Okay, I wasn't planning on posting this until tomorrow, but I have to share the news with someone who isn't my bestest ever guy friend Lockie. We have known Lockie and his sister Lexi (one of my two best chick friends) since we were all babies, because they're our neighbours. Anyway, Lockie is great friends with my older brothers. And my younger brothers, but that's irrelevent in this story. So, my two older brothers and Lockie are having the Mario Kart finals at our place on Friday night, and gathered in our lounge room to practice. At this time, I was in the shower, washing my hair. I got new shampoo! Sunsilk Longer and Stronger- it smells really nice. So I, naturally, had to share the news. I ran down the hallway with my towel wrapped around me (you couldn't see anything, don't worry), demanding anyone I passed to smell my hair. Now Lockie blends right in with my family. We often forget he's there.
This happened to be one of these times. I threw myself at my two older brothers and Lockie, without realising Lockie was not one of my brothers. He shrieked like a little girl. "RHYLES YOU'RE DRIPPING ON ME!"
Yes. I realised Lockie was not one of my brothers. My brothers would smell my hair and demand I put on clothes. Moral of the story? Wear clothes before you demand people should smell your hair. And smell Sunsilk Longer and Stronger. You will thank me (well, maybe not, but it smells good!).
Sorry for the insanely long author's note, I'll finish soon. This is the chapter with- cue music- the wedding! Here comes the bride, all dressed in white! Oh, and happy birthday to Sarah, one of my bestest ever friends, for Sunday! Love ya, chickadee! Read and review!
Rhyleigh xoxox
"Happy wedding day!"
Rachel's door was flung open so fast she nearly went flying through the window. Or, the bed nearly went flying through the window. She was curled under the covers, holding Isabelle gently, to try and calm her nerves. The blankets were strewn everywhere and her blonde curls were in a knotted ball at the back of her head.
"What the hell, Rachel?" Libby demanded, standing over her. "How can you not be excited right now?"
Libby bounced on the end of her bed and Rachel just groaned. When they were kids, Libby had always been the one hyped up on fizzy drinks, or red lollies, or just the smell of coffee.
Or just hyper in general.
"I am excited, Libs. I'm just FREAKING OUT". Rachel looked at her best friend menacingly.
The cheerful voices of Sammy and Melissa made their way into the room. "Good morning!"
"You look like death", Melissa said, cutting to the chase. She was never one to sugar coat things.
"Good morning to you too, Melissa", Rachel grumbled.
"She's not having a good morning", Libby explained, in an exaggerated whisper.
"It's not funny Libby!" Rachel said, pulling a pillow over her head.
"Come on, outta bed", Sammy said, removing her niece from her sister in law's arms. "Up!"
Melissa ripped the pillow off Rachel's head and Rachel took a dive to retrieve her pillow. Mel held it just out of her reach and Rachel fell back onto her bed.
Rachel allowed herself to be forced out of the comfort of the bed and into the lounge room, where she was greeted by her family.
"Morning princess!" Ted said cheerfully.
"Good morning, Rachel", Chel said pleasantly.
"Hey, baby girl". Dave kissed her on the top of the head.
"Morning Rach", Nathan said.
"You look horrible", Ben said truthfully. He and Mel were alike in a lot of ways- they never sugar coated things.
"Okay, okay, okay, I'm going back to bed". She turned and was about to bolt, but Melissa and Libby forced her into a chair and Julie poured her a cup of tea.
"Eat something, Rach".
"You want me to throw up?"
"It'll help with the nerves", Grace assured her.
"Yeah right".
Julie sat a slice of buttered toast in front of her and Rachel stared, dismayed.
"I will kill you, Jake Barton", Camel warned, as he scooped jam onto his toast. Jake just glared at him from across the kitchen table- he had no idea how he was being so calm.
"I have to talk to Rachel!" Jake whined. It was what he had done in every other situation, where he was panicking. "Give me back the phone, Camel".
Camel, before sitting down to toast the loaf of bread, had taken the liberty of hiding every phone in the house. The four mobiles (his, Alex's, George's and Jake's) were in the pocket of his suit pants, and the cordless home phone was shoved into his suit jacket. The main home phone, however, had been disconnected completely- and shoved into his ute. He was under strict instructions from Libby- Libby was scary when she was stressed. All this was done before Grace had left and before Jake had woken up.
