Mom made a lot of dishes, all my favorites, but unfortunately, the doctor told me I couldn't eat anything before surgery.
Who understands the pain of not being able to eat?
I could only smell them over and over again, silently memorizing their flavors.
After saying goodbye to the elderly neighbors, I changed into a white dress with a full skirt, just like a wedding gown.
I forced myself to twirl in front of the mirror several times, hardly concealing my excitement as I asked my parents, "Do I look nice?"
"Nice... nice."
"Our Vivie is the prettiest little princess."
My mom said this through tears, and my dad had tears in his eyes too.
But I knew it didn't look good at all.
I'm so thin and pale now, with a bald head, and the white dress makes me look like a clown.
But even clowns want to wear a wedding dress.
My mom still handed me her phone.
I guessed she had already seen the news about April's wedding, since my wallpaper was a photo of him and me, and my mom always knew that I used to have feelings for him.
But she didn't say anything; she understood everything.
Sometime later, a link was posted in the group chat.
I clicked on it, and it was a live stream of April's wedding with his wife.
The wedding venue was beautifully decorated, almost dreamlike. It was like a castle for a princess, except April's wife was the princess, April was the prince, while I was just a clown attending the ceremony.
"The bride and groom, please step forward."
The emcee's voice rang out.
April carefully helped his bride onto the stage, then carefully adjusted her dress.
"It seems the groom is very thoughtful, the bride is fortunate."
The emcee's teasing made the bride blush, yet she couldn't help but smile.
That smile was one of happiness and joy.
April was also smiling by her side.
His smile was affectionate, filled with love.
I couldn't help but laugh, they were truly a good match.
"It's an honor to be hosting the wedding of Mr. Ashwood and Ms. Moore today."
"They have walked together through the storms of life, supporting each other, and now they're entering the hall of marriage."
"I believe, not just me, but the audience below must also be curious about their romantic history."
"Why don't you tell us, Mr. Ashwood?"
The emcee handed the microphone to April, and the guests below started clapping.
April took the microphone, looked at his wife, then took her hand and began telling their story of how they fell in love.
Just listening, I could imagine how well April treated his wife.
"I love my wife deeply."
"She tolerates my flaws, supports my decisions quietly, and never argues with me."
"Every moment I spend with her is filled with happiness."
"Meeting her, falling in love with her, and marrying her is the luckiest thing that ever happened to me."
As he finished speaking, thunderous applause filled the room.
I couldn't help but clap along, yet memories from the past flooded my mind.
Affection often grows bit by bit during shared experiences.
As time spent together grew longer, April seemed to develop feelings for me.
Because the way he looked at me, was the same way I had secretly looked at him countless times.
Even so, I still wasn't sure.
So on my birthday, I finally mustered up all my courage, to confess my feelings to him.
Well, it's embarrassing to admit,
I even thought about what I'd do if April rejected me, I imagined digging a hole and hiding in it like a mole.
But, everyone, April actually confessed to me first!
I was completely taken aback.
It was a sunny spring day, the sun was shining brightly, and warm light poured down. April stood under a tree, looking at me seriously and solemnly.
"I've fallen in love with someone."
"The first time I saw her, I found her intriguing."
"You know, how can someone not realize their watch is broken and think they aren't late?"
"Even she wanted to take me out to dinner."
"Later, I discovered that her smile is sweet, and when she smiles, she has two lovely dimples."
"She's also gentle, optimistic, and loving, like a little sun that always makes my heart flutter."
"I thought, if I don't confess my feelings to her, I'll regret it forever."
He paused here, deliberately, my heart was pounding, I nearly lost my balance, when he pulled me into his arms.
"So, Vivian, would you be my girlfriend?"
"So, Ms. Sylvia, will you be April's wife?"
Two voices seemed to transcend the boundaries of time, overlapping together, the laughter of young April merging with the mature him.
In a daze, I returned to that spring day.
A shy girl reached out her hand toward the boy across from her.
"I do."
"I do."
The two voices rang out simultaneously.
One was light, the other heavy.
One was in the wedding venue filled with blessings, the other in a hospital room permeated with the smell of disinfectant.
I seemed to grasp April's hand.
But the reality is, the mature April now has a wife, while the young April can only remain in my heart forever.
Tears splashed onto the screen of my phone, my mother's anxious face came into view.
"Vivie, Vivie, what did you say?"
I raised my eyes, suddenly realizing my face was wet with tears.
