last time” anymore. Going forward, we’re never talking about it again. Now… let’s get going. They’re about to open the doors for you.
Her father leaves the room and Victoria follows him until they walk to the doors leading to the ceremony.
Victoria: Dad?
Mr. Salinas: Yes, sweetheart?
Victoria: Thanks for that. You’re right. I’m ready to clean the slate once and for all!
Almost on cue, the doors open and Victoria and her father walk arm and arm down the aisle. Victoria takes it all in: the peace she is feeling, the happiness that is warming her heart, the cheers and the smiles she’s seeing from the audience in attendance giving her more and more confidence by the second. She can feel old burdens melting away and her heart and soul both become lighter. By the time she meets Gavin eye to eye, the last year and a half feels like it’s all in the distant past.
Gavin: Victoria… I’ve never seen you look more amazing than you do right now.
Victoria: Thank you. I’ve never been more happy to see you than this very moment.
A short while later…
Victoria: Gavin…
Victoria takes a bit of a deep breath as the wedding vows are about to begin.
Victoria: You are the kindest, most patient soul I’ve ever met. I’m incredibly lucky that I have someone like you standing by me because you’ve been so good to me and then some. Some recent times have been hard but no matter how hard they’ve been or how hard I’ve been on myself, you’ve always been there for me and you’ve never given up on me. You’ve always stood by me and never abandoned me and I appreciate that more than I could ever put into words. Your love, your understanding, your patience… I don’t know if there is anyone in the world that would have stood by me so much the way you have. But my vow to you is that I’ll be stronger, that I’ll be better. That if you ever need me that I’ll be there for you just the same way you’ve been there for me through everything that we’ve endured together. Every time I’m around you, all I feel is happiness and I know that this moment has been worth everything. The way you’re there for me gives me so much confidence that I can’t measure it and my thank you to you is showing you the incredibly strong woman and wife I know I can be from this moment forward.
There’s applause for some cheers as Victoria manages to contain herself. Gavin takes a deep breath, taking in Victoria’s words, showing that he’s been touched by them to a great extent. Victoria braces herself for whatever she’s about to hear.
Gavin: Victoria… the first time I ever saw you, I knew I felt different about you than any other girl I had met before. We went through high school dealing with what we did and I know that was hard on you but you survived that because that’s the strong woman that you are. Since we reunited as friends and then became more than that, I’ve always savored every moment we’ve spent together. You’ve meant more to me than just about everyone in my life. I want you to know that your strength inspires me…
Victoria’s eyes widen with surprise as she was obviously not expecting to hear that.
Gavin: Everything you’ve done… bringing yourself up from nothing, your back against the wall, enduring high school, enduring the doubters, enduring everyone that tells you “you can’t” on a constant basis… and being the person that you are today: the strongest woman I’ve ever known… that inspires me to be the best person I can be every single day. My heart isn’t complete without you in it and my vow to you is to help you realize that strength so that you can be stronger day by day, year by year because you deserve nothing but all the success, confidence and happiness in the world.
She can no longer hold back as tears of joy flood her eyes.
Gavin: You’re everything I could ever dream about in a woman and there’s nobody else that can take that away from you.
Victoria: Thank you…
More cheers are heard as Victoria wipes away tears of joy.
Victoria (thinking): I never realized that it was possible that any person would ever feel that way about me. All this time I was basing so much of my worth as a person on my career but I see it so much different now. I needed to value myself better than what I’ve done lately and that’s what I am going to do. No more doubting myself. No more self-pity. No more self-destructive psychological behavior. I see now that I’m worth so much better than that…
The happy thoughts continue in concurrency with the ceremony…
Another short while later…
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!”
Those words would make it official as Victoria and Gavin exchange a passionate kiss that would make their marriage official. The applause is loud and positive as Victoria soaks in this moment that she has dreamed about for years. The pain she’s endured for the last year and a half is officially gone. Those old burdens that have brought her down for so long are now non-existent memories. Deep down is nothing but ecstasy and joy, nothing but love in her heart. She knows she’s experiencing the most thrilling moment of her entire life… a moment that she doesn’t want to let go of anytime soon… a moment, finally, of perfect happiness.
November 9, 2019
Victoria: So what DOES it feel like?
Victoria ponders this as she sits in the master bedroom of the cabin resort in Montana she’s staying at on the day of her wedding. Another woman is with her.
Victoria: Do you remember… Veronica? What it felt like? When you and Justin got married?
Veronica, one of her longest known friends dating back to their high school years, and the maid of honor for the wedding itself, smiles as she looks back at her.
