Post by MrsCarterRivera on Jul 5, 2021 4:20:59 GMT -5
Why do I always forget to title these 😂
~~
It was fear that kept her up at night.
Nora had learnt over the past few years that nothing was really stable. That life could be going along merrily and then one day, it was all over; you lost your job, you lost your house, your fiancé lied about his psychotic brother’s death. Those kind of things. She’d sit up in the window with a blanket around her shoulders and a mug of hot cocoa between her hands, staring out at the stars and wondering when the next disaster would strike. Who would be hurt next.
Jock would appear behind her then, slipping his arms around her, kissing her cheek. He’d say, “come back to bed,” and she’d say, “I’m just worrried,” and he’d take her hands and kiss the backs. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”
Later, Nora would curl into his chest as he slept, run her fingers through his red hair and marvel at how far they’d come.
***
“Auntie Nora! You look like a princess!” Kimmy Dunham’s blue eyes were wide as she raced into the room, trailing a basket of flower petals behind her. The five year old was dressed in a soft pink bridesmaid dress and had her blonde hair in a fishtail plait that fell down her back. She stopped in the centre of the room and gazed up at Nora in wonder.
Nora chuckled at her reflection in the mirror. Ivory gown with a tiara set amid the curls piled on top of her head. “Not as much as you do. You look lovely!”
Kimmy beamed and did a twirl, her dress fanning out. Behind her, Lara entered the room with Charlie. He’d had a growth spurt recently and suddenly seemed to have gained an extra ten inches of leg. He looked suitably disgruntled at the shirt and waistcoat he’d been forced into. Lara met Nora’s eye and gave her a warm smile. “Are you ready?”
Nora smoothed down the front of her dress, nerves making her stomach churn. This was the third time she’d planned a wedding, the third time she’d chosen a dress. Neither times before had she even got to this day, and now it was finally happening. Nora was actually getting married. For the past week, she’d been fighting against her own demons, the doubts that would spring up in the quiet moments. What if something went wrong? What if it turned into a disaster? What if Jock didn’t show up? What if Bov, or Dermot, interrupted the vows? It felt like every possible scenario had been melded into her mind.
Nora met her own gaze in the reflection. “I’m ready,” she replied, her own smile soft. Lara pulled her into a hug and Nora held her back just as tight.
“You look amazing. And today is going to be amazing, okay?”
***
Dermot waited outside the front of the church, his heart palpitating. Another three years had passed since... since Dermot had ruined it all. The lie he’d held for so long had exploded and nearly destroyed everything he’d held most dear. Things had happened, things he tried not to dwell on, but this? Today? This was good. Nora was happy and that’s all he had ever wanted. Even if she wasn’t with him. It had been painful at first, but time had helped.
Lara had helped.
He watched Jock cross the gravel towards him and smiled. Looking tidier than Dermot had ever seen him in a shirt and waistcoat, tie flapping in the summer breeze. Dermot took his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. “This is it. Nervous?”
“A little,” Jock replied with a slight grin. To be honest, he was shitting himself. He was about to get married to the love of his life and ... Jock never imagined that would happen to him. That he would ever get so lucky. “Thanks. For being here. I know it can’t be easy.”
Dermot smiled, his gaze landing over Jock’s shoulder. His smile grew and he patted Jock on the shoulder. “Actually, it is. We’re all where we’re meant to be.” Jock turned to follow his gaze as a white car pulled up out the front. Lara stepped out in a beautiful gown, the same colour pink as Kimmy’s. She caught Dermot’s eye and grinned.
“I best get inside,” Jock murmured, heart racing and disappearing into the church before Nora got out the car.
***
The church. Nora’s heart hammered in her chest. She got out and saw Dermot and he saw her. He gave her a warm smile and she nodded and tried not to let the thoughts of the past run wild. And then Dermot was out of sight because suddenly James was in front of her,in a suit and tie, with a huge grin on his face.
“James! What are you doing here?”
“Do you really think I’d miss my big sister’s wedding?” He hugged her tight, then looked her over. “You look beautiful, Nora. Mum would be proud. Here, I got you this.” He reached into his suit and pulled out a small box. Inside was a bracelet that their mother had worn on her wedding day. “Do you remember it?”
“Oh, James,” she replied, feeling the lump form in her throat, her eyes stinging. He slid it on and it fit perfectly. “Are you ready?” He asked, offering his arm. Nora slipped her through it, smiling brightly.
“More than ready.”
***
Jock turned and watched as Nora came down the aisle towards him, ethereal and gorgeous and the whole world around them melted away. She looked like a goddess, her train trailing behind her. He let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding and beamed at her.
And Nora beamed back.
***
“My wife,” Jock grinned as he pulled her close on the dance floor. The party was in full swing, Tristan and Charlie running around and sliding on their knees, with Kimmy taking chase. By the bar, Carter stood with his arm around a very pregnant and glowing Rosa. She beamed up at him, leaning on tiptoe to kiss him.
Everything was perfect.
“My husband,” Nora smirked in reply, her arms looped around his neck as they swayed to the music. On a table by the far wall, the wedding cake stood grandly, topped with two small figurines. For the first time in weeks, Nora felt she could actually relax, the tension easing from her bones and leaving her feeling as if she were walking on a cloud. Despite all her fears, the day had been more than she’d ever imagined.