"Where is the phone?" Jake complained, putting his hands down on the table.
"Eat your toast!" Alex snapped. He had no patience for Jake's antics. He never had.
Jake went back to crumbling his toast with Vegemite.
"Listen, Mum'll be here soon", Alex started.
A glimmer of hope flickered through Jake's chocolate brown eyes. "do you think she'll let me speak to Rachel?"
"No!"
"Dream on, mate", Camel scoffed.
"I have to speak to Rachel!"
"I don't care!" Camel and Alex were over it.
"I bet someone's going to kill him before the wedding", George said cheerfully.
Jake sent daggers down his end of the table and he very nearly cowered.
"I was thinking someone was going to kill themselves, but each to their own". Alex shrugged.
"Give me the phone, Camel!"
"No!"
The conversation started again, for the fourth time in fifteen minutes.
After forcing the one piece of toast down her throat (Julie was satisfied), Rachel went and had a shower.
"I'll go get the dress!" Melissa said cheerfully, heading out the front door.
"She was holding it hostage", Libby explained to a confused Nathan.
Nathan just nodded, pretending like he knew what was going on.
Carbo burst in the door back door, having thrown himself over the fence. Dusting off his suit, he grinned. "I'm ready!"
"The wedding's not 'til twelve, Carbo", Ben reminded him.
"So? I woke up and the whole house was empty!" he turned to Dave. "Can you see strawberry jam on my tie?"
"No", Dave said, confused.
"Good. Coz strawberry jam fell off my toast and onto my tie while I was eating breakfast", he explained.
Ben just stared at him. "Why were you eating breakfast in your suit?"
"Hey, I figured if you didn't notice the Vegemite on my tie at your wedding, Jake and Rachel wouldn't notice the jam on my tie at theirs", he said cheerfully.
Chel just giggled- she was used to Carbo by then.
"I wonder if Alex has killed Jake yet", Grace said.
"Probably", Rachel said, coming out with a dressing gown wrapped around her. "Sammy? Mel? Lib? Can you help me?"
"I'll hold Belle", Dave volunteered, as the three girls ushered the bride to be into her bedroom.
Libby plugged in the hair straightener, as Rachel fiddled with her raggedy toy lamb.
"It'll be quick and painless", Melissa said cheerfully, opening the bag of makeup she had. Lip glosses, lipsticks, eye shadows, mascara, eyeliners and foundation fell out. When Sammy tipped her colossal nail polish collection onto the bed, Libby just laughed.
"Forget anything?"
Sammy opened another bag to display an array of different combs and brushes.
"Nope", Melissa said cheekily.
It was Melissa's wedding day all over again.
Rachel sat there; her eyes squeezed shut, as Libby gently brushed out her hair.
"It's not going to hurt, Rach", Sammy assured her.
Half an hour later, Rachel's toenails were painted a pretty pink, her eyelids shimmered with pale pink eye shadow, and her blue eyes shone even brighter with the black mascara and eyeliner. Her lips were glittery and her hair was piled on the top of her head, blonde tendrils falling to frame her face. She looked beautiful.
"Okay, now all you need is your dress", Libby said cheerfully.
"Want me to get Julie?" Melissa asked.
Rachel was ahead of her. "Could you just leave me and Mum..."
"Sure".
The girls filed out and Rachel poked her head out the door. "Mummy!"
"Coming, darling". Julie hurried into her room, eager to see her eldest daughter. "Oh, baby, you look gorgeous!"
"Thank you". Rachel smiled shyly. "Could you help me get into my dress?"
"You look beautiful", Julie repeated, as she slid the white dress out of the plastic cover. As Rachel slipped it up her small figure, Julie zipped the zipper up the back.
"Jake's eyes will fall out in shock", Julie smiled.
Rachel giggled, sitting down on the bed to slip on her shoes.
"I have something for you, darling", Julie said, reaching into the pocket of her dressing gown. She withdrew a jewellery box, snapping it open to show her daughter.
"That was Nan's", Rachel said in shock.
