Estelle's P.O.V
Today was the day. After eight years of dating my best friend, I was marrying him. I've known Ollie for as long as I can remember and if it wasn't for my brother, Percy, and his wife Annabeth, we probably wouldn't be here.
I remembered the day I came home from school and refused to speak to anyone so clearly. I had been so upset because Ollie wouldn't speak to me. I hadn't known that he had been born deaf, I didn't realise that that meant he didn't know how to speak like I did.
Annabeth though, she knew, she could talk to Ollie in a way he understood, and she very patiently taught me to be able to do the same.
In just under twenty minutes I would be signing my marriage vows to the man I loved. I didn't know where the last nineteen years had gone. One minute we're dressing up, playing trains and who knows what else. The next we're all grown up and about to start our life together.
A knock at the door drew me out of my thoughts.
"Knock knock" Percy said as he entered the room. "I'm looking for the -" Bride. That's what he'd been about to say, but when I turned around, he couldn't seem to say it.
"Oh wow," he said looking at me with all the adoration he ever had. "Elle you look beautiful." He said and I noticed tears in his eyes.
"Thank you, Perce. You're not going to do a Mom on me, are you?" I asked.
"If by that you mean, am I going to cry because of how proud I am of you. Then yes, I'm totally going to pull a Mom." He teased me smiling.
"I'll give you a pass but only because I love you. Have you seen Ollie?" I asked, the mention of his name gave me butterflies in my stomach.
"Yes, I've seen him. He's fine, a little nervous, but so was I when it was my turn." He said.
"You were nervous about marrying Annabeth?" I asked.
"No not about marrying her. I've never been more sure of anything. I was nervous about messing something up. The vows, the dance, any of it."
"You know I wouldn't have cared right?" Annabeth asked from behind him. Neither of us had heard her enter the room.
"Of course I do," Percy said his voice laced with all the love he held for his wife. "But I wanted your day to be perfect, and Ollie wants the same for you Elle."
"Alright, soppy big brother, off you go. It's almost time, and Estelle and I have a few last minute things to do." Annabeth said giving Percy a kiss and pushing him toward the door.
"Okay, okay, I'm going." He laughed as his wife pushed him out of the door.
"What have we got left to do?" I asked uncertainly. I was in my dress, my hair was styled, my makeup was done. All I had left was to put my shoes on. Or so I thought.
"Don't look so worried." Annabeth smiled, as she approached me from the other side of the room. My mom came through the door holding a box, her tears now dried.
"Right, there's a saying I'm sure you'll remember, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a six-pence in your shoe." Mom said in the all business voice that she put on when she was trying hard not to cry. I'd only seen her use it a couple of times. The time Percy was missing, Percy's wedding day and now today on my wedding day.
"So what does that mean I need to do?" I asked curiously. Mom sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to do the same.
"In this box I have a few items that could fill your missing requirements. You have your dress which is something new. The rest lay in here." She said.
"What even is a six pence?" I asked.
"It's an old English coin," Annabeth said. "When I was in London for work, I picked one up. It's now in your Mom's box."
I'll admit I didn't know a great deal about weddings. Though I'd attended a few, I was still very young then and thus hadn't paid much attention. I'll also admit I didn't do much planning for my own day either. We weren't having a huge, flashy ceremony we were having a small intimate family ceremony and a small reception. A little like Annabeth and Percy had done. Annabeth had been great though, between her, my Mom and Piper the wedding planning was pretty much done.
All I had to do was turn up and decide on a colour. So I knew it came as no surprise to either Mom or my sister-in-law that I did not in fact know the tradition of things I was supposed to wear on my wedding day. I was still focusing on the fact I was going to be signing my vows to Ollie in less than ten minutes. I was nervous too, but in the best way.
"I think," Mom said, "that we can wrap up, old, borrowed and blue into one item." Mom opened the box and took out a smaller box, one that you would associate with jewellery.
"These were your grandmother's" she passed me a small jewellery box opening it as she did.
I looked at the stunning sapphire earrings in the box. I knew they weren't Nana Blofis' she'd never wear something like this. But that meant they must be Grandma Jackson's, but I didn't think Mom had anything of any value left from her Mom because of the Walrus.
It didn't matter how old I got, I still didn't know anything about the Walrus, other than as a collective we didn't like him, we didn't talk about him, and he was never going to be around us ever again.
"But mom I thought -"
"I know sweetie, what do think?" She said diverting my question, not that today was the day for it.
"They're beautiful mom are you sure?" I asked.
"Of course"
Annabeth's P.O.V
Estelle looked beautiful. It was often what I imagined a young Sally Jackson to look like. I'd been given a tremendous honour today when Estelle and Ollie asked if I could officiate.
