The Book of Us

Rehearsal

"Hello, hello, good afternoon everyone. Welcome to the first rehearsal of the wedding! Even though the rehearsals have started late, that's ok. Now we will start by pretending the hall is the church." Kristen says to the small crowd of people needed for the rehearsal. "We will start with ark and his groomsmen coming out from the side door on the altar and i will proceed down the isle with my bridesmaids," she's gestures to Grace, her three year old daughter,Kiarha, and I. Then we will have the vows the rings and mark and i will exit, then the bridesmaids and groomsmen will exit after us, we will all drive to this hall for the after party. We will have the toasts," at this there is a sudden twinkle in her eye that almost everyone notices "the we will have the bride and grooms dance. Then the grand dance. Let's start the rehearsal!" Kirsten has seemed really happy since she went out to her friends house this morning.

"Grace, is it just me or does Kirsten seem really happy today?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna ask her when we're about to walk the rehearsal isle with her. Care to join me in asking?"

"Sure"

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"Kirsten why are you so happy today?" We ask after the rehearsal, it was just a talk through, we didn't actually act it out. Now we are on our way to slow dancing lessons in Kirsten's car

"What do you mean?"

"What we mean is, you have been in a really great mood since you got back from your friends house."

"I have?"

"JUST TELL US WHATS GOING ON ALREADY!" Grace squeals excitedly

"Ok, Grace, calm down. This morning i went to the doctors instead of my friends house. And i took a pregnancy test, and, it came out positive,"

"Oh my god, congratulations!!!" I say, very happy to hear the news.

"With dad?" Grace asks, a little confudled

"Yes"

"I have another brother?" Grace asks, not exited, but scared

"Maybe"

"Oh, ok, I'm ok with that."

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" hello every body, I'm Erin, today we are taking a wedding/ballroom dancing lesson. You should all have your partners here today. So, today for the wedding party, excluding the bride and groom, I'm going to teach you a simple waltz, and once you've got the hang of it I'll take aside the bride and groom and see what they want to be the general gist of they're first dance and the parents/children's dance. So how about we have Jesse come out and help me demonstrate a simple waltz. Everyone, pair up with your partner for the big day and I'll get Jesse." I stand up along with everyone else. Grace walks over to her uncle, and i catch her eye, i giggle and smile and she just sticks her tongue out. At that moment Nathan takes my hand and guides me to the front. When Jesse comes out, he quite surprises me. I expected him to be a classy man, about the same age as Erin, but he was obviously older, he looked about 40 years old and his hair was just starting to grey.

"Now boys, offer your hand to your partner." He says in a mesmerising English accent. Nathan offers his hand and bows and i take it politely and do a slight curtsy "lift their arm up like this put your other arm on the small of their back"

"The position of my right arm on your back seems oddly familiar," Nathan says quietly "but from when, i cant remember. Help remind me, will you, Ella?" He slips a note into my back pocket. We follow Jesse and Erin's instructions and he takes the bride and groom aside. Nathan and i dance for the entire after noon. Never stopping to take a break. When we get home i plop down on the fold out bed i sleep on at Graces house. I take the note out of my back pocket and read it: