Completely & Stupidly: Forever and Ever

Chapter 18. Vanessa

 This was it, the moment of truth. Vanessa took a deep breath as Rhona made sure the back of her dress hadn't creased and was laid out perfectly and aligned with her veil as they approached the barn. It looked beautiful beneath the clouded blue sky and from where she was standing, she could just about make out flickering candles and the glow of yellow fairy lights inside the usually dimly lit barn. "Are you ready?" Tracey asked, appearing at Vanessa's side. "Yeah" Vanessa smiled, as a fiery warm feeling began to tingle inside her while she embraced the last few seconds of being a Woodfield. "Are you sure? Cause if you don't want to go ahead with this, now's the time to say so" Rhona added, reappearing from behind, to make sure that Vanessa was really ready to spend the rest of her life with Charity. "I've never wanted anything more," Vanessa confessed. "I thought so" Rhona grinned, hugging her tightly. "She's going to be a handful" Moira pointed out, with a raised eyebrow. Vanessa stifled a laugh. "I know, but she's my handful" She told them with a smile. They huddled together before readying themselves to go inside with deep breaths and hand holding, until Harriet gave them the nod. Johnny took hold of Rhona's hand as Tracey took Vanessa's arm, proud to be walking down the aisle with her sister. Then putting her best foot forward, Vanessa stepped into the doorway and felt the eyes of everyone inside, fall upon her. Immediately, she found herself looking across the room, to Charity, who was smiling at her in a way that showed the complete love and adoration she felt for her, upon her face for all to see. Instantly, a single tear fell from each of Vanessa's eyes as she became overwhelmed with happiness as she grew closer and closer, until she finally arrived at the foot of the aisle. Without a single second's hesitation, Charity drew Vanessa into an embrace that had their guests tear up with them, while they completely lost themselves in pure and inundated love. "You look so gorgeous" Vanessa sobbed quietly into Charity's ear as she held her tight, and for a moment, the world faded away and they almost forgot that they were being watched. "How did I get so lucky to have you? You're absolutely beautiful" Charity whimpered back, trying her best not to cry and ruin her makeup as they swayed, together.
"You may be seated" Harriet announced to the guests, forcing Charity and Vanessa to find themselves once again, back in the room. As they loosened their grip upon one another, the ceremony began. "Welcome, to everyone, Family and friends and all those who fall in between. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Charity and Vanessa, as we support them and share in their love and joy as they choose to spend their lives together." Harriet began, her words sounding like poetry as her voice wavered and fell as she spoke. Vanessa could feel herself getting lost in Charity's eyes as the ceremony progressed and Harriet spoke about love and respect and how important it was to commit and share in both sorrow and joy as they entered into matrimony. "Now, I ask for you, Charity, and you, Vanessa, to please join hands and face one another" Harriet asked, with a smile as she watched as Charity took hold of Vanessa's hand, and gently rubbed her thumb over her knuckles as they waited to say their vows. "Do you, Charity, take Vanessa, to be your wife?", "I do" Charity announced, with a steady nod as her voice filled the barn and tears filled her eyes. "Vanessa, do you take Charity to be your wife?" Harriet asked. "I do" Vanessa told, her voice barely more than a whisper as she desperately tried to hold herself together. "Charity, If you would like to say your vows, now" Harriet stated as she turned to her with a smile. Charity inhaled deeply as she readied herself to speak aloud the vows that she had written back at Tug Ghyll, with a quick glance to Tracey, who was already silently blubbering beside their friends. "Ness, Babe, you have turned my world inside out and upside down," She began, but had to pause as a few people chuckled quietly to themselves at her words. Turning to those she suspected of interrupting her, Charity raised an eyebrow, playfully, before returning her focus to Vanessa. "You once told me that you thought I was amazing, at a time when I felt anything but, and I can't thank you enough for that. For sticking around through all my faults, flaws and failures, but loving me anyway, through it all. You're the reason for my smile and my happiness, and for all the confidence and bravery I now feel, since having you in my life. You are the reason that I wake up every morning knowing that I can face anything that comes my way, and I thank my lucky stars every day that we were locked in the cellar together that night, because it has taken me on the most incredible journey and led me down a road that I never thought I'd get to travel down. A road to true love. I can honestly say that I am a better person for knowing you, and for loving you. You have shown me what it is like to wake up to an absolutely beautiful, perfect life, and I really hope that one day I can make you even half as happy as you make me. You're the best partner, Mum, sister and friend that anyone could have, and somehow as of today, I'll be lucky enough to be the person who gets