The Best Man's Speech

30: The Best Man's Speech

✵ JAMES ✵

I got up from my seat, adjusting my well-tailored jacket as I walked towards the stage. It was now my turn to give the speech - the best man's speech. Ascending the stairs, my eyes immediately found Lyra's, making me smile before grabbing onto the microphone. "Hi." I announced, as a way of clearing my throat, which made quite a number of people laugh at the childish wave that accompanied my greeting.

My gaze shifted to look at Meia who sat near Nathan, her hand holding onto his, "I just wanted to thank Meia for choosing to marry the handful of a man named Nathan." I chuckled into the mic, making the audience laugh with me.

"Now, let's get down to real business." I sternly announced as the laughter faded out and extinguished itself. Their facial expressions became unreadable as the bride and groom focused all of their attention on me and awaited for my next words. I sighed before I pulled out a neatly folded paper that had my speech written out on it. Ever so elegantly and gently, I unfolded the white sheet in my hands and presented to the audience what was written on it. "I wanted to congratulate the beautiful couple on finding peace and love between yourselves. I hope that you both get all the happiness you deserve. And I hope that you guys maintain each other's companionship and fight through every obstacle that comes between the two of-" I stopped midway and looked up to find the couple smiling at me, happily, "you." I finished my sentence and turned to face Lyra.

The crowd sat in silence for a few seconds, while Lyra gawked at the sight of me crumbling away the paper I had written my speech in. I smiled to calm her nerves down before jokingly talking, "Who needs a written out speech when all you do is talk at every meeting without one?" The crowd hurled into small fits of laughter that echoed throughout the room in an unsynchronised manner.

Keeping my eyes on my lady, I started to talk, "I never used to believe in true love until quite recently. When I was asked to become the best man of the wedding. That was when my world turned upside-down, I had to sit there and watch the groom fluster himself up in knots of redness as his newly-named wife was near him. I remember the small talks they shared and the jokes they laughed at, and how happy the two looked when they were near each other. The two were inseparable from each other, which probably explains why most of the wedding was put together by their closest friends and family." I laughed at the last part.

"I sincerely hope that your marriage is filled with everything perfect and the great blend of beautifully and annoyingly memorable moments. And that you guys continue to love each other eternally." I smiled warmly at the couple who were gazing at me lovingly. Nate wore a warm smile on his face, while Meia held one hand to her heart, while the other was still in Nathan's. "I know that true love is hard to find, and that when you do find it, you tend to miss it. But Nathan and Meia, you both got very lucky in finding each other and getting your relationship this far. You, man, are also very lucky I agreed to give this speech." The crowd laughed once more.

"I remember how when we were younger and premature, Nathan had made the most humiliating step into life. I remember what it was like for me to not have him in college with me for what felt like months... due to his terrible accident, which I will still laugh at till this day. I mean, seriously, how can one be hospitalised for a month and a half, just because they decided to cook a pancake and failed to catch it and landed on their face? It was terrible for me to watch and even more for the beginner who failed ridiculously." I laughed with everyone else, while keeping my eyes focused on Lyra who was now leaning her head on her two hands, as if she was ready to hear more. I let out a little chuckle which was pretty much ignored by the rest of the crowd.

"I wish the both of you a happily ever after... one that your crazy minds can conjure up. I wish you the very best in the new chapter of your life. And please Nathan, do not make me the godfather of your child... when you have one." I laughed at the last part, throwing the crowd into the final fit of laughter, under my own control.

Dismounting the stage, the crowd started to applaud at my speech, before bringing the cheers to a stop. I made my way to my seat and sat on the empty chair between Michael and his twin sister. "That was a beautiful speech." Meia praised me, smiling happily as her husband complimented my speech as well.

Lyra leaned over and whispered in my ears, "That was really nice. And sweet." I turned my head to face hers, before pecking a kiss on her cheek. I slipped the crumbled paper into her hand and watched her facial expression drop as she looked at me confusingly. She started to slowly unfold the paper. But stopped at the final fold and looked up at me, "Why didn't you read this one?"

I smiled as I held her left hand in my right one, "It wasn't sincere or natural. It was too stiff and too planned. Not spontaneous or heavy with emotions. I wanted to make it perfect." She looked up at me and smiled, "Anything you say or do is always perfect." I kissed her temple before having to pull back at the feel of someone's hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Caden holding Luis in his arms. "Yes?" I coldly questioned his presence.

"I need to pee so badly and can't take Luis with me, babysit him for a few minutes?" Caden asked, before I could say anything, Lyra stood up and took the little boy into her arms. She cradled him against her body as she balanced his weight in her hold, while using her free hand to feed him. "Of course." She smiled before watching the blonde headed being run off to the bathroom. Exactly how long had he been trying to hold his pee? I chuckled at the thought in my head before shifting my attention to Lyra who had already forgotten about me. I looked at the table and saw my creased paper on the table, and slipped it into her purse.
It wasn't my speech... it was something else.