She spun around the room, making sure that everyone was where they were supposed to be, wearing what they were supposed to be wearing and then, again for the thousandth time, she glanced at the clock that was hanging just above the door, five minutes and counting. She let out the breathe that she had been holding and held her bouquet up to her face scrupulously inspecting the blood red roses and baby’s breath for any floors, finding none she smiled.
She had been nervous for weeks, this was the first time that she had done something like this and it had to be perfect, because Adrianna Jones was a perfectionist in every sense of the word. Her life had been mapped out from the very beginning, she had always known what she wanted and she wasted no time or energy and getting anything but. When others had been out partying she had been home studying, it had been instilled in her from a young age that without good grades she would not have the life that she wanted and being a perfectionist she only wanted the best she did not want to settle for anything but.
The years of studying had paid off and she had made it into one of the most prestigious nursing universities of the world and had studied at one of the very first children’s hospitals ever founded, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. She had studied there for three years, living in London had been hard, she had been so far from her family but the memories and friends she now had were all worth it so much so that she had worked their, after she qualified first in her class, for a further two years. She had returned five years ago when her Father had had his first heart attack and realised that she would not be able to handle the worry of being on another continent if it were to happen again so had made the hard decision to leave the place where she had helped so many children and return to her Home in Nashville to be closer to her family.
That was where she had met him.
A year and a month of planning had gone towards this one day, trips to churches, dress shops, caterers, venues for the reception, it had seemed like every week she was travelling somewhere new to discuss her plans and her visions for this wedding but she knew it would all be worth it in the end. The bridesmaids dresses were stunning, no hair was out of place and the make up flawless, she had stopped by the reception hall early this morning, just to make sure, and had been stunned about how close to her vision it had actually looked, now all that was left was to walk down that aisle.
She spotted the flower girl in the corner, sat what she presumed to be as crossed legged because she couldn’t quite see her small legs under her rouge dress, god that was going to leave some hideous creases she thought as she made her way over to the child, eager to get her up off the floor, to save the dress from more wrinkles.
“Megan?” She asked as she got nearer and the little girl looked up to her with wide eyes, like she had been caught with her hands in the cookie jar. “You okay sweetie?” She asked scooting down as best she could without leaving her own ivory gown in creases.
“I’m scared,” Mumbled the five year old.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Adrianna asked and the small girl nodded, eager to her what was to be said, “I’m scared too,” she admitted.
“You are?” Megan questioned as she tilted her head to the side.
“Yep,” she nodded again. “But it’s okay to be scared there’s lots of people out there, you just need to remember that they are all going to be thinking how beautiful you look.”
“You look really pretty too,” she smiled.
“Thank you, so are you ready? Have you got your basket?” She asked as she stood up from where she had been crouching, holding her hands out to Megan who accepted them and stood.
“Uh huh, it’s over there,” she said pointing towards the basket filled with red rose petals which would eventually line the alter before she would walk down it.
“Okay-” she was about to tell her to get it when she heard her name being called. She turned her head and smiled when she saw her Father.
“You look beautiful,” he said kissing her on the cheek.
“Thanks you don’t brush up that bad either,” she replied as she leaned in for a hug savouring the smell of Wrigley’s gum that was a poor attempt to cover up the stale scent of a cigar he had obviously just finished. The scent would always remind her of him. “I thought you agreed no more smoking,” she scolded when she pulled away from him.
“It’s my daughter’s wedding day.”
“Yes but we would all like you around to see the grandchildren,” she retaliated.
“I will be here to see my Grandbabies.”
“Well make sure you are old man,” she joked.
“Less of the old. You look just like your Mother when you tell me off like that,” he said smiling.
“Is Mom already in there?” She asked.
“Yes, already crying,” he joked, “So has all the planning been worth it?” He asked as they walked towards the doors to the church entrance.
“I think so, we’ll soon see won’t we?” She said through a smile. Every one was now in place and she could hear the familiar chords of “Wherever you will go” start to play as Megan started to walk down the isle leaving the trial of rose petals behind her. She sucked in a breath when she realised it was her turn and turned her head to her Father who gave her a wink before she started moving.
She smiled as she started to make her way down the isle, her knuckles turning white from where she was clutching her roses so tight, one foot in front of the other, don’t walk to fast but don’t be too slow either she silently told herself. She reached the back row of pews, making eye contact with a few people who were perched there, they all smiled brightly at her as she walked passed and once she got her confidence she finally looked down the length of the isle and smiled brightly when she saw him standing with the Pastor and one of his best friends. He smiled back to her and nudged his friend whispering something to him, it had to be a good thing because he nodded and smiled in what seemed to be agreement. He looked back to her, his blue eyes shining as he mouthed “beautiful” to her making her smile even more and before she knew it she had reached her destination and was now stood at the alter with him.