love you, and kiss you and...you for the rest of our lives" She stopped, momentarily widening her eyes and dropping her gaze to fill in the blank her vows left out. While Vanessa, up until this moment, had smiled and nodded along to every word Charity had said, feeling her vows touch the bottom of her heart, until she pieced two and two together, causing her to blush in a way that only Charity could achieve, but she didn't care to be embarrassed because it was true, and because she had once again drifted away into a world where nobody else existed besides the two of them. "And while I'll always be imperfect, bossy and loud, I promise in front of all these people here today, that I will always love, and cherish you. That I will always do my best by you and for you. And will never again take a day in my life for granted, for as long as I have you by my side, holding my hand" Charity finished, her vision nothing but a blur as she spoke from the heart. Not yet allowing her tears to fall, Vanessa gently dabbed at her eyes and breathed a quiet sob to herself, as she became overwhelmed with emotion, resting her head upon Charity's chest. "Wow, how am I supposed to follow that?" She asked in a whimper as she processed the last of Charity's heartfelt words. After a short breather, she stood tall and looked into Charity's eyes once more. "Charity Dingle, you're right. You are imperfect, bossy and loud, but you are also funny, and loving and so beautiful that I often find myself speechless just looking at you." As her eyes welled once again with tears, she wavered, summoning the strength to get through her vows in one piece. "For a long time before you came into my life, I felt lost. I was constantly wondering who I really was and what was going to come next, and while none of us know what's waiting around the corner, the one thing I do know is that with you I am warm, safe, and at home. And I will always be here at your side, to hold your hand, loving and protecting you, as I know you will be for me, too." Vanessa glanced towards the dozens of people watching them before continuing with a heartfelt smile. "I know we are not the only ones who didn't see this coming" she chuckled, taking hold of Charity's other hand so that she now held both of them tightly in her own. "But it is so obvious that we were meant to be together. So, I vow, to love you always, when you're angry or sad, and on bad days as well as good, because that's what families do, and that's what we are, You, Me and our beautiful, amazing kids, and I couldn't be prouder to say that. I don't know what I'd do without you. You are my best friend, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my best friend, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. And I will stupidly and completely love you, forever and ever" Vanessa choked back tears as she shared her heart and true feelings with her love and all of their family and friends. It seemed there wasn't a dry eye in the building as the barn filled with the sound of discreet sniffles and the cooing of those touched by what they had witnessed and heard. "Such beautiful words from both of you that show what a marriage is to represent. And what better way to signify that you belong to one another, than with a ring, the symbol of an infinite and unbreakable love. Can I ask Moses and Johnny to join us, please?" Harriet announced, asking up the two young boys who'd been so excited to play their part in their mummy's wedding day. Having made sure, the rings were somewhere safe until the time came, Debbie handed over a small, golden ring to each child to present at the end of the aisle. "Thank you" Vanessa whispered to Johnny as he slipped his ring into her hand, while Moses carefully handed over his to Charity. "Charity, take this ring and place it on Vanessa's finger. And repeat after me. "Vanessa, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today" Harriet read aloud as Charity repeated with pride. Carefully, the gold ring slipped onto Vanessa's finger and glistened beautifully against her engagement ring. "Vanessa, please repeat after me. Charity, I give you this ring as a symbol of the promise I made to you today" Harriet spoke again, once more her words repeated, this time by Vanessa, as she glided her ring onto Charity's finger, while her hand shook with excitement. "Having pledged your love and promise to one another today in front of all of your friends and loved ones, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you married, and present you as Mrs and Mrs Dingle. You may kiss" Harriet declared, emotion filling in her own voice as she stood back, proud that she was able to marry two people, truly in love. "Come here, you" Charity mouthed as she and Vanessa pulled one another close. As their lips locked, so did their bodies as they stood wrapped up in one another, their hands holding on tightly to each other's face as they shared their first kiss as a married couple. Passionately, they smooched, feeling their smiles breaking out beneath it, birthing a few extra kisses that bubbled from excitement and pure joy, while their friends and family rose from their seats and applauded. When they eventually broke away, Charity and Vanessa turned to face their guests for the first time, with proud and loving smiles upon their faces, hand in hand, never happier than they were in that exact moment.