Loving My Best Friend

Ch 19 - Eleanor & Rickard's Wedding

Emily glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. She had worn her pale yellow dress and was admiring her makeup and hair. She had chosen the dress that had a single strap on the left shoulder with flowers embroidered on it with the skirt reaching her ankles. She had gotten her hair done in a loose fishtail braid. A few tendrils of her hair escaped the braid and teased her cheeks. She twirled around in her dress and took a few pictures of herself.

Her phone then started ringing and she saw Raymond Artair’s name on it.

“Hey, are you here?” Emily asked, picking up her clutch and adjusting her heels.

“Yes, I am here, Emily,” Raymond said, and Emily nodded.

“Okay, I am coming in a minute,” she said and rushed downstairs.

Her family was getting ready to leave. Her mother, father, David and Crystal as well. She waved at them and told them to meet at the wedding.

Getting out of the main door, she saw Raymond Artair’s car waiting for her and she rushed to it. She went inside and greeted him.

“You look lovely, Emily,” Raymond Artair said with a genuine smile.

Emily blushed and muttered, “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.” She wasn’t lying because Raymond was a handsome man with brown hair, brows and defined jawline. But it was just that Emily’s heart sped up for a certain man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.

He chuckled at her reply and then the car rode off to their destination, which was the wedding venue.

On reaching the venue, Emily was quickly escorted out of the car by Raymond Artair and as they walked inside the venue, Bernard Hansen met them first.

“Hey, Emily. And who’s this handsome man with you?” Bernard asked, shaking Raymond Artair’s hand, and Emily smiled.

“I am Raymond Artair, one of Emily’s business partners and her date for today,” Raymond Artair said, and Bernard smiled at him with a brow raised.

“Oh. Glad to meet you, Mr. Artair. I am glad Emily will have someone by her side today,” Bernard said, smiling at Emily.

“If you two are talking, can I go see Eleanor in her room?” Emily asked, picking up her skirt, ready to run.

“Yes, Eleanor will be waiting for you. Go ahead,” Bernard said, and Emily glanced at Raymond, who was nodding at her to go ahead.

Emily ran quickly inside the and went to the right where there were several rooms and quickly located the bride’s room. She knocked and entered without waiting.

A gasp escaped her lips and she put a hand on her mouth in shock. Eleanor turned to look at Emily, but what surprised her wasn’t Eleanor, it was Rickard standing there with Eleanor in his arms.

“Wh-What are you doing here?” Emily asked with wide eyes to Rickard, at which he just smiled.

“I came to see Eleanor,” he said, and focused his attention back on his bride. Emily couldn’t deny that in a white strapless train dress, Eleanor looked ethereal. Her hair was tied in a bun and a small veil was fixed on her bun which didn’t cover her face at the moment. But that didn’t mean Rickard could hijack the bridal room.

“You need to get out of here, before anyone sees you two,” Emily said to Rickard, but he was unfazed. Sighing, Emily looked around for help but saw no one and she called Eleanor, knowing that their family was adamant on following the traditions by heart.

“Eleanor, are you serious?” She asked and Eleanor chuckled.

“What? He’s already seen me, let us have our moment, please,” Eleanor pleaded, and Emily’s shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Fine, I am waiting outside,” Emily said and went out of the room, waiting by the door.

It was then Emily saw Chloe and Kate coming towards the bride’s room. They squealed at seeing Emily and almost came running to her. Chloe was dressed in a halter neck dress and Kate’s gown was a lace bodice one with full sleeves. Both looked beautiful and Emily wondered where their admirers were.

“Emily, you look gorgeous,” Kate gushed and Chloe nodded with a smirk.

“Someone’s out for a competition today,” Chloe teased, at which Emily laughed in embarrassment, shaking her head.

“What? No. There’s no competition between us,” Kate said, looking at Chloe.

“Silly. I am not talking about us,” Chloe said, wiggling her eyebrows. Kate's eyebrows shot up a moment later, then she nodded and grinned.

Emily shook her head, making the hair tendrils bounce on her cheeks. “No, it’s nothing like that. I brought a date today and wanted to look good. That’s it.”

