their goodnights in turn.
“Sweet dreams,” yelled grandma as she was half way up the stairs “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
She crawled into bed and pulled the covers over the top of her, then snuggled down into the softness of the mattress and amazingly, fell right off to sleep.
“Brooke, Brooke,” her mother stood over the top of her, shaking her gently. “It’s ten past eight love, time to get up. The hair and make-up lady will be here in half an hour, you better get a wriggle on.”
As though she had just been hit with a cattle prod, she flew out of bed and ran screaming into the shower, “Have you got my dress and shoes?”
“Yes dear.”
“What about my jewellery and,” her voice was drowned out by the noise of the shower spray.
Rose sat on the bed quietly, smiling to herself and then whispered “This reminds me of my wedding day.” She gathered Brooke’s shoes, wedding gown, jewellery and personal effects and placed them neatly at the foot of her bed.
Tearing out of the shower, wearing nothing but a towel, Brooke ran head on into her mother. “This is so unnerving, I can’t believe it is actually happening. And today!”
“Do you want some breakfast?”
“Are you kidding, how could you possibly expect me to eat, I am getting married today.”
Rose let out a giggle and said, “I couldn’t eat on my wedding day either, you had better brush your teeth now, before you get your make-up done. It’s easier, trust me.”
Brooke did as her mother suggested and then threw on some loose clothes and sat on her bed awaiting the stylist.
“How about a coffee love?”
Her nerves now practically frayed, Brooke nodded her head and looked at her mum, silently pleading with her to understand how mute her anxiety was making her. Rose simply gave her a reassuring pat on the head and went to fetch a cup of coffee.
At half past eight the stylist arrived and got straight down to business. First the make-up and then the hair. After two hours of perfectly executed sweeps of colour, a dozen bottles of various lotions and potions and nearly an entire can of hairspray, she was complete.
“Can I look?” asked Brooke.
“Oh not yet, just one more little touch and we’re done for good. Rose would you please pass me the tiara?”
The pearl and diamante tiara flashed before Brookes eyes and was raised above her head and secured in the perfect position with a million bobby pins and yet more hairspray to tame any stray hairs that may hang over it. The stylist gave her masterpiece one last inspection before turning Brooke’s chair around to face the mirror on the duchess. “Pure elegance,” she complimented herself.
With a cry of awe, Brooke jumped up and hugged the stylist “My gosh, it’s fantastic, everything I had hoped for. Thank you Tracey, thank you.”
She then turned to face her mother who was holding onto her gown, “It’s time love,” she gently encouraged her, spreading the opening of the dress out for her to step into.
Her heart suddenly jumped into her mouth, “What if,”
“What if what dear?” her mother asked.
“What if daddy doesn’t like my gown either?” Rose sucked her breath in deeply and then firmly said,
“Your father may not like quite a few things today love, but rest assured he will adore you and your gown.”
Those must have been the magic words, because she slowly moved forward and allowed her mother to adorn her with the gorgeous ivory satin dress.
“Rose, Brooke,” her father’s voice echoed from downstairs. “Are you ready yet, it’s time to roll. We’ve only got forty minutes.”
Neither woman could move, they were paralysed to the spot unable to come to grips with the fact that the wedding was less than an hour away.
“Brooke,” her father stumbled through her door and nearly fell over himself when he laid eyes on her. “You look, you look,” he held out his arms and hugged her tightly for the last time as his little girl. “Enchanting,” he finally managed after their embrace. “Now let’s move or we’ll never get you married!”
“Rose, Tom is waiting downstairs to take you and grandma. We’ll be right behind you,’ he gave her a quick peck on the forehead and held out his arm to Brooke, “Shall we?”
Her father sat beside her in the limousine, biting his nails down to the qwik the entire journey.
“Daddy, you know I love you and I never want to disappoint you?”
“Yes Princess, of course I know that, why?”
“Well, I just need to know that you are proud of me today and not upset over the choices I made, that’s all.”
His eyes fell to the floor and then rose up settling directly on hers. “Brooke, I have never been prouder of you than I am at this very moment. Regardless of the trouble I have caused with my strenuous objections to this and that, I know you are doing what you want to do… and I admire you for it. I love you sweet.” He kissed her on the hand and then held it tightly for the remainder of the journey.
After what seemed to be an eternity in the car, they finally pulled up in the circular drive of the botanic gardens. She could see the hundreds of guests all hovering around the aisle where she would soon be walking, for an instant she felt like she would be sick but the feeling was over ridden by excitement and then exhilaration. Her father stepped out of the car and approached her door, as it swung open she took her fathers hand and stepped outside in plain view of the anxious guests and the man she was about to marry. She could see his jaw fall open as he stared at her in amazement, a broad smile swept across her face and there was nothing that could wipe it away.
Taking her fathers hand, she floated down the aisle as gracefully as a swan wading on water. In her mind, her childhood fantasies faded into obscurity, this was so much more than she had ever imagined when she was ten. With a final kiss on the hand, her father placed her hand in that of her future husbands and stood back.
“Do you Mr Matthews, give your daughter away in marriage today?” the pastor asked as the crowds hushed.
“Yes, I certainly do.”
The ceremony continued,
“Do you Brooke Leanne Matthews take Aiden Michael Stevens to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Brooke leaned back and gazed momentarily at her father, she knew how much he had desperately wanted her to marry Grant. He nodded his head proudly and gave her the thumbs up sign with both hands, the smile on his face running from ear to ear. Turning back to Aiden she squeezed his hand tightly and as loudly as she could, replied “I do!”
###THE END##
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The Wedding Page 3
