Natasha's Awakening (63 page)

Maggie interrupted her complaining with a few quietly spoken words, “Give the lad this Natasha. You know about his past. You know what goes on in his head. If following tradition makes him feel more secure and comfortable, is it really causing you any problems to go along with his wishes? You might see it all as superstitious rubbish, but to Eric it means so much more lass.” She cupped Natasha’s cheek. “Remember what I once said to you?” Watching as Natasha tried to remember what she was referring to. “I told you that Eric always waits for the bubble to burst lass. He’s happy, the happiest I think I’ve ever seen him and that scares the hell out of him because he keeps waiting for it to be taken away from him, for that bubble to burst. Give him this, if it offers him some comfort. Even if to you it seems silly or pointless.”

Natasha felt tears prick her eyes again and she blinked rapidly to stop them. Maggie’s quietly spoken words made her heart swell with her love for Eric and the pain she felt over the trauma he’d suffered suddenly made all his behaviour leading up to this wedding, the things he’d insisted on, suddenly make sense. She felt guilty that she’d showed even one moment’s frustration over his requests which really weren’t unreasonable at all. “I’m sorry Maggie. You’re right. Eric’s asked for so little and I’ve questioned it all and probably made it hard for him and I shouldn’t have.”

Maggie smiled and gave Natasha a hug. “It’s ok lass. You just honour his requests. That’s all he asks from you plus your love. It’s not much to ask.”

Natasha nodded. “He doesn’t have to worry about my love for him Maggie. He’s everything to me. He can drive me nuts and frustrate me sometimes, but I can’t imagine not having him.”

Not long after that, the photographer showed up. He was a handsome looking man by the name of Vladimir and he started taking many candid shots of Natasha as she sat in her robe with her perfect hair and make up which looked a little out of place against the pink satin robe. He took photos of them all together before heading downstairs to photograph the set up around the home and marquee, views over the harbour, making sure he covered every moment.

Finally the time came for Natasha to put on her wedding dress and her Mother helped her as she slipped out of the pink satin robe standing there in front of Kathryn in her strapless white lace bra and lacy g-string. Her Mother had to help her roll the delicate, very sheer cream coloured stockings up her legs and a pretty lacy cream garter with a blue ribbon threaded through it was added.

“Thank you Mum.” Natasha said, hugging her Mother. “Now we just need something old, new and something borrowed if we’re to stay with tradition.”

“I actually have something I brought with me baby girl and I’m hoping that you will wear it for today. It’s old and since I want it back, it’s borrowed.” Kathryn walked over to the bed and dug around in her handbag before bringing a small box back to her daughter and handing it to her.

When Natasha looked inside, it was a wedding band. She gave her mother a quizzical look and when her Mother looked at her, there were tears in her eyes. “It’s your Father’s wedding band baby girl. I’ve kept it all these years and I thought, although your Father can’t be here in person, a part of him could be. Will you wear his ring for your wedding?”

Natasha felt tears threatening again and all she could do was nod before removing the plain gold band from its box and slipping it onto the middle finger of her right hand. It was too big though and after trying it on a couple of different fingers, she had no choice but to wear it on her thumb. “It’s tight enough Mum, I won’t lose it.” She assured Kathryn.

“I know you’ll look after it darling. I’m just happy you’re wearing it. Now let’s get you into your dress.”

Once she stepped into her dress and Natasha’s Mother zipped her in before patiently doing up the row of tiny cream buttons up the back, she was ready for her shoes and the hair stylist, Frank, came back in to carefully attach her veil to the waiting comb in her hair and then stood back to study the effect. When Natasha saw him smile, she figured that must have meant he was happy with the final effect.

Finally she was ready and when Natasha stepped in front of the mirrors to see how she looked, she was surprised. Despite her huge stomach, the dress fell beautifully, gliding over her baby belly and for the first time in weeks she didn’t feel ungainly or frumpy.

While her Mother fussed and arranged the trains from her dress and veil, Maggie came in carrying a long flat box in her hands. “This was delivered lass. Eric had it sent over. It’s his wedding gift to you.”

