This chapter is dedicated to Melissa because she is a little bit in love with Rachel/Kevin and is, well, amazing!
Rachel stepped out of the vintage Rolls Royce wedding car and put her hand on her hips. Even though she had stopped having morning sickness by now, she still felt really rough. The baby had been kicking nearly all night so she had gotten hardly any sleep.
"Come on, you don't want to keep Kevin waiting," Julie said as she got out of the car too, dressed in a grey suit designed for a lady. To be honest, it didn't look much different to her work suits to Rachel. As they approached the church, Rachel saw all of her bridesmaids huddled together and Mitch waiting for Rachel to arrive so that he could tell the vicar. All of the bridesmaids looked lovely. Taisie, Elise and Holly, Alison's daughter, were in lilac dresses with no straps with a piece of dark purple satin tied around their waist, forming a bow at the back. Melissa, Janet and Gill wore the same but the colour was deep purple with a cream bow and it was pulled in at the waist because Gill wanted to show off her figure. Typical Gill, Rachel had thought.
"You look lovely, Rach," Mitch said before he went into the church to tell Kevin and the vicar that Rachel had arrived. Fashionably late, of course. Rachel Bailey could never be on time for anything, not even her own wedding.
After Mitch had said that, Gill turned around to look at Rachel, a bottle of gin in her hand. "Well, look who it is. It's only my favourite detective and Baby GaGa!" Gill rushed over to stroke Rachel's bump. She had a habit of doing that when she'd had a drink or two.
"Gill Murray, are you drunk already?!" Julie asked, shocked because it was only 11:30.
"What's it to you, you fat arsed bitch?" Gill asked, slurring her words a bit.
"You're supposed to be the maid of honour, not the fucking village drunk!" Julie retorted back.
"It's alright, no one will notice," Gill insisted. Julie just raised her eyebrows, knowing better than to argue with Gill when she was drunk. Besides, it was Rachel's day.
"Auntie Gill, are you sure you're okay? You wouldn't like a cup of coffee or something?" Taisie asked, worried.
"No, I'm fine, kid," she replied, tapping Taisie on the head. "I don't know why everyone's so worried."
Mitch had come back out by now. "If you want to get ready, Rach, the vicar said he's about to start."
Rachel took a big breath and followed her bridesmaids into the church.
xXxXx
As the music started playing, Kevin turned around to look down the isle. The bridesmaids came down first, the younger ones with baskets, scattering rose petals down the isle. Melissa came next. Kevin hadn't seen his little sister for ages and thought that she looked beautiful in her dress, her curled hair was remarkably pretty. Janet and Gill walked down the isle next, Gill stumbling a few times. Everyone could tell that she was drunk. Then it was Rachel's turn, lead by Julie. Kevin stared in awe at his wife-to-be. He had never seen anyone more beautiful than Rachel Bailey, soon to be Rachel Lumb. Her hair, her make up, everything was perfect. As she got to the top and Julie took her bouquet, Rachel looked into Kevin's eyes and gave a small excited smile. Kevin wanted to say something romantic but he couldn't find the right words.
"Jesus, your tits look HUGE!" was all that he managed to say and the whole church erupted with laughter.
"Thanks, Kev," Rachel said sarcastically.
"You're welcome," he replied. Sarcasm wasn't Kevin's strongest point.
xXxXx
The vicar had stared with an opening prayer and a worship hymn had been sung.
"Kevin, do you take Rachel to be your wedded wife, and in the presence of these witnesses, do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for her a growing part of your life? Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week, with your best resources? Will you stand by her in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth and will you shun all others and keep yourself to her alone as long as you both should live?" the vicar asked.
"I will," Kevin replied.
"And Rachel, will you have Kevin to be your wedded husband, to live together in the covenant of faith, hope and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you listen to his inmost thoughts, be considerate and tender in your care of him, stand by him faithfully in sickness and in health, and above all others, accept full responsibility for his every necessity for as long as you both shall live?" the vicar asked Rachel.
"I will," she replied.
Rachel heard a soft sniffle from behind her and turned to see who it was. She thought that it might have been Janet. It wasn't, it was Melissa. Melissa had never thought that her big brother would ever get married, let alone marry someone as kind and beautiful as Rachel. She was so happy for them both and the ceremony just got to her, it was so beautiful. Gill, who was standing next to her, reached out an arm, placed it on her shoulder and hugged her from the side. Melissa bust into tears at that moment and flung her arms around Gill's neck, squeezing her so tight that Gill thought that she might turn blue.
Rachel turned back to the vicar.
"Kevin, do you have your vows?" he asked.
"Yes," Kevin replied. "I've written them myself." The whole church 'awww'ed.
"If you would like to proceed," the vicar went on.
"Rachel Bailey, I love you so much. I get a funny feeling inside of me every time you look at me. I don't know why you chose me, there are so many other people out there but I guess you can't help who you fall in love with. Even though you've only known that you love me for a few weeks, I've known that I love for years. I feel a special connection between us and now I know that you feel it too. I just think you're perfect. So in the name of Jesus, I Kevin Lumb take you, Rachel, to be my wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow." Kevin put the piece of paper back inside his pocket and looked up to fine Rachel and everyone else, even Gill, crying.
"What's wrong, Rach?" he asked.
"Nothing, that was so beautiful," she whispered to him.
"Ian," the vicar said. "Do you have the rings?"
Mitch got up and gave the rings to the vicar, who gave one each to Rachel and Kevin.
"The ring is a symbol of the commitment which binds these two together. There are two rings because there are two people, each to make a contribution to the life of the other, and to their new life together."
Kevin slid the ring onto Rachel's finger. "Rachel, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and affection. Wear it in peace always," he said.
Rachel put the ring on Kevin's finger and said, "this circle will now seal the vows of our marriage and will symbolise the purity and endlessness of our love."
The vicar took over from here. "Because Rachel and Kevin have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith with each other, sealing their vows with the giving and receiving of rings, I do proclaim that they are now husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
As Kevin stood of tip toes to kiss Rachel, the church erupted with claps and cheers.
"I love you, Mrs Lumb," Kevin said to Rachel.
"I love you too, Mr Lumb," Rachel replied.
Kevin and Rachel walked down the isle, hand in hand.
As they got to the bottom, Rachel felt a stabbing feeling.
"Aaaargh!" she screamed out in pain.