Jack Kelly. When you think of the name, I bet terrified is the last word that comes to mind, right? Well, that's basically the only thing was on his mind at the moment.
As Jack waited for his cue to go up to the altar, he twiddled his fingers and ran his fingers through his hair in nervousness.
"Jack, I don't see why you'se so nervous!" Crutchie said, watching his best friend pace.
"'Cause, 'cause, well, what if she changes 'er mind or somethin'?" Jack asked.
"She's not gonna change 'er mind," Specs stated.
For his groomsmen (the boys still weren't entirely sure what that was), Jack chose Specs, Race, and Mush.
"H-How do ya know?" Jack asked.
"'Cause she loves ya! She wouldn't a' said yes if she din't!" Race said.
"I-I know," Jack sighed, stopping and rubbing the back of his neck.
"You have your vows right?" Davey asked.
As the wedding day had grown closer, the boys noticed Jack had started to forget the simplest of things. So Davey, Crutchie, and sometimes Race had had to step in to help.
Jack's eyes widened as he frantically felt around in his pockets. "I knew I forgot something!" he muttered.
"You forgot your vows?!" the boys shouted at him.
He winced and said, "We was in such rush and Romeo lost his tie I din't even think about it!"
The boys groaned and Race said, "Do ya know where ya left it?"
"I think on Romeo's bed," Jack said.
"I can go an' get it," Race said heading for the door.
"Hurry! And make sure Kath doesn't find out!" Davey called after him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Race said, waving it off as he darted out of the church.
Back with the bride, well, she was just as nervous as her groom. If not more.
"Rose, what if he backs out?" she asked as her best friend fixed her hair.
"He's not going to back out, Kath," Rose said with a little smile. Katherine had asked that question about ten times that morning.
"I know," Katherine sighed.
For her bridesmaids, Katherine had chosen her cousin Anne and Swift. Swift and Katherine had become rather close as the wedding day neared. She also chose Ruth (Anne's little sister) to be the flower girl.
"Ten minutes," Darcy said, knocking on the door.
Darcy was walking her down the aisle since her dad hadn't shown up yet. Katherine wasn't sure if he was going to show up, so she asked Darcy to walk her down the aisle of the small church.
Katherine nervously adjusted her beautiful white dress as Ruth helped Rose with the veil.
The dress was white with lace on the upper part and the sleeves. The swirled on the bottom in tiny flowers and as Katherine stood up, the dress dragged a bit on the floor. The veil went to her elbows and as Anne helped Katherine flip the veil over her face, the worries increased.
Did she look alright? Was she underdressed? Was she overdressed? What would Jack think? Would he want to-
Her thought were cut short by Anne handing Kath her flowers. Her flowers were sunflowers and somehow made her and her dress stand out more.
Katherine turned and picked up the water cup that was on the desk and was about to take a sip when Ruth came charging in, shouting about finding something.
The youngest of the five girls, Ruth was so excited and joyous about the day and whatever it was she had found that she didn't stop in time and ran straight into Katherine who spilled the water all over the dress.
"Ruth!" Anne scolded as Swift and Katherine moved to dry the water as quickly as they could.
Ruth gasped and said, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I- I didn't mean to!"
Tears rushed to the six yr. old girl's eyes and Katherine noticed as she quickly said, "Ruth, it's alright sweetie, it's just a bit of water."
Katherine hugged her little cousin and Swift said, "Kath, it's not drying."
Ruth went to her sister and Katherine stood and turned to Swift.
The girls spent the rest of the time trying to get the water out and when Darcy came to inform Katherine that it was time to go, it was still wet.
"Are you sure that was water?" Swift whispered.
Katherine thought for a moment, trying to remember. "I'm pretty sure it was," she whispered as the girls followed Darcy.
"Wait! I had gotten some seltzer earlier because I haven't been feeling very well! I misplaced it and forgot about it! It looks so much like water, that we must've mistaken it for water! I'm sorry, Kath," Rose said.
"Its fine, Rose. I'd rather know what it is than trying to figure it out," she said with a small smile.
The girls waited outside the doors and Darcy held his arm out for Katherine.
"You ready?" he asked.
The music started and Katherine said, "Ready as I'll ever be."
The doors opened and Ruth quickly went down the aisle, trying to avoid everyone's gazes as she threw rose petals on the aisle.
Next went Anne, then Rose, and finally Katherine and Darcy.
When Jack met Katherine's eyes, all worries ceased. She looked so beautiful and he loved her so much. He even got a bit teary eyed. A few worries bubbled up inside of him though once he remembered that Race hadn't gotten back yet. Their friend had been gone for almost fifteen minutes now.
