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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Oct 17, 2012 5:16:11 GMT -5
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it won't be long until you'll be mine. Are you my family? Can I stay with you a while? Can I stop off in your bed tonight? I could make you smile. In the morning I'll make you breakfast in the evening I'll warm the bed. And I'll always be happy to kiss you. Promise I'll never get sad. Help you dress yourself up fancy and bathe you when you get sore. I'll be good. I think I could be all you would want and more and more. Be proud when you dazzle the wondrous, Glitter your eyes for the town.Tell every last boy that you're my man. I'll try not to let you down.
Nell placed her hand over her stomach, taking a deep breath. Nerves tightened her muscles, and she tried to focus on relaxing. They'd hidden her away in a small room in the club, and she would wait there until the bridesmaids all walked out and Here Comes the Bride started up. Now that it was zero hour, everything seemed surreal. For a year, the wedding had been simply an idea, a concept not completely realized but often dreamed of. And here she was, standing in a white dress, trying not to make any movement that might disturb some part of her hair, her flowers, her gown. She had been put together so meticulously, like a carefully sculpted art piece that any movement could destroy. Her hairdresser thwacked her hand away when she tried to touch the decoration in her hair, which subdued her well. The only way to keep herself preoccupied was to play with the flowers in her bouquet, red and orange and the color of autumn. Her fingernails had been manicured and french-tipped and she really hoped that Josh appreciated the small things. The wedding was supposed to be the bride's big day, but all she could think about was him.
And thinking of him made her blush, embarrassed about what he would think of her. She felt like a small child, wanted to go over to the window and wrap herself in the curtains and hide. Nell wasn't getting cold feet, second thoughts, a sudden fear of lifelong commitment. She wanted this more than she wanted anything. The nervousness stemmed from the fact that there were a lot of people out there and this was a huge day and the more she thought about it the more she considered everything that could go wrong. What if she tripped? Her dress was long, her heels high, and falling flat on her face seemed a completely possible scenario. Those thoughts did nothing for her anxiety, and she focused on clearing her mind. You're pretty, she told herself as she stood, wishing she could lean against something but not risking the chance of pulling out her veil. Josh loves you. Big day. Lots of people. How many people again? No, that was not helping at all. She just let thoughts of her groom comfort her. This was finally happening and she kept repeating Mrs. Dale over and over in her head. She was getting married, right here in mere minutes and it was still a concept she had yet to truly grasp. Law would recognize them as a union, they would be cemented and her lips curled into a soft smile thinking of it.
The girl almost jumped when she heard the door open, gazing across to see León coming in. Instead of renting a tux, he'd bought it, the bow tie, even the nice dress shoes and she had to say he looked very spiffy. The man stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of her, and as usual she couldn't read his expression. Nell stared at him, eyes large and imploring, hoping there was nothing wrong to make him react that way. She rolled her shoulders, seeing if that could adjust her gown, fidgeting in her heels. I messed up my hair, didn't I, I knew i should have brought the hairspray... But then he moved toward her and gripped her shoulders, placing a kiss on her forehead. "You look beautiful," he told her and he might not have been smiling like a father of the bride usually did, but his eyes were warm as he fussed with the veil on her head to make it fall across her arms. She hoped he was proud, that he was caught up in the whole thing and he realized just how much of a turning point this was for her. Most of all, she hoped he was happy for her.
She smiled meekly in return. "Thank you."
He nodded with what looked like the beginning of a smile, and she felt like she might teeter over. How many people would judge her if she passed out before even reaching the alter? She considered asking her father, but that would reveal just how anxious she felt. All she wanted was the band to start playing so she could go out there and see Josh and finally become his wife. Wife. She was going to be a wife. Perhaps going out and getting fresh air may be the best thing for her, but walking out there in front of everyone -- she guessed the best way to describe it was stage fright. Never shy, this was completely new and foreign to her. The only thing she was confident in at that point was that she loved Josh and the band needed to hurry up before she strutted out there before her cue.
"I really don't like this, you know," her father said. "Giving you off to another man." She didn't want to ruin this moment between them by reminding him that he'd given her up long ago. Instead, she wore that small smile, her thumb running over the buttons on the cloth wrapped around her flowers. She thought of how it looked outside, the chairs and the aisle lined with flowers. The aisle that would take her to Josh. "It means a lot that you are, though." After everything they'd been through, she had never actually thought that he'd be with her here today. The lack of awkwardness made her appreciate the fact that he had come. For everything he'd done wrong -- abandoning her twice, cheating on her mother, lying to her about everything -- she just wanted him to be here for what she knew would be the happiest day of her life. Even while she felt like she was going to faint.
The band started up, and it was the song she'd been waiting for. "That's for us," León said as he held out his arm. A deep breath. A short paused. She linked her arm through his, gripping the bouquet in her other hand and walking out with him out the door. People rose out of their seats, friends and family and loved ones. But her eyes were instantly on Josh, smiling widely. As long as she just focused on him, she wouldn't have to worry about tripping over the dress or the fact that all eyes were on her as she headed down the aisle with her father on her arm. With each step it became easier to breathe, and her shoulders loosened the more she felt comfortable. She hadn't tripped yet, and she tried not to focus so much on her steps.
