The Wedding Guest

Cared For

    "Nikki, your speech earlier was awesome" Judith slurs drunkenly, plonking down on her seat next to Martin; whom along with myself, Ethan, Killian, Claire, Glen, Rose, Ian and Daniel have been sat chatting and laughing for the past few hours; and even though the bar closed probably two hours ago, no one has made an attempting to leave.

    "You really don't care what people think of you, do ya?" Claire, who's the only sober one for obvious reason, asks.

I shake my head honestly. "Most people don't know what they think about themselves so why should I care what they think about me?"

    "I like your way of thinking" Rose says, nodding her head approvingly at my opinion.

    "So Nikki, are we going to see you at the next wedding?" Martin smirks cheekily and Judith wiggles her engagement ring happily.

    "Unfortunately our favourite party starter is going off to travel the world next week" Ian informs everyone with a dramatic pout.

    "Really?" Rose questions, intrigued. "Have you a plan? like where you're going?"

    "Are there many going with you?" Daniel asks.

    "That shits gotta be expensive" Killian comments.

I chuckle at all their questions. "Ehm, I'm going alone so I don't really need a plan. I can just hop on a train or plane to anywhere I feel like going" I explain, "Oh and I've been saving since I was child so I'm well prepared" I titter.

They all look at me in shock.

    "Alone?" Claire voices, obviously gobsmacked. "What if something happens to you?"

    "Ah she'll be fine. As tough as aul' boots this one" Ian exclaims and winks across the table at me.

    "What about your parents? won't they worry because I know if I even suggested something like that, my parents would slap me around the house" Rose questions.

    "I.. eh.. I don't have a family" I stammer, feeling my statement instantly dampen the atmosphere. "I was put up for adoption when I was born but wasn't fortunate enough to find a family" I continue, feeling the need to explain.

    "Which is why I got the privilege of spending last Christmas with her" Ian chirps, making everyone chuckle and lightening the mood.

I smile across at him gratefully.

    "Wait, you spent Christmas with Nikki?" Killian questions and we both nod. "On the phone I thought you said Nick. We assumed it was the fella you were dating" He explains in amusement.

    "So you already knew I was gay?" Ian's mouth gapes slightly at this realisation.

All three of his brothers, Claire, Judith, Glen and Rose all nod admittedly.

    "I told ya you'd have nothing to worry about" I proclaim smugly.

Ian narrows his eyes and sticks his tongue out at me.

    "Did you really think we didn't suspect anything?" Ethan interjects at Ian.

    "Yeah like we've kinda known since you were like fourteen" Martin admits.

    "And none of you thought to approach me about it?"

The three brothers shake their heads.

    "We figured you'd tell us when you were ready to"

    "Yeah, thank god we didn't bet on it. We would have all lost" Glen chuckles.

    "Yeah we never thought it'd take ya this long" Killian chuckles heartily.

I don't know why it took Ian so long to tell his family. I've known them like fourteen hours and already I feel like I could tell them anything, that I could trust them. The love between this family is truly undeniable.

I wish I could have grown up in a family like this instead of the multiple homes I was tossed between.

    "You're all a bunch of fuckers, yous know that" Ian groans and we all laugh.

    "Yeah but you're stuck with us" Killian grins broadly and pats his youngest brother's back.

    "Speaking of stuck, I don't think I can get off this chair" Claire whines, rubbing her bump.

    "Try not to be pregnant for the next wedding so you can be happily intoxicated like the rest of us" Martin comments.

    "Tell your brother not to knock me up then" She retaliates snarkily.

    "Regardless of everything, I must admit today turned out to be.. memorable" Martin declares solemnly.

I glance at Ethan next to me to see a weak smile tug on his lips as he head bobs in agreement.

    "It'll certainly be hard to top this day" Killian adds cheerfully.

Ethan turns to face me and his smile strengthens. "It certainly wouldn't have been this good if Nikki weren't here" He states, patting my feet that are resting on the edge of his chair.

    "Preach!" Glen hollers giddily.

    "Yeah so our wedding is whenever Nikki comes back" Judith giggles jokingly. "When's that again, roughly?" She grins at me.

I shrug my shoulders and scrunch my face up with uncertainty, "Anywhere from one year to never" I admit and Judith pouts.

I honestly had no plans beyond leaving to travel. After all I have nothing stable keeping me in Ireland; no home, no career, no family. I'm free to go anywhere I want and never come back, if I chose.

    "Damn it, we need to find another Nikki" Martin sighs jokingly.

    "Good luck finding that" Ian grins across the table at me. "She's one of a kind, trust me"

    "I'll drink to that" I smirk and raise my pint glass.

The others lift their glasses in the air, mimicking me before clinking them off the glasses of the nearest to them, nobody wanting to exert themselves.

    "OH I know.." Judith shrieks suddenly, startling us. "We could just buy Nikki a plane ticket home for our wedding" She suggests and we all laugh.

I know they're all heavily intoxicated but I must admit I feel hugely cared for by each of them. None of them have made me feel like I wasn't welcomed at all today and even Frank and Anne told me they were grateful for what I'd done for Ethan.

But wouldn't it be what anyone else would do to try brighten the darkest day of anyone's life?