The Way We Were

We spent the day just relaxing, we swam in the pool for a bit, had some games set up for our guests, lots of drinking was already taking place. We were all hanging out and just chilling up until it was a couple hours till show time.

"Okay Audrey, go shower up and let's get the show on the road, I gotta do your hair! This is gonna be a challenge since it's so short!" Edie laughed, clapping her hands.

"And I have to do your makeup!" Chanel grinned.

I was laying in the grass with Caleb and sighed, "Do I have to?" I laughed.

"Unless you wanna smell like chlorine, come on. You need to look your best! You're getting married after all!" Edie grinned, taking my hands helping me up.

"Fine!" I laughed, getting to my feet. "Caleb only needs like, ten minutes and he's ready."

"It's easy being a guy." He laughed.

I blew him a kiss and left with the girls. Today we also hired a few cameramen to follow us around and film, so we could have one really awesome wedding video, so along with us, a cameraman named Stuart followed.

After I showered, I sat at the mirror with my robe on as Edie blow dried my hair and then began curling it with a small barrel. Edie is amazing at doing hair, so of course I was gonna let her do my wedding hair. And Chanel is a pro at doing makeup, so she was gonna make me beautiful.

Edie finished my hair and Chanel was putting the last touches on my makeup. When that was all done, they helped me into my gown after they had all changed into their own dresses. Chanel covered her mouth and tried to hold back her tears.

"Audrey, you look so beautiful." She smiled.

I started laughing as I pulled her into a hug, "Now I know how you felt on your big day."

There was a knock at the door and Nikolas and Daniel asked if they could come in. I asked Johanna to answer the door since I was ready.

"Wow, look at you." Nikolas grinned, coming in.

"Audrey, you're gorgeous." Daniel smiled, hugging me after.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"We just visited your groom." Nikolas said.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He's great. Shaking like a leaf, pacing back and forth. The usual groom thing." He answered.

I smiled, "I'm the same. Hey, Nik is our grandmother here?"

He sighed and slowly shook his head, "But she sent these. She said she's sorry she couldn't make it, her health is preventing her from coming. But she loves you, misses you, and wishes you the best. These are for something old." He handed me a small old box.

I lifted the lid and smiled, seeing old pearl earrings. "Her earrings. They're perfect."

Behati clapped her hands, "Okay, so you have the traditional something old, but you need something new, borrowed and blue."

I sat down on the edge of the bed and lifted my dress, showing them a patch of blue flannel sewn on the inside . "From my dad's wedding wear. Something blue." I grinned.

"Okay, now something borrowed." Jessie smiled.

"I borrowed a spritz of Chanel's perfume." I laughed, "Chance by Chanel."

They laughed, "Okay, now something new." Daniel asked.

I smiled and bit my lip and hesitated for a moment. "I do kinda have something new..."

"What?" They asked.

I stood up and walked across the room, then back. I smiled and placed my hand on my stomach, "In about nine months, Caleb and I will be meeting something new. Someone new."

"Are you?...You're pregnant?" Nik grinned.

I nodded and sent everyone into hysterics. They all gathered around me, hugging and kissing me, congratulating me.

"Now we haven't told our parents yet, so don't tell a soul until we announce it."

"When will that be?" Chanel asked.

"During the ceremony." I smiled.

"Audrey I'm so happy for you!" Daniel hugged me.

"I'm happy too." I smiled.

A knock on the door from the wedding planner signalled that it was almost time.

"We should go downstairs and get this show on the road." Nikolas suggested to the party.

"Are you ready Audrey?" Chanel asked.

"Can I just have a minute?"

"Sure, we'll be downstairs." She smiled, hugging me one last time before they all left. I paced around the room, wringing my hands and breathing deeply. I sat at the vanity and looked at myself.

This is the day. The day you've only dreamt of. Today I am marrying the love of my life, the father of our unborn child.

There was a knock at the door that startled me, I stood up and went to the door. "Yes?"

"It's me...your groom."