"That was my grandmother's first", Julie corrected. "And it'll be Isabelle's when she's older".
Inside the jewellery box was a gold necklace with a teardrop pearl hanging off the chain. Louise Taylor had guarded it with her life, before passing it onto Julie. It was Julie's most prized possession but it was time for Rachel to have it.
Julie hooked the necklace around her daughter's neck, clipping it together.
"Your nan would be so proud of you", Julie whispered to her daughter. Rachel blinked back tears- Libby would kill her if she ruined her makeup.
"You think?"
"I know". Julie put her arms around her and Rachel rested her head on her shoulder. Julie rubbed her back, before leading her out. "Come on, everyone's gotta see you".
"She's ready!" Sammy, Libby and Melissa screamed in unison.
"Oh my God", Ben said, seeing his sister.
"Rachel!" Carbo flung himself at her and Rachel tried not to yell as Carbo lifted her off the ground. "You look hot!"
"Put me down!" she yelped. "Nicholas, put me down RIGHT NOW!"
Everyone had cameras out, to capture the monumental day in the Rafter family.
Dave was standing back, as everyone congratulated his baby girl. His eldest child, his little princess. She was hardly little, with a princess of her own. Now Ruby was his baby- quite literally. She would grow up to be gorgeous, just like her sister, and he would have to go through it all again. He was so absorbed, thinking about Ruby and Rachel and how alike and similar they both were, that he didn't even notice Rachel head towards him.
"Do I look pretty Daddy?" she whispered.
He had tears in his eyes. "Sweetheart, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen". He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, wrapping his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest, finding comfort in his familiar aftershave scent. He was the first man that had ever loved her and he was the first man she had ever loved.
"I love you, Daddy".
"I love you more, baby girl". Dave kissed her forehead again, keeping his arms around her.
"Ma, why can't I see Rachel?" Jake whined, as Grace straightened his tie.
"Because you can't".
"But Mum, I always talk to Rachel!"
"I know, darlin', but right now you've just got to get ready".
"I'm ready".
"You aren't wearing shoes", Alex spoke up.
Jake marched over to where his shoes were. Sitting down on the lounge, he pulled them onto his feet and laced them up. "My shoes are on. Now can I talk to Rachel?"
"Honey, you'll see Rachel at the church. You can't talk to her, baby, its going against tradition".
"I don't care about tradition!" Jake fumed. "The only person who cares about tradition is Tahlia!"
Nathan handed Rachel her ringing phone. "It's Tahlia".
It was Nathan who had been put in charge of the phones at the Rafters' house. Under strict instructions from Libby, Rachel was not allowed to touch them. Unless of course, it wasn't Jake.
"Hello?" Rachel asked.
"Are you wearing all the necessary requirements?"
"Excuse me?" Rachel was slightly confused.
"Are you wearing something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?"
Rachel thought it over. "My dress is new, my necklace is old, my earrings are Mum's and... well, my undies are blue".
"Good enough for me!"
"Why?"
"Rachel, its tradition". Tahlia explained it like Rachel was a four year old. "You just have to, Rach, don't worry".
She was too nervous to worry more.
"Come on, Rach, the car is here!" Carbo screeched.
Sammy and Melissa helped Rachel into the waiting car, Libby climbing in beside her.
"We'll see ya there", Ben said, smacking a kiss on his sister's cheek.
"Ben, if you ruin her makeup..." Julie left the threat hanging.
Rachel and Libby waved excitedly as the car started to take the bride and bridesmaid to the church.
"Are you scared?" Chel asked Rachel.
"I've never been more nervous in my entire life", Rachel admitted. She was pale white, whiter than her dress, and she was shaking.
"You'll be fine", Ted assured her.
"What if I forget my name?" she cried suddenly.
"Its Rachel", Dave said, wrapping his arms around his oldest daughter. "Rachel Rafter- you'll always be Rachel Rafter".
Rachel was definitely not going to change her name. A Rafter was who she was.
"It's time to go inside", Julie said to Dave, with Ruby in her arms. "Don't be scared, sweetheart, you're beautiful and Jake's beautiful. You're perfect for each other".
Rachel gave them a shaky smile, as they entered the church.