I left Estelle with Sally and Paul who had joined us not long after Sally had given Estelle her mother's earrings to wear. To head down and get ready for the ceremony. I'll admit I was nervous even though it was a small ceremony. Just because I was fluent in sign language, and now ordained online, didn't mean there wasn't a possibility I'd get something wrong. And I really didn't want that to happen, not today. I wanted Estelle and Ollie's day to be as perfect for them as mine and Percy's day had been for me.
I remembered the day Ollie had asked Estelle's parents for her hand. Estelle was out with Izzy and Trix, Percy and I were at Sally and Paul's as it happened. He'd been so nervous, but he hadn't needed to be.
He'd been part of the family since the day Estelle had become his friend. We all knew sign language, Sally, Paul, Percy, and I had taken a class when Ollie started coming over for play dates. It was more of a refresher for me, but it was still really useful. Ollie's mom had teared up the first time she'd seen us all signing goodbye when she picked him up after a play date.
When it became very clear that Ollie would be a permanent member of our family, which was probably when they were about ten, Sally asked the cousins and their partners to learn sign language too. They all loved Estelle, and especially how happy she was when Ollie was around (even Jason) so without complaint, they all learnt sign language too.
So when they finally started dating, there was really no question that we would end up here one day.
The day Ollie came to ask for Estelle's hand he was so nervous that he struggled to sign what he wanted to say. With a knowing look Sally offered him a glass of water and told him to take his time. She knew what he wanted to ask, we all did, but none of us wanted to steal his thunder.
No surprises Paul and Sally gave their blessing no questions asked. And then Ollie turned to me and Percy and asked for ours. We'd both been a little taken aback, no-one more so than me, we both gave him our blessing. Though he didn't need it.
We all expected Estelle to say yes, and she had. The rest as they say was history.
Percy's P.O.V
Today was the first day of the rest of Estelle and Ollie's lives together and I was so happy for them. Ollie had a surprise for Estelle today and the fact that I was already aware of it was making me extra emotional today. On top of the fact that Annabeth had told me this morning that she was pregnant with our third child, meant my emotions were very close to the surface.
I was so happy about the pregnancy but we both agreed we would tell the family a couple of weeks down the line, so as not to take away from Estelle and Ollie's big day. The fact Annabeth told me this morning meant that I could express my happiness throughout the day without it looking suspicious.
Which was part of the reason she told me today. I was already so happy for my little sister, but this just added to my happiness. I cried on my own wedding day so I had no doubt I would cry on my sister's wedding day too.
When I saw her earlier in her dress, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. She looked beautiful. Which was not to say my sister wasn't always beautiful. Estelle had always been and will always be, but now everyone else could see what has always been so obvious to those who loved her the most.
I sat my daughters next to Jason and went to stand next to Ollie and wait for my sister to walk down the aisle. Since he was marrying his best friend Ollie hadn't wanted to pick anyone else to be his best man or woman. But it was important that someone stood with him and when I had offered to do just that, a few tears had been shed before he'd agreed.
As my wife was officiating it meant I was close to her today too. She looked as beautiful as the day I reconnected with her in Mom's coffee shop. I knew I'd always feel this way. Annabeth smiled at me and nodded towards the top of the isle.
While I'd been staring at my wife, I'd completely missed the music starting to signal that Estelle was about to walk m down the aisle.
Most people watch the bride as she walks down the aisle, but not Piper McLean-Grace. She told me after my wedding day that she watched the Groom because she loved seeing how much love they held for their approaching Bride. So today I watched Estelle for a little bit, walking down on Paul's arm and she looked at Ollie with as much love as I was sure I looked at my wife with.
When she got half way down though I turned to look at Ollie. Piper was right, as she often was about matters of the heart, there was no doubt (not that I had any in the first place) about how much Ollie love my sister. I knew he was nervous today was a big day for Ollie in many ways.
No-one else knew, only me. He wanted everyone to be surprised. It had been the hardest thing to keep it from Annabeth, because I'd made an agreement with Annabeth a long time ago that I would never lie to her. So when Ollie had confided in me, Annabeth and I sat down and had a conversation. I told her that Ollie had confided in me and asked me not to say anything, that it was nothing that would hurt anyone and that she would find out when the time was right.
Annabeth, because she's my wonderful wife, was fine with that, and so not even she knew what was going to happen today.
Today's ceremony was going to be very different from every other wedding I'd ever attended for it would be silent as all in attendance were fluent in sign language. Annabeth wasn't going to speak at all.
When the music stopped and Estelle stood next to Ollie, Annabeth smiled and nodded before she began.
'Today we celebrate the union of Estelle and Ollie.' Annabeth signed. 'A day all of us knew would come, and one that marks a new beginning.' Annabeth paused and smiled at both Estelle and Ollie who were both smiling back at her.