It was a relief to finally reach her fiancé, who was mere minutes away from becoming her husband, and her father kissed her cheek before shaking hands with josh and sitting down. Nell smiled coyly at Josh as she stood at his side, her hands imperceptibly shaking and she was very thankful that she had her flowers to hold. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't be going away any time soon.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Oct 17, 2012 23:38:02 GMT -5
. . . | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] ★ | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,450px,true][bg=e8dec5] you know i would promise i'd do anything | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
Joshua was not a nervous person. His self-confidence allowed him to stand in front of crowds of people, even individuals that were known to dislike him, and present a paper or read a speech. He had never gotten stage fright in his life before because he knew what he was capable of. Now? He was more nervous now than he'd ever been in his entire life. He didn't know how to handle the foreign fluttering in his stomach like butterflies or bird wings and he definitely couldn't explain away the tightness in his chest. It was not regret. Of all the many things he was feeling, doubt about his bride-to-be was not so much as a sliver, a single drop of water in the ocean. It was anticipation. It was 'What if I do something wrong?' or 'What if something goes wrong?' He wanted this day to be perfect. They'd spent years together, years and weeks and months, but this day would only happen once. Their wedding, the day that they tied the knot and became recognised as a married couple. It didn't feel as if he'd had enough time to collect himself before it was time to stand at the alter, his best man by his side and all of the guests seated before him. He took a deep breath and knew that this was it, this was the final countdown, this was his chance to fulfil a promise he'd made over a year ago.
"I wanted some way to promise you that I, at least, am not going anywhere." And he wasn't, he wouldn't, he had every plan to spend the rest of his life with this woman. He watched the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle but though he saw them, his every thought was on Nell. What would she look like? How was she feeling? Was she confident that they were doing the right thing, as he was? We wouldn't be here if she wasn't. Over the course of their relationship he'd doubted himself more in their relationship than in anything else but he was learning to place his trust in it now. Their marriage would be the final piece to the puzzle, the knot that would tie all of their loose ends together. For a man whose smiles were considered rare, he found it awfully hard to keep himself from grinning like an idiot as he stood forcing himself not to shift and fidget nervously. He cast a brief glance toward Devin, his best man, and then watched as the last person took their place. This is it, he thought, and on silent cue the band began to play. And suddenly the doors were opening, his bride-to-be was stepping out, and everything they'd worked toward was as real as he'd always wanted it to be.
He felt the emotion like a physical tug in his chest as he set eyes upon her for the first time since they'd parted ways, not missing a single detail. She looks so beautiful. He remembered their conversation about the dress and how he would not be allowed to accompany her if they stuck to traditions and in that moment he was glad that they did. He noticed the beaded detail as they drew closer and her walk up the aisle felt longer than the whole day thus far. He wanted her to reach him, wanted to slip the ring on her finger and be done with it so that he could take her into his arms and kiss her and tell her how beautiful she was. But the wedding demanded patience and so patient he became. He noticed her nails, her make-up, the styling of her hair. He couldn't hold back now and only hoped that he didn't look like an idiot as he grinned at her. He wondered if she'd made the flowers herself or if they had been bought for the occasion, he wondered how she'd managed to find a dress that fit her so perfectly. And then she was there at the alter and he was shaking hands with her father, offering a small nod of appreciation for the man's lack of protests on their big day. He did not like Leon, did not have a doubt in his mind that the feelings were reciprocated, but he could still respect the man's right to walk his daughter down the aisle. And Nell deserved to have him there, she deserved to have whatever she wanted. He'd give her anything she asked for and he wondered if she knew. His grin faded back into a soft smile that he returned to compliment the one she'd given him. It was all he could do not to kiss her right then and there, ceremony be damned.
As his attention was all for Nell, he was barely listening to the intro—practically knowing it by heart from the rehearsal—but he paid enough attention to realise when the justice of the peace began addressing him. He swore he could hear his heart pounding in his ears and there was a tightness in his throat that he attributed to nerves. He wanted to do this right, he wanted to make sure that their wedding was nothing less than perfect. For Nell, for himself, for no one else but the two of them. Their family and friends were important additions to the ceremony but this was their day and he wouldn't mess it up if he had any say in the matter. "Joshua, do you take Nell for your lawful wedded wife, to live in matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?" He was struck with a sudden desire to laugh, a product of how nervous he was feeling. Like I haven't been doing all of that and more already, he thought to himself, and wondered what Nell was thinking. He paused only long enough to ensure that he didn't trip over the simple words before he said with conviction, "I do." He'd been ready for this for a long time. He'd wanted this for a long time.
His thoughts then were of many things as he recalled all of the ups and downs of their relationship, all of the many obstacles that had been in the way of their getting here. He remembered breaking down when he'd thought that the trial would take her from him, remembered his concern when her depression became evident, remembered the terror when he realised she might leave him. The many times she'd misconstrued his meanings, the way he'd felt when he slipped the engagement ring onto her finger. He wanted to speak to Nell of his amusement, remind her of how much they'd already been through together, but he settled for the continued smile. I love you, he thought, and trusted she would sense it. It didn't matter who disapproved of their marriage, who thought they were too young or too different. It was happening right then and there and no one could take that from them. | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=e8dec5] because i know that without you i'm giving it away | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] is this what you wanted? 'cause i'm willing to change now that i'm certain there's much more to gain. you've introduced me to the moment, oh, but i'm looking to stay for good. you asked me to stay forever well you know that i would, i would do anything. and if you'd be honest and say what you mean --- - ---_ you know i would promise, |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Oct 18, 2012 16:19:24 GMT -5
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it won't be long until you'll be mine. Are you my family? Can I stay with you a while? Can I stop off in your bed tonight? I could make you smile. In the morning I'll make you breakfast in the evening I'll warm the bed. And I'll always be happy to kiss you. Promise I'll never get sad. Help you dress yourself up fancy and bathe you when you get sore. I'll be good. I think I could be all you would want and more and more. Be proud when you dazzle the wondrous, Glitter your eyes for the town. Tell every last boy that you're my man. I'll try not to let you down.
