A/n: just a note to start out with. I unfortunately own no one but my characters and yall know who they are! Just wanted to do that little disclaimer or whatever its called
Fast forward two months
I'm pacing the small little room that is serving as the bride's dressing room. I'm sweating. Why am I sweating so much? I'm nervous. Why am I so nervous? This isn't even my wedding! But I'm a major factor in it. I'm the maid of honor. Funny how I went from being one of the groom's wedding party to now pretty much the bride's only party. Her mom was out in the crowd but her dad refused to show. It didn't slow Donna's day any so I won't dwell on it. I was proud and honored to be her choice except for having to be grouped with Jax on every damn thing because he was the best man. Trust me when I say Gemma was eating it up like cake. We have taken so many photos its ridiculous fyi. What's that smell? God is that smell coming from me? Did i sweat out my Deordorant? I do a quick pit sniff. Deordorant is definitely doing its job today. Did you know that you produce more sweat when you're anxious or nervous? Well ya do now (insert super cheesy smiley face here) and thats you're daily fact today brought to you today by Luanne Faith. I cracked a small smile. If nothing else it's nice that even though I'm stressed to the effing max!...I can still make myself smile.
Everything is fine Faith. I chanted to myself. Everything is going as planned. You've got this under control! God why am I stressing so much? You've been the ultimate maid of honor along with helping plan the wedding, and probably the baby shower when the time came. Maybe that's my life calling...party planning. I almost laughed out loud. There's no way in hell! This is too much stress. I've lost so much sleep, hair, and hell even my appetite! There's no way I could do this long term. I let out a loud sigh. I stopped in front of the mirror and smoothed down my dress for what had to be the millionth time. A small smile filled my face as I looked over my appearance. My hair fell in gorgeous ringlets around my face with half of it pulled up. My makeup was lightly done, nothing too extreme despite it being a Samcro wedding I wanted to look classy. I don't think Gemma was too happy with how classy and anti biker everything looked but thats how Donna wanted it. Not only that Donna refused to have it at the clubhouse. She wasn't just marrying just a biker she said. She was marrying all of Opie's other sides too. There weren't too many people who stand up to Gemma, I was damn proud of Donna. Especiay because she's never been very vocal with her complaints. Its always been whatever makes you happy. I take so much pride in the fact that she's finally growing into herself. I like to thank Ope for that. She finally feels whole heartedly loved enough to be herself and that was a blessing in it's own right. As for me, I'm doing ridicously well with this whole thing. I was worried as it got closer that old feelings would come back but they haven't. In fact, I feel like our relationship is that of a true brother and sister now. My heart no longer hurt when I thought about her marrying my best friend. And I was damn proud of that.
I ran my hand absently over my dress. That gorgeous dress that I literally went to jail over had been cleaned and fit me like a dream. I did a little twirl. It made me feel like a princess. Donna laughing brought me out of my trance. Her dark brown hair was curled as well though it was swept up in an elegant looking swoop up do. It looked so good but truth be told my mom worked fucking miracles with some bobby pins and a curling iron. Hell some bobby pins, more like easily 30 of them bitches. Poor Donna was going to have hell taking her hair down but it sure did look gorgeous. Her veil clipped right at the crown of her head and she had three or four smaller curls framing her face. My mom had to do a lot of convincing but she finally talked Donna into wearing it up and it was so the right choice. God she looked beautiful Ope was going to fall over and if he didn't I'm going to make them restart the Damn wedding because obviously he wasn't paying attention. She wanted her hair up so we decided to do mine half up half down so they weren't the same. I looked her over again and gave her a wolf whistle. My mom had done both of our hair and I did the make up .Donna hardly ever wore make up but the golden honey Brown eye shadow made her eyes sparkle. Her skin looked flawless with all the work I put into it. I mean not like she needed a ton of make up but I was proud of how it turned out. The mascara and lack of eyeliner gave her both a mature and innocent appearance all at the same time. This definitely wasn't the girl Ope fell in love with but Damn she was going to be the one that stole his last name; the one that gave him a house full of children and the one person he looked forward to seeing at the end of the day.I felt the tears well up and surprisingly it wasn't out of jealousy, no. It was because I couldn't be happier for her and him. There isn't two other people more fitted for each other. I looked at her and she quickly shook her head.
