THE WEDDING

The day was finally here and unlike what she had thought, Jade was uncharacteristically calm.

Her heart wasn't pounding in her chest. She didn't have a mild panic attack and she was definitely not getting cold feet.

Instead she had this heady, floaty feeling that made her feel like she was the luckiest and possibly happiest person alive at that moment.

She was going to get married today. To her best friend. To the man she loved with all her heart and then some more. To Alec.

And she felt wonderful as she stood in front of the mirror as Nicole and Blake helped her into the dress.

How many times before had she written a very similar scene in her books? The heroine getting ready, surrounded by her loved ones and the lovely radiance on her face.

Blake buttoned the last pearl along her back and stood up straight to look at her best friend.

Jade was glowing. She had been smiling ever since she woke up that morning. Her eyes twinkling, dimples winking on her cheek and a radiance that only love could bring.

"Time to look at yourself, Jady."

Jade smiled nervously and tugged on the neck line once before turning around to face the mirror. Her bridesmaids, Nicole and Blake had forbidden her to look at herself till then.

"Oh!" Jade gasped when she turned around and for a second was stunned. Was that really her reflection in the mirror?

The white dress had belonged to her mother and it had needed only a few alterations. It was the colour of snow, bright and sparkling.

The dress was off the shoulder which left Jade's creamy shoulders on display. The bodice was form- fitting and had a long row of pearl buttons at the back.

From the waist the dress opened up into miles and miles of flounces, glittering with small pearls on it too.

Nicole had forced her to leave her hair open instead of the chignon, she had thought would suit the dress more and Jade had to agree that she had been right.

Her black hair, curled just at the end lay messily on her shoulder and the only head adornment she wore was a small tiara made up of peach carnations.

"You look beautiful." Nicole said with a smile that was almost as big as Jade's.

Blake gave an enthusiastic nod, "I'll have to agree with Nicky. You look like a princess."

Jade placed a hand over her heart which for the first time since morning was pounding, "Thank you. Thank you so much." She had tears in her eyes as she turned around to face the two best friends a girl could ever ask for.

"There's no need to thank us." Nicole waved a hand under her own eyes, trying to stop the wave of tears that were threatening to come out.

"No no... We can't have tears now." Blake stopped the two of them before they could start on a sentimental crying fest. She never did well with crying women, "We don't want to spoil the make up. And Anyways we don't have the time."

Jade gave a small laugh and dabbed her eyes with the tissue Blake handed her in a mild panic, "Yes, we shouldn't be crying. Oh! I look so lovely."

She turned back to the mirror and admired the handy work of her friends with a smile.

"Alec's going to fall to his knees when he sees you." Nicole wiped her own eyes and poured three flutes with sparkling champagne, "A toast before the ceremony?"

"I don't think I want to be drunk before going out." Jade hesitated.

Blake who had happily taken her glass from Nicole nudged Jade's toward her, "One drink won't make a difference, Jady."

How was Jade to explain to them that she already felt dizzy with the wonder of actually getting married?

But still she took the champagne flute. Nicole grinned, "To Jade and Alec. The fools who took so many years to realise that they were in love with each other." She held up the flute and the two others laughed as they clinked the glasses.

"To Alec and Jade, because true love knows how to get through all the troubles. Even if it means waiting outside her apartment for almost 24 hours." Blake said with a mischievous look at Jade, making the bride blush and giggle.

"To Nicole and Blake, the two prettiest bridesmaids ever." Jade said, lastly and all three of them took deep gulps of the bubbly liquid.

Jade had chosen pretty knee length dresses in a peach colour for her bridesmaids and they both really looked wonderful in it.

Just then there was a knock on the door and Amanda pushed it open holding the flower bouquets in her hand.

"Your flowers are here, girls." She said, trying to hold the three bouquets at the same time, "Just five more...."

But words stopped when her eyes fell on her daughter.

"We'll need more tissues." Blake announced as she saw the emotional look come on Amanda's face.

"Oh! Jade, baby you look so pretty." Amanda sniffled, handing all the flowers to a surprised Blake and hugged Jade tightly, "You look better in the dress than I did."

"Thanks mom, but you look so good too." Jade took a long look at Amanda in her peach morning suit, with the cluster of carnations in her front pocket.

There was no more crying and heart break in Amanda's life. She had found her Stuart back and In the process Jade had got her father back.

"Come on Amanda! We don't need tears." Blake almost shoved the tissue into Amanda's hands, "You don't want runny mascara even before the ceremony starts."

Amanda nodded and gave a short laugh, "Yes... Of course. And you two look lovely as well." She informed Nicole and Blake.

"Thank you." Nicole said and then as an after thought added, "Have you seen Noah and Nadia anywhere?"

Amanda nodded, "Noah is with Jason and Alec. They seem to be having an all boys meeting. Nadia is being dressed by your mother. They should be done by now. The little girl looks like a doll."

"Yeah yeah... Till she dumps the basket of petals on someone's head." Jade had chosen Nadia as her flower girl and Noah as the ring bearer and Nicole's only worry was that they were going to end up doing something to embarrass their mother completely.

"I'm sure she'll be an angel. And if Noah drops the rings, well at least my old ruby ring won't break." Jade said, making everyone in the room laugh. But while her back was to them Blake exchanged a knowing look with Nicole and Amanda.

