The decision to marry Colin was one of the best decisions Ashley had ever made. All preparations had started, and the girls' restaurant was practically ready to open. Colin's parents and Ashley's mother bought them a house as a wedding gift. After a short time, the house was ready for use. The couple was to live in it right after their wedding. Of course, Drew was Ashley's bridesmaid, and Lucas was Colin's. Only the closest people were to come to the wedding. Little Michael and his mother too.

Over the past few days, Ashley's mum, along with young Russo and Drew, have been searching for a wedding dress for the girl. Drew and Grace had already found dresses, only the bride remained.

The saleswoman suggested a few dresses and Russo started trying them on. She wore one and went out to show up

"Don't you dare to say anything. " Ashley said immediately. "I'm not that skinny. I'll suffocate in it. " She put her hands on her stomach.

"But somehow you squeezed into it. " Drew pointed out. "So it's okay. " Laughed.

"Maybe there are larger sizes. " Grace added and headed to the store.

Young Russo looked in the mirror.

"You'll be a beautiful bride. " Morley walked over to her friend and smiled warmly. "Colin will tell you the same thing. " She added and Ash smiled.

"But I'm not sure if this one will be good. " Brunette sighed.

"Don't worry, there are a few more. " Drew patted her friend.

Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to choose the right dress today. A tired Ashley came home and took a warm shower. Colin was waiting for her in room. Brunet laughed seeing the girl's face.

"Failed? " He asked.

"Yeah..." Dhe sighed and collapsed onto the bed next to him. "Ehh... I'm exhausted. She said into the pillow then she adjusted herself and hugged Colin. "Maybe I'll go to our wedding in a suit, just in white one.'' Harvey laughed.

"Well, in a suit you'll look beautiful too. " Brunet kissed his fiancée on the forehead.

"I don't know why I can't choose the right dress. " She said. "This is starting to get tiring. " Sighed. "Why was it so easy for you? " She looked at boy who was laughing at her.

"You know..." He brushed a strand of her hair away. "Maybe if you can't choose from ready-made dresses, you can ask a seamstress to sew one you like. " Brunet said. "You can draw a sketch or..." Ashley sat up as Colin looked at her with a question mark.

"You're genius! " She called and kissed boy. " I didn't think about it earlier. " Said running off the bed and heading downstairs. "Mom! " She screamed.

***

After a few thoughtful sketches that young Russo made with her mother, it was finally possible to go to the seamstress with the order. On the way back, Grace said there was something else she had to do, so Ashley had to go home alone. On the way, she went to the cemetery. She laid flowers and lit a candle on Colin's brother grave, then went to her father's grave. Girl sighed softly and scooped a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, dad..." she whispered. "I have so much to tell you. " Said with a slight smile. "I don't know where to start. " Said, sitting down next to grave. "Finally, I have a driving license. " Smiled and put the said item back into her pocket. "And what's even better..." She looked at her father's grave. "I'm getting married... It seems that I finally found the one, as you said yourself... You said... That after all, if I don't like boys, one day there'll be one who will steal my heart... You were right. There was someone like that... Colin... Right now I can't imagine my life without him. "

She said with tears in her eyes.

"Dad..." Her voice was broke. "But not everything goes exactly my way, you know...? " First tears ran down her cheeks. "Colin, he's really amazing, but... The worst part is... One day I might lose him. And I don't want this... I don't want to... We have less time than the others... I love him so much that the mere thought of losing him... It hurts like hell. It feels like a thousand blades are hammering into my heart... I've been through this once. When I lost you " She said and looked at the grave in tears. "This pain... This emptiness... I don't know if I can handle it. I try to cheer everyone up and hope, but now I'm afraid myself... I hide it from Colin, I don't want him to see me like this, then he would be even more disheartened... But I can't do it anymore, Dad... "

She cried and hid her face in her hands.

"Every time I wake up the next day, I'm afraid he might not wake up anymore... The thought scares me..." Ashley took a deep breath and wiped her tears a bit. "I wish you were here with me, dad. I miss you so much... Your advice has always helped me. I would like you to give me some advice now... If you would say something. " She cried. "Tell me what to do...? " She whispered through her tears.

"First you need to calm down a bit...'' Ashley jumped up at these words and looked back, saw the old woman propping herself up with a brown cane. She was wearing a scarf with colorful flowers. She was dressed in a brown skirt with an apron, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a waistcoat. She was holding her purse in her other hand. The woman smiled warmly and then sat down next to the young Russo. Shocked girl quickly wiped her tears.

"You don't have to hide your tears from me, honey. " She said in a slightly rough voice. "It's normal. " She looked at brunette. "Is that your dad? " She asked gently and looked at the grave.

"Y-yes..." Russo replied sadly.

"Young man..." Woman said. "May I ask what happened? "

"He died in an accident. " Ashley replied. "He died in front of my eyes..." She added in a whisper at which the old woman looked at her.

"I feel sorry for you, my child..." Woman whispered. "It must have been hard for you..." Russo said nothing. "I know this feeling very well. " She added what teenager looked at her. "There..." She pointed to a grave in the distance. "That's where my husband rests... "

"Husband? " Brunette asked sadly. "W-what happened...? "

"Illness..." She replied, and Ashley held her breath. "Man is much less resistant to old age... My William fought to the very end." She looked at young girl. "But unfortunately... We were separated. Today is the sixth anniversary of his death, and my love for him has not diminished at all. We had beautiful moments together... I would give anything if only I could relive it with him... " She said with a warm smile. Ashley couldn't stand it and burst into tears again. Woman hugged teenager to herself.

"Cry, honey, cry..." She stroked her head. "Cry as needed... It's nothing wrong. Sometimes we have to let these emotions explode... Suppressing them is not good. "

Russo calmed down after a few minutes. Ashley knew that she could honestly talk to this old woman. She felt he could trust her. As they say, sometimes it's better to complain to a complete stranger... It helps. Ashley told her about Colin.

"It's not fair that such young people have to leave this world..." Woman said. "You deserve a lot more. " She looked at the crying girl. "I understand you, darling..." Took girl's hand. "When I found out about my William's illness... I thought that the whole world had collapsed, that everyone was against me... But my whole world was fighting for me... For us... To the end. William was my whole world. " Old woman looked at Ashley again. "The most important thing is to stick together in such moments. Unfortunately, we won't run away from the inevitable... No matter how hard we try. Knowing this is terribly difficult to accept. However, there's nothing else to do but accept it. Even the worst... You know, I also tried to fight with reality... It didn't help... However, I had a great time with William. The joyful... And the sad ones. I'm glad that I had the chance to experience it at all, by his side. Don't give up... Do it for him and for yourself. His time is running out, but you can still use his remaining time and focus on it. Do what you want... " She smiled warmly. "Right now is the time. And who knows... Life can surprise us positively. Don't waste it. "

Ashley looked at the old woman. She knew the woman was right. After a few more minutes of conversation, Russo thanked the woman for the kind words and then headed back. Her son came for the elderly woman. The old woman waved at Ashley, then got into the car with her son and drove away.

When Russo returned, in front of the house, in the yard, she met Colin, who was smiling warmly at her. Ashley walked over to boy without a word and hugged him tightly.

"Hey... " He said with a smile and then stroked girl's head. "Something happened? " Asked worried.

"No..." She whispered, holding back her tears. "I'm just glad you're here. " She added and hugged him tighter.