Obstruction

Love Walked In

"You're up!" I said to the two youngest bridesmaids.

Selma handed Emma a basket of flowers and sent her through the doors with Abby. She turned and gave Simon a quick appraising wink. He wiggled his eyebrow at her in approval before he reached out and tugged her by the wrist towards him. Selma giggled and gave him a quick peck on the lips before following the younger ones with Ellen.

Once they were through the curtained doors, Simon patted his pockets.

"Right. It's still there," he muttered.

"What are you on about?" I asked.

He stuck a hand into his left pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box.
He opened it while shielding it in his hand to show an antique ring with diamonds and emeralds.

"Mind if I steal some of your thunder later?" He asked with a childishly exited look on his face.

He looked up the aisle after Selma with a weirdly nervous smile.

I laughed.

"Go for it," I grinned.

He stuck the box back into his left pocket.

"Right. Let's go get you married," he grinned and held out his elbow.

I took it and drew a deep breath as we followed the bridesmaids.

I looked up to see all our family and friends, but didn't really register them. Up front was stood in impeccable frock coat and grey trousers, the man I was still hypnotised by.
I loved that contrast between his formal wear and the soft hair. From the look of it he had run his hands through it several times. The revelation made me want to giggle. He flashed a smile back at me with an open look of happiness in his eyes.
Simon led me up the two steps and placed my hand in Ethan's.

"There. Daddy duties done," he grinned.

"Not really, if you're going through with your thunder-stealing," I smiled.

Ethan chuckled.
He obviously knew of Simon's plans.
Then he turned to me and my breath hitched again. I couldn't believe my luck.

"Forever?" He asked me.

"Forever," I replied as we turned to the clergyman.

Simon took up his position with Oddball and Mio, changing his role from my side to Ethan's.
On my side were Abby, Ellen, Selma and Emma.
There was a flash of realisation that our family and friends weren't separate. He had Simon, I had Selma. Our families were already mixed up and intertwined. And in the middle, were us.
Together.

"I want my Oddball!" A sudden squeal was heard from my side of the family.
On the front row seat was my mum struggling to hold back our two year old daughter. She wiggled down on the floor and ran over to Oddball who without hesitation crouched down to lift her up into his arms. Both of them wore wide smiles as Ayame tugged on Oddball's lapel.

Little Aya was a perfect mix of the two of us. His eyes, my hair, his smile, my nose.
She was laughing at something Oddball was telling her.

I turned to look at the man in front of me.
About to be bound to him legally in a bond we already had.
I held my hand out and accepted the silk ribbon that was tied around both our wrists, tying us together.
We had opted for a pagan ritual rather than a traditional one. The idea of literally tying a knot, felt right.
I barely registered the words the clergyman said. All I knew was the deeply focused look in a grey pair of eyes until the words 'you may kiss your wife' were spoken.
Ethan's face broke into a wide smile.

"Come here, wife," he mumbled and pulled me to him for our first kiss as a married couple.

I heard a faint hum and as Ethan and I ended the kiss, I looked around to see all our guests with small soap bubble containers, blowing bubbles at us. Either side of the arch, were bubble machines, which were the source of the hum.