"No crying Faith. We've put a lot of work into today. Let's not ruin it by crying our make up away." I nodded, though I realized the irony of the fact that she was pregnant and hormonal and I was the one going through every mood change. Like right now I wanted to bawl my eyes out and have someone hold me and tell me that nothing was going to ruin Ope and Donna's day. Unfortunately I knew there were no contenders because my boyfriend told me that the odds are he wouldn't be able to make it. Donna let out a pained sigh and she sat down to appease her aching back. She was roughly six months pregnant now and growing so much we had to have her gown adjusted twice, which cost Ope a pretty penny but he was glad to pay it as long as he didn't have to listen to Donna cry about how fat she was. Her hand rested on her already too far stretched abdomen and I could tell that she was very sore today. I walked behind the chair and began rubbing her back which caused her to groan with appreciation. Instead of those gorgeous heels we picked out, she had on a pair of white flats. I took a glance down at her feet and silently thanked the lord that we made the right decision. Donna's size four feet had easily swelled two sizes. Looking at them now, they were extremely swollen, I could only imagine how much they hurt. I'm glad we had talked it over once we found out there were two inside that already small womb. It was barely three weeks after that Donna doubled it size, it was then we decided that it may not be in the best interest to wear those gorgeous shoes we round. We were both concerned that she would lose her balance or something and we didn't want to risk the babies health. She was going to be a wonderful mother and I was glad that I get to be here to witness it.
"Seriously Faye, you ever get pregnant invest in one of those vibrating back massagers and a heat pad because you're going to need it. Hell just make your man rub your back constantly as payback for what hes done to your body." I laughed and continued rubbing, trying to make her as comfortable as I could . I could only imagine how much her back was hurting with two little giants in there. Ope is a big dude, I imagine his kids would be the same. I seriously dodged a bullet just saying. I wonder if Josh and I had children if they would be tall? He wasn't as tall as Ope but he wasn't exactly lacking in the height department either. He was about an inch or two taller than Jax... I felt the muscle I was running ease so I stopped. I leaned down in front of her and grabbed her hands.
"I'm so glad to be able to go through this journey with you. I never imagined we would be friends but here we are. You are my best friend Donna and I'm so thankful that Opie found you," she started to wipe her eye when I swatted her hand away. "No crying remember? We've got this. We're gonna go out there I'm going to try to not cry throughout the ceremony and I'm going to watch my two best friends get married." She pulled me into a hug and squeezed the life out of me but I welcomed this.
"You know your other best friend is going to be out there too girly." I stood up and rolled my eyes.
"We're not having this conversation again Donna. There's no love lost between Jax and me. He ended this friendship. I didn't. He doesn't even make an effort to speak to me and whenever I do see him he has some floozy wrapped around him.I don't know what happened between us but..." Jax cleared his throat at the door.
"Uh Donna, your mom wanted me to show her back here..."
"I'll give you some time with your mom. I'll be back shortly." I didn't even look at him as I walked past him. To be honest I didn't feel bad that he heard all of that because it was the truth. He had hurt me. Honestly its been so much worse since Josh and I became a thing. He went from making subtle hints to get my attention to radio silence after the dinner at Gemma's a few months ago. I missed the hell out of him sometimes and that hit me hard. We used to be inseparable now we're two completely seperate people. I walked out into the hall and started double checking arrangements. Everything was set up so that the hall leading to the room in the back would start the aisle. I had found a wonderful white train of cloth. The seats were lined up on both sides and already starting to fill up. I looked around the room. Gemma and I crafted an arbor just for the wedding. It had white and purple lights throughout It. It had silk wrapped around the wooden sides and roses, tulips and a couple of big sunflowers in the too left corner and flowing down some of the sides. I was proud of how it turned out. I did a quick check on the back tables where the presents were stacked. There wasn't a whole lot there but knowing then men they would be giving cash so she didn't have to worry. I felt a heated stare and turned towards the direction and Jax was leaned up against the hallway entrance. I wrinkled my face and went to organising the table.
