The morning of the wedding had arrived.
Zoe had stayed over in the hotel whilst Max had stayed at home with a few of his mates.
"Wakey, wakey!" Linda had stayed with Zoe. "It's your wedding day!"
"Ugh, what time is it?" Zoe asked.
"It's 7, the hair and make up lady will be here soon." Linda told her.
"We're not getting married until 12! I don't even have that much hair!" Zoe exclaimed. She sat up, "I'm going to be sick." She said as she ran to the bathroom.
"You ok Zoe?" Linda asked as she knocked on the door. "Wedding nerves?"
"Yeah, probably, I just want it to be perfect." Zoe lied.
"It will, I've ordered us some breakfast, that should help." Linda said.
They had breakfast and showered before it was time to get ready, there was a knock on the door, Robyn had arrived.
"I've brought something to calm your nerves," she said holding up a bottle of champagne and a bottle of orange juice, "Buck's Fizz!"
"That's my girl!" Linda laughed.
"Thanks Robyn, I'll sort it." Zoe took the bottles and began to pour making sure no alcohol went into hers. Linda saw what she was doing but didn't say anything.
Back at the house, Max had been first up, he'd wanted to go over his vows, they'd written their own, they wanted it to be personal. He was going to pour his heart out in front of all his friends and family but he didn't care, he would tell the whole world how he felt if he could.
"Morning mate!" Lofty had got up, "nervous?"
"Not at all." Max replied.
"That's one of us, I'm bricking it!" Lofty told him, he wasn't one for public speaking.
"You'll be fine mate!" Max reassured him, "now, bacon sandwiches all round? Cars are arriving at 11.00 so plenty of time to get ready!"
Max wondered if any of this would ever seem real to him, he must be due to wake up from his dream anytime.
The girls were well under way to getting ready, Zoe couldn't believe how quickly time was going, she thought of all this fuss with hair and make up and imagined Max laid back on the sofa, more than likely eating bacon sandwiches.
"Earth to Zoe!" Robyn was saying.
"What's that?" Zoe asked.
"I wish I knew what you saw in my brother!" Robyn laughed.
"You don't want to know!" Zoe replied.
"We were just saying we'll put our dresses on and then help you into yours." Linda told her.
Zoe nodded, "yeah great." Linda and Robyn took turns to go get changed, they both came out in their dresses.
"Oh, you both look gorgeous!" Zoe told them, "the colour looks great on you both!"
"Glad you think so," Robyn said and looked at Linda. Linda nodded.
"We've bought you something."
"You didn't have to buy me anything!" Zoe told them.
"We know but we thought you'd probably have forgotten your something blue." Linda told her.
Zoe smiled, her old was a brooch her mother had given her which was her grandmothers, she'd had it sewn into the bottom of her dress which was her new and the borrowed was a garter Tess had given her which she'd had stored away.
"You know me so well!" Zoe laughed.
Robyn passed her a box and she opened it. Inside were a pair of royal blue heels.
"Oh, I love them!" Zoe told them both. "I was just going to wear a pair of my other shoes."
"We thought as much! We hope they fit!" Linda said.
Zoe took them out of the box, they fitted perfectly, she smiled as she was admiring them. "Thank you so much." She hugged them both as there was a knock on the door.
A huge bouquet of flowers had been delivered with a note.
"Who are they from?" Robyn asked.
Zoe read the note and was shocked. 'Dear Zoe, congratulations on your wedding day, may all your dreams come true, all my love, Nick xx'
"Er, they're from Nick."
"Nick?!" Linda asked. "How did he know?"
"I have no idea. Let's forget about them."
"Who's Nick?" Robyn asked.
"Just someone who used to work at the hospital." Zoe told her, she wasn't getting into this now.
"Come on, let's get you into this dress!" Linda said changing the subject.
"Yes please!" Zoe said. She'd been waiting for this moment. She'd fallen in love with the dress as soon as she'd seen it, Ivory, fishtail with an diamond bodice, it clung perfectly to her every curve, she knew Max would approve.
There were tears from both Linda and Robyn.
"You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen!" Robyn cried.
"You look absolutely stunning Zoe." Linda admired.
"Thank you," Zoe said, "no tears! You'll ruin your make up!"
There was another knock at the door, Linda answered to see Zoe's mum and dad stood their. "Zoe! Your mum and dad are here!"
"Ok, let them in." Zoe said as she was adjusting her veil.
"Oh, my darling daughter!" Zoe's mum ran over to her. "You look radiant." She gave her a hug.
Zoe looked at her Dad, he looked so pale and frail, he must have been in so much pain.
"Dad?" She asked, do you want to sit down?"
"If I sit down I won't get up again." He told her, tears running down his face.
"Are you ok?" Zoe asked.
"I'm more than ok." He smiled. "There are no words for how beautiful you look."
"Oh, dad." Zoe tried not to cry.
"Hey, no ruining your make up." He told her.
There was another knock on the door, it was the wedding coordinator. "Zoe? Are you ready? It's time to go." She told Zoe.
"I'd better get down there!" Zoe's mum said.
