The Tribute Drummer

Wedding Jitters

Johns POV

As I straighten my shirt and look in the mirror I am scared. I must admit that I didn't think I would be in this position again, nervous as a school boy and as impatient as that cat on a hot tin roof.

Sean and Julian are chasing around looking for sneakers and socks but I can't focus on them, thank goodness Paul and Rusty are sorting them out. She is above me on the second floor probably as calm as a cucumber, lazing on the bay seat that overlooks the ocean, serenity making her relaxed and ready for the events to come.

"Are you even ready, Lennon" Paul waves a hand in front of my face and it takes me four or five seconds to register his wild waving.

"I need a fag" I need to escape and that is my excuse but Paul is tapping his feet and looking at the clock. "Where's a smoke?"

"It's time Lennon. No time now, you've got to get yourself out to the pergola. You know for the wedding!" Paul starts to break into a sweat for my nervousness and I don't think I mind him doing the sweating, no one likes a sweaty groom do they.

We managed to get a hexagon pergola up and looking like it's been here years, the garden that surrounds it is established and looking like a jungle although its only two weeks old. Tropical flowers have been threaded up and over the whole thing but they don't distract from the glorious view of the ocean that will be the backdrop. I got out of wearing a suit it's a beachy type wedding so I get to be in sneakers and everyone is either in the same or bare feet, sand is everywhere so it makes perfect sense to embrace it.

As we all huddle under the pergola I can see heaps of friends that have come to see this monkey get strung up with a girl again, but this time it's third times a charm, I know it. Mad I am for this but crazy for her I am. This the closest I have been to being a groom at a normal actual wedding; Cyn and I hit the registry office, all over bloody Europe with Ono.

Sean has been sent to Cat as her ring bearer, Julian, Rusty and Paul a jostling around me chatting and smirking, I need a bloody smoke but Paul shakes his head in the negative.

Julian is off to the side now and its time, I keep shaking my hands and hopping from foot to foot, not able to keep still, my shirt collar is not bound with a tie or buttoned up but I need to stretch the fabric away to get some air.

"Nervous Johnny boy?!" Paul has my ear and I can only nod slightly, I'm not going to bother lying here when my nervousness is on display for all to see, Mimi smiles warmly at me, holding her grandniece and waves Faiths hand hello to me, I can't help but beam back at them.

I see a melee in the house people darting about, she hasn't run off has she? No there she is, Christ I would have looked a tosser if she had run off.

Still we wait, she is probably doing it on purpose, we had a conversation about exactly this a few nights ago as we finished planting the gardens, she had laughed thinking she would be the nervy one and me the cool laid back one. Then when she turned to laugh with me about it she saw the worry about the whole ceremony in my sweaty red hot face. Still, she gave me a kiss and hug then calling me a daff bugger, not bothered in the slightest by my wreak of a body reeking of sweat from shovelling bulk dirt out of holes big enough for an elephant to sleep in.

Paul is nudging me in the side. Hard "See her. There down the........, yep they're ready man, good luck old chap" One last nudge and he tops it off by one of his claps to my shoulder.

And then the doors to our new home open wide and the sunshine catches her face, lighting it up or using her as its power supply for the sun. She could light a city, I'm being sappy but I can't help it, it's my wedding day and I want it and her so bad.