When Josh's eyes fell on her, the temptation to fall back and hide behind her father overpowering. He looked so handsome in his tux and she suddenly felt very very insecure. Though she felt her heart beating thunderously in her chest, she did not want to leave this moment. Because in this moment, she felt happier than she'd ever been before. That was the most abundant feeling, more prominent than the nervousness and the shyness. Josh had made her the happiest bride there could be, and soon she would be the happiest wife. She'd never known she wanted this before she met Josh, before she fell in love with him, before she realized that she didn't want anyone else but him. Marriage may have been a laughable matter sitting in Timmies at seventeen-years-old, slowly deciphering what Josh meant by 'going out'. It had still been laughable when she had been on trial, wondering if the last time she'd ever see him would be in a courtroom. But when she was in the restaurant, playing twenty questions while her heart broke with the idea of telling him that she needed to leave and he got down on his knees and asked her to marry him, it became clear that she would never leave him. It took long enough for them, a year-long engagement that they hadn't even spoken of afterward. Nell had worn her ring with pride, the material possession that meant the most to her.
Thoughts of how much she loved Josh and how long she'd been waiting for this comforted her enough that when she was at the alter next to the man that would become her husband, the tension eased out of her muscles. It was just the two of them, and it all faded into the background, the seated guests with their programs and tissues and the bubbles for after the ceremony. It was just them as she relaxed her smile and gazed at Josh with adoring eyes. Was he as nervous as she was? The justice spoke, told them to please join hands. She knew he would be able to feel her shaking when the justice told them to join hands and she took his hands in hers. It was embarrassing, really, but hopefully he could forgive her for the nerves. She anxiously waited for her turn to say the two words she wondered if she could even get out without blubbering like a fool. In her head, she kept repeating those words, reminding herself that it wasn't 'I will' or 'I am' or 'I think I'm going to puke.' Her stomach kept up its twisting, pleasantly so when Josh said, "I do" before the justice went on.
"Nell, do you take Joshua for your lawful wedded husband, to live in matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"
She took a breath and said, "I do."
Nell wanted to give herself a congratulatory pat on the back for not bungling that, but there was still more to come, more words from the justice and everyone else was so quiet that it really did feel like it was just the two of them. She had to keep herself from biting her lip so that she didn't mess up her lipstick, still careful so as not to ruin anything about this day. Nell had never had much perfection in her life. As a matter of fact, the first seventeen years had been a tragedy. She'd never thought she'd live, let alone come to Canada and meet Josh, the man who ended up saving her. What if he hadn't taken her side in the war and defended her? What if he hadn't been there for her when she'd broken down on the school grounds, hadn't gotten Pablo and Picasso? What if he hadn't stayed by her side even when he knew all along that she'd been a murderer? He had always been her rock, even when they were just friends. Josh had been her silent support through the trial, through the depression, through everything that might have destroyed her otherwise.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Oct 18, 2012 21:03:24 GMT -5
. . . | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] ★ | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,450px,true][bg=e8dec5] YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE I'D DO ANYTHING | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
There was a feeling of relief that swept over him as he joined his hand with hers, a sense of reality and comfort. The touch was a physical presence that kept him grounded and reminded him why he was here. This woman in front of him, his bride and almost-wife, she was the reason his heart kept fluttering irregularly and his stomach was in knots. She was the reason for the nerves that confused him so, and she was worth it. He could feel her trembling and the sympathy was there in his eyes as he gazed at her, wishing he could speak words of comfort. He trusted that the shakiness was nerves just like his own, for though he didn't physically tremble he could feel the tremor in his gut, the worry that they wouldn't get everything right. We will, he assured himself as the steady murmur of the man's voice went almost unheard, more background noise than anything. All that mattered was Nell. We both want this. They'd make sure that nothing went wrong on their day, their wedding.
There was the overpowering urge to break into a grin again when she said 'I do', to laugh and hug her and slip away from all of the watchful eyes of their family so that they could sit and talk about their lives thus far and all that they'd been through. She might not have liked talk of the future but he wondered if she might not mind reminiscing the past and going over all the ridiculous hurdles they'd jumped to reach this point. From the disapproval of both their fathers to the trouble caused by Jane, from the wars to the trial, from Joshua's problems with the gang to Nell's with depression. They'd already been through much and marriage was a promise that they'd stay together for the rest of it, for whatever else might come. That their family and friends sat watching them had long since slipped to the back of his mind. He liked to think that this was private, that it was just the two of them, that the justice of the peace was no more than a voice that would make this union real. For Nell was the only thing that mattered to him then.
