Hey everyone! I apologize for this update taking so long. I was on vacation and I worked a lot this past week so I didn't have much time to write. There's probably going to be two or three more chapters after this one. After this I may write a sequel, or something completely different. Either way, I'll still be writing after this is over, and I thank you guys so much for reading!
Fourteen months had passed since Christine first started her singing job. She had quickly become the most popular performer at the restaurant, and some people had come just to see her. Erik, of course, was at every single performance. Her lessons with Erik continued throughout this time. She liked to bring new music into her act every other month and Erik would always pick out the perfect pieces for her.
Now that Christine had a steady job and could keep busy with her news songs and the friends she had made at the restaurant, Erik was able to give more attention to his own work at the theater. He even let Christine sing in some of the ensembles when a member was sick. Nadir was thrilled to have Erik's efforts back, even though he still made Nadir do most of the work. The theater was becoming even more popular and the demand for new and diverse acts was growing rapidly.
Along with both of their careers, Christine and Erik's relationship was blossoming as well. Christine has learned how to accommodate Erik's peculiar sleeping and eating habits. He still didn't sleep a lot, but he patiently laid in bed throughout the night so Christine would have something to hold on to. He became more comfortable with physical affection, and he was close to being comfortable being around Christine with his mask off.
It was finally the day of Meg and Andrew's wedding, and Christine, along with the other two bridesmaids who were Meg's coworkers, were busy getting ready in the hotel in New Jersey. When they arrived yesterday, Christine volunteered to stay overnight with Meg in the suite her and Andrew would be staying in on their wedding night. Andrew, on the other hand, had taken Christine's spot in her and Erik's hotel room where all of the groomsmen were currently getting ready.
All of the girls had gone to a spa earlier in the day to get their hair and nails done, and now they were back at the hotel doing their make-up. Once Christine, Audrey, and Leah had finished their own make-up they all helped Meg finish hers.
When they had finished there was still about an hour to spare until they had to leave for the wedding which was being held at a chapel on the Hudson River. The reception was going to be outside on the lawn. Even though Christine could have gone downstairs to see Erik, whom she had barely seen since they arrived in New Jersey, she chose to stay with Meg. The bride's nerves were starting to get the best of her.
Meg disappeared into the bedroom and Christine elected to follow her. She found her sitting on the king sized bed, staring out the window. "Everything okay, Meg?" Christine asked as she sat down next to her.
"Yes, I'm just nervous. I don't know why," she said with a sigh. "I think I'm excited but I can't tell the difference. I just want to get the whole wedding thing over with."
Christine linked her arm through Meg's. "Today is supposed to be the best day of your life. You're about to marry your best friend in the whole world, there's nothing to be nervous about."
Meg carefully leaned her head against Christine's shoulder. "What if I trip? What if my dress rips? What if Andrew doesn't show up like in Sex and the City?"
"He's going to show up, Meg," Christine laughed. "I'm pretty sure if he had any intention of now showing up, Erik would drag him there by the collar of his suit."
Just as Christine finished talking, her phone vibrated on the bed and startled Meg. Christine picked it up and read a text message that Erik sent her.
Hello my love. I hope everything is going much smoother than what we're dealing with down here. Andrew is a nervous wreck. He's had three shots already and he hasn't stopped pacing for the last half hour.
Christine smiled down at her phone as she read Erik's message. Meg was craning her neck to read it but Christine moved it away before she got the chance. "Get out of here, nosy," Christine said playfully. "If you must know, your soon-to-be husband is just as nervous as you are."
"I'm glad I'm not the only one," Meg said with a little less nervousness in her voice.
Christine smiled at her friend and then texted Erik back. Meg is pretty nervous too, but we haven't let her near the liquor yet. I can't wait to see you.
A few minutes passed and Christine had managed to calm Meg down enough to the point where she was cheerful again. Christine's phone went off once more and she had gotten a selfie of Erik and Andrew. Andrew was covering his face with his hands so Meg wouldn't be able to see him, but Erik was smiling at the camera. He wasn't wearing his suit coat yet, just the light pink vest that matched the bridesmaid's dresses and the blue tie that matched the flowers. Andrew was already fully dressed but his hair was clearly disheveled, probably from pulling at it too much because of his nerves.
We can't wait to see both of you. Was attached to the picture.
Christine showed Meg the picture and they both laughed at their significant others. They decided to send one back and posed just as the boys had, Christine was smiling and Meg was covering her face.
After they sent the picture they realized they had twenty minutes before they were supposed to leave. The boys were leaving in a couple minutes so they could be able to take their places first. The girls put on their bridesmaid dresses so the photographer could take some final pictures of them all getting ready.
The dresses were light pink with a beaded neck line. They were sleeveless and went down just above the knee. It was May, after all, and it was starting to get warm out. Once they had all gotten into their dresses they helped Meg get into hers.
