It's us {Dani and Jamie}

Forevermore

20
- Jamie -

**Don't attack me for the wait guys, I'm really sorry. I've been procrastinating this and working on other things for like a month, I have no excuse. But last chapter, that's exciting! Happy reading!

I always thought I'd be the one to pop the question. Always thought we'd be somewhere warm and tropical and romantic and we'd skip into the sunset or something.

I did not expect to find my engagement ring buried in a houseplant, and hug my fiance with dirt covered hands in the middle of our kitchen.

But couldn't have been more perfect.

I won't go into detail because I got rather emotional and a description of me sobbing happy tears into Dani's shoulder might ruin my reputation.

But I'll tell you about the wedding.

Like the proposal, it was a seemingly less than ideal situation. We decided on an outdoor wedding.

It was springtime, so there were a million flowers and the whole scenic park smelled of new life.

But spring also meant rain.

***

"Jamie, will we have to cancel everything if it rains?" Miles asked, tugging on my dress. I stood, biting my lip under our huge white reception tent, poking my head out to look up at the fast moving gray clouds.

"Maybe it'll pass by the time Dani finishes getting ready," I said, turning to force a smile, "By the time she's done it'll be our first anniversary."

The park we decided to marry in wasn't really a park. It was actually a bit of land that belonged to my annoyingly rich childhood friend, Chloe. I didn't want to ask to use her backyard for the reception, but it was very spacious and beautiful and we were very broke. And the flowers! My god, it was heaven. You've never seen flowers like these.

So I swallowed my pride and rang her doorbell and here we are now: a teeny tiny wedding party shoved into a massive wedding tent, all praying for dryness.

Dani was inside Chloe's house putting on her dress. We had come separately, I hadn't seen her since the day before. She insisted we do it 'traditionally' and not see each other before the wedding. I said that it was a little late for doing things 'traditionally,' but she just glared at me. Then she kissed me. And then we smiled. And now I'm standing alone, wringing my fingers and tripping on my too-high-heels while she's in a castle getting pampered.

Was she as nervous as me? Why was I nervous in the first place? What the hell did I have to be nervous for? I was just reading off a little sheet of paper. Vows. Kiss. Eternal togetherness with the woman I love. No big deal. So why were the butterflies attacking me?

I looked out at the white wooden altar by the little fish pond we had set up. All the quaint little chairs and the flower petals scattered across the ground.

I glared up at the clouds with pleading eyes.

Not today!

***

Dani chewed on her fingernail. She hadn't chewed her fingernails since she was eight, but if she was going to pick a day to fall back into old anxious habits, she supposed, today would be the day.

"Do you see those clouds?" She asked Hannah, who adjusted the billows of white lacy fluff exuding from her waist, "Don't they look dark to you?"

"They look fine, Dani," Hannah muttered, not looking outside.

"But aren't you worried-"

"There!" She stepped back, clapping her hands together with a smile, "You're all ready!"

Dani nearly forgot the ominous clouds, "Really?"

She nearly tripped over herself to get to the huge mirror on the wall of Jamie's friend's bedroom. She saw herself and breathed in sharply through her nose, slowing involuntarily.

Dani wasn't thinking about how good or bad she looked, or her makeup or her dress. All she could think of was her first wedding day, when she was about to marry Eddie, looking into a mirror very similar to this one.

The uneasiness and the fear and the dull sense of dread she could see hidden behind her eyes.

But in this Dani's eyes... in this Dani's eyes there was only happiness.

A basic word, maybe: happiness. Surely there could be a better one. But there was really no other way to describe it. Just complete, all encompassing happiness.

"Alright let's go," Dani said, taking a deep breath.

Hannah walked behind her, wrapping a loving arm around her friend's poofy waist, staring into the mirror, "One more second, dear, just take it all in."

***

I hate being the center of attention. Why do you think I became a gardener? The idea of 50 pairs of eyes on lawn chairs all watching me kiss someone? No thank you. I'll pass.

But my anxious internal grumblings petered out when I saw her walking down the aisle, smiling softly, clutching flowers.

I forgot the eyes. I forgot the clouds. I forgot everything else in the world except her. Memories flooded my mind, a new one with every step she took closer.

Dancing with her in the living room at Bly, tripping over pillows.

Showing her the greenhouse, my moonflowers, tucking one behind her ear.

Kissing her for the first time, feeling her breath close to mine.

Our first night at the pub, endless flirting, endless laughs, endless smiles.

Waking up next to her the next morning, the sun making her hair glow.

And now, she was at my side. Our wedding day. I don't think I fully realized it until that moment. I couldn't help it. I reached out and gripped her hand.

She rubbed a few circles around my palm and gave me a wink. A secret little look. Like the whole wedding was an inside joke between the two of us. My heart rate slowed.

The unofficial minister performing the unofficial ceremony - Owen - took a deep breath.

"Ready ladies?"

We made eye contact and restrained ourselves from giggling.

"Yes." She smiled.

He said a few things, I repeated the lines I had written down on the crushed piece of paper hidden in my fist, we agreed to some things - something about sickness and health, I can't remember. All I do remember is the look in her eyes and the heavenly smell of the flowers wafting into the small space between us making me dizzy.

And then....

"You may now kiss the bride."

Unclear which bride he was talking about, but it didn't matter. Before he had even finished the sentence, I had my hands pressed against her cheeks, my lips on hers. On my wife. My wife.

What a lovely thought.

The crowd erupted in laughs and cheers, and at that moment, I'll never forget. Right as the sun was peeking out, casting a yellowish glow on the springtime scene, drizzling rain started to fall from the sky like confetti.

We gasped and looked up.

My laugh was just one of 50, everyone standing up to clap and look around at the magically glowing drops.

I took Dani's hand, twirling her around. As the cool water from her dress sprayed my skin, I couldn't help but remember that first night of dancing at Bly.

How far we had come: from a hesitantly flirtatious living room waltz to a whimsical, rain soaked twirl on our wedding day. My wife. My wife.

All the scary was gone, I had told Miles one night, not too long ago. I meant it, but I don't think I fully believed it until that moment.

Everything was alright. We were going to be alright. Just she and I. Dancing among the flowers for years to come.

Forevermore, Poppins.

I promise.
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Thank you to everyone who read all 20 chapters of this thing, I am eternally grateful. I'll probably post more stories at some point so follow if you'd like to see more of my writing. If u were just here for Dani and Jamie, I understand lol. Thanks again :)