Chapter 23

Our Wedding Day

A/N Hey guys! Again, I am so, so, so very sorry for the lack of uploads, but this chapter is full of traditions, and so I wanted them to be accurate. I guess you could say a lot of research went into this chapter. Anyway, I hope this chapter is long and I am planning to include some flashbacks, so those will be in italics, and old Irish wedding traditions. Enjoy!

5 weeks after the war, so much had happened for Aoife Lia and the newsies. Knowing fairly well that raising a kid and supporting a wife included money, money that Spot couldn't make as a newsie. There was so much that needed to be done, and so much money they didn't have, so in order to get the apartment on Duane street they had been looking at, both Lia and Aoife went job searching. Aoife found a job at a nearby bakery, and was hired by the nice old woman who owned the place. Liam on the other hand was not having so much luck. "NO Irish NEED APPLY" signs littered every shop and workplace, and even if Liam had tried to apply saying he wasn't Irish the name Conlon gave it away. It wasn't until he came across a job at the Brooklyn Bridge docks, helping to repair the docks earning about seven dollars a week, a price that to Liam was not fair because of the labor he and the other Irish en went through. To make more money he would still occupy his job as a newsie for the morning edition, Liam went to work at the docks in the afternoon and evening. Soon they were able to get a lease on the small apartment, thanks to the old Irish landlord who had pitty on the pregnant engaged couple. One after the news of Spot and Aoife's fist child was announced, the wedding was finally happening. It was Tuesday, April 2, 1900 and both Aoife and Spot were getting ready for the next day in their own way.

In the girl's bunkroom, Nuala tried her best to calm down a very, very nervous Aoife (who was uncontrollably pacing across the room.) "What if this is a mistake, what if were rushing, what if it's not meant to be." Aoife muttered, mostly to herself, while Nuala sat on the bed eyes rolling at every ridiculous statement that came from her friend's mouth. Finally she had had enough.

"Aoife!"

The girl immediately stopped her pacing and turned to look at her friend, her hands subconsciously moving to her stomach that was just beginning to show.

"Everything is going to be fine."

"But what if it is a mistake."

"Aoif, listen, Liam will not abandon you, he's never even thought about it. Did you ever find out why his name is 'Spot'?" Nuala asked.

Thinking back on the day that she and Nuala reunited, she in fact never did find out why Liam got the name Spot from.

"How did Liam get his name?" Aoife asked.

Nuala produced a small grin. "You'll have to ask him about that one."

"No I didn't, Aoife responded.

"Well when we came here all those years ago, Liam always wondered aloud if you would be sitting at your "spot." Whatever that means." And then it his Aoife. Their special spot under the willow tree in their enchanted place there the good people would come and their fantasies would take place. After Liam and Nuala left, Aoife did sit under the tree, alone wanting to know why her best friends had left. She hand Liam had share so many memories under hat tree and at that moment, one in particular stood out to her…

It was summer, just after Spot turned 10. The two young children sat side by side enjoying each others company. It was getting late and the sun was beginning to set casting hues of gold and orange into the sky. Aoife leaned over and rested her tired head on Liam's shoulder, who in return scooted closer to her.

"Liam, may I ask you something?"

'Sure."

"Can we get married one day? Right here, in our spot?"

"Yeah." He answered. "I'd like that."

So that's why Liam had called himself 'Spot; Aoife though to herself. He hadn't forgotten, and now all these years later they were getting married, granted they weren't even in their homeland anymore, but that didn't bother them just as long as they kept their traditions alive.

"Aoife." Nuala's voice rang, fixing me out of my thoughts. "I wanted you to have something." And she held out a box to me. "It's the end to that poem you were talking about, you know with the 'something's'. I thought you should have it."

Aoife opened the small wooden box and found a dirty, beat up penny at the bottom. Reaching with one hand Aoife slowly picked up the penny and looked at it as if to confirm her thoughts. It was not an American penny that the boys made selling papes, but an Irish penny; and old Irish penny. And then Aoife remembered, she had been muttering the poem for the while she was engaged hoping to check everything off the list.

"Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue,

And an old Irish penny in her shoe."

Aoife had checked everything off the list thus far: her mother's horseshoe pin was older than Aoife and she always wanted to wear it down the aisle like her mother had told her to do.

Aoife was five years old and was going through her mother's trunk. She came across a horseshoe inscribed with Celtic designs.

"What's this mháthair?"

"That is very important. On my wedding day, I carried this down the aisle with me."

Aoife stoop up holding the horseshoe and , but her mother stopped her.

"No, no darling, we put it on this way." He mother said as she flipped the horseshoe around so it looked like a "U". "So all of the luck won't fall out."

The second thing Aoife had was something new, and that was her wedding dress. Her employer's daughter and Medda had all offered her old dresses she could wear, but Aoife refused. If she was going to have anything of her own at her wedding it would be her dress, and it would be blue. Despite what all the other girls said about wearing a white dress, Aoife wanted a blue one. And so with the help of her and Liam's new jobs she saved up enough to buy a dress for herself. It was a pale blue color and didn't have any special frills or bows or lace on it, but that is what Aoife loved about it. It was simple, just like her.