"Dress looks really good on you Faith." I nodded and tried to plan my words carefully. I didn't want to be snoody but I didn't want to be Martha Stewart either. I finished organizing and stepped back from the table and looked at him.
"Yeah thanks. Doesn't look like the same dress I sat in the cell in huh?" He pushed off of the wall and walked over towards me. He had that silly smirk that used to make my insides flip. He leaned up against the wall next to the table. He glanced down aimlessly at the presents, I think he was trying to think of what to say because this is the most we have said to each other in months. Lets hope he doesn't completely kill the conversation, wait why do i care if he does or not. It won't make any kind of difference in my life.
"Nope I remember picking you up and you crying because you didn't want me to see you like that. There was no where else I would have been. Then afterwards at the clubhouse, I remember how at ease you looked. When Ope stopped you trying to apologize and you blew him off, I could just see all of your stress rolling off of you. I remember thinking, 'how did he never really notice her?' You walk into a room and everyone wants to talk to you." I looked down at my dress smoothing it. I gotta end this conversation. I cant let him off of the hook for how hes treated me this easy. The tears almost spilled out of my eyes. This is the nicest things he has said to me since the night he kissed me. Listening to his words though, really listening to them, I realized that I had overlooked his feelings about me for a really long time. Everyone said he had feelings for me but of course I didn't find that out until the night my whole life changed.
"Yeah now you don't even speak to me anymore. Funny how shit changes." He shoved off of the wall and walked over to me. His eyes looked me up and down and I felt like I was burning all over. I knew that I had hit him right in the heart with my words and I was glad for it. After everything he's done to me over the last four months, he deserves to feel like a piece of shit.
"I'm sorry Luanne. I'm so so sorry for all the shit I've done to you. You never deserved any of it. I wish I could go back and..." Opie interjected clearing his throat.
"Its almost time to start guys. The last few people are filling in. You should probably get in place dude." Jax just nodded and walked over to where Clay and his mother were sitting, which was in the front row of the groom's side. I did a quick scan of the seats and was surprised to see that My mother occupied the seat next to Donna's mothers empty one. I know that was her seat because her dress jacket was leaned on the back of the chair. Ope's hand landed on my shoulder and I turned to face him. Opie's gaze slayed me. I felt the tears well up and he wrapped me in his arms and squeezed.
"Thanks Ope.' He ran his hands aimlessly over my bare shoulders to comfort me.
"You looked like you needed help. Don't make me kill him for making you cry on what's suppose to be the happiest day of my life." I nodded and pulled away from him and shook the tears off.
"Donna has been pushing for him and I to fix our friendship and I keep blowing it off. I know she's mothering already its just I don't know. He hurt me Ope. I hate myself for wanting to forgive him." He pushed one of my curls out of my face.
"You're human Lu, and its not in your nature to hard hearted. Even though you don't want too, you're going to end up forgiving him. Because well he's Jax. You two used to be attached at the hip, always sneaking around and getting into shit. Despite every thing that happened, you guys have more memories together than I can count. So even if it is going to be weird at first, you two will fix it when ever you're ready. Thats what counts Lu, is that YOU are ready. Don't be bullied into forgiving him by anyone if you're not ready. I mean anyone Lu, even my super hormonal soon to be wife. I know she only wants whats best but this is your life so don't let her bully you like she bullies me." He stopped and cleared his throat. "Hey did you invite boy wonder to this?" I couldn't help but laugh at his description of Josh. He's been calling him that for awhile though.I'm not even sure where it came from, probably a joke between him and Donna.I shrugged.
