The Keeper of Wickets

"Stanley"

•Kate•
~June 2011 - Scarborough, England ~
Daisy and Dylan are granted a signing at Yorkshire, which is the most brilliant news I've heard since my engagement. The four of us are almost inseparable. Playing cricket together and sharing a little house in Yorkshire, really turned us into family.
'I know this is extremely short notice but you wouldn't be my maid of honour would you?' The words just roll off my tongue, and telling them to Daisy just feels right.
'I don't have any girl friends, except Clara but she doesn't want to be maid of honour because apparently every wedding she's been maid of honour at hasn't gone well, and she wants mine to be perf-'
'Kate.' Daisy looked at me like I was slightly crazy. 'I'd be absolutely honoured.'
I let out a sigh, forcing the tears back down my throat.
'Thank you, so much.' I whispered, relief coating my skin.
'No worries, my calendar was booked, I was going anyway, this just gives Dylan and I a better excuse to go.' Daisy grinned, wrapped her arms around me.
-
The crunch of my heels on the gravel awoke me from the dream. I'd already forgotten what had been said that morning and I already felt like I still had things to do before today. The crunching of my heels was almost a reassuring sounds that everything was about to fall into place. I came round the corner and I saw Daisy gasp. Her hands covered her mouth and she started to sob. I stood in front of her, and looked down at her sympathetically.
'Don't cry you'll smudge your makeup.' I told her sternly. She laughed and gently dabbed her eyes with the skirt of her pale blue dress.
'Sorry, I don't have a tissue, but you look so beautiful, imagine what Lou is going to be like if I'm like this.' She blubbered throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face into my shoulder.
My white dress pooled around my feet as we held each other close.

'Louis Charles Stanley, do you take Kate Amelia Squire, to be your lawfully wedded wife?' The priest questioned.
Through tears Lou mumbled; 'I do.' His eyes never leaving mine.
'Kate Amelia Squire, do you take Louis Charles Stanley to be your lawfully wedded husband?'
'I do.' I pursed my lips together and gripped Lou's hands a little tighter.
'You may kiss.'
Lou lifted my vail and planted the most beautiful kisses I'd ever felt. His hand comforted me as it rested on my ear and the room fell away as he threw his fist into the air, with happiness.
'Ladies and Gentlemen! MR AND MRS STANLEY!' I heard Daisy cheer as the crowd continued to clap and whistle.

Lou and I danced down the stairs and back down the aisle.
'LETS PARTY!' He bellowed, his voice echoing over the fields and through the church as he swept me off my feet and into his arms.
'I love you Kate Stanley.' He whispered once we were seated at the back of the old bus that was delivering us and the bridal party to the reception.
I let out a shaky breath, still acknowledging my name.
'I love so much more.' I kissed him softly.

I think that my early twenties were my wonder years. So much went on in those brief years that the its just a blur of events on my time line of life, but my wedding will never be forgotten.

'Right shut up I'm speeching!' Daisy's totally sober voice came over the PA. Dylan laughed; 'Get on with it!' Daisy just glared at him making the room erupt with laughter.
'Alright, so the maid of honour constitution says I have to give a speech, because I was given so much time to prepare this speech I'm going to wing it right here and now. Dylan and I haven't know Kate and Lou very long, in fact only about 6 months, but how lucky are we to have met a pair who are just like us, just from the other side of the world. In classic Daisy form, I argued with Kate the day she caught me behind in our debut ashes test, claiming I didn't hit it. I heard it, everyone heard it and Kate was the one that sort of I guess, made me realise how rude I was being by not walking. I admire Kate, you don't find many people who come in and see you after a game and ask for tips after they've lost. Kate you've taught me valuable lessons over the years, it's like God has blessed me with the Mum I never got. It was specials week because I got two for the price of one. A beautiful best friend and a mum, in some ways. Anyway, the smart women we know as Kate and the intelligent man we know as Louis, decided it would be a good idea to have their wedding the day before our first game for Yorkshire, clever am I right? A silly idea but that's not the point; I get to play cricket, the game I love, with a person I've grown to love so immensely it isn't funny. I can't believe you're a Stanley Squiz and I'm so grateful you're so much more. I love you so much, on behalf of Dylan, myself and everyone else in this room, I wish you both all the best. Right time for a beer I reckon, everyone glasses up, to Kate and Lou, may your lives be forever filled with cricket balls, hot summers and laughter!'
A loud "cheers!" Bellowed from the mouths of my guests before the chorus of clapping fell over them like rain on a tin roof. I hitched up my dress and met Daisy, hugging her close as she grinned, knowing she'd done well.
'Was that alright? All you imagined?' She asked.
'Wasn't quite what I imagined, but it was all I was asking for!' I replied and she cheered with happiness.