"This is so pointless"
"You're so pointless"
"Tell me about it, two more years and I'm out of here, what's the point of having me around?"
"I was kidding" I rolled my eyes as I straightened her tie.
"You know it's true" She scoffed and I sighed.
I stopped giving her assistance and took hold of her slim shoulders. I stared into her cotton candy eyes and stroked her cheek like I always did with her father. Well her soon-to-be father.
"It is not true. Two years of you is a blessing. I would've adopted you even with only a month until your eighteenth. You may move out but that doesn't stop us being your parents. Guardians maybe, by then you can care for yourself but nonetheless. We love you, we have loved you since you first wandered into our lives. We are going to go through with the adoption but first can we please get through this wedding?"
"Okay, Julian" She nodded and I smiled.
I adjusted her grey blazer and finally fixed her sky blue tie. She looked at herself in the golden mirror and smiled. Her long trousers didn't cover her converse even though she promised Noel they would and I disapprovingly shook my head.
"This was my condition, remember?" She cheekily jested and returned to the mirror.
"Not me you have to remind, darling" I chuckled.
She assured her long, curly brown hair was tied back and pinned against her Caucasian scalp. She double checked her mascara and prominent blush and made sure her cuffs were folded back.
"I look like a true gentlemen" She grinned, confidently turning to me.
"A dyke, maybe"
She elbowed me in the gut and I laughed.
"That's so not PC"
"I've been around your father too much"
"He's not my father" She grumbled.
"Not yet"
"God, what have I signed up to?" She groaned but I knew she was grateful. "Natasha Fielding-Barratt, I guess it's not that bad"
Without us she'd still be in that toxic home with an abusive father who forced her to work the streets to pay the rent. Funny how sick people could be to hire a girl with bruises up her side and black eyes to suck their dick and then throw her back onto the snow covered ground to freeze with only twenty pounds in her hand. It made me sick to my stomach thinking about it. If I didn't find her that night... If I didn't save her... If I didn't take her back to Noel... I hated to think where she could've ended up.
We knew nothing about her except that we found her battered and suffering on the streets but still we brought her in, gave her shelter, food, a bed and we didn't hurt her. It was more than she ever had in her life. Each night she was sent out she found our house and took comfort in us. On the seventh night of our generosity she opened up to us and I felt sick. We decided to give her the money to give to her father. We let her stay the night and fed her before having to send her back. It killed me sending her back after all she had just told us but she feared for her life if she didn't return.
One night she stumbled on our doorstop, bloody and broken. We took her to the hospital straight away but Noel had other ideas. He seeked out and found her father and in his rage fought with him, he almost died. I hired a lawyer while the love of my life and an innocent child laid in hospital beds, we were gonna bring the fucker to justice. Nobody was allowed to touch Noel like that, not on my watch.
After months of recovery for the two and studying for me, the court case arrived on Natasha's sixteenth birthday. We fought and brawled and did all we could. Her father was put behind bars, given a restraining order and Natasha was legally able to live with us seeing as she had no other relations. We were so happy, Natasha was so happy.
She was healthy and safe and eventually started going to school. She got straight A's, participated in extracurricular activities like the debating team, got a part time job and even got a girlfriend. I had seen redemption before my very own eyes.
We fell in love with her, I think we always had been though. What else could've compelled Noel to risk his life for her? So we decided to adopt her but there was one thing we wanted to do first to commemorate almost five years since Noel first said 'I love you', before we could be a family.
There was a knock at the door and it swung open before awaiting our response. Rich popped his head in and grinned.
"The groom is waiting for you" He bellowed and I nodded.
"Natasha, would you do me the honour of giving me away today?"
"Are you serious?!" She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
***
"And now we'll have the first dance" Tom boomed over the microphone, secured behind the Dj's table.
Dusk had conquered and the reception of our wedding took place. The dance-floor was decked with wooden floorboards and a single yellow spotlight fell to the centre. The guests of the event who were energetic enough to leave their white velvet seats huddled around the edges of it, anticipation consuming them.
I strode out into the spotlight, my hand entwined with Noel's as I dragged him under it with me. I spun him around to face me and he chortled. I grabbed his skinny waist with both hands and his arms flung around my neck in a lazy manner. We left no space between our bodies. Even after ten years every time we touched it felt like the first time, I loved that.
"I give you Mr and Mr Fielding-Barratt" Tom echoed before the music began to play.
Noel's ears picked up the sweet melody I had kept a surprise from him and he embarrassingly shook his head.
"You're such a loser" He said although he had not stopped smiling since he saw Natasha escort me down the aisle to marry him.
Barbra Streisand oozed into our ears as we started swaying to the rhythm.
"I can't dance" He suddenly stammered to me in a panic.
"I paid for your dancing lessons?" I laughed and stared down at his clumsy feet.
"So? Help me out here!" He begged.
I got him to stand on my own feet and I carried his weight. I rolled my eyes and playfully called him pathetic as we swirled around the dance-floor. It only encouraged him to give me a massive, affectionate kiss on the mouth which made those around us clap.
"I love you" He whispered before resting his head against my shoulder.