I smiled at hearing Caleb's voice, "How's it going?"

"I'm excited, nervous. It feels like my stomach is doing somersaults in my gut." He chuckled.

I laughed, "Same here. My heart is racing."

He laughed. "It's almost time...I just wanted to come by and tell you that I love you...and good luck."

I started laughing and opened the door slightly to stick my hand out to shake his. "I love you too. Good luck."

He shook my hand gently and kissed it, "I'll be the one in the suit, down in front."

"I'll meet you there." I smiled, pulling my hand back and softly closing the door. I heard him walking away, and then heard footsteps approaching the door again.

"Audrey, it's Nikki. Can I come in?" He asked.

I opened the door and let him in, "Of course."

When he saw me he was beaming, "Oh Audrey...My Audball is all grown up."

I smiled, "Yes I am."

He hugged me and held me for a long time. "Audrey, you look beautiful. You look stunning. I've loved you and taken you as my own since you were born, and seeing you my little girl today, grown up and in a wedding gown, ready to get married makes me happy in a way that I can't even explain. Your dad would've been so proud of you, just like I am right now."

I looked up at him and saw tears in his eyes, I wiped away his tears and kissed his cheek. "You're gonna make me cry." He just smiled.

"I love you too Nikki, you'll always be my dad." I hugged him again.

"Well, the wedding planner was giving me the stink eye downstairs, so I think that means we gotta get going. Are you ready?" He chuckled.

I hesitated and took a breath, biting my lip I nodded. "Yeah, let's go." I realized I almost forgot my flower halo, so I quickly went back into the room and grabbed it. As I looked up, I saw my dad standing to the side, smiling at me. He nodded, and I smiled back before leaving the room again.

I held Nikki's hand and we left my room to go downstairs. My bridesmaids and men of honour were all smiling as they watched me descend the staircase. The wedding planner gave a sigh of relief and began talking into her radio.

"The eagle has landed, I repeat, the eagle has landed." She spoke. I laughed at the ridiculousness. "Places everyone."

"Here Chanel, can you hold this. This is one of the gifts for our parents." I gave her a small box with one of the Swarovski soothers.

We gave each other all one last hug before they left the house before me. The ceremony site was hidden in the trees, not far from our house. We all walked over to the place, and I heard the music start up. They got into their places and one by one walked down the aisle, until finally it was just me and Nikki left.

I could hear Dan tell the guests to please rise. As the song got to the part where I was to begin walking, Nikki linked arms with me. "Showtime."

I pulled his arm, "Wait." I took in a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

I blinked and held my breath for a moment. I thought of Caleb, and our baby. I smiled and looked up at Nikki, "Yeah. I'm ready."

Dream by Priscilla Ahn was the song that softly played. I clutched Nikki's arm, trying not to show my nervousness as we slowly walked down the aisle. Flowers were everywhere and lights hung from the willow trees. It looked even more beautiful after the sun went down.

All the eyes of our smiling guests were on me, silent whispers of compliments left their lips. I looked forward again and saw Caleb there, in his grey suit, with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face.

I smiled back as we then approached the front. Dan cleared his throat, "Who gives this woman to this man in marriage?"

Nikki looked down at me and smiled, he looked ahead again. "Her mother, her late father, and I do."
He gave me a hug and soon after placed my hand in Caleb's, of course after he had given Caleb a hug too. Nikki went to go take a seat next to my weepy mother.

After I had given Chanel my bouquet, Caleb and I just stood there for a moment, smiling at each other. "You're beautiful." He whispered.

I smiled, "You look gorgeous." He laughed and bit his lip, now holding both of my hands.

Dan cleared his throat and began, "Family, friends, we are gathered here today to witness the union of two individuals who will leave here today as one. I have known Caleb for a very long time, and during those years I always thought to myself, the girl that he ends up with has gotta be something special, 'cause Caleb is the craziest guy I know. And then when he introduced me to Audrey, I knew she was the one for him. Not only is she equally crazy, but they somehow balance each other out. And when Caleb told me he was gonna ask her to marry him, I could not have been more happy. And here they are, standing before each other ready to start a new life together. They've both prepared their own vows."

