As John and Kayleigh entered their evening reception, Best Years Of Our Life by Modern Romance played as they took all the well wishing and love being passed their way.

The early April wedding had gone without any incident and the speeches and food after the ceremony couldn't have gone better.

They did opt for a church wedding as it had been Kayleigh's dream to have a traditional wedding.

As the couple headed to the dance floor for their first dance they looked the picture of love.

There could be only one song both of them knew they would dance to and a big cheer went up when the first bars of Hearsays Pure and Simple played.

John was slightly nervous about dancing in front of the whole room, but as always he and Kayleigh laughed, kissed, held hands and hugged the whole way through.

"I am so happy John, I can't believe we're married."

"Nor can I...how'd did you wear me down?" said John with a smile.

"John!" replied Kayleigh smiling back.

"Seriously though...I never thought I'd get married...until you and your Jedi mind tricks" he sighed then gave her a wink.

"Yeah Yeah! You couldn't wait to marry me!" Kayleigh replied.

"Mmm...what have I got myself into eh?"

"John! Its a good job I love you Mr Redmond"

"Aye...and I love you...Mrs Redmond."

They shared a kiss as the song came to an end.

"It's Pure and Simple really" added John.

They smiled at each other as their guests applauded and then the party started.

However in the weeks leading up to this union both John and Kayleigh had secrets that were not yet revealed and both knew as the night drew to a close they would have to discuss them before they continued their married life together.

It was the beginning of March and John had been put in charge of the Honeymoon. He should have booked it ages ago but it all escaped him and now he was stuck. He had told Kayleigh it was all in hand and had booked 2 weeks in Crete and a 5* hotel for them. He had Crete in his mind as it was not too far and heard lovely things about it. But now he had to really book it.

"Right, I'm now off."

"Ok, hope all your suits still fit!" replied Kayleigh as she was sitting on the couch reading a bridal magazine.

"I do an all! I've been dead good on this diet and trying to maintain" he said cheekily.

"I know you have...you're looking very fine...grrr" Kayleigh toys with him.

"Don't be doing that when I'm on my way out...save it for when I get back" he leaned down to give her a kiss goodbye.

"Give my love to Jim and Paul."

"Aye will do...see you later."

John met Jim and Paul at a cafe in town for a bite to eat and a cuppa.

"I still can't believe you've not booked the honeymoon yet? You had one job!"

"Yeah alright Jim...I do know."

"What ya gonna do John?" asked Paul.

"Well after the suit fitting I'm just gonna go into a travel agents and book it...it can't be that hard."

"I thought you'd have just done it online?"

"I was going to...but I need to make it a bit honeymoony...I didn't want to be sat emailing someone I hadn't met trying to arrange the most important holiday of me life."

"Aw how romantic" joked Jim.

"Look John, now I'm just asking this as we are amongst friends...but this isn't you having doubts is it?" asked a concerned Paul.

"Doubts...about what?"

"Marrying Kayleigh?"

"No its not!" said John defiantly "why would you think that?"

"Because I would have thought you would have this sorted by now. Also you've not spoken a great deal about the whole wedding."

"We're just worried about ya mate...you were always so adamant that you'd never get married and then Kayleigh comes along...and you haven't known her that long...not compared to how long you were with Charlotte when ya popped the question" explained Jim.

"And we all know what happened there" added Paul.

"I don't believe this...are you two in cahoots?"

"No! But me an Jim are just worried about ya. You know we all love Kayleigh and would be absolutely over the moon if this was what you wanted. But it just doesn't sound like it."

"Well it shows how much you both know. Course this is what I want! And the reason it took me so long to propose to Charlotte was because I knew it wasn't want I wanted!" John was angry and getting louder.

"Alright mate calm down...we just care...about you and Kayleigh" said Jim trying to keep the peace.

"Look John, I'm not saying this because I don't think you love Kayleigh but I just sense you're not as keen on the wedding as she is."

"Well I don't remember you going on about your wedding to Claire to be honest Paul?"

"No but everything I had to do was done. I didn't procrastinate...which is what I think you're doing."

"I'm not! I'm really not. I want to marry Kayleigh...more than anything!" John put his head in his hands.

"You alright mate?" asked a concerned Jim.

"I just feel I've let her down already by not being as involved as you two think I need to be. What kind of husband am I gonna be?"

"Oh John, I'm sorry, me and my big mouth."

"No you're right Paul. I have been taking a backseat and failed my one job. But its not cos I don't want to marry her."

"I believe you...I just worry about you brother."