Le Fini~
~~
It was fear that kept her up at night.
Nora had learnt over the past few years that nothing was really stable. That life could be going along merrily and then one day, it was all over; you lost your job, you lost your house, your fiancé lied about his psychotic brother’s death. Those kind of things. She’d sit up in the window with a blanket around her shoulders and a mug of hot cocoa between her hands, staring out at the stars and wondering when the next disaster would strike. Who would be hurt next.
Jock would appear behind her then, slipping his arms around her, kissing her cheek. He’d say, “come back to bed,” and she’d say, “I’m just worrried,” and he’d take her hands and kiss the backs. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”
Later, Nora would curl into his chest as he slept, run her fingers through his red hair and marvel at how far they’d come.
***
“Auntie Nora! You look like a princess!” Kimmy Dunham’s blue eyes were wide as she raced into the room, trailing a basket of flower petals behind her. The five year old was dressed in a soft pink bridesmaid dress and had her blonde hair in a fishtail plait that fell down her back. She stopped in the centre of the room and gazed up at Nora in wonder.
Nora chuckled at her reflection in the mirror. Ivory gown with a tiara set amid the curls piled on top of her head. “Not as much as you do. You look lovely!”
Kimmy beamed and did a twirl, her dress fanning out. Behind her, Lara entered the room with Charlie. He’d had a growth spurt recently and suddenly seemed to have gained an extra ten inches of leg. He looked suitably disgruntled at the shirt and waistcoat he’d been forced into. Lara met Nora’s eye and gave her a warm smile. “Are you ready?”
Nora smoothed down the front of her dress, nerves making her stomach churn. This was the third time she’d planned a wedding, the third time she’d chosen a dress. Neither times before had she even got to this day, and now it was finally happening. Nora was actually getting married. For the past week, she’d been fighting against her own demons, the doubts that would spring up in the quiet moments. What if something went wrong? What if it turned into a disaster? What if Jock didn’t show up? What if Bov, or Dermot, interrupted the vows? It felt like every possible scenario had been melded into her mind.
Nora met her own gaze in the reflection. “I’m ready,” she replied, her own smile soft. Lara pulled her into a hug and Nora held her back just as tight.
“You look amazing. And today is going to be amazing, okay?”
***
Dermot waited outside the front of the church, his heart palpitating. Another three years had passed since... since Dermot had ruined it all. The lie he’d held for so long had exploded and nearly destroyed everything he’d held most dear. Things had happened, things he tried not to dwell on, but this? Today? This was good. Nora was happy and that’s all he had ever wanted. Even if she wasn’t with him. It had been painful at first, but time had helped.
Lara had helped.
He watched Jock cross the gravel towards him and smiled. Looking tidier than Dermot had ever seen him in a shirt and waistcoat, tie flapping in the summer breeze. Dermot took his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. “This is it. Nervous?”
“A little,” Jock replied with a slight grin. To be honest, he was shitting himself. He was about to get married to the love of his life and ... Jock never imagined that would happen to him. That he would ever get so lucky. “Thanks. For being here. I know it can’t be easy.”
Dermot smiled, his gaze landing over Jock’s shoulder. His smile grew and he patted Jock on the shoulder. “Actually, it is. We’re all where we’re meant to be.” Jock turned to follow his gaze as a white car pulled up out the front. Lara stepped out in a beautiful gown, the same colour pink as Kimmy’s. She caught Dermot’s eye and grinned.
“I best get inside,” Jock murmured, heart racing and disappearing into the church before Nora got out the car.
***
The church. Nora’s heart hammered in her chest. She got out and saw Dermot and he saw her. He gave her a warm smile and she nodded and tried not to let the thoughts of the past run wild. And then Dermot was out of sight because suddenly James was in front of her,in a suit and tie, with a huge grin on his face.
“James! What are you doing here?”
“Do you really think I’d miss my big sister’s wedding?” He hugged her tight, then looked her over. “You look beautiful, Nora. Mum would be proud. Here, I got you this.” He reached into his suit and pulled out a small box. Inside was a bracelet that their mother had worn on her wedding day. “Do you remember it?”
“Oh, James,” she replied, feeling the lump form in her throat, her eyes stinging. He slid it on and it fit perfectly. “Are you ready?” He asked, offering his arm. Nora slipped her through it, smiling brightly.
“More than ready.”
***
Jock turned and watched as Nora came down the aisle towards him, ethereal and gorgeous and the whole world around them melted away. She looked like a goddess, her train trailing behind her. He let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding and beamed at her.
And Nora beamed back.
***
“My wife,” Jock grinned as he pulled her close on the dance floor. The party was in full swing, Tristan and Charlie running around and sliding on their knees, with Kimmy taking chase. By the bar, Carter stood with his arm around a very pregnant and glowing Rosa. She beamed up at him, leaning on tiptoe to kiss him.
Everything was perfect.
“My husband,” Nora smirked in reply, her arms looped around his neck as they swayed to the music. On a table by the far wall, the wedding cake stood grandly, topped with two small figurines. For the first time in weeks, Nora felt she could actually relax, the tension easing from her bones and leaving her feeling as if she were walking on a cloud. Despite all her fears, the day had been more than she’d ever imagined.
Le Fini~
