Page 43 of Always the Bridesmaid

Jess inhales deeply, her shoulders rising. She looks out of the window to the rows of seats, which are now full. She seems to scan the guests, pausing when her gaze lands on the three men wearing morning suits at the archway of flowers. She exhales, finding her groom, and she returns the coordinator’s smile.

‘I’m ready,’ she says with confidence.

Jess’s aunt and uncle tap on the door next. ‘Is it okay to come in?’ her aunt calls.

‘Shall we give you guys a few minutes alone and meet you downstairs?’ I suggest to Jess.

Before we leave, I am pleased to witness Jess’s aunt gasp and bring her hands to her mouth, and I am warmed to hear Jess’s uncle say, ‘Oh stop it, you’re setting me off.’

Jess was almost married once, years ago. On that day, when her uncle knocked on the door of her bridal room, he was coming to tell her that she had been jilted.

Clearly fate stepped in because today is the exact opposite. It is precisely how weddings should be. Full of love and joy.

It must be hard for Jess to be getting married without her parents present, without her father to walk her down the aisle, and her mother placing last-minute jewels around her neck. I don’t believe the hole created by the loss of a loved one can ever be filled, but Jess is so incredibly loved by her aunt and uncle, it must go some way toward filling Jess’s doubtless massive void today.

Izzy, Becky and I turn right out of the bridal suite and descend a bi-furcated staircase, in the manner of Rose descending the clock staircase in Titanic. Only at the bottom of the staircase, rather than Leonardo DiCaprio waiting, there is Cash, Will and Charlie. Three ushers waiting for their female partners to walk down the aisle.

I have been paired with Charlie, therefore he will need to acknowledge my existence at some point. There’s no getting away from me today. He’ll need to link with my arms, and at least for the benefit of the other wedding guests pretend he can stand being in the same vicinity as me.

Whilst my mind focuses on my feet and not falling in my heels, now higher than I would like, my eyes glance ahead and find Charlie's eyes on me. Unlike yesterday, he does not look away, but holds my gaze with such intensity that it makes me hot around the neck.

Oh no, mister, I won’t get flustered for you.

Clearly one of Charlie’s other personalities is making an appearance today and apparently, I am allowed to exist.

Well, no siree, I won’t allow him to play his nonsense games with me. I am a grown woman. A strong, independent woman and I won’t be messed around by some… by some… man-child!

Following Cash’s lead, Will and Charlie hold out hands to Becky and me respectively as we reach the bottom of the staircase. I can feel myself pouting as I glare at Charlie’s hand, then back to his face, then decidedly stare across his shoulder, dismissing him entirely.

Okay, perhaps games aren’t entirely beyond me but he deserves to be ignored. He deserves to feel small, the way he made me feel small and insignificant yesterday.

‘Call me old fashioned but when someone extends their hand, it’s polite to take it,’ Charlie whispers.

‘Seriously?’ I snap back as best I can in a whisper. ‘Call me old fashioned but if you’ve been an asshat for the last twenty-four hours, it’s usually polite to apologize.’

Our bickering is halted when Jess appears from one side of the staircase, her arms linked on each side by her aunt and uncle.

She is glowing. I have honestly never seen her look happier. And any nerves I detected in the bridal suite aren’t noticeable now.

‘She looks incredible,’ Charlie says quietly.

And solely because he is gushing about my friend, I respond. ‘She’s going to meet her lobster.’

Charlie smiles and nods, getting the Friends reference, as I expect him to. ‘She is,’ he agrees.

We can hear the wedding coordinator asking the guests to take their seats and I feel anticipation in the air as they await the bride’s entrance.

I prepare the short train of Jess’s dress and overlay the train with her cathedral veil, as Jess braces herself behind double French doors, preparing to walk the aisle.

With Jess set, I give her a final kiss on the cheek, then take my position at the front of the bridal party with Charlie. Behind us, Izzy links arms with Cash, followed by Becky and Will, and finally, most importantly, Jess with her aunt and uncle. Reluctantly, I do the same with Charlie.

Ashley returns to our group and when Jess confirms she is ready, Elvis Presley’s ‘Loving You’ begins to play.

I turn to see Jess gently laughing and dabbing the corners of her eyes.

‘He’s such a goof,’ she says, shaking her head. ‘Jake told me he chose “Pachelbel’s Cannon”. I should have known he’d sneak in an Elvis track.’

My stomach twists as I feel the love my friends share. I know the feeling because I once felt it myself, right before walking down the aisle to the man of my dreams.

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