Natasha stared at the box, her heart beginning to beat more quickly in her chest. What could Eric have bought her that he’d wanted her to have so urgently? She could see it was a jewellery box, but Natasha was almost nervous to open it. “Oh, come on lass, open it up. Let’s see what the lad bought for you.” Maggie urged.

Slowly Natasha lifted the lid and all three of them gasped. Nestled in the satin lined box was the most amazing necklace with matching earrings that she had ever seen.

It was made up of four strands of diamonds that did up around the neck. The centre piece was like a bow, diamonds all along the bow and the middle of it at what would normally be the knot of the bow was one large diamond. The four strands of diamonds that did up around the neck threaded down through the loops of the bow before branching out to petal shaped diamonds either side of each strand. The centre diamond of the bow also had a row of petal shaped diamonds that ran down from it.

The necklace was unlike anything Natasha had ever seen before and she didn’t want to think about how much it would have cost Eric. She almost wasn’t game to touch it as she looked at it, watching the play of light over the diamonds.

While she stared at the necklace wondering what on earth possessed Eric to give her such an obviously expensive looking piece of jewellery, Maggie handed her a small card. “This is from Eric too lass.” She said.

Natasha pulled the card from its envelope and read what he had written inside.

‘This is my wedding gift to you my beautiful wife to be. Please do me the great honour of wearing this on our wedding day. Stop worrying about how much I spent as I know that would be one of the things you’re thinking about as you look at the necklace. I want to see this around your neck when you walk down that aisle to me. See you soon baby. I love you with every fibre of my being. You are my heart, my soul, the very reason for my existance. Eric. xx’

Natasha read Eric’s message once, twice and by the third time, the tears were rolling down her face unchecked. She couldn’t stop them. Despite her tears she found herself smiling though at Eric’s uncanny ability to know what she was thinking. He’d known she would worry about the cost of the necklace so much so, that he’d mentioned it in his note.

“Oh lass, don’t cry, your make up’s going to run.” Maggie warned her.

“I think it’s too late for that. Come on baby girl. Stop with the tears. We need to get you ready for your grand entrance in the car.” Natasha’s Mother said. “There’s your something new too. Eric’s taken care of that for you.”

She was handed some tissues and Natasha quickly dabbed at her tears before the make up artist came back in to touch up her face, removing all trace of the tears that had fallen moments before. “I need to get my necklace on. Can you help me Mum?”

Carefully Maggie removed the stunning necklace from its box and her Mother slipped it around her neck. The cool diamonds settled just above the neckline of Natasha’s dress and lay there surprisingly heavy, sparkling under the lights.

Maggie and Kathryn both gasped at the sheer beauty of it. “Ok Vladimir needs to get some photos of you now baby girl.” They called the photographer back into the room and he suggested the stairs for taking some photos of Natasha before she left in the car.

It took both Maggie and Kathryn to hold the train for her dress and veil to get her onto the lift without anything jamming in the door.

Vladimir took photos of Natasha on the first couple of stairs since she wasn’t prepared to risk going higher and photos were taken with her Mother and Maggie. Once he was finished, they all went out to find a cream coloured Rolls Royce waiting to drive her.

“Are you coming with me Mum?” And her Mother grinned.

“Of course baby girl. Someone has to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Geez Mum, how much trouble do you think I can get into in a Rolls Royce?”

Her Mother just laughed. “With you Natasha, who knows? All I know is it’s my job to look after you until you’re delivered to Eric and I’m not going to take any risks. Now when we get back Maggie will bring your bouquet out to the car because Vladimir wants to get photos of you before you go inside. Thomas will be waiting for you in the kitchen so he can walk you down the aisle. It was very kind of him to offer to do that for you, wasn’t it darling?”

Natasha smiled. She had been delighted when Maggie’s husband Thomas offered to walk her down the aisle. Her Mother probably would have done it, but since she wasn’t having bridesmaids, her Mother was going to be taking her bouquet while Eric and her said their vows plus she was carrying Eric’s wedding band for Natasha. “I can’t exactly stuff it down the front of my dress now Mum, can I?”