"Can I just get a photo of you all first?" The photographer had arrived just in time.
They all made their way down the stairs, Zoe holding onto her dad so he didn't fall. The registrar was waiting to go through the legalities with Zoe, the bridesmaids held back with Zoes dad.
"Ok, let's go!" The coordinator told them.
Max had been waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, he'd been chatting to the guests, Lofty was directing them badly to where they needed to be, getting confused with bride and groom sides, he'd spoken to his mum, she looked wonderful and she'd told him how proud she was of him.
The registrar spoke, "ladies and gentleman , may you all be upstanding for the entrance of the bride!" The guests all stood up and the music started, Etta James, At Last, it was Zoe's dad's favourite.
Max felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as the bridesmaids entered, Robyn followed by Linda, they both beamed at Max as they walked down the aisle. They were closely followed by Zoe on the arm of her father. Max felt his heart beating twice as fast as she glided towards him, she was stunning every day but this was something else.
"Wow." He whispered to her as she stood next to him.
"You're not so bad yourself!" Zoe winked, in his navy suit.
Linda helped Mr Hanna to his seat.
The registrar spoke to both Max and Zoe. "Firstly I need you to confirm
your full names."
"Max Walker."
"Zoe Hanna."
"And are you both free to marry?"
"I am." They both replied giggling.
"Just a formality, but does anyone here know why these two can't be married?" The registrar assessed the room.
Max and Zoe looked around and laughed.
"Always a worry!" The registrar told
them.
"Before the sharing of vows, I would like to invite Charlie and Tess up to do a reading."
Charlie and Tess stood up at the front of room, taking it in turns with the paragraphs from the reading.
"Thank you." Zoe told them as they went back to their seats.
"Max, would like like to read your vows?" The registrar offered.
"Of course," he replied. He took Zoe's hand. "Zoe, where do I start? We are standing here on our wedding day surrounded by all these people and all I see is you."
"Charming!" Cal interrupted.
"Ssshh!" Ethan elbowed him.
"Thanks Cal! Anyway, the first time we met, I knew it was you, I knew you were the only one for me. I worked hard and eventually you saw we were meant to be. There were people out there saying this wouldn't work but guess what? It does work and I couldn't be happier. You make me laugh, you've shown me what it really means to love someone, when you're down, I'm there for you, when life gets tough, I'm there for you, when you're happy, I'm still there for you, I wouldn't want to be anywhere that's not with you and in front of all these people today, I can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives together." Max and Zoe both had tears in their eyes.
"Thank you Max, Zoe?" The registrar asked.
Linda went to pass her a piece of paper, Zoe waved it away.
"I thought I knew what I wanted to say, " she started. "But when I've got here, it's all changed, I could tell you what I've written on a piece of paper or I could tell you what I really want to say. Max, you are my everything, you're the one I think of when I wake up, you're the last thing I think of before I go to sleep. You've changed my life for the better. Who knows where I was going before I met you? It took me time to realise that this, us, is real love, you make me feel so special, so loved, you make me laugh, you're crazy, impulsive, ten years younger but all that matters is us. When you need someone I'm here, when you're having a bad day, I'm here, when you're being chased by younger women, I'm here!"
Max laughed along with the rest of the room.
"And finally, " Zoe said as she took his hand and placed it on her stomach, "we are here, your family. The both of us."
Max was unsure as to what she was trying to say, "You're, You're?"
"Pregnant?" Zoe laughed, "Yes Max!"
Max picked her up and swung her around. "That's amazing! I can't believe it."
"Me either." Zoe whispered.
The guests began to clap.
"I forgot where we were for a second!" Max turned to the registrar, "sorry about that!"
"Not a problem," she smiled. "Congratulations, shall we?" She asked.
Max and Zoe nodded.
"Now, who has the rings?" The registrar asked.
"I do!" Lofty stood up. "Still got them!" He said as he fumbled with them, dropping them both on the floor as everyone laughed.
Zoe rolled her eyes.
"Thank you Ben." The registrar said. "Max, can you place Zoe's ring on the finger of her left hand and repeat after me. I, Max Walker take you Zoe Hanna to be my lawfully wedded wife."
Max did as he was told. "Happily!"
"And Zoe, the same for you, I Zoe Hanna take you, Max Walker to be my lawfully wedded husband."
Zoe followed her instructions.
"Max and Zoe, in front of your friends and family you have made your vows and I am happy to say you are officially husband and wife!"
The guests cheered as Max kissed his bride.
"I was just getting to that!" The registrar laughed.
Max and Zoe and to sign the register and people were stood around taking photos.
"I can't believe we're having a baby!" Max said rubbing Zoe's stomach, "there's nothing on you!"
"Good underwear!" Zoe laughed. "I know I couldn't believe it that's why I didn't tell you before, I've had it confirmed, they did a scan just to check with my history, I didn't see it, we've got a scan next week as I wanted to see our baby for the first time with you." She told as she kissed him.
"Can you do that again?" The photographer asked.
"My pleasure!" Zoe said.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The registrar shouted.
"The bride and groom are about to leave the room, can you please be upstanding for Mr and Mrs Walker!"