Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on...

Dance me to the end of love

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The divorce came through a few weeks later. By that time everyone's thoughts were more on the baby than a wedding, but Lucien was determined they would at least try to arrange to get married before Jean had the baby. He knew how much it meant to her.

Over the breakfast table they read the divorce certificate. It seemed rather dull and prosaic for something they had waited and hoped for for so long. Eventually Lucien folded it and put it in his jacket pocket.

"I'm going to ring up the registry office to fix up the wedding. Any preferences on the date?" he asked as he went to the kitchen door.

"Not on the day this baby decides to arrive," Jean replied, and he rolled his eyes at her affectionately.

"I can't promise that, you know."

Jean smiled at him and struggled to her feet to clear the table. To add to her woes, her hips had started hurting, and she was so, so tired.

She stood at the sink and washed up, thinking about the wedding. In theory, at least, the baby was not due for three more weeks. Could they get a date before then? And really she hoped the baby might be early; she was fed up with waiting now, and both her other babies had been early.

Lucien reappeared after just a few minutes and came up behind her at the sink. His arms still fitted round her, but only just. He leaned forward to whisper into her hair, just by her ear.

"How about this Friday? We have to give three days notice, and that's the earliest date they have." He turned his attention to kissing down her neck.

Four days. She could wait that long, couldn't she?

Jean smiled and turned round in his arms. "Perfect. Who are we going to invite?"

Lucien thought for a moment. He held Jean against him, and she rested her head on his chest.

"Well, Charlie and Mattie, of course. Perhaps they could be witnesses for us. Alice and Matthew? What about Christopher?"

Jean shook her head. "I'd rather tell him afterwards. It's too far for him and Ruby to come at short notice anyway. Could we ask Rose? She could take some photos."

They stood for a moment thinking. The baby, the main reason for the rush to marry, was sandwiched between them, and Lucien smiled as he felt it squirm and kick.

"Do you need a dress?" he asked, but Jean shook her head.

"No, I'll wear one of the ones I bought with Mattie. It doesn't matter what I wear, I just want to be married." She kissed him then, and as she smiled properly at him he realised how much he had missed her happiness. It was good to see it was back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With thanks to seven dragons for her research into twentieth century laws in the state of Victoria, especially the rules around getting married! Our legal expert...