The whole room seemed to move as everyone stood and a different piece of music began to bellow it way out of the organ. She diverted her gaze back to the other end of the isle, smiling brightly when she saw her Father guiding her sister down the isle, she looked so scared but as soon as she focused on him all that seemed to melt away and biggest grin was plastered on her face as she seemed to float towards him. Her rouge gown had been a perfect choice as it set off her dark ringlets and tanned complexion perfectly, she looked like a princess, and for today realised Adrianna, she was. It didn’t take long for her to reach her destination and soon she was smiling at her as she took her bouquet of white roses and watched as she slid her hand into his, smiling brightly.
“Ladies and Gentleman we are gathered her today to witness Alexander James Mclean and Rachel Elisa Jones join together in Holy Matrimony.”
***
He had been dreading today.
He knew it was wrong but weddings, god he just hated them, he avoided them at all costs but unfortunately he was at a stage in his life where people were settling down, getting married and having families and events like these were now quite common. This year alone he had been to two weddings, this being his third, he had also been to a christening and it looked like he would shortly be going to another one once Leigh decided to pop of course.
In his younger days it had been fine, people didn’t feel the need to continually ask him when he was going to settle down, when he was going to become a husband but now that was all different, he was coming up on thirty, sure it was two years away but after today he would officially be the only backstreet boy that was still single. Well actually no not single he had been with Adie for two and a half years now and that’s what made it worse, people kept asking him when he was going to ask her, make an honest women out of her. It wasn’t that he didn’t love, cause god knows he did with every fibre in his being but he couldn’t marry her, he couldn’t ever marry anyone.
He glanced over to her as the Pastor continued and noticed the tears in her eyes as she watched her elder sister marry one of his best friends, hell his brother in many ways and inwardly sighed, today was going to be so difficult for the pair of them. Usually he would try to ditch out on the ceremony itself, it was easier to just go the reception and not think about what was being celebrated, it had worked wonders at Howie’s wedding, his flight had been delayed had been the excuse but he had no such luck with Alex. He was best man, he HAD to be there, no excuses and to be honest he felt like a hypocrite. How could he be there for his friend, support him through this and tell him marriage was the right thing if he had had any doubts when he didn’t believe in it himself? It was a wonder he hadn’t been struck down with lightning as he entered the church grounds.
“Nick?” Alex questioned snapping him from his thoughts. He looked across and realised that all eyes were on him and he felt the blush creeping into his cheeks, god had he been drooling? Had he been verbalising his thoughts and not realised? That would be so bad. “Dude the rings?” Alex prodded when Nick looked at him blankly.
“Oh yeah,” he said quickly retrieving them from the breast pocket of his jacket before he handed them to the Pastor, smiling at Adie when she gave him a questioning look. Yes today was not going to be a good day.
He must have zoned out again because before he knew the church was clapping in applause as the couple who stood before him kissed, he clapped along with the crowd and looked to his own girl who was wiping her eyes, trying to keep her make up from smudging. She smiled as she handed her sister her bouquet and then met him in the middle before she linked her arm through his so they could also make their way back up the isle and out of the stifling confines of the church.
“You look beautiful,” He told her when they were halfway down.
“Thank you,” she smiled back to him, “Your looking quite handsome yourself you know,” she told him.
“What say we ditch the party and head back to the hotel?” He said wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively, making her giggle.
“Yeah I think your forgetting we are in the wedding party, we’ve still got work to do buster, so I hoped you slept with a coat hanger in your mouth because photos are next,” she said bursting into laughter when he grinned widely at her. “On second thoughts I don’t think Rach would be too impressed with you looking like the joker.”
***
The party was now in full swing, there had been no formal sit down meal to celebrate the nuptials, that had been to well… to formal and Rach and Alex were anything but. It had taken them a long time to come to that decision, hell it had taken them almost a year and a half to set a date after they got engaged and Adrianna had a feeling that if she hadn’t of offered her help then they would be sat in a back yard somewhere with nothing to eat but MacDonald’s. Instead they had opted for a finger buffet, there was no head table and no seating plan which made it easier for everyone to mingle and to watch the happy couple and happy they were. They had been holding hands, kissing, smiling, laughing and just sharing whole conversations with a look.
“I want that,” thought Adi. Sure her and Nick were close, sure she loved him practically adored him but he was not the commitment type, they had both been through this before. He didn’t think that he would ever want to get married, he didn’t want to have the same failed marriage as his parents and refused to acknowledge that not all marriages were like that not all marriages were doomed to divorce, but what did she know? Her parents were in the rare percentage that went against the statistics, they were still happily married and as in love as the day they met over thirty five years ago.
