Forever and Always

The Big Day

'I'll get it!' Cecelia called as the doorbell rang. She rushed down the stairs and opened the door to see her best friend and bridesmaid, Hayley. They threw their arms around each other with an excited squeal. 'You're getting married today!' Oscar came downstairs with his shoes in one hand and the polish and brush in the other. 'Morning Hayley' he said cheerily 'Morning. Are you excited yet?' She stepped inside and Cecelia closed the door behind her 'it's just starting to sink in' he said wrapping his arms around Cecelia from the back. 'Time for that later' she said tapping his bum, she turned and went up the stairs, with Hayley hot on her heels. Upstairs in their bedroom was surprisingly tidy, Hayley laid her bag down on the bed and pulled out her hair spray and tongs from work. 'Are you allowed to take those?' Hayley nodded quickly 'these are mine! But I might have borrowed some hairspray' she answered with a cheeky grin. While Hayley plugged in her tongs and sorted out the make-up so that everything was ready to be done in record time. Cecelia went over to her bedside table and put on some music they had listened to as kids when they had makeovers nights, she picked up a box from the side and handed it to Hayley. 'What's this?' She looked at Cecelia with shock, 'you want me to be your maid of honour?' 'Of course! I couldn't think of anyone better' she pulled the haribo ring from the box and put it on Hayley's finger. 'Will you do it?' Hayley nodded and gave her best friend a hug.

The clock chimed 12 noon and Oscar waited nervously at the bottom of the stairs with his mum and dad on either side of him; the rest of the guests were going straight to the church. Hayley poked her head around the banisters, 'are you ready?' She asked, Oscar nodded, he was too nervous to speak. Cecelia stepped out to the top of the steps, and everyone was taken aback, she stepped slowly and carefully down the stairs, one at a time and came to the bottom with a flourish. 'You did an amazing job dear' Hillary said to Hayley, inspecting Cecelia's hair. Her light brown hair was in springy ringlets around her shoulders and a tiny piece was twisted around and pinned to one side of her head. She looked over to Oscar as Hillary opened the front door 'are you ready?' He kissed her 'as I'll ever be'. They got into their separate cars and drove to the church.

Hayley looked out of the window like a little girl on her way to the toy shop. The view around the church was magnificent, wide open fields that were full of life and bright green in the spring sunshine. The white church loomed into view and Cecelia looked nervously to her maid of honour. 'I feel so sick' she said quietly, she saw Hillary and Angela standing outside waiting to take her in. They led her into the main reception and she looked nervously through the windows at all of the people waiting for her. Hillary held her shaky hand and patted it reassuringly, and she saw her dad walking down the aisle towards them with Abby following. She turned to her mum, who kissed her gently on the cheek 'good luck darling' she said and went in to take her seat. There was a sign by the door written on a chalkboard in neat handwriting 'As two families become one, we ask that you pick a seat, not a side' she was brought back from her daydream by Abby's gasp 'Auntie Ces you look BEAUTIFUL' she breathed. Cecelia gave a shaky laugh, 'thank you. You look beautiful too' Abby blushed and turned away. The music started and she placed her hand on the crook of her dads arm as he led her down the aisle. She felt faint and she was worried she would pass out at her own wedding, she breathed a happy sigh as she reached Oscar; her dad gave her a hug 'I love you Ces' he said as his eyes filled with tears. She looked at Oscar and he was welling up, she nudged him gently and smiled. He smiled back as the priest began the service.

The ancient wooden doors creaked open and he swept her off her feet as they stepped out. The guests threw handfuls of confetti into the air and she watched as they danced in the evening light, flying this way and that before landing. They climbed into the car and collapsed onto each other, laughing breathlessly. 'That was so scary!' She said as she rubbed her new ring 'I know! I nearly crapped my pants waiting for you up there!' He responded. 'I cannot wait for this. We are going to party all night!' She said excitedly, 'is the reception nice?' She hadn't seen the reception yet, Oscar had organised it all himself and had only had help with putting up decorations. He couldn't wait for her to see it.

They got to the reception and he led her to the stairwell with his hands over her eyes. 'Oh! I wanna see it Oscar!' She moaned 'you will' he answered 'and you'll be so glad you waited'. He took his hands from her eyes and she looked around expectantly and was disappointed to only see stairs. He led her up them, holding up her huge dress at the back, 'what are you putting on now?' 'I'm staying in my dress' she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 'I want the people who couldn't make the service to see it'. 'That's fair enough' he looked at her shoes before he dropped her skirt to the floor at the door to the room. 'Im changing my shoes don't worry' she said as she walked in, she didn't even have to look at him to know that he realised that she would always be right. Even if she was wrong.