Meg's dress was just as fabulous as her. It was sleeveless and had a sweetheart neckline with beads to match the bridesmaids. The dress was long and fell to the floor leaving a train of fabric behind. When Meg had finally gotten into the dress, she immediately began to radiate happiness and Christine could tell she was finally over her nerves and could start to be excited about marrying Andrew.
When they arrived at the Chapel all of the groomsmen were in the side room ready to walk down the aisle with their respective bridesmaids. Everyone fawned over how beautiful Meg looked and she seemed to be enjoying the spotlight. While everyone was paying attention to Meg, Christine and Erik finally got to have a moment to themselves. They stood toward the back of the room while everyone else was mingling.
Christine was leaning up against a wall and Erik's hand was resting against it. "I don't think I can find the right words to tell you how beautiful you look right now," he said as he put his free hand on her hip and moved closer toward her.
She could feel herself blushing. Even after being together for over a year, Erik was still capable of giving her butterflies. "You look as handsome as ever," she said back to him as she reached her face up to press her nose against his. All of the men were wearing gray suits with the light pink vests and blue tie. Andrew, who was already at the altar, was the only one wearing a bowtie.
Christine and Erik stayed like that for a few moments until they were startled apart by the sound of music playing from inside the chapel, indicating that they needed to get ready. The two of them rushed over to Meg to give her one last hug before making the procession. Erik was Andrew's best man so he was able to walk down the aisle with Christine, just before Meg would walk down the aisle with her mother.
Neither one of them were nervous. Walking arm in arm felt so natural, and the two of them smiled all the way down the aisle despite some of the strange glances they were receiving because of Erik's mask. They got to their respective places and turned to watch Meg walk down the aisle.
The second she made eye contact with Andrew, her entire face lit up. Christine could see Andrew's eyes start to tear up as he looked back at Meg with a huge smile on his face. The whole ceremony went smoothly, and every time Christine let her eyes wander past the happy couple, she always caught Erik staring at her. After a few times she realized that he wasn't even paying attention to the ceremony and he was only paying attention to her. She could feel her face blush even more in front of everyone. After Andrew and Meg had been pronounced husband and wife, Christine and Erik followed them down the aisle again.
"You know, I bet the next time we walk down an aisle like this you'll be wearing a white dress," Erik said into Christine's ear as they were about to reach the doors leading out of the chapel.
Christine had to try not to trip over her own feet when she heard the words come out of Erik's mouth. They had been dating for a while but they never talked about marriage before. It's not that she didn't want to, she just wasn't expecting Erik to be the one to bring it up.
"You really think that?" She asked him curiously.
He nodded back at her. They were now outside of the chapel standing behind Andrew and Meg as they were being congratulated by the wedding guests. "I think about it quite often, actually," he quietly told her as they watched the guests walk by and take their seats at the tables that were set up on the lawn. "I've been in love with you for what feels like so long, and I can't help but think about making you my wife."
Christine smiled up at him and pulled him closer to her. "I think that would make me very happy," she told him as she tried not to get choked up. Weddings made her emotional as is, but the thought of her own wedding with Erik made her even more emotional.
They stood behind Andrew and Meg until all of the guests were seated. The ones that knew Christine went up to her to say hello, and she introduced all of them to Erik. She could tell most of the guests were curious and confused about his mask, and she could feel him growing tense beside her.
Erik was relieved when they were finally able to sit down with the rest of the wedding party. He did notice some of the guests would stare at him for a little too long, and he was trying as hard as he could not to be phased by it. Out of habit, he began to nervously drum his fingers on his leg as he thought about the weird looks he would be receiving during his best man speech. He was able to calm down when he felt Christine place her hand on top of his.
Christine was the first to give her speech, and she quickly caught everyone's attention when she stood up. "Meg, I remember that day junior year of college when you first met Andrew. You burst into our room like you had just won the lottery. I didn't even need to ask what had gotten you all excited when you started telling me about the handsome guy who interviewed you after your dance recital. You were talking so loudly that I thought you were going to wake up the entire building," she recalled as Meg laughed next to her. "Well it turns out that Andrew wasn't interviewing you for any particular reason other than he thought you were cute," she added, causing everyone to laugh.
"I was there to witness your first date, your first fight, your first Christmas, and your first anniversary. Through your first vacation together, landing your first real jobs, and getting your first apartment, I have watched the love between the two of you grow to unimaginable levels. Through the good times and the bad times, the love you have for each other never once faded. Both of you have found your soulmate, someone who is there for you when you're at your lowest, and is still there to celebrate when you're on your feet again, someone who is willing to stay up all night with you when your face is stained with tears, and is also willing to stay up all night dancing to stupid songs on the radio with you. I couldn't think of a better person to have married my best friend. When my best friend started dating you, Andrew," Christine said as she turned to face the newlyweds, "I found another best friend in you. I love you both so much, and I wish you all the happiness and love in the world even though you already have it. I can't wait to be there for your firsts as husband and wife."
