A continuation of Complications, written for those who wanted to be a guest at the wedding ;-)

Rings and Things

Part 1

It was Friday, May 13th, a year to the day Jackson had proposed to him, and at 11am, in Hotton registry office they were going to get married.

He thought he'd be nervous but he wasn't he was just excited, looking forward to the ceremony, to placing a ring on Jackson's finger.

They'd left the ring buying until quite late, just last month in fact. They'd borrowed Paddy's car one Saturday morning and headed to Leeds, knowing there would be plenty of choice there. They'd found what they wanted in the very first jewellers they went into, matching gold bands, plain but the inside inscribed with one word, SOULMATE, it said it all as far as they were concerned.

That was just about the only thing they'd got to do themselves. Their mothers had, quite early on, taken over making all the arrangements. They didn't have daughters and he and Jackson were both only sons, so they'd decided to let them just get on with it. But they'd both been warned that they wanted nothing big, nothing fancy, no fuss.

They hadn't planned on going away anywhere, but everyone kept saying they had to, that they had to have a honeymoon. So they'd decided to go somewhere just for the weekend, Jackson asking if he could arrange it, if he could surprise him. He was happy with that; he didn't care where he went as long as it was with Jackson. All he knew was that they would be leaving after the 'do'

They hadn't been allowed to spend last night under the same roof, it was supposedly bad luck. They didn't believe in oldwives tales but the women in their life did and Jackson had been bundled off to Pearl's well before midnight. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gone to sleep without Jackson by his side, it hadn't felt right, and he'd really missed him. He knew Jackson would have missed him too. Pearl would be fussing over him though, she'd always had a soft spot for him. Hazel was staying over at hers too, he really didn't envy him all that female attention, it would have done his head in. Although his mum had been round earlier, under the pretence of checking his and Paddy's shirts were ironed and their shoes polished. He knew that what she'd really wanted was to hug him, tell him she loved him and wish him well. Thankfully she hadn't stayed long, once things started getting emotional she'd made for the door, blinking away her tears. He hoped she didn't start blubbing at the ceremony, it might start him off too!

The ceremony...they both had a best man. Jackson had asked one of his closest friends. He knew Paddy had been expecting him to ask Adam, but as good a friend as Adam was, it was Paddy he wanted standing beside him, supporting him... just like he always had. The older man had been over the moon when he'd asked him to do the honours.

The four of them had matching dark grey suits, that had been Hazel's idea, he hadn't liked it at first but it had grown on him. He hadn't really liked the fancy collared white shirts or the red ties she's picked to go with them either, but now, as he stared at himself in the mirror, he realised the red was the exact same shade as his rose buttonhole, and that he actually looked quite smart, he knew they all would.

He hadn't looked nearly so hot last week, the night of their joint stag do. He'd been clad in jeans and a t-shirt with 'I'm getting married' boldly written across the front of it. His mum had had two made especially for him and Jackson; they'd had to wear them!

A coach load of them had gone from Emmerdale to... where else...Bar West, where they'd met. They'd called it a stag night but there was just as many women as there were men. His mother was there, Hazel, even Pearl, she'd led the singing on the journey home. It had been a great night; a fun night and he'd purposely not drank much so he could remember it.

They'd be doing more celebrating later, they'd initially thought about having the reception at Paddy's, something small and intimate but that idea had gone out the window as soon as their mothers had taken charge. It was to be held in the Woolpack, Diane agreeing to her co-owner's request to close the pub to the public for the afternoon. They'd agreed it was a much better idea, there would be a lot more room there for their guests and better still the drink was on tap!

He was thinking about Jackson again now, wondering if he was ready, if he was nervous or as excited as he was. Catching sight of himself in the mirror again he realised he was smiling to himself, just thinking about Jackson made him happy.

It was almost time to leave and he could hear Paddy making his way along the landing. The older man was soon tapping lightly on his door and calling out "You decent?"

"Yeah."

He eyed Paddy approvingly, he looked smart, and he looked happy, was grinning from ear to ear, well he was probably relieved to be getting rid of him at long last. But then suddenly he turned all serious on him. Moving to stand directly in front of him, readjusting his tie and brushing some invisible bit of fluff off his shoulder... to then look him in the eye and say,

"I'm so very proud of you."

He had to bow his head to hide his tears. He knew Paddy meant it, and he'd tried, he'd tried real hard the last few years to make him proud of him so hearing him say it, and today of all days had the emotion surge up inside.

"Come here."

He stepped into the open arms, returning the hug, the embrace saying what neither could voice right at that moment.

Then suddenly Paddy was pulling away, rearranging his tie again, straightening his buttonhole, looking him up and down before saying "You'll do. You ready?"

"More than ready." He couldn't wait to marry the man he loved.

TBC