He wished that the vows could be said straight through, get them over with in one fell swoop so that he didn't have to worry over each pause about saying the wrong thing or going too far. He decided right then and there that he hated feeling nervous and didn't know how anyone with chronic stage fright could handle even the simplest of performances. Despite being nervous, he was overall calm and relaxed because he knew that he wanted this. There was no fear of giving up the freedom that he'd always had, no second thoughts about Nell. So he spoke with certainty as he slowly repeated after the justice of the peace. "I, Joshua, take thee Nell to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part." He did not like the last line much. Death was eventual no matter who you were, no one lived forever, and it didn't please him to think that one of them would outlive the other. So he didn't allow himself to think it. Instead he thought about how much she meant to him and how young they were and how long they had together, the rest of their lives. His friends might go through break ups and new relationships but if everything went to plan, he and Nell would stay together through all of it. She may not have been the first girl he'd slept with but she was the first one he fell in love with and he didn't want there to ever be another.
Then it was Nell's turn and he kept his gaze on hers, smile vibrant and expression full of emotion. After this would come the rings, and then they would be pronounced man and wife. Husband and wife. To Joshua it felt like it couldn't come soon enough, though he supposed all the extra words and trimmings were to ensure the expenses weren't paid for the sake of five seconds. He'd waited most of his life to meet her, a good deal of their relationship to get engaged to her, he could wait a few minutes longer to get married. | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=e8dec5] BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITHOUT YOU I'M GIVING IT AWAY | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED? 'CAUSE I'M WILLING TO CHANGE NOW THAT I'M CERTAIN THERE'S MUCH MORE TO GAIN. YOU'VE INTRODUCED ME TO THE MOMENT, OH, BUT I'M LOOKING TO STAY FOR GOOD. YOU ASKED ME TO STAY FOREVER WELL YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD, I WOULD DO ANYTHING. AND IF YOU'D BE HONEST AND SAY WHAT YOU MEAN --- - ---_
YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE, |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Oct 19, 2012 14:14:15 GMT -5
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it won't be long until you'll be mine. Are you my family? Can I stay with you a while? Can I stop off in your bed tonight? I could make you smile. In the morning I'll make you breakfast in the evening I'll warm the bed. And I'll always be happy to kiss you. Promise I'll never get sad. Help you dress yourself up fancy and bathe you when you get sore. I'll be good. I think I could be all you would want and more and more. Be proud when you dazzle the wondrous, Glitter your eyes for the town. Tell every last boy that you're my man. I'll try not to let you down.
Seeing Josh so happy, smiling at her, was probably the greatest thing about the ceremony. The decorations, all the work that went into it, that felt like it was more for the guests. All she needed was his happiness, and knowing that she made him happy. It filled her with warmth, even more so as he repeated the vows and they came even closer to being married, to being recognized as the Dales, Mr. And Mrs. Dale. As she listened, she knew that this was the moment some people dreamed of, their love becoming a tangible thing. The range of emotions she felt had her pressing her lips together. She had promised herself that she wouldn't get this way, that she needed to stay strong and not be an emotional wreck in front of their families but how was she supposed to keep it together when she felt so elated? It was a battle within her, between the giddiness and the anxiety and the love and the pounding of her heart. Deep breaths wouldn't be enough.
She knew this by heart, when it came to her vows, knew what she was supposed to do from the rehearsal dinner, but she still worried that she would trip over the words. Although, honestly, she was glad she'd be given words to speak. Nell never felt like she was good at expressing her feelings. But could these vows accurately and wholly describe how she felt about Josh, what she would do for him? It was doubtful. She hoped that no matter how poor she was at handling her emotions, he would understand that she meant every word that came from her lips, that despite them being scripted she spoke sincerely and from the heart. "I, Nell, take thee Joshua to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do us part." She spoke perfectly, not missing a beat, and maybe it was because of how honest she was in saying them. Her smile did flicker wider when she repeated 'in sickness and in health', remembering that Josh had already done that for her, taken care of her when she'd gotten...fuzzy. Though she liked to argue that she was independent and could take care of herself, she couldn't lie and say that she didn't need Josh. He had been the first person to take care of her, to make sure she was doing all right. And she'd always tried to take care of him, though trying help him while drunk might not have been the best idea.
Looking back, remembering that night was more humorous than anything, realizing that they had started off on the worst foot possible. It became even funnier when remembering she had always thought he was scary, and she wondered if she'd ever told him that. She figured he might get a kick out of it. Through the nostalgia, she realized that Annabel was handing over the ring to Josh before the justice began to read again. "May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end."
