Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
Lilly sat chatting to Angie while they waited for the signal to go downstairs.
The space all the girls occupied was three rooms, with enough space for them to get ready and relax.
The wedding was not due for another hour so they spent the time gossiping and planning baby names for Olivia’s child.
Everyone snapped their heads around when the door was slammed open.
“This is ridiculous Olivia, I can’t wait any longer, we’re getting married now, all this hanging around is driving me insane,” Jack said to the room.
“Oh thank God for that, let’s get going,” Olivia said and stood up and smoothed down her dress.
“You can’t see her before the wedding, it’s bad luck,” Angie said.
“Rubbish, we make our own luck, and who do you think is walking her down the aisle? Come on sweetheart come and be my wife,” Jack said to Olivia and held out his arm for her to take.
“Ok, everyone, get downstairs and into position, Jack has spoken so we shall all obey.” Ruth said and kissed her son’s cheek as she passed through the open doorway.
One by one, they kissed Olivia’s cheek and exited the room until there was just Olivia and Jack.
“Show me your knickers Olivia,” Jack said.
“Show me yours first,” Olivia answered back.
“We’ll do it together,” suggested Jack.
They both walked over to the mirror and turned their backs.
Jack fumbled with the fly of his pants and dropped his trousers while Olivia pulled up the skirts of her dress and they looked over their shoulders and burst out laughing.
Jack took a picture of the view that he had.
Jack’s pants said ‘Olivia’s husband’ and Olivia’s knickers said ‘Jack’s wife’.
Jack had them made especially for the day in case she forgot why she was there.
“You’re such an idiot, but I love you,” Olivia said and dropped her dress.
“Come on, let’s get married.”
The ceremony was quick and beautiful, Olivia and Jack had simple vows and wanted to spend as much time with their guests as possible. After lightning speed photographs, the reception started in full swing.
Elijah was sitting next to Lilly on the top table and Angie, Cecily, Michael, Ruth and Jack and Olivia.
“I want to be married to you, to grow old with you, let’s do it,” Elijah whispered.
“Elijah,” Lilly whispered back with an added hiss. “We’re at a wedding. Are you proposing again, in whispered sentences during the speeches?” She asked with incredulity.
“Yes I am, so how about it Lilly, will you?” Elijah asked.
“This is your proposal, at a wedding, knowing I hate weddings?” Lilly asked.
“Yes, Lilly, stop answering my questions with questions and answer my fucking question,” Elijah said. He was angry that she was stalling. He hadn’t planned it this way and was angry that it wasn’t going his way.
“Now you’re swearing. Elijah this is not the way to ask a girl to marry them.
” Lilly said in a harsh tone that was louder than she wanted it to be.
She looked around to see the entire wedding reception looking at her.
Gazing out to the assembled guests, she had swiftly concluded that they had been quiet for a few minutes and knew what was being discussed.
“I’m sorry,” Lilly said to Jack and to the guests.
“Oh, don’t mind me, it’s only my speech and wedding, please carry on, I’m dying to know what happens next.
I’m going to sit down and watch, because this is brilliant viewing.
” There wasn’t a hint of sarcasm. Jack seated himself back down, took Olivia’s hand and kissed it.
Olivia was beaming at Lilly, bouncing in her seat to see what was going to happen next.
As she looked down the table, Michael and Ruth were grinning and Cecily at the end had eyes on stalks, Angie was grinning from ear to ear.
Lilly looked back to Elijah, pleading with him to end this torment, but he grinned wide. Sat back in his seat and folded his arms. Softly chuckling, he lent back on two legs of the chair, whistling. It made Lilly nervous, he wasn’t going to back down, and he wanted an answer.
“Come on Lilly, everyone is waiting, what is it to be? Are we getting hitched or what?” Elijah asked.
He was full of confidence, his eyes twinkling with humour. Lilly knew he loved her and that he would spend all his days looking after her. She had been dying for him to ask again, ever since he had revealed everything there was to know.
She loved him too.
Looking around the room again, she felt like everyone was holding their breath waiting for the answer. She felt bad making him wait, and she didn’t know why she was hesitating. She didn’t expect a public proposal.
“Yes,” she whispered.
There was muttering among the guests and at the top table.
“I’m sorry Lilly, I didn’t quite hear you over here. What did you say?” Jack asked, his laughter was full of mirth and Olivia was giggling at his side. Lilly was blushing bright red, and the guests were smiling but wanted their out loud yes before believing it.
“Say it Lilly, say it louder, I want to remember this moment for the rest of my life, I don’t want a whispered pledge, and I want you to say it loud,” Elijah said.
His voice was booming, but it was full of passion.
It filled her with confidence, and then Lilly looked over at her parents, the only two people in the room not smiling.
They were scowling at her, daring her to say yes.
She wanted to say yes, not because she wanted to defy them but because she had finally found her happiness.
“Yes. Elijah I will marry you but there is a condition. There will be no dress, no cake, no speeches, no nothing. Is that a deal?” Lilly said, loud and clear for all to hear.
The room’s mutterings were again wandering through the air as they now waited for Elijah to answer. There were a few gasps at Lilly’s declaration that she wanted nothing like it while at a glamorous wedding.
Elijah looked her square in the eye, cupped her cheek and leaned in.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, sweetheart,” Elijah said.
The room erupted in cheers and everyone had stood to clap and cheer. The glass in their hands meant for Jack’s toast was raised to Lilly and Elijah. Jack let out the loudest cheer and walked over to his brother and bear-hugged him, slapping his back in celebration.
“Let’s be done with the formality and celebrate my wedding and to Elijah’s future marriage,” Jack said raising his glass to the assembled guests.
There was a chorus of Elijah and Lilly scattered into the air for half a minute. Lilly looked at Elijah, hugged and kissed him, the kiss although chaste was intense. Neither moved for some time until they heard a discreet cough behind them.
Jack grinned down at the pair once they had broken the kiss.
“Well, look what we have here, big brother upstaging me at my own wedding reception. I think it’s fabulous, congratulations to the pair of you. Now let’s get drunk, I think that’s what you said when Olivia agreed to my proposal, wasn’t it?”
“Yes something like that, where’s the Whisky, I know you have the good stuff hidden away,” Elijah said.
“Hey, no getting too drunk, I can’t have any,” Olivia said standing next to her husband, grinning.
“I’ll have your share,” Cecily said, wrapping an arm around Olivia and patting her flat stomach.
“So not fair, this pregnancy is going to be the longest ever known to man.” Olivia pouted sulkily. “Will you give up alcohol too Jack, so I’m not alone in this?”
Jack looked at his wife, wrapped his arms around her and smiled down.
“Of course, I will, not a drop will pass these lips until you give birth and then I will wet the baby’s head with you, is that a deal?” Jack asked.
“Deal.” Olivia grinned up at him.
Lilly, Elijah, Angie and Cecily groaned at the over the top declaration of solidarity.