The Wedding Guest

Epilogue: Smile

"How did I not see the signs before?" Ian questions, baffled.

"I actually think you've very poor observation skills" I assert honestly and take a step back in fear he'll try slap me.

   "How long?"

I look at Ethan and he nods his head assuringly.

"Almost five months" I timidly and extremely nervously confess.

"Five months" Ian gasps dramatically. "And I'm only now finding out I'm going to be an uncle" he chirps with a broad smile.

"Godfather actually" Ethan adds and I see Ian's eyes begin to well up.

He places his hand on his chest, a look of shock on his happy face. "Me. The godfather?" He questions in disbelief.

I nod my head. "That's if you'd like to be; but you're who we both really want because If it hadn't of been for you we'd never of met"

"Of course, I be delighted to be the godfather" he beams with tears of happiness streaming down his face.

"So you're not mad we didn't tell you sooner"

Ian shakes his head and wipes the tears away. "Nah, we all know I'd never of been able to keep this secret" he chuckles and closes the space between us, embracing me. "I'm so happy for yas"

"Well actually there's something else" Ethan coyly voices, immediately grasping Ian's attention and breaking my hug from him.

"You're not going to tell me yas are engaged too or something are ya?" Ian teases.

Ethan's eyes flicker towards me.

"Oh. My. God" Ian gasps dramatically. The Penney dropping immediately.

"Fancy being my best man?" Ethan grins broadly at his brother.

Ian pulls his hands down his face. "I swear you two are going to give me a heart attack" He titters jokingly.

"Oh my god it's harder to get a yes out of you than it was her" Ethan teases.

"Well of course it's a yes, like Nikki said, you two wouldn't be together if it weren't for me" Ian says, rolling his eyes. "I can't believe I'm going to be a best man and a godfather to my niece or nephew" he chimes gleefully, unable to take the smile from his face.

"Niece" I proclaim blatantly and Ian let's out a high pitched squeal.

"Aaahhhh I'm having a niece. Really?" He questions.

I nod my head and giggle at his over excitement.

Ethan stands next to me and puts his arm around my waist.

"So bro, wanna come with us and see how everyone else takes all this news?" Ethan asks through his chuckles.

"Wait, I'm the first person you've told?" Ethan and I nod simultaneously at Ian's question, "I think I'm going to faint"

I walk over to Ian, link my arm through his and begin strolling down the road with him.

"When did you get engaged?" he eventually enquires.

Ethan falls in step beside me, his hand slipping into mine, our fingers entwined. I glance at him and smile as I reminisce on his proposal.

I'd come home from work to find the apartment in darkness with a trail of candles and rose petals leading to the kitchen where a romantic candle lit dinner was set for us but there was no sign of Ethan. As I approached the table I noticed petals in a heart shape on my place setting with a little black box sat neatly in the middle and my heart missed a beat.

"Nikki" Ethan's voice called softly from behind me and when I turn, he's down on one knee with the ring clasped in two fingers. "Will you marry me?" He asks in a nervous tone.

Unable to contain myself my head nods vigorously, my smile broadens and I pounce at him almost knocking him off his balance but somehow he was able to keep us stead and placed the ring on my finger.

I'm sure most people wouldn't be impressed by the engagement but to me it was just us. It wasn't a spectacle. It was perfect.

"Last night" I tell Ian with the broadest smile.