"I know...but I'm so scared...so scared I'm not going to be any good at this marriage. And I'm proving it already."

"You're not, you're gonna make a great husband. Claire often says you're the better brother!" Paul laughs which makes John smile.

"I need to sort this honeymoon out today!"

"And we shall...come on drink up lads...suits then honeymoon!" Jim excitedly hurried them along.

After the suit fitting went well the three men went to the travel agents with determination.

"I'm sorry Mr Redmond...nothing I can do for those weeks" explained the travel agent.

"Well, is there anything else? I need to sort this honeymoon out now or I don't know what I'm gonna do" pleaded John.

"Well..." replied the travel agent.

As they left the Travel Agents John was looking very sombre.

"Eh don't worry John it'll be great!" said Jim keeping it all upbeat.

"Yeah" agreed Paul "She will love it...you may just have to skirt around the finer details."

" And she will know I lied...how does that look!"

"You could say you wanted it to be a surprise. And she wont be angry with this. If she's angry about this then she's not the Kayleigh we've all come to know and love" smiled Paul.

"Aye..." said John.

"Just save it all until the wedding night...if she is gonna be angry...it wont be then" Jim laughed.

Paul and John walked off.

"What?" said Jim bewildered as he chased after them.

In the next few weeks John had thrown himself into all things wedding, however Kayleigh had been the one a bit distant now, she had her final dress fitting on the Saturday before the wedding the following week.

"You looking forward to trying your dress on one last time before the big day?"

"Yeah I spose" replied Kayleigh trying to keep upbeat on the drive home from work Friday evening.

"You should tell ya face? Look are you ok? You seem a bit peaky?"

"I'm sorry John, I'm fine... just feel knackered...feels like the longest week."

"Aye...next week will feel even longer" he smiled.

Saturday morning arrived and Kayleigh left for Mandy's early for their trip to the bridal shop.

"Morning love...you want a brew?" asked Steve.

"No I'm fine ta."

"No problem...Chloe! Alfie! Come on...we'll be late for Nans!"

The kids ran down the stairs and spoke with Kayleigh before Steve took them off. Mandy finally appeared with a handful of washing.

"What a morning Kayleigh! I'll be with you in two seconds" she said as she loaded the machine.

Mandy looked up at Kayleigh "Are you ok? You don't seem yourself."

"I'm fine honestly."

"You're not having second thoughts are ya?"

"Second thoughts about what?"

"Second thoughts about marrying John. It's natural to get cold feet and I know he may not have been the prince charming you always dreamt about...but he loves you so much and he's so great with us all."

"I'm not getting cold feet! And he's better than any prince charming I ever dreamed of thank you very much!" Kayleigh responded very angrily which led to tears.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry Kayleigh" she rushed over to hug her sister "what's the matter then?"

"I'm late on my lady time Mandy" Kayleigh sobbed.

"Well its probably the stress of the wedding making you a few days late. No need to get upset" she continued to hug Kayleigh.

"I'm not a few days late...I'm a few weeks late."

"How many weeks?"

"Five."

"Five!" Mandy yelled "why an earth were you not concerned before."

"Because I thought the same as you and thought I'd just missed a month because of the stress and now I've missed this one. I've not even been stressed though. And I've..."

"You've what?"

"I've been feeling nauseas in the morning."

"For god sake Kayleigh! Have you taken a test?"

"No..."

"Why not?"

"Cause its the worst timing...if I'm not pregnant I'm going to be sad, if I am then I cant drink at my own wedding...and my dress wont fit!" she sobbed.

"Have you said anything to John?"

"No, he knows somethings up...but I don't want to panic him the wedding is already quite a lot for him to take."

"Oh Kayleigh...weren't you both careful?"

"I thought we were. I came off pill late last year to give my body a break and we used other protection...but I know one morning we took a risk and I didn't think no more about it with everything else. I thought when we finally did try it would take me ages to fall pregnant."

"Right, I'm going to the Chemist to get a test...you need to know."

"What if John thinks I'm trying to trap him? It's like I've planned to get everything I want."

"Well if he does think that he's being trapped then he's a fool" Mandy said as she got ready to pop to Chemist "I wont be long."

Kayleigh sat with her head in her hands...not knowing how she wanted this to go as she waited the long 30 minutes for Mandy to return.

"Right I'm back – hope you've not used the loo whilst I've been gone, want to do this quick if we are going to get to your dress fitting on time."

"I'm so scared Mandy."

"Don't be...I'm here for you...come on."