"I had to give you something." Amanda told Jade before turning to smile at Nicole.

Nicole got the hint and immediately said, "Blake here are your flowers and we should leave Amanda and Jade alone for a few moments." Nicole said, carefully placing Jade's bouquet on the table and pulling Blake along with her.

"But if we leave them alone I'm sure there's going to be crying. We'll have to do Jade's make up all over again." Blake protested as she was dragged outside the room and the door was closed behind her.

Amanda and Jade laughed.

"Blake never did well with tears." Jade said still giggling as she turned to the mirror one last time and looked at the beautiful dress.

While Amanda fidgeted with the pocket of her pant, "Wait I got something for you."

She took out a box from her pocket and opened it. Sitting on the blue velvet of the box was the prettiest earrings. They were little studs with tiny, dangling pearl drops.

"Mom, those are beautiful." Jade gasped, as the small diamond on the stud glittered.

Amanda took out one earring and placed the box on the table, "They are mine. They were my moms until you were born and she gave it to me. One day they will be yours, but till then I thought you could borrow it from me." She clipped on the earring on Jade's ear lobe and then did the same to the other one.

"Thanks mom, it looks just right with the dress." Jade looked at herself in the mirror and then looked at her mother's reflection.

"So you have something old, my dress. Something borrowed, the earrings. You just need something new and something blue."

"And that's what I'm here for." Said Susan coming into the room with an equally big grin on her face and holding a jewellers box in her hand, "Jade you look lovely. My poor boys going to be speechless."

"Mrs Carter, everyone's eyes are going to be on you and mom. No ones going to even look at me."

Jade said indicating Susan's off white dress which she herself had picked out for her.

"Oh not at all. You look like a princess." She walked into the room and held out the box to Jade, "My gift."

Jade smiled and took the box she offered. Opening the lid she saw the prettiest little bracelet inside. There was a tiny charm dangling on it, a blue book with the pages open.

Jade already knew about the tradition of giving the charm bracelets that had always been in Susan's family.

"This is so cute." Jade lightly touched the delicate bracelet worried that it was too fragile.

"Come here, I'll put it on for you." Amanda took out the bracelet and put it around Jade's wrist while Susan placed a hand on Jade's cheek.

"The charm that I gave you is a book, because you of all people need to remember that if the end is not happy, it's not the really end as yet." Susan said and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

Just then they were interrupted again, by a loud knock on the door.

Stuart poked his head in, "Everyone ready? It's time for the ceremony."

"Yes yes! Here take your flowers!"

Amanda exclaimed handing the flowers to Jade.

Jade had chosen a simple arrangement of peach carnations for her wedding bouquet.

She went out of the room and stood next to her dad while her mother and Susan headed out to take their seats.

"You look like the most beautiful bride ever, Blade."

He said, his voice was gruff and he had a huge grin on his face.

"Thanks dad."

Jade smiled back and placed her hand in his.

She was really glad that she had managed to make her relationship with her dad better. And that he could be there to walk down the aisle with her on her wedding day.

It was not that she had completely forgiven her dad, it was not easy to forget the hurt from so many years. But they were working towards it.

And someday soon, Jade knew, she would have a good relationship with her dad.

Nadia walked down the aisle first sprinkling petals a little too enthusiastically but without any mistake.

Nicole gave one last thumbs up and started walking down the aisle in front of them to take the place of the bridesmaid.

"See you on the other side, Jady." Grinned Blake as she followed Nicole next.

Soon it was their cue to start walking.

Jade's heart was thudding so loudly that she almost feared that everyone in the church would hear it as they started walking.

She looked up and there at the end of the aisle was Alec. He was looking at her as if she was the only girl on the planet. With a huge smile and twinkling eyes.

And Jade forgot all her nervousness. She was going to spend her whole life with the person who she loved. Her best friend. Alec and she didn't have any fears.

...................

The ceremony was going perfectly. And now it was time for the little proud ring bearer to bring the rings.

As Noah walked down the aisle, with his tongue out in concentration, Jade was surprised to see Alec grin.

Suddenly something happened and Noah dropped the rings he was carrying.

"Oh!" Everyone in the church gasped.

"It's okay sweetie! We'll get it!" Jade said, worried that Noah might start crying. But instead Noah had a huge proud smile on his face as he stood over there.

Everyone started looking around, except for Alec who was just standing and grinning while Jason, who was the best man gave a short laugh and picked up Noah like a proud papa.

When finally everyone was going to give up, Jade exclaimed as she saw the ring at the edge of the stool on which Father was standing.

She bent and picked it up, "I got it!"

As she stood back up she looked at the ring, instead of the fake ruby ring.

There was a ring which looked exactly like but it had one little change, it was real.

"Alec?" She looked at him, whose grin had become even bigger.

"Let two little best friends have their one dollar ring." He said taking out the old ring from his pocket, "I couldn't possibly give my wife such an old ring. What would my mother- in- law say!"

Everyone in the church laughed while Jade started crying and smiling.

The ceremony continued.

Jade had two identical rings one real and one fake, and a very happy besotted husband by the end of the ceremony.

She felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

"I love you, bestie."

Alec said once he kissed his bride.

"I love you, more!"

....................