The Heartbreak Factor - Part Four

Chapter Seventeen.

Rushing through the corridor of the hotel where Chloe and Josh were getting married in no more than five minutes, I held onto the top of my strapless bridesmaid dress, making sure that it didn't slip down as I ran. Clutching onto the door's handle, I tried to catch my breath for a few moments as I waited for George to meet me outside the reception room where the ceremony was being held. As I waited, I could hear Katy screaming in the room. The screams got louder until the door opened and George carried a crying Katy out to me. As soon as Katy saw me, she stopped screaming and held her arms out to me. Taking her off George, I began to bounce her gently in my arms, trying to sooth her off to sleep. 

"Is she okay?" I asked George, concerned as to why Katy was still hysterically crying in my arms. 

"I don't even know," George said, looking as concerned as I did. "She just started crying for you."

Cradling Katy, I walked to the side of the corridor and sat down on the stairs. "Noisy monkey," I laughed, rocking Katy back and forth as she began to calm down crying.

"Is she okay?" mum asked, looking worried as she walked out of the reception room.

"She's fine," I smiled, still rocking Katy. "She's just been a bit of an attention seeking baby."

"Okay," mum said, sighing a sigh of relief as she walked back into the reception room, leaving me and George sat on the stairs with Katy in my arms.

"I'm gonna have to carry her all day, aren't I?" I asked George, knowing exactly what Katy wanted when she was like this.

George nodded with a grin on his face. "You look amazing, by the way."

"I know," I giggled, scrunching up my nose as I looked at him.

"Sammy!" Chloe whispered loudly as she stood in the hotel's main entrance, looking at me and George.

"Is it time?" I asked, looking at George's watch on his wrist. 

"I'd better get back in there," George smiled to me, kissing me on the cheek. "See you in a bit."

George held his arms out to Katy but she shook her head as she suckled on my finger. "I'll carry her in," I smiled up at George. "You go in."

Without any sign of hesitation, George stood up and walked back into the room as Chloe walked towards where I was sat with Katy in my arms, accompanied by Colin, her dad. Standing up, I looked at Chloe as she nervously smiled at me. "Are you ready?" I grinned to her.

Unconvincingly, Chloe nodded before taking a deep breath. 

"You look stunning, Chloe," Colin proudly said to his daughter. "All three of you do."

"Are you ready?" Chloe asked me, looking like she could have passed out from the nerves at any second. 

"Am I ready?" I laughed. "You're the one getting married. Are you ready?"

"Let's do this shit," Chloe joked to me.

"Chloe," Colin tutted.

"Sorry, dad," Chloe grinned.

*

Sat at the table, watching Chloe as Josh wrapped his arms around her and they danced together on the dance floor along to the music, I couldn’t help but smile as I admired Chloe’s smile. I had never seen her so happy. As I continued to watch them from afar, I failed to realise that George was walking towards me, carrying Katy in his arms. 

“You okay?” he smiled, sitting down beside me. 

“Yeah,” I grinned. “She’s so happy.”

“Of course she is,” George smiled to me. “You will be too.”

“Will be?” I asked. “I’m already happy. I’ve never been happier.”

*

Cradling Katy, I stood outside in the breeze in the courtyard of the hotel. The music from Chloe and Josh's reception was smothered by the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. As I slowly rocked Katy back and forth, I heard footsteps behind me - heels on the cobbled courtyard. Turning around, I saw Chloe grinning at me. "I've hardly had chance to talk to you."

"You've been busy getting married," I giggled. "It's fine. I'm glad you're having a good day."

"Good day?" Chloe asked as she sat down on the bench nearby, taking her heels off before sighing a sigh of relief. "It's been the best day of my entire life."

"Good," I smiled.

"How's my little muffin doing?" Chloe beamed as she walked back over to us, barefooted, with her wedding dress trailing along behind her. 

"She's sleepy," I smiled, looking down at Katy as she slowly drifted off to sleep in my arms.

"Just think," Chloe said. "This time last year you were spending your first night back at York, waiting to go into labour."

"I still have two weeks until my due date," I grinned. "It's weird how she's here."

"She's been here for 360 days, Sammy," Chloe laughed. "Catch up."

I looked at Chloe in amazement. "You never remember birthdays. Remember that time you forgot my tenth birthday and I didn't talk to you for a week?" I chuckled. Chloe nodded. "But seriously, I can't wait until you and Josh have a baby so I can see you struggling to cope."

"That's never gonna happen," Chloe cackled. "Well, not for a few years. At least."

"Whatever," I grinned.