Matt hovered by the window, jacket off and beer in hand, and he met me in the middle for a one-armed hug. Scott materialized from my right to hand me a drink, which I took before taking a seat on one of the lounge chairs. Lucas dropped onto the sofa next to me and held his beer out so we could toast. He was the one I knew the least since I’d met Scott a few times through family occasions, but he seemed nice enough. After we clinked bottles, Matt took a long swig and seemed to relax a little until the photographer stepped into the room.
I felt for Matt, who looked stiff and uncomfortable as the center of attention, but I was fairly sure most of the reason was nerves. Having had a lot of practice getting comfortable in front of a lens, I sat back and chatted with the other two while we waited for the signal to move downstairs.
His vows were typed on a piece of paper he’d folded and unfolded a half dozen times until Scott took it from him and promised to give it back at the right moment.
When the time came, we were whisked downstairs to the Games Room; a large open bar area complete with games tables, where we were united with the girls, and we all collectively awed at Sarah in her finery.
I’d seen the dress before, but with all the finishing touches, Sarah looked radiant.
We spent the better part of the next hour taking posed shots together. Although, Sarah was quick to tell us not to post anything on social media until after the ceremony because she didn’t want to risk any of the guests seeing the dress early. Apparently, there was a specific hashtag she wanted us to use.
Afterward, any chance I had to go back to the room while Sarah and Matt were off on official wedding duties disappeared as more and more family members arrived.
It seemed the entirety of our family had managed to make their way into the city for the wedding, making it difficult to keep track of the time.
Before I knew it, Scott was leading Lucas and me up to the eighth floor for the ceremony.
The ballroom was stunning, with beautifully rich wooden flooring, gold speckled beams across the ceiling, and three massive chandeliers lining the walkway. In front of the windows at the end of the room, a freestanding fireplace marked the spot where the bride and groom would stand. An incredible array of flowers, rich in reds and pinks, adorned the mantlepiece. A spread of fake candles sat where a fire might have been and lined the aisle, their battery-operated lights flickering shadows against the floor.
Looking across the gathering crowd, I caught sight of my parents and waved. Mom was already clutching a handkerchief as she took her seat near the front of the room.
The photographer trailed Matt as he slowly made his way up the aisle, shaking hands and hugging his dad before taking his place. It was almost time.
“How are you doing?” Scott asked, concerned.
Matt looked like he was about to pass out. “I can’t believe she actually agreed to marry me. I thought I would feel more relaxed right now.”
I gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You’re both lucky. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
“Thanks, J.”
I scanned the rows of chairs and just caught Audrey’s eye near the back as the music started up.
Matt’s slow exhale nearby caught my attention. “This is it,” he said, mostly to himself, and Scott gave him a supportive nudge. “You’ve got this, Matt.”
Matt nodded but didn’t look any less nervous. I wondered how I might feel in his position—standing, waiting for the love of my life to walk towards me so we could spend the rest of our lives together.
I’d always considered weddings as an unfortunate requirement of getting married. Yes, I wanted to have someone to love and commit myself to, but the whole song and dance around it? It never appealed to me.
But standing here in front of my entire family, seeing the mix of nerves and excitement on Matt’s face as he waited with anticipation for my sister to walk in and announce in front of everyone how she wanted to spend the rest of her life loving him, ‘till death do they part … Well, I finally got it.
I could finally picture it.
Yes, it was a song and dance, but not the kind where you were awkwardly stepping on someone’s toes. It was the Gene Kelly, “Singing in the Rain,” about to burst out of my skin, I was so happy kind.
It was what you did when you found someone to love and love you back, someone who filled you with so much happiness that you had to throw a party for all the people you knew just to share it around.
Someone who made me a bubble bath after a long day. Who would commiserate the roles I lost and celebrate the ones I won. Someone who looked as sexy in sweats as she did dressed up. Who made me laugh and could enjoy my company, even when we weren’t doing anything at all.
Someone like Audrey.
And with a suddenness I should have found frightening, I knew I loved her. Was in love with her.
And later, while Matt read out his vows, I could picture myself in his place, staring into those iridescent hazel eyes, bright and shimmering like the night sky, trying to put into words how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life deserving her.
Once the ceremony had finished, most of the room was dismissed into the adjacent ballroom for the reception while the bridal party and immediate family stuck around to take photos.
I was keen to get back to Audrey, grateful that we’d be sitting together. I didn’t even want to imagine Audrey stuck at a table with what amounted to the far reaches of our family tree.
