Lines // hemmings

Chapter 38

(a/n: I'm sorry. Please don't hate me.)

ABBY

“People are staring.”

“I’ll introduce you later. C’mon, let’s find you a seat,” Jack whispers back and puts his hand on the small of my back, gently walking us through the church until we reach the front where I stop in my tracks.

“I’m not sitting in the front, Jack! I’m not even part of the family!”

“No, but it’s my brother’s wedding and you agreed on being my date so you are sitting in the front where I can see you.”

“Can I at least sit on the second row? I feel so…so exposed on the first row.”

Jack’s the best man but since I was his ‘date’ and I didn’t want to go here alone, he drove me to the church. There’s plenty of people here, half of them blonde, half brunettes. Half of them are quite old and there’s at least three wheelchairs here. 

“Second row are for my grandparents and great grandparents, and Abby, you have a long way until you’re there. But if you feel better there, then sure. I’ll just ask great grandma Betty to switch. She’ll be delighted.”

I give Jack a thankful smile and open the wooden gate to let me in on the second row where an elderly couple already is seated. I’m introduced by Jack and he tells them to take good care of me. Then he disappears to check up on the groom.

The elderly couple, that I find out is his grandparents on his mother’s side, compliments me and my dress. It’s a lighter shade of blue, a small ribbon in the shape of a rose on my hip. I’ve never liked dresses and since I only own two, it took me a while to find one I did like. Actually, I found it when I stopped looking. I could have asked Felicity for help, but that’d involve too many questions I didn’t want to answer.

I’ve never been to a wedding before so I wasn’t completely sure if the dress was appropriate. Looking around at the guests, I realize my dress is slightly different since most of the women are wearing long dresses while mine ends by the knees. My shoes, silver sandals, seem rare as well. I’ve noticed the others wearing high heels, yet I’m not the shortest one here. 

More and more people arrive, and soon all the rows are filled. Since I’m seated on the second row, I earn a few more glances than I should have if I was seated further in the back. Thanks a lot, Jack. The couple on the first row, as I recognize as Jack’s parents from pictures he’s showed me, give me glances as well and just as they’re about to ask me something, the groom walks in and they quickly shuffle back to their seats.

He walks up to the altar, Jack and two other lads following close behind. Jack gives me a smile and a small thumbs up before slightly clearing his throat. Then soft music starts playing and everyone stands up, watching the bridesmaids and then the bride – who looks absolutely stunning – walk up the aisle. Everything after that is just like a movie with the vows and the kiss and the couple walking down the aisle while people were smiling brightly.

“That was absolutely beautiful, don’t you think, dear?” Maria, the grandmother, asks me as we make our way out of the church. 

“It was very beautiful,” I smile back, feeling quite comfortable around the grandparents, George and Maria. I’m probably gonna end up forgetting their names soon though.

Maria hooks her arm around mine and starts rambling on about how handsome Ben looked and his bride Mary did as well. I look over at George who rolls his eyes at me and gives me a small smile as if he knows she’s never going to stop talking.