She held her breath, feeling her chest constrict in a tell-tale sign that the levies were about to break wide open. Nell let a tear escape, almost laughing because she had focused so much energy on not ruining any of her makeup. She didn't know whether or not she should wipe it way, but it was getting hard to see with tears blurring her vision. In the end, she just let it ride, because as the bride she deserved this. She was allowed to cry from the pure happiness of marrying the man she loved. While she wanted to make this last, at the same time she wanted to wrap it up so she could finally be with Josh as his wife, ring and last name. Though she had never been the child drawing hearts in her notebooks with Mrs. Nell Dale on them, she would enjoy it now. There was something so wonderful about starting her own family, forsaking the name given to her by birth, the name she chose to hide from the law. She belonged to Josh and their new family.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Oct 19, 2012 18:56:57 GMT -5
. . . | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] ★ | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,450px,true][bg=e8dec5] YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE I'D DO ANYTHING | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
Joshua loved to hear her speak those words, regardless of who had written them first, for it was just another way of proving to the world and to everyone seated around them that this was real and this was happening and that their love for one another was genuine. He remembered all of the times he'd been told that he was a bad match for the woman standing in front of him and reciting her vows, recalled over-protective friends and disapproving fathers. He let his mind wander to all of the people who had suggested that they were too young to get married and that they were making a mistake. He had to resist a smirk then, had to stop himself from allowing his internal gloating to become evident. It would look out of place at the alter. So he listened to Nell, took comfort in her words, felt a tug in his heart. The emotion almost hurt, it was so strong, but it was a good kind of pain.
He smiled briefly at his sister when she handed him the ring, glad that he didn't fumble and drop it. Much as he was confident and able to easily save face in front of a crowd, Joshua would rather avoid embarrassing himself on his own wedding day. He was amazed at the steadiness of his own hand as he slipped the ring onto her finger, remembering when he'd gotten down on one knee and did the same thing with the engagement ring over a year ago. This is a promise. And promise he did. "With this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment." His sister looked like she was about to cry or squeal or both but he was glad that she was maintaining her composure. He wished it was as easy for him to do the same—he could feel the emotion building up and blinked to dispel the foreign feeling, like his eyes were about to start watering. He didn't cry, he never cried. In that moment, however, in realising that the woman he loved was about to become his wife, it was harder to reign in the emotions than it had ever been before. Had she ever seen him cry before? He knew she'd seen a glimpse of his rare emotions when he'd confessed his fear of losing her to the murder trial but even then he had kept a fairly stiff upper lip. Let's not start now, he coached himself. You've got this.
But then he found himself looking into Nell's eyes as she shed a tear of her own and he became rapidly aware of the fact that, no, he didn't have this as much as he wanted to. She was so beautiful, she was his, his until death came between them as their vows so cheerily stated. And to see her cry what he knew were tears of happiness on their wedding day was too much for his own emotions to take. Was it considered emasculating to cry at your wedding? He found that he didn't care, he already knew that his eyes were watering anyway—all it had taken was for Nell to show her own emotion and the dam broke like a fragile twig. The tears did not roll down his cheeks, he didn't pull a face or sob, but the shining in his eyes was enough to show it all. He never cried, never allowed his eyes to water, never allowed the emotion to come through unless it was anger, and yet here he was holding back tears in front of the woman that he loved. Damn it, Nell, look what you do to me, he thought, but that thought was full of affection and the desire to laugh. He smiled at her with that silent communication that they had together, as if to suggest, "Look at us both, eh?" Now Annabel was crying, too, with much less reservation than the bride and groom themselves.
He blinked a few times in rapid succession to try and counteract the blurriness to his vision, watching as Devin handed the ring over to Nell. He heard the justice of the peace, "May this ring be blessed so she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end." He could hardly describe what he was feeling, not noticing he was practically holding his breath as he waited for Nell to slip the ring onto his finger as he had done for her. He remembered the days of putting a fake wedding band on his finger to ward off any interested girls, remembered how he'd needed to tell his friends about the engagement without having anything to show for it. That was all going to change now. Nell wouldn't be the only one with a ring, this would be a symbol of his promise to her and his commitment to 'forsake all others' for he was about to be a married man and he couldn't explain how much that meant to him. It might just have been a (highly expensive) bit of metal but it was what it stood for that mattered.
He was still reigning in all of his emotions when the justice of the peace started speaking again, and this was it, this was the final piece to the puzzle. It made him grin to hear their names together, Joshua and Nell, not one or the other but both of them in union, in marriage, the wedding was the bride's big day but that didn't mean it mattered any less to him. He was glad to be getting married, he wanted this. And there it was: "I now pronounce you man and wife." With a simple sentence they were married, he was her husband—not the creep, not the friend, not the boyfriend, not even the fiancé but the husband. And she was his wife. "You may now kiss the bride." The moment he'd been waiting for, to finally let her know in one moment how beautiful she looked and how much he cared for her and how much he wanted this to last. They were in front of a crowd, he knew that he had to be considerate of this, and so when he pressed his lips to hers it was gentle and lasting. When he pulled away his eyes were still watering, still full of all the emotion he had for once failed to suppress, and then his expression split into a grin and he managed a light chuckle. Nothing was funny, he was simply happy, elated, there was nothing more to it than that. They were married.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Dale." He liked the sound of that, Mrs. Dale. His wife. He wanted to kiss her again, wanted more than anything to be alone so that he could tell her everything he wanted her to hear away from prying eyes and ears, but he knew that they had the reception to get through and their guests to appease. So he continued to smile, felt the cool metal of the ring against his finger, and decided there would be plenty of alone time in France. For now they had a celebration to kick off. | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=e8dec5] BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITHOUT YOU I'M GIVING IT AWAY | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED? 'CAUSE I'M WILLING TO CHANGE NOW THAT I'M CERTAIN THERE'S MUCH MORE TO GAIN. YOU'VE INTRODUCED ME TO THE MOMENT, OH, BUT I'M LOOKING TO STAY FOR GOOD. YOU ASKED ME TO STAY FOREVER WELL YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD, I WOULD DO ANYTHING. AND IF YOU'D BE HONEST AND SAY WHAT YOU MEAN --- - ---_
YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE, |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Oct 20, 2012 0:01:10 GMT -5
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it won't be long until you'll be mine. Are you my family? Can I stay with you a while? Can I stop off in your bed tonight? I could make you smile. In the morning I'll make you breakfast in the evening I'll warm the bed. And I'll always be happy to kiss you. Promise I'll never get sad. Help you dress yourself up fancy and bathe you when you get sore. I'll be good. I think I could be all you would want and more and more. Be proud when you dazzle the wondrous, Glitter your eyes for the town. Tell every last boy that you're my man. I'll try not to let you down.