Veronica: Perfect happiness. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. I mean… yeah he’s a bit of a dork and it was weird marrying someone who had been divorced before but… that didn’t matter to me. He’s my dork!
Veronica laughs.
Victoria: That’s one thing our marriages have in common… that whole “divorced before” thing… well, it was an annulment in my case but still. Anyway, thank you…
Veronica: For what? Being the maid of honor? You don’t have to do that.
Victoria: For… not being bitter about… you know. You had a crush on Gavin and he didn’t feel the same way about you because he had a crush on me and all?
Veronica: Vicky, that was what? 15 years ago?
Victoria: Well… when you found out that he had a crush on me, it would have been nice to know.
Veronica: Yeah...I’m sorry. We were kids. I was bitter… then. But, we’ve all grown up now and I’ve come to realize you two were perfect for each other all along. If it wasn’t meant to be, you two wouldn’t have run into each other literally what… weeks after your previous split?
Veronica walks up to Victoria and Victoria stands up. Veronica shares a quick embrace with Victoria which is quickly reciprocated.
Veronica: I’m overjoyed… for both of you! I think I’ll leave you to your “remembering” phase…
Victoria: What?
Veronica: Oh… it’s the part before the wedding when you remember all the good times you’ve had and it makes you even more excited for what’s coming… okay, I made that up. That was totally cheesy and I wanted to say something exciting before I had to leave.
Victoria: You’ve got to meet with the bridesmaids one last time, don’t you?
Veronica: Yeeeah… that. Most of them have been great... but, that Jazmyn woman? She’s a total bitch that needs to get over the “not maid of honor” thing. I just thought I’d let you know that. At least after today, I don’t have to deal with her anymore!
Veronica laughs to herself as she leaves the scene, with Victoria rolling her eyes knowing the reference all too well.
Victoria: Maybe I should reflect...
Victoria sits back down.
Victoria: ...because there’s so much to remember… when we went to that wrestling show… when I got hooked on wrestling for the first time… that backstage experience that was so inspiring to me that it made me want to be part of the business. If he never invites me to that show… what happens to my life? Considering how bad it was then, would it have ever gotten better? He was there when I had doubts about starting my career and he assured me I was going to pull through despite the heavy risk I was taking. He’s been there for me so much lately… through all of the confidence issues I’ve been having in the ring. God… I feel so guilty… all this time lamenting how my career hasn’t gone how I’ve wanted it to go for so long and as a result, he’s seen me at my worst more than he’s seen me at my best…
Said guilt that Victoria just expressed is starting to make her feel some doubt about the wedding. This doubt doesn’t come a moment too soon with Veronica re-entering the room.
Victoria: Veronica?
Veronica: Hey. So… everything’s in order. Are you okay? You seem to be… unhappy?
Victoria: Not unhappy. More like… guilty. Do I really deserve Gavin?
Veronica: Vicky… why the doubt?
Victoria: He’s hardly seen me at my best… especially lately… you know… my career worries and all.
Veronica walks closer to her.
Veronica: If you didn’t deserve him, he would have walked away a long time ago. He’s stuck by you… through all of this… because he loves you. You need to give yourself more credit than that. So maybe he’s seen you at your worst more than either of you would like but that doesn’t matter to him. He knows that you’re the strongest person he’s ever met.
Veronica lets out a sigh.
Veronica: Honestly, it’s better if he tells you all that himself. Still, it’s your day to be happy. Don’t let the last year and a half and that whole Vegas thing tell you otherwise. Are you with me?
Victoria nods.
Victoria: I’m with you. Today, I’m going to be the happiest woman in the world knowing that this is the day I’ve always dreamed about.
Veronica: I hope so, I really do. But I have all the faith in the world in you. Be strong, be happy. You deserve this.
Victoria and Veronica exchange one last hug before Veronica leaves the room again.
Two hours later…
The ceremony is moments away from taking place. Through a window, Victoria, in her wedding gown at this point, sees the crowd waiting outside for her with some of Glacier National Park visible in the background. She smiles at the setting knowing that this is exactly the kind of wedding she’d always wanted. The slightest sight of Gavin has her spinning away from the window for superstitious reasons as she heads toward the door. Right before she gets to it, the door opens and she’s slightly startled by the sight of her father.
Mr. Salinas: Wow…
Victoria smiles for a second as her father reaches out to hug her.
Mr. Salinas: You’re very beautiful…
Victoria: Thanks dad!
Mr. Salinas: This is a day I’ve thought about for years. Of course, it’s not about me. Are you feeling okay?
Victoria: Nervous… excited… it’s a lot. I didn’t feel any of this last time…
Mr. Salinas: Do me a favor sweetheart. Clean the slate.
