Authors Note - This chapter marks my retirement from the world of McFly . A big thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed my stories (Muscrove Apartments, Walk in the Sun, Darts of Pleasure)… It's been great, but my tentative love for McFly has been on the slow decline for a while now and I've moved on to other interests.
But anyways, here's the final chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! Keep an eye out for my future writing ventures.
Thanks again!
Chapter Thirteen
I stared at my reflection, my eyes running over my body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I waited for the moment to arrive… the moment where I would be absolutely repulsed at what I was currently adorned in… but for some strange reason, that feeling never came. And it was then I realised that Lana had actually pulled it off. She had somehow managed to make a lurid pink bridesmaid dress actually look… nice.
"So?" Lana prompted.
I looked at her and smiled. She looked so beautiful standing there in her traditional wedding dress. She looked like a doll on a cake, but somehow she managed to pull that off as well. "Its perfect Lana."
She reached out and brushed a piece of lint from the fabric thoughtfully, "I should have been a stylist. Do you think it's too late for a career change?"
I trailed my fingers along the gorgeous fabric of my dress, "I think that's a question you'll have to ask a pro and con list."
Lana let out a breath and clutched at my arms, "so everything is good right? I'm good?"
I cupped her face and kissed her forehead, "your good. The pro and con list never lies."
Lana nodded and flattened her hair nervously. Behind her pinned to the wall was the infamous list, with the pro side significantly longer than the con. Although admittedly we had gotten a little silly at the end listing pros such as the cute little freckle on Eric's back and his tendency flick his hair out of his eyes. But they all added up to make Lana realise that she couldn't live without him. Wedding day crisis successfully avoided.
I turned back to the mirror, "I love my dress."
As I preened, Lana paced the room biting her nails nervously, "so you'll water my plants while I'm on my honeymoon right? And please keep my fish alive. If I come home and find them dead then I'm going to make you flush them down the toilet and buy me new ones."
I turned my attention away from the mirror, "I think I'll manage." I smoothed my dress down and picked up my bouquet. "Are we ready then?"
Lana took a deep breath and nodded. I fussed over the train of her gown.
As I was fussing Lana's dad popped his head around the corner, "we're all ready for you Lana."
And with those six words, I suddenly got emotional, "aw Lana."
Lana looked over her shoulder at me. She grimaced when she realised I was looking at her all gooey eyed, "geeze Amber suck it up please. I refuse to get all emotional before I even leave this tiny little dressing room."
I opened my arms wide and walked towards her for a hug.
She fended me off with her bouquet, "I'm serious Amber if you make me cry I swear to god I'll mmffffttt…."
Her words were cut off when I practically smothered her with the force of my hug. I won't go into detail, but we both had a rather elongated girly moment. Two rational women reduced to tears in a hideous little room with white lace curtains and stained glass windows. How mortifying. Oh well, I'm sure its a story Lana will tell the grand kids.
After pulling ourselves together, touching up our make-up and wishing each other good luck. Lana's dad practically pushed me out of the room so he could have a moment with his daughter.
Ten minutes later I was walking down a long aisle scattered with rose petals. It was an incredibly strange moment. You enter the room and every single person's eyes turn to you, they look you up and down, eye you critically, and then turn to their partner to gossip about your dress. When in the world did the primary attraction at weddings become the fashion?
As far as I was concerned, a wedding presented the opportunity for me to showcase how marvellous I was as an event manager. But a smaller more emotionally girly part of me understood that a wedding wasn't about anything superficial like that… it was about love.
As I walked, I ignored all the whispering guests; my eyes were on Danny who looked unbelievably attractive standing next to an equally attractive Eric. I smiled softly at him and he winked at me causing my heart to flutter in my chest. Maybe the two of us would be okay after everything that had happened.
Watching Lana walk into the room was beautiful. Watching Eric's expression was even better. His face was all I needed to see to know without any doubt that the pro con list was right.
The best thing about weddings – open bar, embarrassing music from the 80s, friends and loved ones getting blind drunk, and dancing with Danny Jones.