It didn't get more concrete, more tangible, than a ring on her finger and a marriage license. Now people will know that she was actually married, but better than that, they would know she was hopelessly in love. The pride of being Josh's wife was enough to keep her hand steady as he slid the ring on it, was enough for the trembling to cease. Her nervousness ebbed into a pleasant twisting of her gut and a tingling through her entire body as if she were electrified. She thought back to how she felt when he proposed, how caught off-guard she was, how she'd thought it was a joke. And now he was putting another ring on her finger, and it was far from a joke. Nell wished that back then she hadn't hesitated and offered her parents as an example gone wrong, she wished that right then and there she'd have called out yes and hugged him and kissed him and told him that she wanted to be his wife. Even though it took a moment to figure through everything, she had accepted the proposal, because she loved him so much and that love had only grown from then on. Her parents hadn't been good at the marriage game, but she would make sure that she did it right. She would not stop loving Josh, would never want to be apart from him. The words they were speaking now were a formality, the cement for their future, and while that great expanse before them still scared her, she needed it. She wanted to know that even while everything else was ever-changing and uncertain, she would have Josh by her side no matter what.
Seeing the sheen to his eyes took her breath away, and it made her want to cry even more because in all the years she'd known him, she had never seen any sign at all of him crying. It was rare for him to so much as show intense emotion. All she wanted to do was hug him and laugh because they were both emotional and that was all right. He still looked like the most handsome man she saw even with tears in his eyes. She returned his look with a shy smile of her own before ducking her head for a moment. At least they were both teary, no one could judge them. The justice spoke of the groom's ring, and her watery smile grew with glee at getting to put a ring on his finger now, her own promise. She took the band from Devin, slipped it onto Josh's finger as she said, "With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment." The words were lower than before as she was trying to collect herself and make it sound like she wasn't as choked up as she really was. She barely succeeded, speaking slowly and steadily. All she could be thankful for at that moment was the fact that snot wasn't dripping out of her nose and she wasn't absolutely sobbing. Pictures were being taken and everyone was actually seeing how happy the two of them were, so if that meant they'd all see her tears, so be it. Her feelings and thoughts were so many that the one thing she could make out for certain was how entertained she was at the fact that they would always match. A ring for a ring, and it was closer to the moment they would become husband and wife. She wanted to hold him forever right then and get it over with because she didn't know what to do with the intensity of her emotions, but she needed to wait just a few more minutes.
She rolled her eyes up while the justice spoke again, blinking as she thanked the woman who did her makeup for making sure it was waterproof. Then she brought her eyes back to Josh, still teary-eyed, because this was it. With one sentence they were married. Her heart was still beating rapidly, like that of a hummingbird as she tried to grasp that they were actually married, even after all the formalities. Nell didn't know whether she could believe it yet, that this was reality. Not until Josh kissed her and it was their first kiss as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Dale. She rested her hand on his neck, not caring about her makeup or her dress or her hair. She was the happiest bride alive, the happiest wife. After all this time she could call him her husband, and she would be having fun with reminding him of it. Well, after her emotions settled and she she could speak again without being so terribly quiet. Nell hoped it would be some time soon, because they still had the reception and they need to talk to people. A new found excitement was thrown into the mixture of everything else, an exhilaration and thrill as she realized that from that moment on she was married to the love of her life. They weren't just engaged, it wasn't just a far-off idea, it was their life.
She didn't have long to mull over that as they were being introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Dale to the guests and they clapped and she saw her father looking placid as ever while Juanvi next to him dabbed his eyes with a tissue, but she really just wanted to look at Josh. People shuffled out to leave, and she took his hand and kissed him again, not being able to help it. The photographer took more pictures of the wedded couple, the husband and wife, thankfully after she dried her tears. While she was embarrassed to have her pictures then, she knew she would be glad for them when looking back years from now. Remembering the ceremony, would they laugh over how emotional they had gotten, how excited and nervous they were, how beautiful they were? She still felt the fluttering in her stomach, something that would last the entire night, she knew it. But now was time for food and celebration and merrymaking and over and over she thought of how everything would be their first as a married couple.
