I Knew I Loved You

I KNEW I LOVED YOU 

  Susan spun around in front of the floor-length mirror, admiring her wedding dress. Her mother stood behind her with tears in her eyes. 

 "Don't cry yet, mom! You'll ruin your beautiful make-up!" Susan said with a smile, fighting back tears of her own. 

 "I just can't believe my baby girl is getting married in less than an hour. This is all happening so fast," Debra said sadly. 

 "So fast? Mom! We've been engaged for three years!" Susan said with a laugh. 

 "Feels more like three weeks to me," her mother replied. 

 Susan wrapped her mom in her arms and gave her a tight squeeze. 

 "I know this is hard for you, mom, but you aren't losing me. Think of it as you're gaining a son.  We can do this," she said as she kissed her mom's cheek. 

  Debra shoved her sadness aside, intent on not ruining this day for her only child. She smiled as brightly as she could and helped her daughter finish preparing. 

 Brad anxiously paced the downstairs lobby of the church. He'd been waiting so long for this moment. Susan was the woman of his dreams, and he was still amazed he was lucky enough to be marrying her. 

  

The moment finally came where they were pronounced man and wife. They kissed and looked lovingly into one another's eyes.  Debra was in tears as she watched them walk down the isle hand and hand. 

 She was so proud of her daughter. She knew Brad was going to be a wonderful husband. 

 The wedding party moved to the open area of the church for the dancing and reception. 

 As the bride and groom prepared to dance to their wedding song, Debra mingled around the room. 

 She heard the song began to play and found a spot so she could watch them dance. 

 As "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden began to play, Brad took Susan into his arms and spun her around the room. Debra could see the love in their eyes. As hard as it was to let her daughter go, she knew it was the right thing to do. 

 Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a face that made her heart nearly stop. 

 Jeffery must've felt someone looking at him, because he looked right at Debra. 

 The look on his face was one of pure evil. Debra remembered that look all too well. She'd spent many years trying to get her daughter to leave him. He was mentally, verbally and physically abusive to Susan the entire time they dated. 

 Susan met him in high school and spent two miserable years with Jeffrey. Even the police and  a restraining order couldn't keep him away. Moving out of state  was the only solution. So that's what they'd done. 

 Now here he was six years later. Debra had no clue how he'd found them. She couldn't let him ruin this day, and she sure didn't want Susan to see him.

 Debra made her way through the crowd as the music played and the bride and groom danced. She got within inches of Jeffery when she saw him pull a gun from his jacket pocket. She froze in horror as he lifted it and aimed it at her daughter and son-in-law. 

 It seemed as if time stood still. Debra made one last leap and tried to grab the gun from his hand. He anticipated her move and fired before she could grab it.  He continued to fire until the handgun was empty. 

 The crowd ran as the sound of gunfire blast throughout the room. 

 Debra looked towards her daughter and screamed when she saw her slumped on the floor, blood covering her beautiful dress. Brad lay inches from her, not moving. 

 Debra reacted without thinking. She leapt at Jeffery, only to be met with the blade of a knife in her stomach. Her heart was aching so badly, she didn't even feel the blade twisting into her organs. 

 With the strength mustered from pure adrenaline and rage, Debra pulled the knife out and wrestled it from Jeffrey. With one swift plunge, she slammed it into his throat. She sliced and twisted the blade until she could move no more. 

 Debra fell to the floor when Jeffery finally collapsed. She closed her eyes and was ready to die. She had no reason to live now that her daughter was gone. 

 She turned her head to get one last glimpse of her only child. She 

 saw Susan crawling towards her. 

 Susan got close enough to grasp her mother's hand. They heard sirens close by, but it was too late. 

 Mother and daughter died hand in hand.