Aoife's "something borrowed and blue" came from the same person, who acted as a mother figure to her the time she was in America. Blue was considered a lucky color for Irish brides, but Aoife didn't own anything blue, so she went to Medda's in Manhattan hoping if she could borrow anything blue. She stepped backstage and into Medda's dressing room where she was waiting. Aoife was thinking Medda had a blue sash or shawl, but what Medda produced turned out to be unexpected for Aoife. Already pre placed on a display pillow was a blue and lace guarder.

"Medda it's beautiful, but what do I do with it, I mean no one will be able to see it."

"Well hun, there's an old tradition that at the reception once you two are officially married, the groom has to retrieve the garter from the brides leg."

"That seems kind of embarrassing don't you think?"

"Much to the amusement of friends and family, who quite enjoy an act like that." Medda answered on the contrary.

Smiling, Aoife decided that if she was a wedding guest, she would like to see her friends doing something like that, so she borrowed the blue garter and crossed two things off her list.

And now, Aoife's list was complete. Tears formed in her eyes as Nuala told her that the penny was he and Liam's mothers. The girls shared a hug, and Aoife put the penny in her shoe

*~ Meanwhile downstairs with the boys~*~

Spot could not stop pacing. His arms were sore from the new line of work he was in and he was tired. But most of all he was nervous. Tomorrow was the big day and-much like Aoife-all he could think about was whether or not Aoife would still want to marry him.

"What if she doesn't take my ring, what if she realizes that there is someone better for her out there and leaves, what if-"

"God Spot, shut the hell up!" Ryder yelled at him.

"Hey, what I'd do!"

"She's goin ta marry ya. Believe me, if she didn't want's to, she's would ave left ya a long time ago. Just think of all the things you'se two ave done for each other, I mean with Queen's an everything. "

And he was right, they had both risked their lives for each other and have grown to fall in love again after many years of being separated.

She was the one, and they would be married by this tie tomorrow.

~*~ the next day~*~

Tomorrow came sooner for Liam than expected. By the tie he woke up at the apartment, Aoife was gone to Medda's where the ceremony was going to be held.

At Medda's Aoife was being waited on hand and foot. Medda had put her own girls to work on Aoife, braiding and pinning her hair up and doing her makeup. Aoife had always wanted braids on her wedding day as it was a sign of femininity. Nuala was there too, weaving flowers together to make a crown for Aoife.

In Brooklyn, spot was getting dressed into a simple green jacket he had borrowed from one of his co-workers. His simple white Henley was under the jacket, and of course, he wouldn't go anywhere without his red suspenders.

It was almost time to get to the church and Aoife was beginning to slip into her dress. Medda's eyes started to water as Aoife gracefully slipped the guarder around her thigh, and Nuala placed the crown of lilac's on Aoife's head.

When word got to Aoife that Spot and his boys were making their way through Manhattan, along with Jack Kelly and his newsies, she started their journey to the church. Aoife arrived fist, Medda and Nuala at her sides. They went into the small room in the back so no one could see them as they entered. Soon the church was filled with Brooklyn and Manhattan newsies and some of their dates.

Spot who was in the back of the church, was sweating something fierce a habit he did when he was nervous. Taking deep breaths, he turned to Ryder who was standing by his side.

"I can't do this, let me out." Spot said as he shoved past Ryder to get to the door. Brushing off the fact that Ryder did not try to stop him, Spot reached for the big brass doorknobs of the church and gave a mighty pull, only to find the doors were locked! Spinning around Spot glared at Ryder who wore a sheepish grin on his face.

"Care ta explains?" Spot said.

"Well, some of da boys and I'se thought that's you would get a little nervious, so we'se had the church people lock da doors so you'se wouldn't try ta leave."

Spot's scowl melted into that of a smirk as he approached Ryder and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks for thinking of me's."

"Anytime's."

Just then, the organ stated blaring, causing both Spot and Ryder to jump in surprise.

"Now's our que." Ryder said. "You'se ready?" He asked.

"As I'll ever be." Spot finished.

Ryder patted Spot on the shoulder before Spot left making his way to the alter.

Meanwhile in the girl's dressing room Aoife could not stop pacing the floor much to Nuala's dismay.

"Aoife if you keep on pacing like that, you're going to wear a hole in the floor."

"Sorry Nuala, I'm just nervous."

"I know. But I also know Liam's nervous too."

"Really?"

"Yeah Ryder told me the boys had to lock the doors so he wouldn't try to escape."

A smile broke on Aoife's lips as she thought of Liam trying to get out of the church. But she knew him too well to know that he would never back down on her like that.

Suddenly the first song Aoife picked out began to play. Right now Liam would be walking down the aisle and soon it would be her turn.