Chloe and Kate nodded sarcastically. “We get it, don’t worry.”

They heard heavy footsteps and turned to glance in the direction of the sound. James and Matthew were coming towards them dressed in black tuxedos. Both brothers looked handsome and Emily glanced at Chloe and Kate to see their reactions. She snickered seeing them spellbound and, on the other hand, James and Matthew were talking but when their gaze fell on the girls, their steps faltered. Emily laughed with a hand on her mouth. Matthew couldn’t blink seeing Kate and James was unable to tear his gaze away despite him trying to ignore her. Chloe turned her back to him but James came towards her and whispered, at which her cheeks turned pink. She abruptly turned to glare at him and pushed him away.

Emily watched them quarrel and a slight movement caught her attention. She saw Eleanor peeking from the room’s door.

With wide eyes, Emily rushed in and asked, “Is Rickard gone?”

Eleanor nodded with a grin. “He just wanted to see me before everyone else,” she said, and Emily grinned.

“He has no patience,” Emily said with a chuckle, and began to check Eleanor’s makeup.

“You look so beautiful, Eleanor. I would have married you if I was a man,” Emily said, and Eleanor laughed.

“Same for you, Oliver would burn today,” Eleanor whispered with a wink, and Emily blushed red.

“I don’t care,” she said, and Eleanor frowned.

“Why, what happened?” Eleanor asked, taking her hands.

Emily shook her head. “Nothing. You don’t worry, it’s your wedding day. Let’s get your things ready before Rickard’s father comes to take you,” Emily said.

“I wish my parents were alive to see this day and I could walk down the aisle with my father, but I am glad Rickard’s father is here with me,” Eleanor said, getting teary eyed.

Seeing her crying, Emily felt her eyes getting damp but she blinked and wiped Eleanor’s tears. “Hey, don’t cry. We can’t change the past, but we can enjoy the present. It’s your day, so enjoy it to the fullest.. Or I am going to tell Rickard that you’re crying in the bridal room,” Emily threatened at the end, at which Eleanor chuckled in between tears.

“You won’t have to. I am good,” Eleanor said, wiping her tears, and Emily hugged her.

“That’s my girl. Now I have to go, but be ready, Mr. Hansen will be coming any minute to walk down the aisle with you,” Emily said, and left the room.

~~~~~~~

Emily, Rebecca, Chloe and Kate stood beside the podium where the bride and groom were to stand. It was then the groom, Rickard, strode in with his best men, who were, of course, his brothers.

Emily did her best not to look in the direction of the groom's brother, afraid that she would make eye contact with Oliver and would send her calm self into a frenzy.

She stood staring at the ground with the other bridesmaids. Rebecca was Eleanor’s maid of honor, so she stood first, then stood Emily, then Chloe, and then Kate.

“You can look up,” Chloe said and Kate giggled beside her. Emily shot both of them a deathly ‘I will kill you” stare, but they only grinned.

It was then the music began signaling the bride’s arrival and everyone looked towards the entrance. Eleanor walked with Bernard Hansen down the aisle. She looked regal as a bride and Emily couldn’t stop wishing to be a bride as beautiful as Eleanor someday.

And she wished happiness to Eleanor and Rickard and their adorable son who was in the arms of Ruth, Rickard’s mother.

Eleanor came to stand in front of Rickard with the light veil covering her face, but Emily could see the smile on her face and her heart melted with joy seeing her friend happy.

The ceremony started and soon the bride and groom exchanged their vows and then the rings. The couple promised to love and cherish each other forever.

Emily felt her eyes tearing up but when she glanced at Rebecca she found that Rebecca was shaking with tears. She hugged Eleanor as soon as she said “Yes, I do.”

Rickard lifted an eyebrow and said, “Hey, she’s mine now, officially.”

Everyone chuckled and that was when Emily looked behind Rickard, seeing him fully for the first time. He was dressed neatly in a black tuxedo with his hair swept back. Emily could easily declare him the most handsome man in the world. He stole her breath and she had to blink twice to avert her gaze. Thankfully, she hadn’t made eye contact with him.

Rickard and Eleanor kissed, and everyone cheered for them. Then they took their adorable son in their arms and posed for pictures together.