They went upstairs to the bathroom and Mandy waited outside. 10 minutes passed before Kayleigh came back out.

"Well...?" asked Mandy.

As they sat downstairs having a cuppa before going to the bridal shop, Kayleigh was still upset.

"How do I explain why I have been distant. I'm going to have to tell him about everything."

"Look, there's no point saying anything to him. Just carry on as before and tell him everything after the wedding "

"I just feel bad not being able to tell him why I've been like this."

"There's nothing to worry about...just focus on your wedding. Speaking of which we best make a move."

"Yeah...here goes!" said Kayleigh intepidly.

John and Kayleigh headed to the honeymoon suite jubilantly as their evening was drawing to an end.

"Eh, do ya want me to carry ya over the threshold?"

"You could try but I don't want you to injure your back on our wedding night...well not by doing that anyway" she laughed and gave him a kiss as he opened the door.

"Mmm...after you wife" John held the door open for her.

"Why, thank you husband."

They laid on the bed kissing and caressing until John broke the embrace.

"Look Kayleigh...before we go any further, I need to tell you something and I need to tell you before we go on honeymoon as you need to know."

"What is it?" she sat up as John sighed "John...you're scaring me."

John got off the bed and stood up.

"I lied to you Kayleigh...I only booked our Honeymoon five weeks ago. The one job you gave me and I failed you."

"Ok...well there's no problem. So what... you didn't book Crete when you said. Its no biggy... Look John I also have something I need to say...its really important and I'm not sure..."

"No, that's not all."

"Right...?" Kayleigh stood facing John.

"When I went to book it, I couldn't book Crete. The place that was perfect wasn't available...so I couldn't book it."

"So... we have no honeymoon?"

"No, we have a honeymoon...I booked something else...I booked Mauritius...but it cost a hell of a lot more and I had to dip into my savings...I hope that's ok with you?"

"Oh John...that's amazing. Why couldn't you just tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to think I'd be a hopeless husband...can't even book a holiday when I say. Then when I'd told Paul and Jim, they thought I hadn't booked it because I didn't want to marry you and I worried if I told you you'd think the same and I didn't want to upset you."

"John...you are so lovely...you are already the best husband I know" she hugged and kissed him.

"Thank god for that...I thought you wouldn't be too angry when you heard where I had booked" John winked.

"The only thing I'm angry about is you had to dip into your savings" said Kayleigh.

"I know...I just wanted to make it right. I will never lie to you again...it was so stressful" John stated and Kayleigh laughed "Anyway...didn't you mention you had something to say...it feels like confessions and its meant to be our wedding night" he laughed.

"I think you should sit down John."

"Now you're scaring me" he said as he sat on end of the bed.

"You remember yoy asked me last week if I was ok...and I said I was fine?" John nodded in response "...well I lied."

"Right..."

"Something was on my mind...and I'm sorry I never mentioned anything before...I just didn't want to worry you..."

"Please Kayleigh...just spit it out...I'm worrying now..."

"Thing is...well...the thing that I need to say...oh...there's no other way to say it really...I'm pregnant..."

John stared opened mouthed for what seemed like minutes but was only seconds, before finally managing to speak.

"Ya what?"

"I'm pregnant John...I'm only 7 weeks so no one can know until 12 week scan...but a test and a doctor has confirmed it."

John sat again in stunned silence.

"John...are you going to say anything?"

John stood up and walked to the door he faced the ceiling and sighed.

"Oh God...you hate me don't you?" Kayleigh said as tears formed in her eyes.

John looked at the floor "I don't hate you Kayleigh..." he turned round and looked at her. As they caught each others eyes John smiled the biggest smile and walked over to her and kissed her..."I love you Kayleigh...this is our perfect ending to the greatest day of my life."

Kayleigh's face lit up "So you're pleased?"

"Course I'm bloody pleased...your dreams are now my dreams and they are coming true...that makes me the happiest man on earth" he kissed her passionately "I did wonder why you had the same full glass of champagne all day though."

"Well I knew people would ask if I wasn't drinking...so I thought if I had a full glass no one could try and give me more...I hope it worked. I tried to act a bit fluffy drunk!" explained Kayleigh.

"I did wonder you know...but never would I have guessed that you would be pregnant...never...I thought I would take ages" he smiled "right Mrs Redmond, now confessions have been made...time to get on with our wedding night!"

"Yes Mr Redmond" she put her arms around his neck to pull him into an embrace... "I love you so much John."

"I love you too Kayleigh...here's to our new beginning."