choni

Chapter 67

Toni stepped back into the main area of their wedding reception, picking his way between the guests that he'd gotten to know and come to recognize over the past several hours since the ceremony this morning. He'd had a few drinks throughout the day and was at a happy level of buzzed – not drunk – grinning happily as he looked around the room for his wife. His wife! It was still such a bizarrely wonderful thing to know that he and Cheryl were finally married.

Toni let out a heavy happy sigh as he finally clasped eyes on his wife. Cheryl had managed to maintain her flawless hair, makeup and outfit. Toni approached his wife, smoothing his hand across Cheryl's lower back as a greeting, and he loved the content look the woman gave him.

"Ready for our first dance?" Toni asked, placing a kiss on Cheryl's cheek, an action fuelled by the drop of alcohol in his system. Toni was slowly leading Cheryl by the hand over to the dance floor.

Ravi took a deep breath and stepped up onto the stage that ran alongside the dance floor. As he approached the microphone he nodded a polite greeting to the few women stood with violins, a man stood by a keyboard, a man stood with a bass guitar, and a woman sat at a drum kit. He was about to introduce probably the best moment of his son's life.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" Ravi said into the microphone, clearing his throat while he waited for all the guests before him to acknowledge his words. His eyes found his son's, the young man stood in the middle of the dance floor with his new wife, his usual bright smile on his face. And Ravi couldn't help his heart from warming at the sight of how happy Toni looked with Cheryl. It was everything he'd wanted for his son and more. This was perfect.

"If you would all like to clear the dance-floor please, ready for the newlyweds to share their first dance with one another." He paused as he watched family and friends clearing a noticeable space around Toni and Cheryl, now lining the edges of the dance-floor, all with smiles on their faces. Toni and Cheryl had turned to face each other and Toni was mumbling something into Cheryl's ear while they held hands.

Toni swallowed loudly as he turned to face Cheryl, taking hold of her hands and leaning towards his wife's ear, mumbling gently, "I love you."

He smiled as he watched Cheryl beam at him, tears already beginning to form in her eyes while she mumbled "I love you too" back to him .

Loving how his wife had gripped his hands excitably. It had been the longest, hardest few months with everything that happend, but they managed to get through it and be here together. Surrounded by their family and friends.

The slow intro was being played on a guitar and Toni swore he'd never seen the woman look as beautiful and perfect as she did now. Toni squeezed his wife's hands to regain her attention and Cheryl wrapped her arms gently around Toni's neck, their bodies pulled close against one another as they began slowly swaying to their 'first dance song'.

I found a love,
For me.
Darling just dive right in,
And follow my lead.

Tears had begun to already fall down Cheryl's cheeks as she smiled affectionately at Toni who returned the smile. Toni remembered the moment he'd first thought about writing this song. He was far from a song writer that was for sure, but the love he had for Cheryl seemed to eek out a side of Toni that even Toni hadn't realized he had.

Well I found a girl,
Beautiful and sweet.
Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me.

Toni gently rested his forehead against his wife's, both of them closing their eyes for a moment, enjoying this song as though they were the only two in the room. The only two in the world. Those lyrics rang so true for Toni. He'd been completely oblivious to Cheryl's adoration during the first few weeks that they'd known one another.