Victoria: What?
Mr. Salinas: Forget about “last time”. It’s in the past.
Victoria’s eyes widen in shock, remembering how he was one of the most angry, vocal people about her last wedding and how he avoided going to it in protest due to his intense, strong contempt he had for her ex.
Mr. Salinas: I never liked the son of a bitch… I hated him from the moment I knew him… but if I of all people, am letting go of “last time”, so should you. I don’t want to hear about “last time” anymore. Going forward, we’re never talking about it again. Now… let’s get going. They’re about to open the doors for you.
Her father leaves the room and Victoria follows him until they walk to the doors leading to the ceremony.
Victoria: Dad?
Mr. Salinas: Yes, sweetheart?
Victoria: Thanks for that. You’re right. I’m ready to clean the slate once and for all!
Almost on cue, the doors open and Victoria and her father walk arm and arm down the aisle. Victoria takes it all in: the peace she is feeling, the happiness that is warming her heart, the cheers and the smiles she’s seeing from the audience in attendance giving her more and more confidence by the second. She can feel old burdens melting away and her heart and soul both become lighter. By the time she meets Gavin eye to eye, the last year and a half feels like it’s all in the distant past.
Gavin: Victoria… I’ve never seen you look more amazing than you do right now.
Victoria: Thank you. I’ve never been more happy to see you than this very moment.
A short while later…
Victoria: Gavin…
Victoria takes a bit of a deep breath as the wedding vows are about to begin.
Victoria: You are the kindest, most patient soul I’ve ever met. I’m incredibly lucky that I have someone like you standing by me because you’ve been so good to me and then some. Some recent times have been hard but no matter how hard they’ve been or how hard I’ve been on myself, you’ve always been there for me and you’ve never given up on me. You’ve always stood by me and never abandoned me and I appreciate that more than I could ever put into words. Your love, your understanding, your patience… I don’t know if there is anyone in the world that would have stood by me so much the way you have. But my vow to you is that I’ll be stronger, that I’ll be better. That if you ever need me that I’ll be there for you just the same way you’ve been there for me through everything that we’ve endured together. Every time I’m around you, all I feel is happiness and I know that this moment has been worth everything. The way you’re there for me gives me so much confidence that I can’t measure it and my thank you to you is showing you the incredibly strong woman and wife I know I can be from this moment forward.
There’s applause for some cheers as Victoria manages to contain herself. Gavin takes a deep breath, taking in Victoria’s words, showing that he’s been touched by them to a great extent. Victoria braces herself for whatever she’s about to hear.
Gavin: Victoria… the first time I ever saw you, I knew I felt different about you than any other girl I had met before. We went through high school dealing with what we did and I know that was hard on you but you survived that because that’s the strong woman that you are. Since we reunited as friends and then became more than that, I’ve always savored every moment we’ve spent together. You’ve meant more to me than just about everyone in my life. I want you to know that your strength inspires me…
Victoria’s eyes widen with surprise as she was obviously not expecting to hear that.
Gavin: Everything you’ve done… bringing yourself up from nothing, your back against the wall, enduring high school, enduring the doubters, enduring everyone that tells you “you can’t” on a constant basis… and being the person that you are today: the strongest woman I’ve ever known… that inspires me to be the best person I can be every single day. My heart isn’t complete without you in it and my vow to you is to help you realize that strength so that you can be stronger day by day, year by year because you deserve nothing but all the success, confidence and happiness in the world.
She can no longer hold back as tears of joy flood her eyes.
Gavin: You’re everything I could ever dream about in a woman and there’s nobody else that can take that away from you.
Victoria: Thank you…
More cheers are heard as Victoria wipes away tears of joy.
Victoria (thinking): I never realized that it was possible that any person would ever feel that way about me. All this time I was basing so much of my worth as a person on my career but I see it so much different now. I needed to value myself better than what I’ve done lately and that’s what I am going to do. No more doubting myself. No more self-pity. No more self-destructive psychological behavior. I see now that I’m worth so much better than that…
The happy thoughts continue in concurrency with the ceremony…
Another short while later…
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!”
Those words would make it official as Victoria and Gavin exchange a passionate kiss that would make their marriage official. The applause is loud and positive as Victoria soaks in this moment that she has dreamed about for years. The pain she’s endured for the last year and a half is officially gone. Those old burdens that have brought her down for so long are now non-existent memories. Deep down is nothing but ecstasy and joy, nothing but love in her heart. She knows she’s experiencing the most thrilling moment of her entire life… a moment that she doesn’t want to let go of anytime soon… a moment, finally, of perfect happiness.