As it turned out, they had to drive around for close on twenty minutes to be out of the way for when Eric and Thomas arrived at the house. Natasha’s back was starting to ache from having to hold herself so rigid because of her dress and veil and after a few well aimed kicks from Nathaniel and Erica, she was going to need to make a quick trip to the bathroom before the walk down the aisle.

After circling the blocks one final time Natasha squirmed in her seat. “Mum, I need to pee.” She whispered. “These two have decided my bladder makes a good trampoline but if we don’t get back soon, I’m worried I’ll have an accident.” She hissed.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to head back soon baby girl. Seriously darling, why didn’t you go before we got in the car?” Her Mother asked making Natasha feel like a child again.

“I didn’t need to go then.” She grumbled.

It was a relief when the limo turned into the driveway of Eric’s home and Maggie came out to hand Natasha her bouquet and arrange her dress around her nicely for the photos. Vladimir took several shots of her and finally she was able to go inside and use the bathroom.

“Everyone’s ready baby girl.” Her Mother told her. “I just took a peek outside. Once the music starts, it’s time for you and Thomas to start walking. I’ll get outside and keep an eye on Eric for you. I love you Natasha.”

Kathryn gave her daughter a hug and kiss and disappeared outside to take her place at the end of the aisle with Eric. Maggie followed her to go and take a seat. Thomas walked out of the kitchen looking very smart in a black suit. He hugged Natasha and smiled at her. “It’s show time young lady. Are you ready? Your man is waiting for you and looking extremely nervous.” He said grinning. “You know all he worried about the whole night was that you’d change your mind. He’s crazy about you.”

“He didn’t have to worry Tom, there’s no way I’d be anywhere else but here today. I love him.” Natasha’s lips trembled when she smiled at Thomas. ‘Don’t cry’ she told herself.

“Well come on then pet, lets get you down that aisle.”

He took Natasha’s arm and they walked to the doors leading out onto the terrace. The music started up and she almost stumbled when she heard the song that began to play for her walk down the aisle. Eric had listened to her obviously. So many times she’d told him how much she loved the music from the Twilight series and in particular the song that played at the end of Breaking Dawn part 2, Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years. Something about the song touched her profoundly and she thought of her love for Eric and how he was the only man she would ever want or need, the man who would own her heart until she died. That song just said it all and she’d made Eric listen to it numerous times.

With one final deep breath to try and calm her nerves, Natasha smiled at Thomas and with her arm in his, they stepped out into the sunshine to begin the walk down the aisle. She hung on tightly to her bouquet and walked slowly so she wouldn’t stumble or do anything embarrassing. She sure as hell didn’t want people’s memory of the day being because she fell flat on her face.

They made it to the end of the first terrace and then with a firm grip on Thomas, Natasha made her way carefully down the four steps that would take her on the final length of carpet to Eric. Once she made it down the stairs Natasha finally lifted her head for the first time to look for him. As soon as her eyes landed on him, she almost stumbled. Eric looked amazing, sexy and the most devastatingly handsome man she’d ever seen.

He was dressed in a black formal suit, that fit him to perfection. In keeping with her cream dress, he wore a cream shirt, tie and vest. It might have seemed too much with all the cream, but it looked amazing on Eric and one dwarf orchid flower that matched Natasha’s bouquet and was pinned to the lapel of his jacket.

When Natasha’s eyes met Eric’s, they shone with their bright, intense blue, accentuated by the black suit. That slow sexy smile Natasha knew so well, lit up his face as he watched her slowly approaching him on Thomas’s arm. She didn’t miss the flash of relief in his eyes before it was gone again and replaced with his love

With the music building up around them, Natasha made it to his side and Eric bent over to her to whisper. “You made it baby. You look stunning.”

Natasha whispered back. “I was a little late. I had to pee. Do you have any idea how hard that is to do with this much dress to deal with?” And Eric couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing.

As they took their places before the Celebrant, the music faded away and finally their wedding ceremony could begin. They had made the decision while discussing their wedding that they would to stick with the traditional marriage vows but Natasha had made it quite clear that she would honour but she wasn’t going to obey. Eric had laughed and pointed out. “When have you ever obeyed me baby?”