Andrew and Meg both got up to hug Christine and it took a few moments of teary-eyed hugging before the three of them sat back down. Christine sat down and gave Erik a reassuring smile before he stood up to give his own speech.
Christine's smile had been enough to distract him from the continuous curious glances that he was receiving from some of the guests. Erik cleared his throat and began. "I have only known the two of you for a short period of time, and when I officially met you both you were already engaged. Regardless of that, it was still very clear that you two had built a strong relationship upon a foundation of love, understanding, trust, and laughter. I had never met a couple who complemented each other so perfectly until the day I met you. It seems so often that couples have a more dominant individual, or one who is much different than the other. That is not the case with you, Meg and Andrew," Erik said with a smile. "The two of you have similar personalities that still manage to perfectly complement the other. When one of you comes to mind, I can't help but think of the other.
"I may not be able to recall old memories of the two of you falling in love, but I can recall recent memories of the two of you being in love, and continuing to fall for each other. I can see it in both of your eyes, every time you look at each other, that you're still falling even more in love. I can fondly remember the look on your faces each time you got to tell someone new that you were engaged. I can even recall the change of pitch in your voices when you got to refer to the other as your fiancé. The amount of love you have for each other is incredible, and I am so thankful to be here to witness you vow your love before all of us. You both have found something beautiful in this life. You've both found another person whom you wish to spend the rest of your life with," Erik said as he fondly glanced down at Christine for a split second. "I am glad to have been able to share this day with you both, and I am excited for many, many more. To Mr. and Mrs. Hallorand!" Erik said as he ended his speech by raising his glass of champagne while the rest of the guests followed suit.
Everyone helped themselves to food after the speeches were over, and shortly after that Meg and Andrew had their first dance together. The song they had picked was perfect for them because they were able to slow dance at certain parts, and dance goofily at others. After the mother-son dance and the mother-daughter dance, because Meg's father wasn't alive, the rest of the guests filtered onto the dance floor. Christine was able to get Erik up for the slow songs because he enjoyed being able to hold Christine, but he would always exit the dance floor when the fast paced songs came on.
Sure, Erik could dance, but he didn't need any more reason for people to be looking at him. Christine insisted that he have a drink or two, and once he felt more comfortable he had no problem being a complete idiot on the dance floor with Christine. He didn't even pay attention to the few guests who were still looking at him oddly because he was too transfixed by the smile that was plastered on Christine's face. She was convinced she had the best dance partner out of the entire group and she was having so much fun being able to dance with Erik in a place other than their kitchen.
Once the party had died down and everyone had left, Christine and Erik gave Meg and Andrew one last congratulations before taking a taxi back to the hotel.
"Did you really mean what you said earlier?" Christine asked Erik as she sat on the edge of the bed after taking her heels off. "About wanting to marry me?"
Erik was slightly caught off guard, but he figured Christine was going to bring it up again eventually. He didn't mind. "I meant every word of it."
Christine leaned into the forehead kiss Erik gave her when he sat down next to her. "Well I think it's something we should start talking about, then. I like the thought of being your wife."
Never in a million years had Erik thought someone would actually want to marry him. He had always thought about marriage, not with a specific person, and it always seemed like a fairy tale. With Christine he might have a chance at making his dreams a reality, and he had to fight back the tears that were forming as a result of Christine's comment. He wrapped Christine into a hug, "I think so, too," was all he could manage to get out.
After a few quiet moments Christine's head became filled with questions. "Would you want to have kids?"
He knew they were going to talk about all of this eventually, but he certainly didn't think Christine wanted to talk about it right now. He was clearly wrong. "I-I do," he said after thinking about it. "I just don't want them to…look like me." Erik averted his gaze from Christine and looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I don't want them to have to deal with the things that I do."
Christine's heart seemed to have broken. "We would make sure they wouldn't have to. I would love any child that we would have, and I know you would too regardless of what they looked like. Besides, I'm sure there are tests to see if your condition is genetic."
Erik sighed, he couldn't believe how sensitive Christine was being about this. "I guess I'm just nervous about that kind of thing."
"We can figure it out together, then. You're not alone in this, you never will be," she told him as she put her head on his shoulder. "Just imagine what our life would be like if we were married."
He couldn't help but chuckle at the dreaminess in Christine's voice. "I can't imagine it would be any different than it is now. Except by the time that happens my love for you will have at least tripled."
"I guess you're right," Christine laughed. "The only difference might be a couple of kids and a bigger place to live."
She got up off the bed and walked over to their suit case. They had only brought one because they were staying for one night. Erik watched her with a smile as she looked through the clothes and toiletries before pulling out her pajamas. She reached behind her back to try and find the zipper of her dress, but couldn't quite get it.
Erik was off of the bed and behind Christine in an instant. He placed a tender kiss on her shoulder before his fingers quickly found the zipper of her dress.