Being that the reception was held at the club as well, they had to wait until all of the guests will be seated at their tables and the wedding party was announced before they could have their first dance. The reception area was as beautiful as the rest of the wedding, breathtakingly so. All their hard work had come to fruition, the guests seated at their tables with flowering centerpieces and candles. It truly was an elemental wedding. Nervousness pervaded as they headed to the dance floor for their first dance. Though it wasn't their first as a couple, the last time they'd actually danced had been at prom two years ago. Back then she had not been so eager to go anywhere, had been scared to dance with him. Yet he'd urged her into doing all the things she'd enjoy were she well. He'd prodded her toward healing, and he had been better than any pills or therapists. She smiled fondly as she placed a hand on his shoulder and the song started up. Nell didn't feel anymore confident now than she had back then, and that was because the dress was long and full and she was coming down from the high her nerves buoyed her to. But she was happier, the happiest one person could be as she looked into his gray eyes and enjoyed the dance while it lasted.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Oct 20, 2012 1:16:32 GMT -5
. . . | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] ★ | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62] | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,450px,true][bg=e8dec5] YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE I'D DO ANYTHING | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
Once upon a time Joshua would have flushed with embarrassment at the way his eyes watered, would have tried to stay strong, 'man up' to avoid displaying any kind of emotion. Now? He felt no need to deny the emotion that welled behind his eyelids because just as the wedding was real, their vows were real, the rings were real, the intense wave of love and affection he felt for Nell in that moment was real as well. Who cared if he was laughed at for getting misty-eyed at his wedding? In his eyes it only proved that he was doing this for the right reason—for the love that he felt and nothing else. Oh, the engagement had been a promise that he would never leave her but the marriage was not simply a ploy to convince her to stay. The marriage was a reassurance that they would both stay, together. Until death do us part, he repeated again, and maybe it didn't sound so grim if he looked at it like that. Until death... that was the rest of their lives. They were young, that was right, and while to some it meant that they shouldn't be jumping into marriage so soon to Joshua it only meant that they had that much more time to spend together in matrimony. So he grinned past the tears and resolved to punch anyone that mocked him really, really hard. Maybe he could make them cry, too, and then they would be even. The thought almost made him laugh but he kept his composure.
He'd never been much for decoration—not tattoos nor piercings, not gauges or jewellery, but he knew as she slipped the ring onto his finger that it would become his most prized possession. I will, he thought, and he vowed silently that he wouldn't take it off unless he had to. He would not be known as the man who lost his own wedding ring, it would not happen. A symbol of their love and commitment. He thought back to sitting in that bar with Brittney, thought of how he'd been tempted to shirk his duties as a then-boyfriend and get his fix from a stranger. Now, standing at the alter with a ring on his finger and a grin on his face, he was glad that he hadn't went behind Nell's back. He knew a stab of guilt for the two weeks of avoidance but then he remembered how she'd almost left him, how he'd been forced to think fast to keep her by his side. We've both made mistakes and yet here we are. For they embraced one another's faults, their short-comings and their mis-steps. He found himself looking at the ring on his finger and reliving all of the little moments that had gotten them to this point. If one small thing had changed, if they'd done a single thing differently, would they still be standing here? It doesn't matter. What matters is that we are. They were the stars of a beautiful outdoor wedding and they were tearing up and everything was perfect for a while. He didn't worry about all the work he was going to have to make up for after the return from the honeymoon because Nell was worth it. He had always been a hard worker and the wedding was worth more of a sacrifice than anything else had ever been.
His gaze was locked with hers as they were pronounced husband and wife, his eyes still watering because he hadn't lifted a hand to brush the moisture away and make them stop. It wouldn't do any good—he knew that more emotions would replace the last and he was just glad that he had such a good handle on himself and that he wasn't actually crying. Nothing ruined pictures like the ugly cry. He was filled with relief when he was finally allowed to kiss her, finally allowed to seal that promise he had made and convey everything he needed to say without speaking. He was a quiet person by nature but silence now was harder than it had ever been. Did she know how hard it was for him to resist telling her and the world how beautiful she looked? As they walked to reception he was sure to grin broadly and look presentable for any pictures that were being taken, laughing and ducking his head when his father gave him an approving sort of nod. His mother looked like she'd been crying harder than Nell had with the tissues balled in her hand and eyes rimmed with red. He was pleasantly surprised when Nell kissed him again, smiling into the gesture as he returned it. As friends and family fawned over their union, Josh thought only of his wife and how proud he was of this moment.
