Their Day Was Complete

Their Day Was Complete (987).

Their wedding was a small do.

Set in the picturesque little church, just tucked-in along the canal.  A small drive up the hill, past the shop on the right and then, before smelling the alluring chips from the chippy, a turning right was required and if you’d blinked, you’d missed the church on the left.

It was here that John had always dreamt about getting married, if anyone was un-lucky enough to have him; as soon as Ami saw it, she too had also fallen in love with it.

Being local, his mates and family were already in ‘Saint Oswald’s’, having gone for more than a quick pint or three, in ’The Waterloo’, just across the road.

John stood waiting nervously outside with his best man, older brother Alan.

‘Have a drop of this Scruff; for your nerves’, Al said, handing John a small hip flask, with a Liver Bird crest engraved on it.

‘Cheers Al’ he said, taking a large gulp of the Bacardi and coke.

‘Feeling better, scruff?’ Alan asked, as he put an arm around his brother’s shoulder. For years now Alan had called him ‘scruff’ as a back-handed compliment. It always made John feel that he was loved by his brother, as the years could roll away to when they were kids and now, only Alan or their mum could make him feel that.

‘I’ am a bit Al’ he said, adding nervously, ‘Sshhee, she, will come, won’t she?’ as two blackbirds padded around the grass, looking for any worms before continuing their search on the scenic, tree-lined ‘nal’ just above them, where in the distance, an echo of a cricket bat hitting a ball could be heard, whilst on the corner of the road, a man in a burgundy red jacket and chequered flat cap, lifted a camera to expertly take a photo of a passing bus.

Just down the road, in Nic’s house, Ami looked in the large mirror for the millionth time.

‘Oh, I haven’t smudged my lippy again have I?’ she cried, whilst she nervously ensured that she had put in her tiny silver, white diamond ear rings, which Johnny had bought her the day after they had got engaged, whilst drinking tea, on the rock.

It was just another sign that he would give her anything, especially the greatest gift of all; his heart.

‘If you don’t get a move on, I’m going to clout you with this!’ exclaimed Nic, as she produced her police truncheon from out of the cupboard under the stairs and began to tap it gently into the palm of her hand, ‘then I’m going to arrest you for wasting a police woman’s time’ said Nic who’d had gotten drunk the night before on less than a half a bottle of lager, much to Ami and Rachel’s amusement.

Ami laughed in a fit of giggles. Welling worrying tears turning into happy ones. Ami was so glad that she was with Nic as her mum May stood close by, whilst her dad Dai impatiently paced the living room carpet, tutting, mutteringly tapping his watch; he knew better than to interfere in women’s stuff though; years of marriage had taught him that.

‘I do’ said John, smiling in total relief, as though Liverpool’s Mo Salah had just scored the title winning goal against Man. United in the last seconds; for at that moment, his dream of becoming Ami’s husband come true.

He was deliriously happy and felt as lucky as any man alive. It was as though he had all the riches in the world which money could not buy, as his heart burst with joy.

‘You may kiss the bride’ Rev Saunders announced.

He looked down at the angel in front of him. My, she really was his all. Her smile melted him just like the first time they had kissed on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, as the white moon had shone down good fortune upon them, whilst reflecting on the greying water.

Delicately he lifted Ami’s veil up, immediately seeing the sparkle in her beautiful brown eyes and also smelling her distinct lush Chanel Number 9 scent, almost making him giddy. As Ami slightly craned her neck up, her lips quivering in anticipation, Johnny bent down slightly, then, as gently as though a feather was dropping to the floor, slowly, tenderly, kissed Ami with such care that they could have been anywhere alone, even Paris or Rome.

‘Alright Scruff!’, Al said, putting a gentle restraining big brother hand on Johnny’s arm, for he could see that the newlyweds were getting carried away as their rising passion ran-away with them – like a pounding driverless steam loco going down a steep bank.

They somehow managed to un-superglue their lips, wearing big red blushes of embarrassment and Johnny was the first to react.

‘Sorry, got a bit carried away there’, he laughed, as Ami giggled, her big dimples showing, as her brown eyes sparkled in pure mischevous delight.

As they came out of the church, with Ami and Johnny leading the way, they saw an-all black cat scamper towards them, its tail bolt upright. It was soon rubbing itself around Ami’s clear sheer tights, loudly meowing un-controllably above the din of the chiming church bells.

With confetti still fluttering to the floor, the newlyweds instinctively bent down to smooth the cat and as it began to purr, it jumped-up onto Johnny’s lap.

‘I think it likes me’ Johnny said.

Ami looked at the cats ragged pink flea collar, fondling the small metal coin identity disc attached to it. Then, as she turned the disc around, they could just make-out the name on it.

They both looked at each other; the world stood still.

‘It’s Soo-ty!’ cried Ami.

At that moment Johnny realised that his lost cat had found them; they both burst into tears.

Their day was complete…

28/04/20.