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Chapter Fifty-One

Compared to the brides I'd seen on TV and in movies, Charlotte was ridiculously calm and easy-going the next morning, as we sipped champagne and ate cream cheese bagels for breakfast.

Alex and Noah were getting ready in our room, while myself, Charlotte, Kris and Nora had taken over the honeymoon suite. As I braided Charlotte's hair into two plaits - a plus of practically growing up in a salon - then pinned them into a crown around her head with delicate, fresh white flowers, she applied her own make-up.

When she walked out of the bathroom wearing a plain white, knee-length sleeveless shift dress I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. So simple, yet so stunning, like a nineteen-sixties icon.

Dabbing my eyes carefully so as not to ruin my own make-up, she smiled shyly as I took her hand in mine.

"You ready?" I smiled.

"As I'll ever be," she winked back at me.

Alex and Noah were already waiting outside the registry office when we arrived in time for the four o'clock ceremony. They both looked so handsome stood against the old brick wall of the building; Alex smoking a cigarette in his dark green suit, and Noah - dressed in his navy ensemble with white shirt - playing with the ring boxes anxiously as he watched our taxi pull up.

Charlotte was right; this place was so cute it could have come straight from a 'Visit England' postcard. Originally a school back in the Victorian times, the dark grey building was covered in lashings of thick ivy with flowers around the door.

As we stepped out, Alex rushed over. "Holy shit," he exclaimed, holding Charlotte's hand as she stepped down from the old black cab. "You look out of this world."

Laughing gently, she leant forward on her tiptoes to kiss him softly.

"Looks like a beautiful day to get married," she whispered, before turning to take her simple white bouquet from my hands with a huge grin.

The sun was warm for early April, and the bright blue sky over the old building was filled with sound of birdsong. As I glanced to look at Noah, still hovering over by the entrance of the building, he gave me a wink.

"You all look beautiful today," he called out, causing Nora to blush slightly, and Kris' head to grow about another foot in diameter.

"Break a leg," Kris winked, kissing Charlotte on the cheek before linking his arm through mine and heading towards the entrance, where Noah stood holding the door open.

"Miss Wilson, you are a picture," he smirked as we walked past him into the registry office. I don't think Kris noticed the cheeky slap across my bum that Noah followed his comment with.

The simple ceremony was perfect. After stating their legal declaration, Charlotte and Alex read their own vows. I couldn't help crying as they talked about how they would be each other's rock for the rest of their days, how no challenge would ever come between them. The reality of what Charlotte had already been through just a couple of months ago was already testament to how strong they were, and their words hit me hard.

I felt Noah's hand rest gently on top of mine and looked up to see him smiling softly at me. "You okay?" he whispered.

Nodding back at him, I wiped my eyes with a tissue then leant my head on his shoulder as we watched them make their final promises to each other. When the registrar declared them husband and wife, we jumped to our feet to cheer.

Following the ceremony, we posed outside the building for some candid photos on Kris' vintage camera, including some hilarious attempts with him trying to set the timer then run back in time to be part of the picture.