“Hey little sis, care to escort me to the ladies room?” Rachel asked.
“You want me to hold your dress up?” She questioned as she placed her champagne flute on the table as she got up from her seat.
“Yeah,” she laughed, her eyes were so vibrant and happy, they had been that way since she had met Alex. His had been the same, they were truly in love, and almost everyone around them could tell that this was a marriage that was going to last.
“Shouldn’t your husband be doing that?”
“Well we might not make it back out if he does.”
“Nympho.”
“Prude, come on before I pee myself,” she urged as she took of towards the ladies room with Adie following close behind.
It took some doing but after about five minutes of giggling, gathering up the material and guiding Rachel to the seat she managed to relieve herself, laughing hysterically when she let one rip.
“God Rach!” Adie exclaimed once the smell hit her.
“Don’t let the dress fool you, I’m no lady,” she giggled.
“Say that again, I can’t believe I’m stood her doing this,” she grumbled trying to block out the smell with one arm, whilst the other held up her sisters dress.
“Well when the time comes I’ll return the favour.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breathe,” she mumbled under her breath but Rachel heard.
“He still against the idea?” She questioned as she stood.
“We don’t even really talk about it anymore. You know I thought I was okay with it at first, it just a piece of paper and a ring right? It’s material stuff, it doesn’t prove that Alex loves you anymore then Nick loves me right?” She questioned pulling the fabric of the train down, making sure there were no creases.
“Course not. I’m sensing there’s a but though.”
“I want more Rach, I want this,” she said throwing her arms up, “I want a day that’s about us, that celebrates how much we love each other and want to be together, is that wrong?”
“No it’s not wrong. It’s what every girl dreams about, we’ve been having conversations about what our weddings would be like for as long as I can remember, can you remember when we used to put our tutu’s on our heads and pretend they were veils?” She asked as she washed her hands.
“Yeah you used to always make me be a bridesmaid, maybe I should have known then, always the bridesmaid never the bride.”
“Is that why you helped me so much with the planning and the meetings?” She asked finally realising why her sister had basically done as much as the planning as she had, she had practically gone to everything with her when Alex couldn’t and had offered some amazing suggestions.
“Kind of, I mean your not the most organised person in the world.”
“Hey I resent that. I can be organised…sometimes,” Rachel replied indignantly as she dried her hands on the towel.
“I just I wanted to know what it would feel like to organise one, to go to the dress shops and to the caterer, I mean I might not get the chance to plan my own, oh God and now I’m crying,” she said as she felt the first few tears fall from her eyes. “I’m sorry this is your day and now I’m ruining it,” she sniffed as she grabbed a piece of tissue so she could dab at her eyes.
“No your not. It’s a wedding everyone is supposed to be emotional. I think you need to talk to him about this though, maybe if he knew how you felt he might change his mind,” she said rubbing her back a bit.
“Doubtfull,” she scoffed as she studied herself in the mirror. When had she begun to look so old? Sure she was still in her twenties but she was now on the wrong side and maybe that was what had led to all of these thoughts. Most of her girlfriends were either engaged or married and now her sister, it seemed like she was the only one in the world who wasn’t, and who wasn’t likely to either.
“You never know. You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” she sighed, “Come on Mrs Mclean, lets get back out there,” she said through a small smile as she pulled at her sister’s hand as they walked out of the bathroom and into the throng of people, Rachel was quickly pulled aside by some distant family member congratulating her on her marriage and Adie was left to wander back to the table.
“There you are, you okay?” Nick asked noticing her blood shot eyes when she reached him.
“I’m fine,” she lied attempting a small smile.
“You’ve been crying,” he stated as he pulled her onto his lap.
“Weddings,” she shrugged and it seemed to be enough for him. “They look really happy don’t they?” She asked him when he spotted Alex twirling her sister around on the dance floor.
“Yeah,” he agreed resting his chin on her shoulder before he leant in to kiss her cheek, “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too,” she echoed and love him she did but happy she was not. She smiled brightly when Megan come over to the pair of them and dutifully got off Nick’s lap when he accepted her invitation to dance.
She watched as he told her to stand on his feet before he began to spin her around on the dance floor like a pro, laughing when he picked her up completely so he could move a bit faster. Three songs later he had quite the queue of youngsters all wanting a turn and she smiled to him when he looked over to her with an exasperated look upon his face that screamed “SAVE ME!” She was about to get up off her seat and cut in for the next dance when Kevin sat down next to her.
