Promise

Bert adjusted his bowtie one more time. It had seemed too low, by a millimetre, then too tight. Now, it looked crooked. Beside him, Charlie and Tom laughed. It made his ears turn red.

"Ey, don't laugh. A man is in turmoil 'ere."

"We can see tha', Bert," Charlie snickered. "Per'aps letting go of ya bowtie might 'elp."

Bert dropped his hands to his side, mostly to make a point. He still wasn't satisfied with the way it looked. Behind them, the door opened and a young boy peered inside, looking the three up and down with a whistle.

"Boy, don't you all look swell!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

"Only the best for our Bert," Tom teased, nudging the man in the shoulder. "Is it time, Jack?"

The young boy nodded. "Ay, it is. She's ready."

Bert immediately reached for his bowtie but Charlie slapped his hand away. "We'll be there in a minute."

Disappearing, Jack left the three alone. Feeling a cold sweat forming, Bert turned to the window, thinking he would open it, before changing his mind and rounding back.

"Don't tell me you're 'aving second thoughts?" Tom frowned. "You've been 'ankering after this day for years. Since the moment ya saw her, in fact."

Bert rubbed his hands together, hoping the friction would ward away the cold sweat. When it didn't work, he laughed nervously. "Well, ya know 'ow it is. Maybe I should go check if that's what she wants."

Charlie grinned. "A bi' late now, my friend, and I don't know about you bu' I assume she doesn't like t' be kept waiting. No' today of all days."

He was right. She would be furious. Or worse, anxious. Bert couldn't do that to her, almost rushing out of the door to ensure she wasn't either of those things. How could she do this? How could she agree to marry him and then actually go through with it? Did she not pity him?

It seemed the whole world had turned upside down. What world would they live in if there was no longer a Mary Poppins, but there was a Mary Alfred? Had he been knocked unconscious, left to live the remainder of his life in his dreams? Bert had never thought that Mary would marry him.

Then he realised… Mary had agreed to marry him. She had promised. Nothing was more sacred to her than a promise, especially one that ended in 'I do'.

How silly, he thought, to get worked up. Of course she had meant it. Of course she didn't regret it. Mary never made a promise that she didn't intend to keep. And Bert was not the foolish type to leave her standing alone at the altar, not when he had waited his whole life for this moment.

"Right, let's go, boys."

They could hardly keep up with him; he was practically running through the church corridor. Nobody kept Mary Poppins waiting.