Love You Too: PART SEVENTY THREE

-NATE-

I took my place at the front of the alter at the St. Bartholomew church next to the Waldorf Astoria. It was Tiffany's mother's choice, as she had married here too.
I'd arrived half an hour early, but I was still panicky about Tiffany not arriving. Being stood up at the church was turning into a reoccurring nightmare for me, and the thought of it happening for real was making my stomach turn.
I turned to the crowd, who were slowly developing, packing the church full to the rafters. There was all sorts of people there, ranging from close family and friends at the front, to lesser known acquaintances that our families had insisted we invited and a few people from the press at the rear.
On the front row was my mother, smiling warmly at me. I couldn't reciprocate the smile though, I was still angry about her excluding Tiffany and the baby from her life, and I couldn't forgive her for that so quickly. Then I looked to my father, who was sat next to her. He was smiling too, but in a more manly way: less full on and more certain. I knew his smile wasn't fake, like part of my mother's inevitably was.
Alongside them was Joe, who looked slightly distant as Ellie was now with Tiffany. He stood up as he saw me looking at him, and came to stand with me.
"Come to give me a last minute pep talk?" I joked, hugging him and patting his back.
"Something like that! Will you please go and talk to mom? She's going out of her mind, worrying that she's losing you"
"She's already lost me. She should know that how I feel about Tiffany is the most serious I've ever been about anyone; she needs to respect that and treat her accordingly"
"Nate, please. I just don't want to see you get hurt" my mother said from behind us.
"Please. Treat her right and you'll have me back. So far, you haven't welcomed her in the right way. She's part of the family now, and if her mother can welcome me, then you can too"
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me"
"Mom, don't cry. Save it for later, okay?" I said, hugging her.
"Sorry" she said, sitting down and smiling genuinely at me.
"Thanks, Nate" Joe said, patting my shoulder, siting down next to her.
"Still want a pep talk?" Charlie said, edging towards me.
"Oh go on then! You look desperate!"
"If you're having second thoughts, just remember about how she looks at you. Something Mollie never did for me was look at me in the same way Tiffany looks at you. You probably don't notice, but when she looks at you, there's this spark of youth and hope that I've never seen in another woman's eyes"
"She's always had that, it's part of her charm"
"When have you noticed it?"
"Whenever she looks at me... You really think that's the only time?"
"I know that's the only time. I knew from prom that you two were destined to be getting married. Sure, I didn't know it would be so soon, but I knew it was going to happen. Now, when she walks down here" he said, pointing to the red stretch of carpet along the centre of the church "That same sparkle will be in her eye. That sparkle will be there for the rest of her life now she's with you"
"I've never seen it like that. Thanks. If I know two things for certain now, it's that I love her, and I'm totally ready to commit to her. Have you got the ring?"
"Yes" he said, patting the box in his pocket.
"Good. Thanks" I said, sighing.
"She'll be here. We've still got 10 minutes before she's late"
"I know. I just can't believe how lucky I am to have her. We've been through so many rough times, I just feel so blessed to have emerged with her still on my arm"
"I know Nate. Have you told her?"
"I've tried to. You think I should tell her again?"
"Won't do any harm. Say everything you mean to say when you get the opportunity. You don't know what might happen if you don't" Charlie said, sinking his head a little and fiddling with one of his buttons.
"Mollie?"
"Yeah. I should have told her how much I loved her, as you told me to, but now it's too late"
"Tell her today. She loves weddings, she'll be in a good mood. You have to make it right!"
"I know I do. I'll leave it until after the service, I don't want to take your thunder"
"Thanks, but don't worry about it" I said, just as the music began.
'La Ritournelle' by Sébastien Tellier began to play, it's melodic xylophone adding a delicate and almost childlike mood to such an adult event, and just as I felt myself drifting away with this song that Tiffany loved so greatly, I saw her for what seemed like the first time.