This is a one shot for my Liverpool buddy kitephoenix :) she writes really good football fiction so if you do have time, go check out her stories because they're awesome :)! I wrote this awhile ago for her but I'm uploading now :D hope you like it Phoenix :D
This was it. Today was my big day. The moment I had been waiting for over the past four months. This was something I’d been so worried about yet so excited about and I couldn’t believe my dream was coming true.
This felt like it only happened in fairy tales…and sometimes when I imagined it in my head when I was younger. For it to be actually coming true was surreal. I was actually going to marry my childhood sweetheart Stewart Downing.
“You look beautiful, sweetie,” my mother kissed me on the cheek and smoothed out the back of my pearl white wedding dress. The train was made of delicately soft peacock feathers.
“Thank you,” I kissed her on the cheek. “Could I have a moment alone for a minute?”
“Of course,” she gave me a smile and left.
I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror. I never really found myself that pretty to be honest but it was really spectacular the way I had been transformed. The bottom half of my brunette hair was curled into gentle ringlets and the top half was pinned in place with a cream rose hair clip. The top half of my dress was a sort of corset. Rose petals had been subtly sown into the fabric as the dress made its way down to my knees. The peacock feathered train just about finished the dress off. I think I looked very angelic.
Just like any bride-to-be, I had been very secretive over my wedding dress. I didn’t want Stewart knowing about what I was going to look like and what I was going to wear; it would, in my eyes, defeat the whole point of a ‘surprise’. Obviously.
I heard a knock on the door. “Come in.” I said softly.
My father entered in his smart looking tuxedo and his face lit up when he saw me. “Phoenix, you look stunning.”
“Thanks, dad,” I chuckled.
“Are you ready?” he asked. I could see tears glistening in his eyes as I started to walk towards him.
“As I’ll ever be,” I took his arm and clung onto it. “Gosh, dad, please don’t cry. You’ll start me off!”
“I’m sorry, baby,” he took out his hanky and blew his nose. I laughed. “It’s just…it only seems like yesterday that you were still my little girl who couldn’t stand to be around the boys. Now look at you.”
“I’m still your little girl, dad. I always will be,” I smiled at him as we made our way to where the bridesmaids were. It was nearly their turn to go in. Which meant it wasn’t far away until it was my turn to walk down the aisle. My sister gave me a wink as she prepared to walk out.
“I know,” he nodded. “You tell Stewart to look after you good, okay?”
“You know he will,” I whispered and kissed him on the cheek.
Before I knew it, all the bridesmaids were making their way down the aisle. I clung onto my father’s arm for dear life as ‘Here Comes the Bride’ started up on the organ. This was definitely it now. My time.
We made our way out down the aisle and I gave everyone my best smile. Stewart was stood at the top of the alter, his best man Jordan Henderson stood next to him. Jordan turned his head a fraction and grinned at me, elbowing Stewart to turn around.
My heart skipped a beat when he looked at me. His mouth seemed to drop open in utter surprise and admiration. His eyes could not pick a spot to rest on. All Stewart could do was take in what he saw. I let out a giggle as I got to the top of the alter.
Dad kissed my cheek and whispered ‘I love you’ in my ear. He then went and sat with my mother (who was crying her eyes out already), my sister and my brothers. I looked at my best friend, Bastian Schweinsteiger and he gave me a thumbs up and a wink. The gesture from Basti really reassured me. Now I knew I could do this.
I turned to face Stewart and as I did, he reached out and took my hand.
“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony…”
The vicar carried on saying his speech but all I could do was look at my Stewart. He was to be mine in over ten minutes now, anyway. I was so happy, yet nervous all the same, to be stood here today. I knew he was the one. It was also taking all my strength and effort not to cry! I could hear my mother sobbing behind me. Several times tears surfaced in my eyes but just looking at Stewart made everything better. Why would it not?
The rings were exchanged and we both kissed. It was seriously the best moment of my life. I could not believe it, I was now Mrs Phoenix Downing.
After all the photographs were taken, everyone headed to the reception where it was time to have my first dance with my husband.
Before I went on the dance floor, Basti pulled me off to the side and grappled me into a tight hug.
“I’m so proud of you! You got married! Ah!” he smiled.
“I know! It was so scary! Thank you for being here, Basti,” I grinned at him.
“It was my pleasure, Mrs Downing. Now go have your first dance! I want some of that cake!” he laughed at me as I rushed off to Stewart who was patiently waiting for me at the side of the dance floor.
I ran into his arms and hugged him so tightly.
“I can’t believe it, Stewie. We’re married,” I mumbled.
“I know,” he kissed the top of my head and looked at me. “Come on.”
He took me by the hand and we walked out onto the dance floor. ‘Hey Jude’ by the Beatles started up and he pulled me into him so my head was on his chest.
“You look so beautiful, Phoenix,” I heard him say.
“As do you, Mr Downing,” I chuckled.
“It’s weird, you know. From day one I always knew you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and the one I wanted to wake up to every morning. You’re the air that I breathe now. I’m so blessed to have you in my life,”
I just wanted to stay in this moment forever. I loved him with all my heart and could not wait to grow old with the man I loved, Stewart Downing.