And while Annabeth continued to sign the start of the ceremony, I looked at my Mom, Ollie's Mom, and Paul, all were beaming and both women had tears in their eyes. I'd have continued to survey the crowd of our cousins, but I didn't want to miss more of the ceremony than I already had. Even though Annabeth had practised with me over and over again for the last month and I knew exactly what she was going to sign.
When I looked over again it was time for the vows.
'Repeat after me: I, Estelle Blofis, take you, Oliver Triggs, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish always.' Annabeth signed to Estelle.
Estelle signed the repetition to Ollie and looked at him with all the love and adoration she ever had. Annabeth turned to Ollie and signed the same thing to him but with the names reversed and husband rather than wife, and this was where the ceremony changed from being silent.
"I, Oliver Triggs, take you, Estelle Blofis, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish always." Ollie said slowly and I wasn't the only one who had tears running down their face.
Annabeth looked at me silently and I nodded as discretely as I could to confirm that this had been Ollie's secret. Oliver had been going to speech therapy to get these lines to sound as close to perfect as he could. When he'd first started, he'd found it really difficult but there had been a specialist in New York one weekend who had helped Ollie make the break through he needed to continue to learn to speak. Estelle looked like she wanted to say something, but she refrained to allow Annabeth to continue to sign the ceremony and for them to exchange their rings.
Estelle signed and Ollie said, "With this ring, I wed you and pledge you my love now and forever."
'I now pronounce you husband and wife.' Annabeth signed and before she could sign anything else Ollie turned to face Estelle and said the three words, he knew Estelle had always longed to hear, but had accepted that it was something she wouldn't hear but see.
"I love you Estelle" He told her, reaching for her as he did.
"I love you too Ollie" She replied and met him half way before Annabeth could sign anything, in a sweet kiss that sealed their marriage to one another.
Cheers erupted from our family and as I looked at their faces, I could see the tear tracks down their faces. As Estelle and Ollie made their way down the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Triggs, Annabeth came over to me.
"My hormones can't take more of those kind of surprises, are there anymore?" She asked me.
"Not that I'm aware of" I promised lacing my fingers with her and kissing her cheek before we followed my sister and her new husband out to the reception.
Piper's P.O.V
Estelle and Oliver's wedding had been beautiful. I'd cried my eyes out at how romantic his surprise had been. Jason had also shed a tear; in fact I don't think there had been a single dry eye in the house. Especially not when he'd said out loud for the first time that he loved her before kissing her.
That had been a few weeks ago now and the memory still almost brought me to tears.
It hadn't taken very long for Jason to warm up to the idea of Estelle dating in the end, especially as the man she'd chosen was Oliver. For all his big talk at her sixth birthday all those years ago one thing remained absolute. He wanted her to be happy.
There'd been a few occasions over the years when Estelle and Oliver were being bullied that Jason had wanted to step in. But Aunt Sally (she insisted now that I had married into the family that I also call her Aunt Sally). Had once again stepped in and talked him down. It wasn't like we all didn't hate the fact that the two of them were being bullied, we absolutely did.
But as Aunt Sally explained to Jason, one Estelle hated having problems solved for her, two Oliver was the same and three it would make them stronger to work through it together. They would ask for help if they wanted it. They never did. But Oliver had protected Estelle just as much as Estelle had protected him.
They'd always backed each other, and you didn't need to believe in love as much as I did to know that one day they would be exactly where they are right now, together and married.
Today had been another emotional day for me, Annabeth and Percy had announced to the family that they were having another baby. I was so thrilled for them, as well as Izzy and Trixie who were both really excited too.
5 years later…
"I'm pregnant" Estelle told me and Annabeth, and she looked terrified. She was twenty seven years old, but she looked as terrified as she had been at the age of six when we didn't know if Percy would wake up.
"What's worrying you about that?" Annabeth asked gently taking her hand. We were at Percy and Annabeth's. Percy and Jason had taken the kids out which now included Annabeth and Percy's son, Carter. Oliver was at work; they'd been pushing him really hard recently taking advantage of his kind nature. Annabeth thought they were trying to force him into quitting, and it wouldn't be the first time they'd done that to Oliver.
"I don't know how to be a mom, Ollie's so stressed with work this will add to that,"
"Okay, Elle" Annabeth interrupted "Let's take a deep breath and then I want you too take a really long breath out because that's the bit that really helps to calm you down."
Estelle copied Annabeth's breathing until she looked a lot less hysterical. We were in the lounge having a catch up. Annabeth and I always did, once a month, and our husbands took the children out so we could.
