The Perfect Combination

"We could have a leopard print theme?" Sergio comments as I continue flipping through bridal magazines.

"What?" I ask, hoping I heard him wrong.

"For the wedding. We could have a leopard print theme. Imagine the tables and some of the draping could be leopard print while for the suits; the inner lining could be a cheetah pattern. And your dress…"

"Whoa buddy. Stop right there. First of all, no part of MY wedding will involve any form of animal print ESPECIALLY not my dress. You obviously spent way too much time in the California sun if you think I would let you dictate the color scheme at the wedding” I conclude as he grunts.

A few weeks had passed since his preseason tour concluded and the season was well and truly underway. We were currently sitting at home; making decisions about the wedding that we agreed would take place a few days after the Champions league final at the end of the season. The wedding would have to happen then as after the end of the club season, Sergio and the rest of the National team where due to play at the European Championships.

"You know this isn’t just you’re wedding" he said following a few minutes of silence.

"I know it isn’t. But if you plan on ever seeing me naked once we are married, you better agree with all my ideas and act like it’s my wedding"

He weighs up his options before answering.

"So what color scheme where you thinking off for YOUR wedding?" he asks with a big grin on his face.

"Good boy" I answer as I flip to next page of the magazine I’m reading.

`

"And our final question, Will you be designing the gown for your wedding to Sergio Ramos?" the journalist from Vogue asks with a hopeful expression on her face.

"Even if I were I wouldn’t tell you" I tease as I avoid yet another question about my upcoming wedding to Sergio. "If you want to see the designs I’m currently working on come to my runway show tomorrow. I will gladly tell you all you need to know about the fashion line there"

The journalist laughs at the way I deflect attention from my personal life to my clothing brand. But she takes the hint as she packs her bags and bids farewell.

"When did Vogue start becoming US Weekly?" Terry asks as she walks into my office, where the interview had been held.

It’s been four months since I had given birth and I had officially gone back to work. I was back in LA for fashion week and despite me loving being a mom I was glad to be in an environment where I was in control. Because as the weeks had passed, the twins we quickly becoming the rulers of my and Sergio’s world. We had become one of those parents that couldn’t stop holding their babies and gushing about them to people who were interested.

"I know right?! Maybe I should write a strongly worded email about how the standards have fallen" I joke and both me and Terry burst out laughing.

"I’m pretty sure their standards started falling the minute they decided to put Kim Kardashian on the cover" she fires back and we continued to laugh.

Once we composed ourselves, she walks over to her desk, sits down and starts quizzing me about the hot topic on everyone’s lips.

"So how the wedding planning going?" she asks and I roll my eyes.

"Jeez what’s with the obsession about my personal life lately" I tease as I opened up a sketch pad.

Terry sees through my deflecting act as she walks up to my desk, closes my note pad and pulls my chin up so she can look me in the eye.

"Nice try missy, but I know you. Why are you being so secretive about this?"

I remove her hand from under my chin and instruct her to sit down as I take a deep breath.

"You haven’t changed your mind have you?" she asks right when I open my mouth to tell her what’s on my mind.

"No no no" I assure her.

"Then what’s the hold up?"

"It’s…" I begin to say as I take another deep breath. "I don’t have anyone to walk me down the aisle" I admit as she gives me a confused look.

"Terry, it’s tradition that the bride gets walked down the aisle by her father and just in case you haven’t noticed I don’t have one"

"You don’t?! I hadn’t noticed" she teases in an effort to lighten the situation.

I force a smile but she can tell I am being serious, so she answers my question.

"Look Nati, just because you don’t have a biological father doesn’t mean you don’t have father figures to walk you down the aisle"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean there are plenty of guys in your life who have supported you enough for them to get that honor. Take Iker for example, he has been in your life as long as Sergio has and has always supported you a 100%. Even when you were messing up"

"Yeah he has been there for me hasn’t he?" I admit as I consider asking him.

"Or you could ask Fernando?" she says hesitantly.

"What?"

"Hear me out. He’s seen you at your lowest and most successful and the man respected you enough to step aside when he realized how unhappy you were with him"

"He did didn’t he" I smile as I realize how much Fernando has sacrificed for me.

She nods her head to reaffirm my point.

"The person who walks you down the aisle should be someone you respect completely. Just because you didn’t have a father it doesn’t mean you didn’t have figures in your life who take up that mantle. Plus the person who gives you away should be the person most grateful that you are finally out of their life" she jokes as a I throw a pen at her.

"Then maybe it should be you Terry. I’m pretty sure you’ll be singing from the rooftops once I’m Mrs. Ramos"

"Oh they’ll be singing all right but I can’t walk you down the aisle"

"Why not?"

"It’s your big day… I don’t want to take attention away from that specially considering how hot and single I plan to be at little shindig of yours"

I laugh at her statement, knowing full well that she will just use the occasion to man-hunt.

However I do come to the realization that the person who walks me down the aisle needs to be someone who has been through heaven and hell with me.

And I know just the person.