Chapter 11: The Wedding

The week went by quickly. Ann and Cliff were to be wed on Sunday, and it was already Friday. Cliff was having his bacholer party Friday Night, and Ann her bacholerette party. I was getting ready to go to the party when Cliff showed up at my house.
"Hey Jack," he said.
"Hey Cliff, why aren't you setting up for your party?" I asked.
"Well, I wanted to talk with you, see I'm getting really nervous." he said.
"Oh it's nothing to be worried about, remember, I've been married before, it shouldn't be stressful." I said grinning.
"Thanks Jack, I knew I could count on you to say the right thing," he said, sticking his hands in his pockets, "I just really like her, I'm afraid I'll be embarassed in front of her."
"You won't be, she's probably thinking about the same thing." I said.

Meanwhile, at Ann's Bacholerette Party

"I'm so nervous," said Ann.
"Don't worry about it! You've done this before!" said Elli, who had come back from the city.
"I know, but.....I like Cliff more than I liked Jack!" said Ann.
"Oh.." said Elli, hanging her head.
"Oh, I don't love Jack anymore!" said Ann, Elli smiled.
"Good."

At the Bacholer Party

We walked into the Vineyard, where Duke and Manna had been allowed us to hold the party there. We walked in and Stu, the Doctor, Kai, and Duke were there. There were glasses and bottles of wine everywhere, and balloons were strung about the room.
"Hey, it's the bacholer!" said Stu, who had also come back for the wedding.
"Yep, that's me!" said Cliff grinning.
"So Cliff, how does it feel?" asked Kai.
"It feels good!" said Cliff.
I remembered back to Ann and I's wedding, we didn't celebrate it that much..
"So Cliff, who's goin' to be your best man?" asked Kai, winking at Cliff.
"Well, it was an easy decision. It's someone who without them, this wedding couldn't be possible. He has been with me through thick and thin...my best friend...Jack." said Cliff, pointing to me.
"Me?" I asked, I was totally suprised, I thought he'd have picked Duke or Stu.
"Yeah, you Jack! Your my best friend!" said Cliff. I snapped out of it, "Yeah, you better believe it!" I said, pretending to tackle him.

The party was wild, even if there was only 6 of us. We drank a lot, talked about girls, the Doctor whom I had forgiven admitted his crush on Elli...
"Yeah, I've loved her since my eyes set on her." said the doctor.
"Oh really?" asked Kai, giving me a glance.
"Yep, ain't no one but me good enough for Elli." he continued.
I thought this was partially true, except him being good enough, no one was good enough for Elli!
"So, you really like her?" asked Cliff. Everyone kept looking at me, waiting for me to start a fight.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to ask her to marry me on Sunday." said the doctor grinning.
"Oh THATS IT." I said, pouncing on him.
"What are you talking about, Elli is my girlfriend!" said the doctor.
"Yeah," I said, "In your dreams!"
I continued struggling with him until he threw me off.
"Look Jack, whatever you had with Elli, it's over, she's mine now." he said.
"No, she's still mine," I scowled.
"Yeah, then why was she so eager to leave you? Did you know she came before she left to my clinic and gave me a kiss?" he said, laughing.
"What?" I said, sinking back, "she kissed you? She...she didn't say goodbye to me. She said it would be too hard.."
"No, she just didn't want you to still love her after she was gone. She told me she loved me, and wanted to marry me." grinned the Doctor.
"NO, IT ISN'T TRUE!" I shouted, I ran out into the grape bushes.

At Ann's Party

"So, Elli, you still in love with Jack?" asked Ann.
"Um..." said Elli.
"What? Don't tell me you aren't!" said Ann.
"I...I don't..I mean...I'm not. I love...the doctor," said Elli, it sounded like she was spitting out the words.
"Ohh.." said Ann, a look of disappointment in her face, "I always thought you guys had the real thing.."
"No, it was all fake. I dislike him, I only went out with him because I felt sorry for him." said Elli.
*Shouts are heard from the Vineyard*
"NO. IT CAN'T BE TRUE, I.....I LOVE HER!"
"What was that?" asked Ann curiously, "It sounded like Jack saying..."No. It can't be true, I like curry."
"Yeah, same here.." said Elli, even though she knew what Jack really said.
"Well, that's odd, guys can be so strange." said Ann giggling.