Today Estelle had knocked on the door ten minutes after Jason and Percy had left. Immediately Annabeth knew something was amiss. She always had with Estelle, ever since Percy had gone missing Annabeth was who Estelle turned to for help. The fact that Annabeth had helped to bring Percy home only solidified Annabeth's heroism in her eyes. So it came as no surprise to me that she was here seeking reassurance from Annabeth today.
"Oliver is going to be thrilled that you're pregnant." Annabeth said taking her sister-in-law's hand.
"I know he is" Estelle replied, "I don't know how to do this though."
Annabeth and I both smiled at her kindly.
"Elle sweetie," I said "No-one knows how to do this until they have to actually do it. But you don't have to worry. You have your mom, your dad and you have us, Percy, Jason, and most importantly you'll have Ollie."
"Thanks guys" She smiled weakly, but it was a large improvement from where we were when she'd arrived.
"Are you happy about it Elle?" Annabeth asked.
"Yeah, I am, but I'll admit I'm scared."
"That's really quite normal" I said.
Annabeth and I regaled Estelle with our tales of the first time we found out we were pregnant. And assured her that we were both terrified when we found out too. We also assured her that as soon as she told Oliver she'd feel better, we both had once we'd told our respective husbands.
Oliver's P.O.V
Work was horrible. It had been slowly getting worse over the past few months. I knew Estelle had noticed how rubbish I was feeling about it all. I felt awful that I was so down and closed off when I got home from work. She was only ever trying to help when she tried to get me to talk to her about it all.
And I loved her for that among other things. From the day I'd met Estelle, she'd accepted me for who I was. She'd said hello and I'd tried my hardest to say hello back. But I didn't know how it was supposed to sound and I didn't want her to leave me alone like the other kids did.
I owe a lot to my sister-in-law, Annabeth. She knew how to build the bridge between us, to allow us to communicate. Thanks to Annabeth I gained the best friend I could ever have hoped for and the love of my life.
But there were still people out there that didn't appreciate how difficult it was to be unable to hear. There were still those that felt that I shouldn't get to do what I want to do because I couldn't hear. And there were some who believed I got special treatment just because I was deaf.
I got special treatment if you could call it that. I received abusive messages telling me that I didn't deserve the job I was in, telling me that I should quit. The thing was I was a personal assistant, I ran errands for my boss, who has never taken an issue with me being deaf, I also respond to emails. It wasn't like I was next in line to run the company, but I didn't take phone calls which was part of the problem.
There are a couple of other personal assistants who filtered those, and they were the ones that had a problem with me.
I tried not to take it too personally, but it was getting to the point where I'd rather just quit and look for something new. But I didn't want to let Estelle down. We couldn't afford for me to be unemployed, and I didn't want to put her under any unnecessary stress. But I knew I also couldn't continue on like this, it wasn't fair to me, and it wasn't fair to Estelle.
I knew that Annabeth was in need of a new personal assistant, I'd seen the advert go up this week and I knew she'd have hundreds of applicants for it. But I hoped she would at least see me.
Which is how I found myself at Annabeth's office on my lunch break. I knew she didn't work Saturday's, so I knew I was getting special treatment here, but I didn't know what else to do. The building Annabeth worked in was extraordinary, it was one of the ones she'd designed herself. Architect majors up and down the country were dying to be her personal assistant I didn't really know why she'd take me on if she did take me on for the job.
'Hello Ollie, come on up' Annabeth signed before holding the door open for me and leading me to the elevator that would take us up to her office. I'd only graced the marble floors once before; the day Carter was born. Percy was on school pick up and I was the closest person. So I'd picked Annabeth up from work to take her to the hospital. I'd been too focused on not letting Annabeth and Percy down that day to really see the extravagant building she'd designed, but now I could see it now and it was extraordinary.
I'd never seen what Annabeth did up close before and it was awe inspiring, I understood now why college graduates all over wanted to intern at her firm, why they'd be her personal assistant if they couldn't be anything else.
'Thanks for seeing me on such short notice' I signed as we sat down in her office. 'I'm sorry I took you away from your day with Piper' I knew today was their monthly catch up.
Thirty minutes later I came out of her office with a job, ready to go back to my current job and hand in my notice and feeling much better, I couldn't wait to tell Estelle.
9 months later…
"I love you Estelle" I said out loud. I didn't speak out loud a lot, even though I'd learnt how to for our wedding day. I was still nervous about doing so. But I always said those three words to my wife out loud.
Especially as she'd just given birth to our son.
I'm a father and I can't quite believe it. That day Annabeth gave me a job, I hadn't been the only one with news when I came home. I was so excited then and I'm so excited now.
To start our life together with our son, George. And what a life it turned out to be.
~Author's Note~
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you've not read it before you read this, The Seal and The Owl will fill in all the gaps!
If you've read both stories, thank you and I hope you enjoyed please let me know!