Darcy and Katherine reached the steps and they turned to each other. Darcy lifted Katherine's veil and gave her a big but quick hug before returning to his seat. Katherine went up the steps and handed the flowers to Rose.
The couple smiled at each other, each forgetting their previous worries.
The groomsmen however, were about to send Henry or Romeo after Race. "What if he ran into the Delanceys?" Mush whispered to Specs. "He din't," he paused, "But go ahead and send Henry and Rome after him anyway," he added as the vows neared.
Mush nodded and began inching his way down the steps as Les brought the rings up to the couple-to-be.
Swift did a double take at her brother-like-friend as their eyes met Swift shook her head and mouthed, "What are you doing?"
Mush ignored her began whispering to Romeo and Henry right as the doors flew open and in ran Race, who was covered in chicken feathers.
He ran up the steps, shoved the paper into Jack's hands, then took his spot next to Crutchie. Mush quickly raced back up the stairs and took his spot next to Spec s as the girls and audience gawked at Race.
"Anyway," the pastor said slowly, "now for the vows."
He nodded at Katherine to go first and Rose handed her a paper similar to Jacks, just much less wrinkled and not covered in chicken feathers.
Each of the vows were sweet and adorable and when Jack finished his, all the girls were wiping tears.
"Jack Kelly, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the pastor asked.
"For sure," was Jack's reply, making every grin from ear to ear.
"Katherine Pulitzer, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" the pastor asked.
"For sure," Katherine replied, making Jack's grin even wider.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the pastor said.
Jack wrapped his arm around Katherine's waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck as they passionately kissed each other and Jack dipped her.
At the reception, Katherine was made an honorary Newsie by Jack and Davey and she danced with each of the boys. Even Spot, who showed up twenty minutes late. Turns out he's actually a pretty good dancer.
It was when Jack noticed that all of the Newsie boys (plus Swift and Ruth) except Race, Davey, Specs, and Mush had disappeared that he got worried.
He went over to Race, who was laughing at Specs who had accidently stuck his hand in the bird poop on Race's tux. "Hey, where'd the boys go?"
"Uhh," Race said slowly.
Jack narrowed his eyes at the younger boy. "What're you up to, Racetrack?"
Race was saved from having to explain himself when Rose came over and pulled Jack back up to the main table. It was time for the speeches.
Rose's was sweet and loving much like Davey's. Specs and Racetrack shared a speech since they couldn't come up on something by themselves. Theirs was, well, let's not talk about that one. In the end everyone was laughing, except Jack who was trying to bury his red face.
"C'mon! It's time for the surprise!" Ruth said running back inside and grabbing Jack and Katherine by the hand and dragging them out.
"What surprise?" Katherine asked, laughing.
"Just c'mon!" she said and Jack and Katherine followed her along with the rest of the audience.
They went outside and Jojo shouted, "Now Darcy!"
"Fellas, what's going on?" Jack asked slowly.
Before anyone could reply, a loud boom could be heard, followed by several other ones.
The group looked to the sky to see fireworks flying into the air.
Jack and Katherine smiled widely and laughed with delight.
"Romeo, now!" Crutchie shouted and a bunch of the boys and Swift and Ruth began throwing rice at the couple as a carriage pulled up for them.
Jack picked Katherine up bridal style and they ran to the carriage, laughing as rice was thrown at them by their family.
After giving each of the boys and Swift, Rose, Anne, and Ruth a giant hug, Katherine climbed into the carriage.
"Race, you'se in charge," Jack said and Race beamed. "Make sure that doen't go ta his head," Jack whispered to Specs, who laughed and nodded.
He gave each of his boys a giant hug and gave Swift a hug last. "Make sure they stay outta trouble all right?" he told her and she nodded with a smile.
"Bye! Have fun!" the boys called in various ways as the carriage rolled away.
"Race, you have the key to the lodge right?" Specs asked as they watched the carriage roll away.
Race's eyes widened and his smile slowly dropped. He began running after the carriage shouting, "Wait! Hold on! Jack!"
The boys and Swift laughed when Specs held up the key and said, "That's what he gets for letting me put my hand in bird poop."
A/N: I loved writing this so much! Sorry I've been gone for so long! Life got in the way and I got distracted…
Anywho, you know the drill. If any of you have any ideas, characters, or plots you would like to see in the next chapter, let me know in the comments! Also give me good and bad (like what I could do differently) feedback please!
TTFN!