Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

“Oh, what kind of speech is that? This girl is such a science geek,” Phoebe said with a mock frown, wiping away her tears. “All those years of
companionship, she hasn’t picked up a shred of my charisma. Unbelievable.” But the grin spreading across her face belied her feigned disapproval.
“Phoebe, stop crying. I promise I’ll make you the happiest woman alive,” Noel declared. His face was the picture of earnestness as he pulled her
closer.
Phoebe gazed up at him, silent. Her tears slowly retreated, and the corners of her lips curled into a burgeoning smile.
Watching the couple embrace, Erica couldn’t help but choke up a little. Turning to her husband, she said, “They’ve finally gotten their fairytale ending.”
Trenton chuckled in response. “Yes, they’ve weathered the storm. They’re bound to have brighter days ahead.”
“Beasley, you better get a move on too. Don’t keep me worrying forever.”
Beasley Meyer’s face flickered with a knowing smile. “I hear you, Mom. I’m on it,” he replied. His voice was filled with good-natured resolve.
Phillip was busy entertaining the little babies, offering them a nugget of wisdom. “Your parents can be quite the drama queens. Don’t you follow in
their footsteps,” he said in a stern yet playful tone.
Aiden, who was also present at the wedding, wasn’t officially invited. He’d found his own way in. As he watched the joy on Ines and Ethan’s faces, a
sense of peace settled over him. Unbeknownst to him, he had long since let go of the woman he thought he loved, only realizing too late that he had
lost the person who truly mattered.
His gaze drifted to Emma and their daughter. He knew that from now on, his life would be dedicated to them. But what he didn’t expect was that it
would take six years to rebuild the bridge to his wife and child’s hearts.
Phoebe noticed Aiden’s presence and raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Hey, Emma, isn’t that your ex over there giving you the eye?” she whispered
with a hint of gossip in her voice.

Emma’s expression turned bitter as she glanced in Aiden’s direction. “The man’s like a bad penny.”
“Looks to me like he’s got reconciliation on his mind,” Phoebe teased.
Emma dismissed the idea with a snort. “In his dreams. It’s not that simple.”
Ashley, overhearing their conversation, cast a glance at the man in question. She’d heard of his bad reputation. “Emma, I get the feeling he still wants
you.”

“That’s his problem, not mine,” Emma retorted, refusing to give Aiden another look.
Ashley blinked, musing aloud, “They say a persistent suitor can wear down even the strongest resolve. He keeps this up, and you might just cave.”
“I doubt it,” Emma said confidently.
Aaron gently took her hand, whispering, “That’s not what you should be worrying about. We should be thinking about our future.”
Ashley laughed. “Aaron, feeling the pressure, are you?”
Aaron simply smiled in return, aware that compared to the others, it was high time he made his move.
As the bride and groom exited, the guests’ smiles had yet to fade. They munched on appetizers while awaiting the newlyweds’ toast, only to be
greeted instead by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Beasley and Emma also volunteered to help due to the large number of guests.
“What’s going on?” someone asked.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our bride and groom couldn’t wait to jet off on their honeymoon, so we’ll be taking over hosting duties,” Phoebe announced to
the crowd.
Meanwhile, in the car, Ines had already slipped out of her bridal gown into a simple pink dress that made her look effortlessly young and fresh.
“Ethan, why are we leaving already? Don’t we still need to toast with our guests?” she asked, puzzled.
“These are all left to the bridesmaids and groomsmen,” Ethan replied as he tenderly wiped away the smudged eyeliner from her tears with a wet
wipe.

“Is that okay?” Ines wondered. Her makeup was slightly runny from the earlier crying. The rush to catch their flight gave her no time to deal with it.
“Today’s our day, so we decide everything,” Ethan explained confidently.
“And where are we headed?”
“Off to the airport, of course. We’re going abroad for our honeymoon.”
Ines’ mouth fell open in shock. “Just like that? What about Ivy and Ollie?” She hadn’t had the chance to cuddle them or give them a goodbye kiss,
and the thought of leaving without doing so tugged at her heartstrings.
Seeing the hesitation in Ines’ eyes, Ethan gently grasped her shoulders and asked with mock solemnity, “Mrs. Meyer, have you ever heard of taking
toddlers on a honeymoon?”

She had to admit he had a point. The kids were too young, so it would hardly be practical to take them along. Yet Ethan’s willingness to leave them
behind today struck her as out of character.
Ines lifted his chin and asked with curiosity, “Mr. Meyer, you don’t miss them today?” He was usually more anxious about the kids than she was, more
involved. The fact that he’d leave them behind so abruptly was surprising.
“I have to leave them behind. This is our wedding, our honeymoon. I won’t let anyone, not even our son or daughter, get in the way. You are the one
that truly matters to me,” Ethan stated with a rare intensity.
Ines caught a glimpse of Watson, the driver, who seemed to be suppressing a chuckle. Her cheeks warmed at Ethan’s declaration, but she
whispered, “Ethan, that’s enough sweet talk for one day. Keep some for later. It’s less special if you use it all up at once.”
Ethan stared deeply into her eyes and replied seriously, “Mrs. Meyer, I don’t think ‘enough’ is in my vocabulary when it comes to us.”
Ines couldn’t help but laugh, collapsing into his arms, as she got delighted by his earnest, yet playful spirit.
For their honeymoon, the couple set their sights on the enchanting lands of Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Ines had visited some of these places as a young girl with her parents, but retracing those steps with her husband, Ethan, imbued the experience with
an entirely new and thrilling sensation.
Ethan was like a walking encyclopedia. No matter where they ventured, he could spout fascinating tidbits about local customs and history that left her
in awe. Before long, they found themselves adapting to the local ways, unabashedly sharing a kiss in the middle of Moscow’s Red Square, savoring
the diverse delights of Turkish cuisine, and losing themselves in the picturesque charm of Ukraine’s lakes and mountains.