Christian's POV – Saturday 30 July 2011
Relaxing and chatting to Ray while I watch Ana speaking to her relatives, I see Elliot and Kate return to the room looking somewhat dishevelled and can't believe that they didn't tidy up from their obvious shenanigans.
Elliot comes back to sit next to me, a Cheshire cat like grin on his face, "Well, that's two bucket list items covered," he breathes and downs his glass of beer before continuing, "Doing a bridesmaid and doing it on Dad's desk." I can't help but shake my head at him.
"Saw the prenup, signed and sealed, I guess I'm going to need to get Kate to sign one too, don't know how you got Ana to sign it but Kate will be…"
"What? What did you just say?" every hair on the back of my neck stands on end and I am up and out of my chair, it would have toppled except for Taylor catching it and putting his hand on my shoulder to calm me.
"Woah? What? You didn't know? I saw it in Dad's in-tray," Elliot says with confusion etched all over his face as he follows me quickly.
Striding towards Carrick's office everything within me is in turmoil, my hands in my hair, was this another reason my parents made Ana stay here last night? "Get Dad before I go and hit him," I grind out tersely to Elliot and he peels off to do that while I continue, out of the corner of my eye I see Ana's head go up and know she is probably going to follow me, I know I can't make a scene and ruin what has been a perfect wedding so far and I take a deep breath, for Ana's sake, I need to control myself as much as I want to bury my fist deep in my supposed father's face.
Pushing Carrick's office door open, my eyes go to the pile of papers in his in-tray and reaching them, my eyes go straight to Ana's signature and the date, today. Today! He made her sign it today…. And the bile rises in my throat higher.
Walking over to the shredder I know Carrick has in his cupboard, I wrench open the door and hit start. Finding each of the pages that Ana has signed, I feed them into the shredder as Carrick walks in the door and behind him I see the concerned face of my beloved, Carrick is very lucky she is standing there and as she closes the door behind her, I can't hold the roar.
"So you thought you'd ruin Ana's day by saying "I don't trust you, here sign a pre-nup? Against my express instructions? You knew she'd sign, Ana has always said she'd sign a pre-nup, she has always said that she would take nothing, my god, she has a hard enough time accepting any money I spend on her, why do you think she's going to take my money, I don't understand? I don't want a fucking pre-nup, I never wanted a fucking pre-nup, we don't need a pre-nup. And exactly when was I going to sign this document or were you intending to forge my signature? You know this was no true legal document, why did you do it? Were you making a point? Were you trying to make Ana feel like a gold digger? What exactly was your purpose?"
The blood is thumping in my ears as Carrick stands in front of me and I clasp and unclasp my fist, I feel Taylor right beside me and know I'll never land a punch even if I lose the fine thread of control that is there. "I'm sorry son, I was just wanting to protect you, while Ana is the most amazing woman that has come into your life, you haven't made the best decisions with women in the past and I couldn't let you make another error when I have seen so many before."
"Are you fucking kidding me? " I roar cutting him off, "You didn't protect me from Elena," and I see his face crumple and I know it's a low blow but I'm so seriously angry that he's putting Ana in the same basket as that evil woman. "How dare you even breathe Ana's name in the same sentence as that evil cow and if you mean the women I had contracts with, they were all consensual and considered and that was a period of my life. Ana is the rest of my life, there is no point of any of my money if she is not in my life, I couldn't care less about my money, the only thing I care about is Ana and you have disrespected her."
A concerned, "Christian, you know I'm happy to sign it, I didn't want Carrick thinking that I wouldn't sign before the wedding ceremony, I'm sure Carrick has seen things in court where couples that used to be in love turn against each other and he is trying to protect your fortune for you, maybe he's trying to make amends for not protecting you when you were a child." I've let Ana say her piece and I know she's trying to calm me down but I want to make Carrick pay and its only when her small hand slips into mine and her eyes turn up to me do I stop the new eruption that was threatening. I can't bear that her hands and lip are trembling and her blue eyes look like pools about to spill over, this is her wedding day, she's supposed to be enjoying every minute of it.
I address my next statement to Carrick even though I'm looking at Ana, drawing strength from her to return my control, "I will not have a pre-nup, you will continue to shred the rest of this legally unenforceable document and any copies you may have made and Ana and I will return to our wedding which I will not allow you to destroy any more of what was a happy day. I can't believe we've spent a fortune on security to stop anyone from outside upsetting our day and the attack was from within."
I turn and see my mother inside the door too, the tears in her eyes and look of disappointment on her face enough to assure me that she didn't know about it and must have heard me say that they didn't protect me from Elena. I know she would be blaming herself even more than Carrick and I am even more furious with Carrick for causing this situation. Elliot looks green to the gills knowing that it was his off the cuff comment that brought this to a head and I stop and look at Ana, with one last question, "Baby were you going to tell me that you'd signed the pre-nup?"
"I was not going to tell you as I knew it would ruin the day for you and what was the point? You deserved a happy wedding day full of beautiful memories. I didn't think I was starting the marriage off on a lie because I knew it was legally unenforceable unless you signed it and I figured that if you signed it because you listened to reasoned arguments from your legal team and the fact that I'm happy to sign, it was no problem, if you didn't sign it and were upset about it, at least it would be after a wonderful wedding day for you and what I am hoping is going to be a magical honeymoon, in short, it didn't matter…. Nothing matters but you and to be honest, I'd forgotten about it once the ceremony started and …. We are missing out on our party and everyone is going to be wondering what is going on. Can we go now?"
