As it Was / A Joseph Quinn story.

Pt. 2 - 1

TWO YEARS LATER

You are invited to Lucy Elizabeth Beck & James Metcalfe Campbell Bower wedding.

I held the invite in my hands, reading those words on and on.
Lucy and Jamie were getting married. And I was Lucy's bridesmaid.
Guess who was going to be Jamie's best man? Yeah, you got that right. Joseph was.
That meant that I would have seen him after a couple of years. After everything we've been through and after my rise and fall. I was still recovering, even if I felt way better thanks to all the therapy I did. Too bad I just couldn't bail on that wedding, because it was my best friend's one.

The chosen date was getting closer, and everyday I felt more and more nervous. Thinking about seeing Joseph again made my stomach twisted. I knew that attending to the wedding would have been a big issue for me, but I decided to avoid Joseph as much as I could. Probably impossible, I know. But I had to try. For me. For Lucy. That was her day, and nothing could ruin it. I was here for her and her only.

"Lucy, you look absolutely beautiful"

I smiled to her reflection in the mirror. She was stunning. The dress she chose suit her perfectly.
For her bridesmaids she chose a simple light blue dress, because it was her favorite color, and that's exactly what I was wearing. She was pretty nervous and asked me if she was making the right decision.

"Are you really asking ME? I don't think I'm the right person to answer"

"Please, Andy. I'm freaking out"

"You felt in love with Jamie the minute you laid eyes on him at the concert, remember?"

She nodded "You're right. He's amazing"

"That's my girl. See you on the aisle, blondie" I hugged her thigh and got out the room she was getting prepared in. I walked to the location of the ceremony: a big hall with flowers and ribbons on every chair. Lucy was kind of a bridezilla; I helped her with the organization of the wedding through all those months. I was the only one who could calm her down.

I stood beside the altar with Lucy's cousins, the other bridesmaids, while all the guests were taking seat. I tried to look calm and chilled but it was very hard. I knew Joseph was about to show up any moment soon. I closed my eyes for a second just to breathe in and out, telling myself to keep calm and repeating to stick to the plan: avoid him like he was a plague.
When I opened my eyes, I couldn't believe he was already there, standing right in front of me, on the other side of the altar. When did he got there? I didn't even notice.

For a friction of second our eyes met, but fortunately music started to play; that meant the ceremony was getting started. Jamie entered the hall escorted by his mother. He looked very handsome. He walked up the altar and waited for Lucy to arrive. I could tell he was very nervous because he kept touching his hair. We had to wait for a while before Lucy decided to show up. But when she did, everyone looked at her in awe. She was the most beautiful bride I've ever seen.

She walked up next to Jamie and they smiled at each other. They looked so beautiful together.
Through the whole ceremony I tried to avoid Joseph's look; I felt his eyes on me but I made a promise to myself, and I wanted to keep it. Jamie and Lucy exchanged their vows and rings. The officer pronounced the words everyone was waiting to hear.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jamie, you may now kiss the bride"

Jamie didn't let the officer repeat that twice. He took Lucy in his arms and kissed her. They looked so happy I felt tears coming up to my eyes. I never thought about getting married, but I remember thinking about it once or twice. The only one I would have said yes was standing right in front of me, smiling and applauding.