Caleb smiled and took out a folded paper from the inside of his jacket, unfolding it, he cleared his throat. "Words cannot express the entirety of my love for you. You are my life, my love, my happiness. When we met, you gave me this feeling that I've never felt before. My heart raced, my palms sweat, my voice was caught within my chest. I knew I was in love, and everyday you give me that feeling. So, I've chosen to read to you a poem that is dear to my heart. I first read it in grade seven, and I said to myself when I get married, I'm gonna read this to my future wife. This is a poem by E.E Cummings:

'I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet )
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)'

I love you Audrey, and I've never been more ready to spend my life with someone."

I had tears in my eyes when he finished, I smiled back at him and whispered to him that I loved him. Soon Dan signalled to me that it was my turn. I took a deep breath and began;

"It was June 19th, one year ago at the Download festival when I decided to go for stroll around the tour busses. Little did I know, that that day I'd walk into my future. Literally. When I first met Caleb, I thought he was annoying, a little arrogant, had a funny accent, and drank too much. But then as we hung out more and more, and a friendship had developed. He grew on me. Soon I thought to myself, 'well, he's not that annoying, and his attitude isn't that bad, and I think his accent is kinda cute, and I drink equally as much as him. And then it hit me, I was in love with my best friend. So I ran away, not wanting to ruin a good thing. But fate must have been on our sides, because almost exactly a year later, we expressed our love for each other and knew it was meant to be. It was the first time I had given my heart fully to someone. It was the first time I let the walls come down. It was the first time the emptiness in my heart was filled, filled with something beautiful; love, hope, and most of all, trust..."

I had started to cry, "Caleb, you brought me back to life. You did something I thought no one could do. And I couldn't be more happier and grateful to have you in my life. I am ready to start a new life with you. A life for the three of us." I smiled and placed my hand on my stomach. Everyone started cheering and whistling, clapping with excitement for us. My mom started to cry even more, smiling at us.

Dan lightly laughed, "Congratulations to you both. Now, Anthony Caleb, do you take Audrey Summer to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

Caleb smiled, still holding my hands. "I do."

"Audrey Summer, do you take Anthony Caleb to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

I smiled back, "I do."

"May we have the rings?" Dan asked, referring to Nathan who had the rings for us. We each took a ring.

Caleb held my left handed and smiled up at me, "I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are." He slipped the ring onto my finger.

"I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart." I replied. I then took his ring and held his hand.

"I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are." I smiled, placing the ring on his finger, and in reply he said the same, "I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart."

Dan looked at us both, "Ready?"

We both smiled at each other and nodded.

"By the power vested in me by the State of Tennessee, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride"

As everyone roared in excitement, Caleb pulled me forward and into a tender kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back.

Slowly we pulled away as Dan introduced us to our guests. "Family and Friends, I present to you, Caleb and Audrey Followill."

Together we faced our guests, holding hands. Then we stepped forward, I went to his parents and he went to mine, giving each other hugs and presenting them with the small gifts we had. We joined together and had our parents open their gifts together, revealing the Swarovski soothers. They hugged each other and then us. Expressing their happiness, not only for our marriage but for our baby.

"We need to sign the marriage license." I smiled.

"Yeah, we'll be right back." Caleb took my hand and we went to sign it.

I sat down and began hand-writing my name, I had written down Audrey Cobain- and stopped, I looked up at Caleb and smiled. I continued. Audrey Cobain-Followill, dropping the Versace and now using his name. He smiled and kissed me again. After I finished and he finished soon after, we stole a few moments together off to the side as Dan announced that cocktails would be at the reception site.

"We did it." Caleb smiled, kissing me over and over again. I kissed him back and held him tight, "I love you so much." I looked at the ring on my finger.

"Now we can spend forever together." He smiled.