There is nothing but love in her eyes and I understand and accept her reasoning, I don't want to be the one who continues making a fuss and ruins the day for her. Taking a deep breath, I look Carrick in the eye waving my hand to stop him speaking and say, "I love Ana, she's the only reason this will be ok because she's bigger than this, she's bigger than any reason or justification you could ever have," and without waiting for any comment, I turn my back on Carrick, holding Ana's hand I stride over to my mother and hug her, her return hug is full of regret and I have to assure her, "It'll be ok."
To Elliot I lean in and whisper, "Thank you and you might want to pick up Kate's panties, they are just under the desk."
Ana's giggle fills the room, the sound that will always make things right and she belatedly tries to cover her mouth, that sweet luscious mouth that I want to buried in as soon as possible and we are out the door and head straight for the dance floor and on cue, the music chosen for our first dance begins and we glide into the centre of the floor.
I don't quite know what's happening but numerous streamer ends are pushed into our hands and while I see confusion on many faces, I see Ana's grandmother and great grandmother with loving grins on their faces come close and whisper, "It binds you together, forever, just the two of you," and realise this must be one of their traditions and for once, I'm happy to go with the unknown as I look down into Ana's smiling face.
As we twirl, the ribbons bind us until we are rocking together, in our own multi-coloured bubble of streamers and I couldn't be happier. As the song finishes, we pull apart and the floor is littered by the colourful array and the festive nature of the night continues with our hearts considerably lighter than when we walked onto the floor.
I'm glad that the speeches were earlier, a heartfelt but quick speech from Ray, an absolutely earnest speech from Elliot that had tears in my eyes and Ana holding my hand and stroking it, calming me and loving me as only she can do. Then Kate's speech, my respect for her growing as she stood there, a loving protector of Ana, someone who had stood on the sidelines, trying to bring her into the game but finally realising that Ana had had to do it under her own steam, at her own time and having done so, there really was no bigger cheerleader than Kate. Ana and I had stood together, while I have spoken at thousands of events, my words caught in my throat as I hugged her to my side and thanked her for falling into my life and changing it in so many positive ways and her simple, "I love you, I appreciate you and thank you everyone for being here with us today, the people that have never given up on either of us, thank you and I hope we continue forward with you in our lives," was the perfect end to the speeches.
Now, holding Ana close, I can feel her heart beating against me as her head rests against my shoulder, her body moulded against me and I know I have to pass her to Ray for her dance and I need to dance with my mother but I really don't want to let her go and as I think that she looks up at me and I whisper, "Just a couple of dances that we have to do and then one more with you then can we go, how are you feeling?" I know she's not going to tell me but her body must be aching, standing all day in those sexy as fuck shoes with a pelvis that still isn't healed.
"I'm ok. I'm with you," is her simple response with a smile and I have to hold her closer, my body reacting much more than I expected, her knowing giggle not helping and I kiss her without caring who is watching, in truth, I completely forget everyone and I hold her face in my hands, my lips reverentially moving over hers and it's only a clearing of a throat and Ray's tap on my shoulder that alerts me to the fact that the song has finished and he's claiming the father daughter dance.
With that ever present blush, Ana quickly moves into Ray's arms and I take my mother into the next dance, breathing, "Thank you, Mom, today and tonight has been absolutely wonderful," I deliberately avoid the prenup debacle and I see her shoulders relax and the tears in her eyes.
"Christian, I would have given absolutely everything to see you happy and smiling and I can't believe the last few months and I am ever so grateful for Ana appearing in your life, our lives," the tears spill down her cheeks but I know they are happy tears.
"Mom, no more tears, I couldn't be happier, thank you for saving me all those years ago, without that, I'd not be here today. No more tears and do you mind if we leave soon as Ana must be in so much pain, look at her move," I say and we both look over to where Ray is obviously holding her up and swaying with her, his lack of dancing prowess a bonus at the moment as her body can stay relatively still.
"Yes, dear, I think you should leave as soon as possible otherwise she will be unable to move for a week, please take the extra medication I gave Gail and make sure she takes it so that she can enjoy the honeymoon. Have fun my beautiful boy, I am so happy for you and Ana, go… be with your darling wife. "
With that and a final hug, I head over to Ana and scoop her up, a knowing concerned look on Ray's face being replaced by a grin as she squeals and wraps her arms around my neck.
"Let's go, are you ready?" I ask, she looks too fragile and there are way too many people who want to put their hands on her and right now I just want her for myself.
"Yes I'm ready but please put me down, " she says pointing to the farewell arch that is already forming and I groan, "Play nice and we'll be out of here faster, husband of mine" she says with that uplifted eyebrow and my smile mirrors hers.
"Oh wife of mine, only because you ask so sweetly," I love how those words sound and her words even more and it takes me a moment to hug her tight to me before I reluctantly put her down, holding onto her hand and we head over to start our exit.
Thankfully, while everyone hugs Ana, my hand in the middle of her back keeps her moving safely and quickly forward, reaching the end of the line, it takes a little longer with Mia, Kate, Elliot, Ray, the grandparents on both sides and finally my mom and dad. Following Ana's lead, I hug both, accept their congratulations again, managing to keep my thoughts with the joy of the day and looking forward to what is about to happen and finally we are out the door and into the SUV, Taylor driving, Gail in the passenger seat and on the way to the airport to start our married life.
Our married life, my wife…. who would have thought that I could find such a beautiful woman and that she'd agree to be mine, forever and I pull her against me, her snuggle against my chest a miracle that makes me smile as I place a gentle kiss on the top of her head and hold her tight.