Chapter 72

Ruby and Annie sat on the sofa next to Nic. They had tried on their dresses and shoes and none of them needed alteration. Roman poured them another glass of Champagne and sat on the other sofa waiting for Ella and Mike to join them. They came down moments later and nodded to Roman. He grinned.
Ella walked over to him and sat down.
"Have you got your something old etc?" Ella asked.
Nic gasped.
"No" she muttered.
"Well here is your something borrowed." She said to her and handed over the gold cross.
Nic gasped again looking in the jewellery box.
"It belonged to my mum she gave it to Ella when she went overseas." Mike told her.
"Thank you." Nic whispered, unable to talk any louder.
"And you've got your flowers in your bouquet so that is your something blue." Ruby told her.
"Well my dress is new." She said with a shrug.
Mike grinned and looked at his mum seeing her nod.
"I suppose it could be your something new but I thought you would like these." He gave her the gift-wrapped box.
She opened it with shaking hands and gasped when she saw the earrings.
"Mike you shouldn't have." She said, openly crying.
Nic turned to Ruby and Annie.
"I have diamond earrings." She said, tears pouring down her face.
Ruby chuckled.
"Nic." Her dad said.
She looked at him.
"I'm a lot poorer than him but I got you your something old." He gave her the handkerchief.
She fingered the lace and grinned.
"It is beautiful. Thank you all." She said.
"Hold your horse Mrs." Annie said.
"Yeah, we got you a little something too." Ruby added.
Nic had to wipe more tears away.
Annie had over a gift box.
Nic opened it and saw silk stockings.
"Wow!" she exclaimed.
"There is more." Ruby grinned and handed over her gift.
Nic opened it and chuckled looking at the lacy garter with the blue ribbon on it.
She tried to open her mouth to thank everyone but couldn't.
"Is that my daughter speechless?" Roman asked.
She nodded.
"I'm sorry." She said wiping more tears away. "I just really don't know what I did to deserve all this special treatment I used to be a b*tch."
Ruby and Annie laughed.
"Used to be I think is the operative word." Ella said to her.
She nodded.
"Well I can give something back. Ruby, Geoff and I have been talking and we have a spare room. Would you like to stay with us?" Nic said.
Ruby grinned.
"I've been having a chat with a few people too.. Annie and I are going to go stay at Ella's studio for a while. We are going to go back to college."
"Really?" Nic asked.
Annie nodded.
"Migual has got me a job interview as a receptionist at the hotel where he works, although I think someone else may have helped." Annie said looking at Ella who didn't say anything but grinned.
"That is so cool." Nic told them.
Ruby grinned.
Roman topped up their glasses and he gave Ella a glass of Orange juice before giving a glass to Mike. He looked at Ella who grinned and nodded and he poured some champagne into Mike's orange juice.
Mike grinned.
"I think we need a toast." Roman said. "To my multiple daughters may their new lives be happy." He said.
Annie, Ruby and Nic drank and grinned.
"Does this mean we get an allowance?" Annie asked.
"No." Roman said.
He turned at the knock at the door and went to open it.
"Hello." Natalie said.
"Mum." Nic called out standing up. "We thought you weren't coming its late."
Natalie smiled.
"I had a bit of car trouble but everything is alright now. Could you pay the taxi for me?" she asked Roman.
He smiled and went outside to deal with the irate driver.
Ella stood and went over to Natalie.
"Hey there, come on in. I'm Ella." She put her arm around Natalie and led her over to the sofa. "You've already met my brat of a son." She said with a grin. "Well these two lovely girls are Annie and ruby and they are Nic's best friends."
She sat Natalie down.
"Mike can you make Natalie a coffee please." She asked.
Mike nodded.
She turned to Nic.
"How about ordering the pizza?" she suggested. "Girls why don't you give her a hand choosing them?" she said to Annie and Ruby.
They got up and went into the kitchen.
"Hey, you are cold." She said to Natalie and wrapped the throw around her.
"Thanks." Natalie said.
Roman came back in and closed the door. He was carrying Natalies handbag and he put it on the table behind the door.
"Nat?" he said softly seeing that she was now crying.
"I couldn't afford the taxi let alone something for my daughter's wedding." She sobbed.
Ella smiled softly and put her arms around the other woman.
"It doesn't matter. It only matters that you are here for her now." She told her.
Mike came in with a tray that he placed in front of her. It had the pot of coffee, milk jug and sugar and a cup and saucer.
Ella grinned at him.
"How do you like your coffee?" Mike asked her kneeling on the floor next to them.
Natalie looked up and wiped her eyes.
"White no sugar." She told him.
He poured it for her and handed her the cup.
"Thank you Mike." She said.
He smiled and lifted all of Nic's presents up carrying them up the stairs to her bedroom.
"Where is my bag?" Natalie asked after a moment.
"Here." Roman told her.
She nodded and held up her hand for it, he walked over to her and gave her the bag.
Nic and the girls came back into the room.
"Nicole." Natalie began. "I have a present for you. It isn't much." She told her.
Nic sat down slowly and waited. Natalie pulled out a small photo album and handed it over.
Nic grinned when she opened it.
"Wow, is that you Nic?" Annie asked.
She nodded.
"I have one for you too Roman." She gave him a duplicate photo album.
He opened it and saw baby pictures of Nic.
"Natalie." He said softly.
"Don't say anything Roman I should have done this a long time ago." She grimaced.
"Hey," Ella began. "It's done now." She rubbed the other woman's back slowly.
Natalie looked at her, finding the gentle touch soothing.
"I have to say that I hate you Ella you are as nice as Nic said you were."
Ella chuckled aloud even as Nic gasped in horror.
"I'm sure I have my moments." She said. "Mike why don't you put on a movie for us to watch." She suggested.
"Ok." he said. "I think we have My Best Friends Wedding or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I know how about Runaway…"
"No!" Ella and Nic exclaimed as everyone laughed.
"Behave yourself young man." Ella grinned at him.
He chuckled and put on a movie.