Jake and Rachel had chose the small church on the outskirts of the town, where both Dave and Julie, and Grace and Robert had got married, years before. Their wedding wasn't going to be as big as Nathan and Sammy's (nothing could be as big as Nathan and Sammy's) and yet it wasn't going to be as small as Melissa and Ben's. Ben and Mel had only had fifteen guests.
Rachel and Jake had decided on a medium sized wedding- with Dave, Julie, Grace, Ted, Chel, Ruby, Nathan, Ben, Sammy, Melissa, Alex, Carbo, Camel, Libby and George as their guests. Jake had decided to invite a few friends from his football team, and Tanya, one of the girls who came to all the games. Rachel decided to invite Tahlia from work- she had been subscribing to Bridal Monthly since she was twelve and was insanely jealous of Rachel.
"We are gathered here today", the minister began.
Rachel didn't take her eyes off her best friend and the love of her life. Isabelle was cooing gently and Grace was taking enough photos to make a flipbook of the whole event.
Ben was grinning proudly- he too had known there was something more than friendship going on between his sister and the guy he had always treated as a brother. He, however, hadn't teased her as much as Grace and Julie did.
Nathan smiled- his sister was finally getting the happy ending she deserved. She had her heart broken at the tender age of fifteen, and finally when she thought she was happy, Daniel had abused her. Jake was the one who had helped her heal. All this time, Rachel had been looking for love and had been too blind to see it was right in front of her face.
Melissa was happy for her sister in law- she knew both Rachel and Jake had endured heartache and pain in their lives, and was glad they had finally admitted it too each other.
I can't believe I finally have the girl!
Jake's chocolate brown eyes met Rachel's sky blue ones and he grinned sheepishly. Neither of them were listening, and it showed.
When it came to do their vows, Rachel let out a nervous breath. "I don't remember the day we met, Jake, since we were only babies, but I know it was one of the best days of my life. It really did change it forever. We've shared everything in life- from bad jokes, to huge secrets to chicken pox. You've just always been there. Having you with me makes me so incredibly happy, and I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I love you, Jake, and I always will".
"I have never loved anyone more in my entire life, Rachel Rafter. Ever since we were little kids, I have loved you. I was just too scared to say anything. You always say that to be a better person, you need to conquer your fears. Well I did that, Rach, by asking you to marry me. I love you in every way possible, I always have, and I always will".
They slipped the gold wedding bands onto each other's fingers, and waited for the five most important words.
"You may kiss the bride", the minister said.
Jake leaned towards Rachel, moving the veil off her face, and their lips met in a passionate yet appropriate kiss- they were in front of Dave, after all.
He had tears running down his face- his eldest baby had just gotten married. She was no longer his to take care of. As he watched her and her new husband, flashbacks of the past, where she had cuddled up to him, asked him to dance with her or just said, "I love you Daddy" were playing through his head, on repeat. His princess was no longer his princess.
Julie's heart was aching with proudness- she loved all her kids but had a bond with her eldest daughter. As much as she had teased her about true love, she knew right then that Rachel had found it. she had caught the two of them, many times, as children, staring at each other like they were the only ones in the world. At times, it was true.
Grace had two single tears running down her cheeks, watching her little boy and his best friend hold hands. Rachel had always been a part of her life, since she was a baby, and Grace loved her like a daughter. As long as they had put off admitting their feelings together, Grace knew. Jake and Rachel belonged together.
Ted smiled at his granddaughter and her husband. Twenty five years, it had taken them to admit it. From when they were tiny, he knew. He and Louise had known since Jake and Rachel were in nappies- the only thing Ted regretted that Louise was not there to share it with him.
Chel, who had met her granddaughter a little over a year ago, knew that she was serious about Jake. Whenever anyone said anything bad about him, Rachel got right in their face defending him, and yet she wouldn't admit it. Chel loved her granddaughter with all of her heart- and she loved Jake, as well.
"Come on", Jake said, pulling his giggling wife down the aisle, as their families threw rose petals- courtesy of Carbo.
Once they reached the end, Rachel allowed herself to fall, straight into Jake's arms. He caught her, kissing her forehead gently. "It's all over, baby. Almost".
She just smiled up at him adoringly, ignoring all the other people in the room.
