The Function to Breathe

Thirty Eight

A/N: this part is pure mush... you have been warned!

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2016

I'm not quite sure how but we manage to arrange a wedding a couple of hundred miles away from home in four months. I've done most of the work towards the wedding as Ricky has spent most of the summer travelling to festivals and finalising the album which is due for release just over a month after the wedding. He's helped with all the important decisions, but I've done all the phone calls and bookings and picked all the things that he needed to make decisions about.

The only thing he's done completely by himself is choose his suit; he has no idea what I'm wearing today and I have no idea what he's wearing. The only thing I know is that the suit is blue, which will coordinate well with Tara and Chloe's navy bridesmaids dresses.

I debated whether to make my own dress, but in the end I decided it would be too stressful, particularly given the short timescale and I found the perfect dress in a little shop owned by a friend of Tara's; the same place that the bridesmaids dresses came from.

The second I saw my dress I knew it was the one; it's exactly the kind of thing I'd imagined wearing, a simple lace gown with a low draped neckline at the back and wide, elbow length sleeves. It looks bridal but not too dressed up, the style fits perfectly with our slightly casual, hurriedly arranged wedding. With it I'm wearing low heeled silver sandals and I have a small crystal comb securing my hair in a loose updo.

Tara and Chloe wear coordinating navy bridesmaids dresses, Tara's is long and Chloe's knee length and both have a vaguely 1920's look to them. Again, they both have silver sandals on and they're wearing their long blonde hair in similar styles to mine.

Jack picks me up from my cottage where us girls have spent the morning getting ready together and we walk to the church where the church gate has been decorated with fresh flowers that match the white roses in the small bouquets we all carry.

As we walk through the church doorway I start to feel nervous, so far I haven't been nervous at all, but suddenly I am. This all feels so right and so perfect that for a moment I can hardly believe it is actually happening. I pause in the porch and take a deep breath, letting go of Jack's hand to smooth down my dress and tuck a strand of hair back into place.

"You okay Cat?" He asks, smiling down at me, looking slightly awkward in his navy blue suit. I've never actually seen Jack in a suit before, it looks strange to see him dressed so smartly.

"Definitely." I grin back, then take another deep breath. I need to say this, and I need to say it quickly before I cry. "I just want to thank you and you too Tara for being right by my side, not only today, but every day I've needed you. You don't know how much your friendship has meant to me."

"Shut up, you don't have to thank us for that sweetpea." Tara says quietly. "Don't you dare make me cry Cat."

"Okay, I'll say no more," I lean across to kiss her cheek, then Chloe's and finally Jack's as I take his hand again. "Come on gang, let's do this. I'm going to be Mrs Wilson."

I was determined not to cry today but as I walk down the aisle on Jack's arm I can feel my eyes begin to prick with tears, particularly when Ricky turns to watch me come towards him and I see he looks a little misty eyed too. He also looks impossibly handsome, his hair swept tidily back and his beard trimmed nice and short. I love him with a beard, but sometimes he lets it get a little bit long and bushy for my liking. Today though it is perfect, as is his suit. It's dark blue, not quite navy, and a three piece – I'm sure he'll be removing the jacket as soon as Peanut has finished taking the photos and will wear his beloved waistcoat instead of the jacket for the rest of the day. The suit is set off by a brilliant white shirt and an icy blue patterned tie and matching pocket square. It's typical Ricky style and it's perfect.