His hands grasped onto the sides of my arms as I continued to glide us. Satisfaction spread through my chest as I heard those words again. He only said them on rare occasions and I always looked forward to hearing it. His 'I do' and his 'I love you' from tonight was what I'd treasure about our wedding forever.
"If the other couples would like to join in, you're welcome to" Tom confirmed over the speakers.
Soon Noel's parents, Natasha and her girlfriend, Dave and his wife, and other friends of ours in relationships started to dance with us. The room was warm and vibrant reflecting what I felt in my heart. My life felt so whole in this moment. I wanted to stay like this forever.
"I'm so fucking you tonight to this song" Noel breathed and I laughed, he was so romantic.
Due to my overwhelming sense of completion, I started to cry like I did when he recited his vows.
To my eight o'clock, my non-profit prostitute, my everything
I'm so glad you walked in through the wrong door that night ten years ago because if you hadn't I don't know where I'd be
You taught me how to love and you changed my life forever so I promise to do just that for you in the years ahead of us
I hope every day I can change your life
And I hope that if parallel universes do exist that it's still me and you in the end
That no matter what version, what reality is encountered
Whether we're both comedians or actors or musicians or whatever
That we still find each-other and we still fall in love
In every world, in every universe, in every reality we better find each-other because if there's a single world where a Noel doesn't find a Julian, that's just not a world worth existing.
There was a change in song, A Thousand Years came on which only made me cry harder. I sniffled which gave me away and Noel's head snapped up. He brought his thumb to my face and caught my next tear. He gently kissed me and continued to wipe away my tears.
"Stop crying, you berk" He whined and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fielding-Barratt" I cheekily apologised.
"I forgive you, Mr. Fielding-Barratt"
"Will you two stop flirting?" Natasha had snuck up behind us, dancing with her stunning girlfriend.
"Oh sorry, shouldn't give anyone the impression this is a wedding" Noel sarcastically remarked.
"Congratulations, ignore her" Her girlfriend added with a smile.
"I came over here because I was wondering if I could have a dance with the groom?" Natasha asked.
"Which one?" I raised my eyebrow, my hold still firm on Noel.
"My favourite one" She winked.
We thought about it for a second before Noel struggled free of my grip and he stepped back with his hands in the air as if he was surrendering me over.
"I'll go dance with Lliana then, you better save a dance for me though"
Noel gave me away to our soon-to-be daughter and I chuckled. Her beautiful ivory-skinned dame parted from her, saying she'd find her mother to dance with and so she left us alone.
We got into our positions and began to sway, I held Natasha's hand tightly.
"You guys looked really beautiful today" She admitted, she didn't really like opening up or talking about anything that could be deemed corny so when she did I knew she meant it.
"Maybe one day, you and... uh..."
"Dolly?"
"Yes, you and Dolly will look beautiful at the alter as well"
"Maybe" She shrugged, not all that invested.
"I'm glad you're here, Natasha" I said after a while.
"I'm glad you're here too. I mean... I know it's you're wedding and all, so you kind of have to be here but I mean with your history. After all you told me about pining after Noel and the times he left and how long it took for him to say he loved you... I bet you never thought you'd get this far"
I pondered over her words and I bit my lip.
"I just, I mean, I'm really glad you're here. You look really happy and I'm sure you are really happy and it took a lot to get to be happy, so I'm glad you are. It took a lot for me to be happy too but now I'm celebrating the wedding of my soon-to-be adoptive fathers. Good things do happen to those who wait and to those who don't give up. I'm glad you didn't give up on Noel and I'm glad he didn't give up on you. I may be only sixteen but I sure as hell know what you have is real" Natasha elaborated.
"Ageless and evergreen, some might say" I jested and she playfully punched my shoulder.
"I'm being serious"
"You're happy I'm happy and I'm happy you're happy, we're all happy, I get it" I shrugged.
"You're a horrible father already" She rolled her eyes and I smiled.
"If it's any consolation I'm glad I'm here too" I breathed, "All thanks to a bet"
"A bet? Noel never told me about a bet... What happened to the prostitute thing?"
I shook my head and chuckled, not bothering to respond. Soon Rich tore her away from me for a dance despite her will and I waved goodbye to her as she struggled to find excuses to escape embarrassment from his dance moves.
"Oi"
I felt arms slither around my waist from behind me and I turned around inside their grasp to face my husband. My husband.
"They're calling this the wedding of the century. The best singer and best author of the world together in holy matrimony" He dramatically told me and gave me a quick peck. "So be ready for cameras when we step outside to head off to our honeymoon. Oh and it's all good for Natasha to stay with Tom for the month too..."
"Remember when you told me I wasn't going to be anything more than a fuck?" I reminded him, a cocky smile playing about my face. "Now look where we are"
"You still are just a fuck, my husband fuck and soon my daddy fuck" He joked and kissed me again like my lips held a sweet nectar he couldn't restrain himself from. "Yet you're still perfect"
"And I believe you"
So yes, it was a rocky start like life blossoming from dust or rain pouring with no clouds in sight...
But it was smooth sailing for the rest of the journey.