Page 56 of Not Strictly Ballroom

I take hold of his hand, and we walk up the steps. Inside the foyer, a big sign directs wedding guests to a spacious room with several tables and a large dance floor. Beyond, I can see several foldback doors opening out into the gardens. There are a couple of dozen people milling about, but I pull Darcy past all of that and over to the front desk.

I try not to look at his face as I check us in, but I can feel him bubbling beside me. I ignore his attempts at questions as I drag him up the stairs to the room I’ve booked for us. I wait until we’re in the room and have put down my bag.

“Surprise, honey,” I say, and stalk my way towards him, grasping his hips and pulling him close, planting a soft kiss to his lips.

“For us?” He looks around the room.

“For us.” I punctuate my words with kisses. “No parents.” Kiss. “No small bed.” Kiss. “No one to disturb us.”

“It’s perfect.” He gives me his sassiest smile and puts his arms round my neck, kissing me back. I move my hands to cup his ass, lifting him up, and he wraps his legs around my waist. I walk him to the bed and place him on it, following him down so I’m covering his body.

“Shouldn’t we be attending a wedding?” he asks, when we briefly pause our kissing a short time later.

“We have a few minutes,” I reply, fusing my lips to his once more and seeking his tongue.

We make it down to the wedding in time, even if our suits do look slightly crumpled and our lips are reddened from kissing. Luckily, no one is paying us any attention and we slip into the garden, finding a space towards the back of the chairs that are arranged in lines. A carpeted aisle runs between the two sets of chairs, leading to an archway that’s bowing under the weight of the roses growing up it.

We only have a few minutes to wait before I see Justin stand at the end of the aisle, looking smart in a white suit and pink shirt. The whole decor is pink and white. I hadn’t noticed the cellist seated to one side, until they start playing, and we all rise as the opening notes of “Perfect” drift over the garden, mixing with the heady scent of the roses. Darcy seeks my hand and I interlace our fingers.

The first thing I notice of Mark’s arrival is the joy and love that lights up Justin’s face. I don’t know if Darcy sees it too, but he gives my hand a squeeze and I return it. We turn to see Mark in a pink suit, which looks fabulous on him, being accompanied down the aisle by an older gentleman who I assume could be his father.

Two young boys and a girl, also dressed in pink and white, follow them, each carrying a small posy of flowers. There’s an array of very proud looking parents watching them, calling them to their sides as they reach the end of the aisle.

The celebrant makes her introductions and opening speech, and we’re instructed to sit. I pull Darcy’s hand into my lap, wrapping my other hand round it as we watch Justin and Mark declare their love and commitment to each other, each having written their own vows.

I have attended a few weddings before, mostly of cousins and other distant relatives, and each one has been unique in its own way, but this one seems more special to me. It might be because I feel it’s more relevant to me, being a same-sex couple. Or it could be because I now have someone in my life who I would make that commitment to. The thought hits me out of the blue, and now it’s taken hold in my head and my heart. I know it’s true. I would like to be married to Darcy one day. I look at him, and he’s watching Mark and Justin with a rapt expression on his face. He must have sensed I was watching him, and he turns to look at me. His smile is soft, and I feel the need to taste it with a gentle kiss.

After the ceremony, we congratulate Justin and Mark and are hugged within an inch of our lives, then we’re shown to our seats at a table, along with some of their other friends. Food is brought, wine flows, and the conversation is cheerful. We talk easily with the people we’re seated with and I enjoy myself. We’re treated to an array of speeches from the best man, Justin’s brother, and from the family on both sides, all of whom seem very accepting of Justin and Mark, though I suspect anyone who isn’t wouldn’t have been invited. The speeches make us laugh with the obligatory embarrassments, and make us ooh and ahh with the incredible love shown. Then champagne is handed round, and the family takes turns toasting them and we all join in. Then Justin stands, pulling Mark up with him.

“When Mark agreed to marry me, he made one condition.”

He pauses to the heckles of “only one?” and a few other shouts, including several rude words. He waits for the laughter to die down.

“The condition was that he wanted a proper first dance. So we’ve been taking lessons.”

A few whoops and cheers along with some laughs that they take good-naturedly. Justin again waits for quiet before continuing.

“Some of you might have noticed that our city hosted the national ballroom championships last weekend. Some of you might have seen the news reports that for the first time a same-sex couple danced at the top level in the competition. We’re pleased to tell you that it was our dance teacher, and we’re happy to have him and his partner here today.”

Justin gestures over to our table and then starts clapping. “Darcy, stand up,” he shouts, and Darcy, looking slightly embarrassed, stands and drags me up with him. We sit again, and are met with a round of questions from our table occupants along the lines of:

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“How exciting.”

“I’ve always wanted to dance.”

The hubbub dies down again and Justin says, “Of course, if we fall on our faces, it’s all his fault.” The room erupts again, and Justin leads Mark onto the dance floor. Everyone rises and follows them, ringing the area and leaving enough room for them to dance.

They wait for the room to go quiet before the music begins. The familiar sounds of “Love is in the Air” ring through the room and they start. They look fantastic together and the applause they receive is well deserved. Then they ask for the song to be played through again so we can all join in.

We don’t leave the dance floor for another few hours, except for water or a bit more champagne. We dance with Justin and Mark, various members of their families, and friends. But mostly we dance with each other. Just enjoying ourselves, playing with some of the swing moves we’ve been practising.

The reception will be going on for a good while yet, as everyone is still going strong. When they bring out the buffet later, I turn to Darcy.

“Do you want to go upstairs?”

His enthusiastic nod is all the encouragement I need.

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