"I invited him but he told me he may not make it which I understand." Opie nodded then pointed down the hall. Kind of odd for him to bring something up and Then dismiss it like it was nothing but I shrugged it off. Obviously I had bigger things to stress over.
"Alright now go do your job and make sure that my bride doesn't get cold feet." I smiled over my shoulder at him. I'm so proud of the man that hes already become and the one he's fighting to be.
"Ope the only way she isn't showing up to this wedding is if your basketball players come today." His face went white as a ghost. I hid my smile as I turned to catch a glimpse of his expression.
"We still have three more months! She's okay right? She's not having any of those things right?" I shook my head because Opie didn't even know what contractions were. I laughed the whole way down the hallway.
I got into the room and it was obvious Donna and her mom had been crying but her make up didn't look too worse for the wear. Her mom and her both turned to look at me. Her mother's face was a mask of happiness and sadness. Probably happy that her daughter was getting married and sad at the same time for the same reason. It sucks that her dad couldn't suck it up and show up for this because I doubt that Donna was getting married again. Ope and Donna don't really talk about her dads issue with Opie but my guess was its because hes a part of Samcro. Sadness hit me in the gut and I wished people knew him like Donna and I did. Sure Ope is a big bear of a man but the love he holds for the woman in front of me easily matches his love for his club though he would never mention that out loud.
"Its time baby doll." We both grabbed our flowers and her mom geared up to walk her down the aisle. Even though her dad refused to show up I'm glad her mom suggested walking her down the aisle. It made the ache in Donna's heart lessen a bit I think. I heard the beginning bars of love of my life by Sammy Kershaw. It wasnt normally the kind of music they listen to but once I had Donna listen to it she fell in love. I'm slowly making her a country music fan one song at a time. I'm pretty proud of myself. I got Josh listening to some songs, he won't admit to listening to anymore than what I send him, and Donna hasnt been complaining when I take over the radio. Ah a good win. I looked out ahead of me at the groups of people on both sides of the aisle. One day this would me. One day a man I loved so much would be waiting at the end of the aisle for me and I couldn't wait. I held my head up high and I slowly made my way down the aisle as both my best friend and former looked on. Both smiled down at me and I couldn't help bit think that this was how it was supposed to end up. Opie wasn't supposed to end up with me. Him and Donna were meant to be and Jax and I weren't. I could tell when Donna started making her way down the aisle because Opie stopped breathing. I could physically see the breath stop on his chest. When i reached my spot next to where she was going to be standing, I turned so I could watch her finish walking down the aisle. And I'll be damn I cried.
The rest of the wedding went on without a hitch. Donna and Opie said I do and everything was perfect. Ope even got choked up when he said his vows. Not one man said anything to him anout it either or they'd have hell to pay Now we had to start heading over to the adjoining room for the reception. I stepped down off of the stair that made the front raise higher than the rest of the room. I almost fell because my middle name should have been klutz. I was instantly caught before I hit the floor. I looked up to see who caught me and was met by my favorite set of chocolate brown eyes before the scent of his cologne hit me. The smile hit my face just as soon as it registered what was happening.
"I was waiting until after the wedding to come and surprise you. Didn't want you off your big game because I was here." I lept on him, probably crushing his bones in the process. He didn't care he squeezed me back just as hard..I inhaled his scent and just enjoyed the bone crushing I was giving and receiving. How did I not see him? I looked out to the crowd plenty throughout the service amd even before I walked down the aisle. Then it hit me. Opie knew he was here. Thats why he asked about me inviting him. It was to see if I knew he had showed up.
"Oh Josh I missed you so damn much!" I pulled back from him just to stare at that gorgeous face of his. All of my stress evaporated. Now that the wedding was over I could breathe easier anyway, well not literally because I had a damn corset on that was killing me, but figuratively I could. Seeing Josh though, ah it all just went away. I wish I had known he was here because his presence would have saved me a lot of sweat.