“Typical of Nick to have his own little following,” he joked and she laughed at him.
“You of all people should know by now that nobody is immune to that Carter charm,” she told him as she took a sip of her wine.
“Least of all you huh?” He replied.
“Oh I know, I fell hook, line and sinker.”
“I think you’re good for him. I don’t think he’s ever been as happy as he is now, I’ve seen a big change in him since he met you,” Kevin told her and she felt a lump form in her throat at his words. Out of all the guys she didn’t know Kevin that well, he had departed from the group not long after she began her relationship with Nick and it meant a lot that he would acknowledge the positive effect that she had obviously had on his best friend.
“I’ve already done enough crying today Kev, don’t make me do anymore,” she said trying to keep her composure as he slung his arm around her, laughing heartily at her words.
“No I mean what I said. I used to worry a lot about Nick, I mean on the outside he puts on this bravado, pretends like nothing really hurts him or bothers him and I’ll admit he has a damn good poker face. He’s been through a lot though, been hurt a hell of a lot by people who should never have hurt him but I know with you around I don’t have to worry as much. Just the way he talks about you, his whole face lights up and that’s something I have never seen him do.”
“Damn it Kev, I’m gona look like shit now,” she sniffed as she wiped back her tears.
“Today darlin you could look anything but, you look lovely,” he complimented as he handed her a napkin off the table.
“Thanks.”
“Why are you making my women cry Richardson?” Nick asked as he managed to break loose from the gaggle of youngsters.
“I was just complementing her on how beautiful she looks.”
“She’s stunning isn’t she?” Nick said proudly taking her hand in his making her roll her eyes. “You want to dance?” He asked and she nodded as he pulled her up.
“Only on the condition that I can dance on your feet like they did though,” she joked and he rolled his eyes at her as he led her out onto the floor.
***
The day was fastly coming to a close, the cake had been cut the bouquet and Garter thrown (caught by Adie and Nick, not that he was surprised) and the happy couple had left about an hour previously. Now there was only a smattering of guests left, a few of Rachel’s work friends, Her parents, Alex’s Mom and Step Father, Kevin and Kristin, a few of Alex’s relatives and a few of Adie’s relations that he didn’t really know.
“Care to dance with an old lady?” Denise asked and Nick smiled warmly at her.
“Your not old Denise but I’ll dance with you anyway,” he said as he stood up and escorted her towards the dance floor.
“Thank you for being there for Alex today,” she said as he moved her around the floor.
“You don’t have to thank me, he’s my brother, I’ll always have his back.”
“I know that and hey maybe one day you’ll be brother in laws,” she said and he felt his stomach knot at just the suggestion, his facial expression obviously changing if her next comment was anything to go by. “Your seriously telling me that you are not going to marry that gorgeous girl over there?” she asked, nodding her head in Adie’s direction.
“I’m not a marriage kind of guy.”
“Nickolas,” she sighed.
“What? Don’t believe in it,” he shrugged.
“Why not?” She asked and it was his turn to sigh, he really did not want to get into this now.
“You have met my family haven’t you Denise? My parents in particular,” he pointed out.
“You can’t base your decision on their marriage and if your going to do that why not look at some better role models like Kevin and Kristin? Or Brian and Leighanne? Jackie and Harold?”
“They had better role models, Hell better morals then mine.”
“Then learn from their mistakes or your going to end up loosing that wonderful girl over there,” she told him quite sternly.
“We’ve discussed it, she knows that I don’t want to get married, she’s fine with it.”
“Your sure about that?” She asked sceptically.
“Yeah.”
“When did you last talk about it?” She asked.
“What does it matter?
“I’m just saying, things may have changed. She’s getting older Nick and so are you it’s the natural progression of things and just seeing her today…” she trailed off.
“What about today?”
“Just the way she’s been looking at Rach and Alex and at you.”
He knew she was right, he could tell by her expressions and mood all day. She had been unusually quiet which for Adie was unheard off, she liked the sound of her own voice. He knew it was because her sister was getting married and he knew she was thinking what it would be like for the pair of them to do it too but he just couldn’t, he couldn’t risk loosing her and he knew that it would happen eventually if they did marry.
“We’re happy how we are,” he stated.
“Okay I was just making an observation. I just want to see you happy Nick,” she said softly smiling at him.
“I am happy,” he smiled back. He was being truthful too, he had never been this happy but what he would soon learn was that his girlfriend was not.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Adie plans a wedding that Nick dreads
Chapter End Notes:
Hey guys please bear with me. There is a bit of set up before we get to the better stuff. Keep the review coming!