"I thought you were going to flood the hall."
"I didn't cry that much."
Danny pulled me through the dancing couples until we reached the centre of the dance floor. "You were a mess Amber." He pulled me into his arms.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and swayed to the music with him, "you can't talk. I saw a tear or two from you Mr Jones."
His mouth dropped open, "I didn't cry."
"You did so, you had one of those amazing tears that lingered for ages before falling down your cheek like something out of a soap opera."
"I didn't cry. I was a model of masculinity," Danny replied with a mock proud look on his face.
I looked at him doubtfully.
"Ok so maybe I was a bit teary," he admitted, "but it was a nice wedding."
"Beautiful," I agreed.
Danny pulled me closer and rested his cheek against mine, "and what about you Miss Slater, do you want to get married one day?"
I shrugged and trailed my hands down his back, "to the right guy at the right time… maybe." I pulled back slightly so I could see into his eyes, "and you?"
He smiled, "to the right girl, at the right time… maybe."
I raised an eyebrow, "well its nice to know we're on the same wavelength at least."
Danny smiled and hugged me close, burying his face into my neck, "so," he mumbled against my skin, "we've embarked on several successful dates, and even managed to make it through them without copious amounts of alcohol. What does this mean?" Danny pulled away from my neck and looked at me curiously, his eyes boring into my own.
"Well," I began as my hands clutched at the front of his suit jacket, "I guess that all depends on whether you think said dates were good enough to stick around for a bit longer."
Danny rolled his eyes, "c'mon Amber you know what my answer is to that one."
"Yeah but I'd kind of like to hear you say it." I smoothed down his tie and lapels, "after everything… I feel a little insecure when it comes to you and me. I don't want to start something if you're just going to leave me in your dust again."
"It's different this time."
"How is it different?"
It was a simple enough question, a simple question that needed a not so simple answer. I watched patiently as a range of emotions flew across Danny's face. His brow furrowed thoughtfully, and he stopped swaying aimlessly to the music, lost in his own thoughts.
Finally he replied, "I can't tell you, I'll have to show you."
I was intrigued, "show me? Show me what?"
Danny answered by grabbing my hand and leading me out of the room. We exited the church and rounded the large building until we reached the gardens. They were absolutely gorgeous, but I couldn't fathom why Danny was bringing me here.
"Where are we going?"
Danny wrapped an arm around my shoulders; "you know someone told me once that patience is a virtue."
"I didn't tell you that did I?"
Danny laughed, "No I don't think so."
"Good cause my advice always comes back to bite me in the bum."
Danny led me to a spot under a huge ancient looking tree. "Here we are."
I blinked several times, "your showing me a tree?"
"No. We're here so I can show you this."
And he kissed me. He clasped my cheek, closed the distance between us and pressed his lips to my own. And it was just like… going home to Australia. The familiarity, mixed with the longing and the desire to be at a place that you feel completely comfortable. I stood on tiptoe and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him back with every ounce of passion I could muster. And it was just like those six months had never occurred and we were just picking up right where we left off the day he left Muscrove Apartments. And I suddenly understood completely… it was different. I'm not exactly sure how, but I was positive that I would figure it out over time.
I smiled against his lips and he smiled back pulling away slightly, "so am I making myself clear?"
I kissed him again, "very clear."
Danny pulled me tight into his arms and kissed my temple, "so does this mean I can tell everyone I've managed to get back the girl I'm in love with."
"As long as you tell them your back for good then I don't care what you say." I replied as I twined my fingers into his hair. "Hey Danny?"
"Yeah?"
I bit my lip and looked into his eyes, "I love you too. You know that right? I always have. Even through all the shit. You were always the only one."
A large happy grin crossed Danny's face, and he kissed me again and again, right there under the large ancient tree. "Oh I have some news by the way," Danny suddenly mumbled against my lips.
"Yeah?" I questioned my mind hazy with the passion we had just shared.
"I'm moving back into Muscrove Apartments."
---The End---
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