Once third song came on, Aoife and Nuala took their positions at the door of the church, the old horseshoes lying in Aoife's fidgeting hands. Ryder turned and looked at the Irish beauty in front of him. He slowly made his way over to where she stood and looped arms with her. The two walked over to the door and pushed it open. Aoife was glad she had a veil covering her face so no one would see she was crying. As Ryder escorted her down the aisle with Nuala in front of them scattering flower petals on the aisle, more and more people were turning their heads to look at her. In the pews she noticed all the Brooklyn boys were there, along with Manhattan and Harlem. She spotted Kid Blink and Skittery, who gave her a shy wave. Racetrack nodded his head at her. Archer and Spade from Brooklyn smiled war smiles and Hawk and his adorable brother Robin who was fully healed from his encounter with Queens nodded to her. Before she knew it, Aoife was at the alter looking into Liam's mysterious greyish blue eyes.

The ceremony flew by for both Aoife and Liam. They both kneeled before the alter as the Priest blessed them with the sign of the cross. Then they stood and faced each other. They crossed their arms over each other's to hold opposite hands as the priest draped a rope around their connected wrist as a symbol of "tying the knot" saying to them:

"Now you are bound one to the other with a tie not easy to break. Take the tie of binding before the final vows are made to learn what you need to know-to grow in wisdom and love. That your marriage will be strong, that your love will last in this life and beyond."

The couples looked into each other's eyes as Liam started their vows:

"I pledge my love to you, and everything that I own. I promise you the first bite of my meat and the first sip from by cup. I pledge that your name will always be the name I cry aloud in the dead of night.
I promise to honor you above all others. Our love is never-ending, and we will remain, forevermore, equals in our marriage. This is my wedding vow to you."

Aoife said hers next a tear escaping her eyes.

"I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night and the eyes into which I smile in the morning I pledge to you the first bite of my meat and the first drink from my cup I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine
I shall not slander you, nor you me I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel we shall do so in private and tell no strangers our grievances. This is my wedding vow to you. This is the marriage of equals."

The rope was removed from the couples hands as Nuala and Ryder came forward with the rings.

"Now for the rings." The Priest said in his old croaky voice. " Do you Liam Patrick Conlon, take Aoife Saoirse McCarthy to be your wife, To be her constant friend, her partner in life, and her true love? To love her without reservation, honor and respect her, protect her from harm, comfort her in times of distress, and to grow with her in mind and spirit?"
"I do." Liam said with a nod as he took the ring from his sister and slid the ring onto her finger. The priest spoke again:
"And do you, Aoife Saoirse McCarthy , take Liam Patrick Conlon to be your husband, to be his constant friend, his partner in life, and his true love? To love him without reservation, honor and respect him,
protect him from harm, comfort him in times of distress, and to grow with him in mind and spirit?"

"I do." She answered taking the ring from Ryder and putting it on his finger. Together they said their final marriage vow.

"I take you my heart at the rising of the moon And the setting of the stars. To love and to honor
through all that may come. Through all our lives together in all our lives, may we be reborn that we may meet and know and love again, and remember."

The priest took both their now ringed hands and held them in his speaking:

" May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness. From this day forward. Mr. Conlon, you may now kiss your bride."

Liam and Aoife turned and faced each other. Gently and slowly Liam reached up and pulled her veil away revealing a tear sliding down he cheek, but a smile on her face. Liam reached up and wiped the tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Don't cry Mrs. Conlon." He told her before pulling her face closer to his and kidding her for the first time as a married couple.

"Congratulations." Ryder told them both.

As soon as their lips touched, the crowd of newsies burst into cheers and shouts in celebration. Aoife and Liam proceeded down the aisle followed by Ryder and Nuala to the carriage that was waiting for them to go to Irving Hall.

A few hours later, everyone was at Medda's laughing, drinking, dancing and having a good time. A make shift Irish band was playing lively jigs and reels and everyone was dancing. Liam held Aoife in his arms twirling her around and lifting her up in the air.

"Ey- don't let the good people get the upper hand!" Ryder shouted as he spun Nuala around.

The night went on and soon it was around 2:00 in the morning. Manhattan and Harlem were all getting ready to leave, some newsies were stating that this was the wedding of the century, while others were already complaining about the massive hangover they would have the next day and how they might not get up to carry the banner. Before Jack left, he shook Spot's hand and gave Aoife a kiss on the cheek.

When the party was over and the Brooklyn newsies were at the lodging house under Ryder's command, Spot and Aoife went back to their apartment, Spot carrying her all the way. They positioned themselves on their bed, curled up in each other's embrace. Aoife subconsciously rubbed her hand over her stomach and noticing this, Spot laid his hand atop of hers. They gazed into each other's eyes, and shared a kiss.

A/N Soooo, what cha think? This was a long awaited chapter to post and with finals and graduation coming up, I don't know when I will update this story again, but I hope you will continue to stick with me! The next chapter is the baby, so let me know if you think it's going to be a boy or girl! Also, when Spot and Aoife are dancing and Ryder calls out don't let the good people get the upper hand , that is a reference to an old Irish tradition that states the bride should never take both feet off the ground at the same time because the "good people" or fairies who love beautiful things would sweep the bride away! I was also going to add a song (the title for this chapter) for Aoife to sing, but found out it was bad luck for the bride or the groom to sing at their own wedding. Who knew huh? Anyway thank you guys so much for reading and I hope you will all follow/favorite as well as review! I would love to hear from you! Also, please check out the prologue to my new Newsies Fanfic Beauty and the Brooklynite!