Back to Jack

"Jack, don't listen to the Doctor, he's probably lying." said Cliff.
"No, he wasn't, I could tell from his eyes." I murmured.
"Well, we'll just see how much she loves him when he proposes to her." said Cliff.
"Yeah, we will." I said.

The day of the wedding rolled around. Everyone assembled at the church at 10AM for the wedding. I stood up on the platform where the best man stands, all the while I was looking at Elli. Elli was sitting with the Doctor, holding his hand. She looked depressed, but when she looked at the doctor, she smiled. I couldn't look anymore so I concentrated on Cliff and Ann. When the wedding ended, we all flocked out of the church and head towards the Inn where the party was being held. Ten minutes after the party started, everything got silent.
"Attention everyone! I have an announcement!" said the Doctor.
Everyone murmured in confusion.
"Tonight, this is dedicated to a beautiful lady, whom I love." he said, looking at Elli, I was about to leave when I realized what he was doing.
"Elli, come up here." he coaxed.
Elli walked up in a beautiful dress, I stood in awe of her beauty.
The Doctor got on one knee, "Elli, will you marry me?"
I heard people sighing with how cute it was.
"Um..." muttered Elli, she was obviously suprised.
"Say I WILL," whispered the Doctor.
"No, you don't understand," whispered Elli back.
"What?" the Doctor asked.
"Um....I'm sorry, I can't." said Elli, running out of the Inn. I took this chance to follow her.
"Elli, ELLI! Wait up!" I yelled.
"Jack..." said Elli softly, turning around. Her face was streaked with tears.
"Elli..You can't love him, can you? Not after you turned him down, surely not." I said.
Elli turned away.
"So it's true," I hissed, "You love him, you cheating...."
"Jack, stop. Don't make this harder than it is." she said.
"HARDER?! Ya know, I just kept waiting for you to come back, then when you do, the Doctor tells me you KISSED him, and that you said you LOVED him! How can I make it any harder?" I demanded.
"Jack...please..." cried Elli, "Y-You don't understand!"
"Oh, I understand just fine," I yelled, I started to walk off.
"I love you!" yelled Elli.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her. She was now on her knees crying. I walked over to her and held her.
"Elli, why, why'd you do it? Why did you lie?" I asked.
"I, I didn't want to leave. I didn't want you to still love me, when, when it couldn't work out. We both knew it couldn't. I wanted you to hate me, so that you wouldn't miss me, and you wouldn't be in pain. So I told the Doctor lies to make you hate me..." she explained.
"Oh Ell, I love you. Nothing is going to change that!" I said.
"..Really?" she asked, sniffling.
"Yeah!" I said.

We stood up and hugged, then kissed. I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. I got down on one knee and looked into Elli's eyes.
"Elli, will you be my bride?" I asked.
"Oh.." she said, a tear rolling down her cheek, "of course I will."

I slipped the small diamond ring on her finger and we kissed. We stood there for a long time just holding each other and talking. Then, we walked in.
"There they are!" squealed Ann.
Cliff gave me a thumbs up.
"Everyone, we have an announcement," I said, smiling at Elli.
"Elli and I, are engaged!" I said.

The whole Inn burst into cheers and applause. I heard a few people shout, "It's about time!", and others saying, "Oh, they're so beautiful!". Elli and I kissed again, then went to talk to Ann and Cliff.
"I knew you still loved him!" said Ann, playfully poking Elli.
"Yeah, so did I!" said Cliff.
"Hey, Congratulations!" I said to Cliff and Ann. I kissed Ann on the cheek and shook Cliff's hand, but then Cliff and I hugged, we were like brothers.
"I think you guys needs the congrats!" said Cliff.

The day ended after twelve full hours of wedding cake, dancing, and toasts. Elli spent the night at her grandmother's house, and called her parents and told them the news. Her parents screams could be heard when I was standing next to her, and it was settled she'd stay in the village. We set our wedding in one week, the next Sunday.