"You look gorgeous sunshine. I don't think I have ever seen you in a dress before, especially not one this nice. Did You get this the day you and Donna went shopping?" He grabbed my hand and lifted it over my head. He twirled me in a circle to get the full picture and gave me a low wolf whistle. "Gorgeous is an understatement baby, you look unbelievable. I can't wait to introduce you to my club."
"No I didn't get this with Donna that day bit I did get it a different time with thing about the dress, remember the one I told you about? The one I went to jail over? This is it." He rubbed a hand down his face to contain his smile. I could tell that he was mulling over the pros and cons of saying vs not saying what he was thinking.
"Well damn baby it was worth it. You look absolutely beautiful." Looks like not cracking the joke won out.I couldn't help but blush by how he was looking at me. There's always been heat between us but the look in his eyes right now was something else entirely. I felt my body start to tinge all over. I grabbed his hand and we made our way to the next room where all of the tables and chairs had been set up for food. One thing Donna let Gemma supply was food. There was three tables lined side by side full of all the food necessary to feed these men. I know because I helped cooked yesterday so i wasn't the least surprised at all of the food. The first table held different meats: roasts, chickens and pork. The next table held all of the sides and the last table had a mixture if small snacks; like cookies and mini brownies and such. Gem had also set up a small salad bar. I shook my head. The woman watched her figure better than anyone I know. I can't even tell you how many times I've gotten the lecture about how a woman always leaves the table a little hungry and also the no one likes a fat old lady.
"So how did you end up comimg down? Did Lee give you a hard time?" He shook his head and pulled me into him so his arm rested around my shoulder as we stood in line waiting to make our plate.
"Nah the whole crew came down. The parties after weddings are some of the best and when I told him why I wanted to come down, they all decided to. I want you to meet them before we leave. " i nodded and started to make my plate as he stood in front of me making his. We went and found a seat, thankfully we didnt have to sit as a wedding party because I would have been so bummed to not have been able to sit with Josh. I was surprised to find an empty table but I wasn't going to complain. We sat down next to each other and Josh's hand wrapped itself up in mine as if he didn't even think about it. His hand was next to mine and they immediately went together. I found my smile instantly at the thought of that. His chunky brings made his hand feel so much heavier but I welcomed the weight of his hand in mine. I don't get to hold it often enough. The seat next to me pulled out so I turned to see who in the hell had to sit right next to me instead of the other 6 chairs. My shit expression went away when I seen it was my mother.
"Sorry baby, I wasn't going to come over and bother you two but I couldn't take listening to Gemma talk about her perfect little life anymore. How are you doing ? You feel relieved now? Hey Josh, how are you sweetheart?" My mom placed her hand on my shoulder as she spoke to us both. I know me being with Josh had made her extremely happy.
"I'm good ma'am, very happy to be able to see Faith again. " She smiled so warmly at him, it made me happy.
"I've told you Joshua," she purposely drew out his name because she knew he didnt like it, much like she didn't like being called ma'am. "Call me Joanna or Jo, hell call me mom for all I care but never ma'am." He smiled at her and that pretty much told me he liked picking on her. I gave his hand a squeeze and he squeezed it back. I zoned out their idle conversation and couldn't help but he thankful for this moment. My two best friends had just gotten married, my former best friend seems to be trying to fix things. My mother and my relationship was better than ever and there was Josh. I'd go through all the pain and heartbreak from 16 on up all over again if it meant I got to hold his hand at the end of the day. I couldn't ask for anything better.
a/n: this is seriously the longest chapter I have ever written! So first and foremost, what did we think? Did i do the wedding justice? I love this chapter. Ive had of done since Saturday but every time i go to post it I do my read over check and boom found myself adding more and more! Small playlist for this chapter. So please please review thanks for the two people who reviewed the last chapter yall are the mvp! Next chapter has some dramatics that may lead to a fight cant say morr cuz it'll give it away.
Love of my life- sammy Kershaw
All my life - kci and jojo
Marry you- Bruno mars
From this moment in- Shania twain
Lets get married- jagged edge
Lucky by jason Myraz