As they walked over to the reception area with its gorgeous centrepieces and candlelit glory, a light twitch of his hand caused the candle flames to twitch and send the light swirling in patterns across the canopy and the grass. He smiled at the sight and took Nell's hand as they went to the dance floor, all eyes on them. Their first dance as a married couple, their first dance since prom, their first dance when Nell was happy enough to enjoy it. I certainly hope she's as happy as I am. She looked it, tears and all, and he couldn't wait until he was allowed to tell her as much. Left hand still linked with hers, he rested his other on her back for support and kept his gaze locked on hers. She was everything to him, his best friend and his lover. He couldn't think of a single person that he trusted more. Not Lark, not Devin, not his sister or his mother, not the father whom he'd always looked to for approval and guidance. Nell knew of all the skeletons in his closet and they hadn't chased her away. He knew of all her demons, too, and he didn't think he could be scared off by anything. He was laughing and smiling as they led the dance for all to see but it was not until it was over that he was finally able to speak. He kissed her hand and pulled her close, her physical presence the anchor that kept him from tripping over his words. "You look so beautiful," he said, and his words were soft and full of that same emotion that had brought the watering to his eyes. There were no vows now, no helpful words written by another's pen to guide him through this. It was just he and Nell, he and his wife, and his tied tongue had to find it's own words. "I love you, Mrs. Dale." He liked the way that sounded, had been waiting since they'd tied the knot to use the words. This right here, this was their moment. He grinned again, kissed her briefly, tightened his grip into a hug. Was there any other way of explaining his glee? He thought not, so he allowed the words and gestures to do what they would. | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=e8dec5] BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITHOUT YOU I'M GIVING IT AWAY | | [cs=4][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][bg=957b62]
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED? 'CAUSE I'M WILLING TO CHANGE NOW THAT I'M CERTAIN THERE'S MUCH MORE TO GAIN. YOU'VE INTRODUCED ME TO THE MOMENT, OH, BUT I'M LOOKING TO STAY FOR GOOD. YOU ASKED ME TO STAY FOREVER WELL YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD, I WOULD DO ANYTHING. AND IF YOU'D BE HONEST AND SAY WHAT YOU MEAN --- - ---_
YOU KNOW I WOULD PROMISE, |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Oct 20, 2012 4:19:16 GMT -5
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it won't be long until you'll be mine. Are you my family? Can I stay with you a while? Can I stop off in your bed tonight? I could make you smile. In the morning I'll make you breakfast in the evening I'll warm the bed. And I'll always be happy to kiss you. Promise I'll never get sad. Help you dress yourself up fancy and bathe you when you get sore. I'll be good. I think I could be all you would want and more and more. Be proud when you dazzle the wondrous, Glitter your eyes for the town. Tell every last boy that you're my man. I'll try not to let you down.
As overjoyed as Nell was to feel the ring on her finger, to see the one on Josh's, she had no thoughts of how the only true blood relatives to share this day with her were the two men who had barely been in her life. It did'nt make a difference. This was her day with Josh, and she didn't need to fill up the seats with relatives who didn't care for her, who would probably disapprove of the marriage anyway. Any arguments of them being far too young to make such a commitment would come from people who had no clue of what they'd been through, or what Josh meant to her. She had never known much love in her life, and he'd shown her what it was like to feel wanted, to matter. Her entire life had been spent falling apart, and he picked the pieces back up. Josh was the one who told her that she shouldn't hate herself, that she was a good person, and she was starting to see what he must have seen whenever he saw her. Just as he saw the best in her, even from the beginning she'd always held him in high-esteem. When he'd ended up in jail because of false accusations, she had been there to bail him out, believed him even before he told her that it had all been untrue. And that night had been her first kiss, Josh had been her first everything. The vows made certain that he would also be her last, and she couldn't imagine it any other way, couldn't imagine waking up every morning and not having him next to her, coming home and not seeing him there. It thrilled her to know now that she could call him her husband, that when people asked her about something, she could tell them that she was going out with her husband, she was making dinner for her husband, because she was darn proud of it.
Being swept up in her emotions as she was, she didn't know whether she wanted this night to end or not. She didn't want to see Josh not smiling, she didn't want to stop feeling as happy as she did now, but she would really like her eyes to stop watering and her throat to ease up so she could speak again. Because when her husband worked his powers and the fire moved as if with a life of its own, she called him a show-off in her head while laughing delightedly, sounding out of breath. She loved it, she loved everything about Josh. She loved the way his hand felt on her back, and the way he smiled at her, the way she could tell what he was feeling because she was feeling the same exact thing. Her connection with him always made her feel secure, because it reminded her that she could tell him everything, that he was the one she could turn to no matter what. And she wondered how she made it seventeen years of her life without having him in it. She wondered how anyone could look at them now, smiling at each other like fools in love and not think they were perfect for each other? Because for how opposite they were, day and night, they loved each other for their differences. They hadn't cared about elements, about what anyone said and it would remain that way. Nell wished her father would be able to see how much she adored her husband, sitting at the head table, watching them with everyone else. She felt pretty sure that her love for him was apparent, even now when she was no longer crying. Every time she looked at him, it was there, every single day.
As they danced, she hoped everyone could see it. His laughter was the best sound in the world, made her chest tighten and made her breathe a little easier. He made all the nervousness disappear replacing it with a raw overpowering emotion that became stronger when he kissed her hand and pulled her in, telling her she looked beautiful. And his voice sounded so warm it was all she could do not to melt, her smile turning fond and shy again. Nell wondered how many times you could fall in love with one person, because she knew that she's fallen over and over. "Thank you," she said very quietly, not only because she still could barely speak but because she wanted to think this was a private moment, even in front of friends and family. For once, she felt beautiful, just with his eyes on her. "You're very handsome yourself, though that hasn't changed." Her smile broadened then, positively beaming. He was always handsome, always the man she fell in love with and that she kept falling in love with. Her breath caught her in throat at the words, and if she thought she may have regained the ability to speak, she was proven wrong now. Mrs. Dale. Mrs. Nell Doe Dale. She loved it even more than the name she chose for herself, because she was a part of Josh now. She was rendered speechless when he kissed her and she pressed her lips against his, her hands going around his neck to embrace him. When she pulled away, she told him, "I love you too, mi marido." My husband. He didn't have a change for his name, but she would enjoy calling him that, her husband when before it had been just cariño.
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