When You Close Your Eyes
89: It Means A Lot To Us
Gently brushing her fingertips against the material of the dress she wore, Isabelle spared a soft look towards the mirror which stood ahead of her, her blue eyes a little in awe of the reflection which stared back at her. It had taken a little while, after her mother had woken her up from her nap, they’d spent a couple of hours getting ready, but Isabelle was a little amazed by the results, even if she did feel a little self-conscious about the bump which was noticeable beneath her dress. She couldn’t quite believe that the reflection in the mirror was her.
Carefully brushing a few loose blonde hairs off of her face, she admired the reflection for another couple of seconds before the sound of a knock at the door reached her ears, causing her to lift her head, her blue eyes settling on her sister who’d stepped into the room. “Are you nearly ready to get moving?” Grace quipped, carefully pulling the door to behind her “Papa’s starting to freak out that we’re running behind schedule and…wow” she squeaked, her blue eyes settling on her sister who stood ahead of her, a sheepish expression on her face.
“Is that a good wow?” Isabelle posed softly “Because we’re not in a hurry. If I need to change something…”
“You don’t” Grace quipped “You look…I can’t quite come up with words to tell you how good you look, Belle” she added, a soft smile on her lips.
Isabelle offered her a slight look, wordlessly asking if she certain, something which made Grace giggle before she stepped towards her older sister, gently straightening the hairclips which held her blonde hair in place. “You know that you’re already married to the guy, don’t you?” she teased impishly.
“I do” Isabelle confirmed softly “But still I’m a little nervous. You know how I am about crowds” she added gently.
Grace, who’d moved to straighten out the material of her sister’s dress, nodded. “I do” she confirmed “But you have nothing to be worried about today. You and Leo were very specific, you didn’t want too much fuss, and Mama stuck to that. It’s only something small, Belle” she added, her tone soft and soothing. She knew that her sister was nervous, from the moment she had woken up that morning, she had looked a little uncertain, and Grace wanted to offer her some reassurance, even if she was confident that Isabelle had nothing to worry about. She knew that her sister needed to hear it said aloud.
Isabelle spared another dubious look towards her sister, something which made Grace smile before she moved to stand ahead of her, offering her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “You’ll be fine, Belle” she mused softly “You and Leo, you two make a lot of sense, and I’m sure that today will go perfectly. Besides, even if it does go wrong, you’ll always have the day you actually got married to look back on” she added, an impish grin perched on her face.
Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully before she straightened up a little, her blue eyes peeking shyly towards Grace once more. “You’re sure I look alright?” she asked shyly.
Grace quirked a warm smile before she nodded. “You look amazing, big sister” she mused softly “Your dress is beautiful and with that pregnant lady glow, I am sure that Leo will be suitably blown away when he sees you, which brings me to my next point. We ought to get moving” she added, fussing over Isabelle’s dress for another couple of seconds.
Isabelle nodded her head softly before she let a small sigh fall out of her mouth, something which caused Grace to offer her hand a soft squeeze before she led her out of the room, a warm smile on her face. She knew that Isabelle wouldn’t admit it, for a while, she had been insistent that the day ahead of them was one that had been planned for the benefit of hers and Lionel’s families, but Grace knew that she was looking forward to it, even if she hadn’t said it. She knew that Isabelle was more than a little excited about the idea getting married in front of her friends and family.
~#~
Fiddling with the hem of her dress, Isabelle spared a small look towards the building which stood ahead of her, her stomach turning at the thought of heading inside. She knew that there was no reason for her to be nervous, she and Lionel had been married for months, but still she was a little apprehensive, even if her mother and sister had tried their hardest to reassure her that there was nothing to be concerned about. She couldn’t seem to shake the slight hit of nerves which twitched in the pit of her stomach.
Smoothing the dress out, she allowed another soft sound to fall out of her mouth before she felt a hand take her own, something which caused her to lift her head, offering a small look towards her father who smiled down at her. “Were you this nervous when you actually married him?” he quipped, his tone bright and cheerful.
Isabelle shrugged wordlessly, something which made Marco shake his head before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, offering her a soft squeeze. “I know you’re nervous, sweetheart” he mused softly “Even if this isn’t the first time, I know that you’re apprehensive, and it’s Ok. This is a big deal, Belle, it’s nothing like the last time, and it’s alright to be slightly apprehensive. I’d be a little worried if you, my worrier of a daughter, wasn’t nervous” he added, a fatherly smile on his face.
Isabelle mulled his words over for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a gentle sigh falling out of her mouth. “It’s not like last time” she murmured softly “That was just the two of us and I’m a little…a little nervous” she added, looking up at him.
Marco nodded. “I know you are, sweetheart” he mused softly “But you have to know that there is nothing to be worried about. This isn’t about perfection, this is about allowing everyone that loves you, and Lionel, to celebrate the fact that you two ended up together. We just want a chance to celebrate you two, Belle” he added, offering her shoulders another brief squeeze.
Isabelle offered him another slight look, something which made Marco chuckle before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “This means a lot to us, Isabelle” he mumbled softly “Me and your madre, much like Leo’s parents, we’ve been waiting on this moment for a while and we want to share it with you. We want to see you two happy” he added encouragingly before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached his ears, causing him to lift his head and look towards Francesca who stood a little ahead of them, tapping her watch.
Offering her a quick nod, he moved to take Isabelle’s hand before he offered it a soft squeeze. “Now, as much as I would like to go through the protective papa repertoire and ask if you’re sure about this, I think we should probably skip it and put Leo out of his misery. What do you say?” he quipped playfully.
Isabelle rolled her eyes a little at her father’s comment before she nodded. “I think that that sounds like a plan” she noted with a small smile.
Marco offered her another swift nod before he carefully moved to lead her forwards, guiding her up the aisle for a few steps before he lifted his head, offering a look towards Lionel who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of Isabelle. Quirking a small smile at the younger man’s expression, he squeezed Isabelle’s hand encouragingly before he pulled her to a stop. “Lionel?” he quipped.
Lionel, who’d been admiring Isabelle, blinked a couple of times at the sound of his name before he turned. “Yes?” he posed.
“I know that this is a little late” Marco noted softly “But this woman is one of the most important people in my life. She’s my little girl, Lionel, and I want to ask you to take good care of her. Do you think that you can handle that?” he posed gently.
Lionel nodded his head. “I will give it everything I have, Marco” he enthused gently.
Marco offered him a swift nod before he pressed a brisk kiss against Isabelle’s cheek, ducking out of the way before Isabelle stepped ahead of Lionel, a nervous smile perched on her face, a sight which made Lionel smile a little before he pressed a soft kiss against her cheek, wordlessly insisting that she had nothing to be worried about.
Carefully brushing a few loose blonde hairs off of her face, she admired the reflection for another couple of seconds before the sound of a knock at the door reached her ears, causing her to lift her head, her blue eyes settling on her sister who’d stepped into the room. “Are you nearly ready to get moving?” Grace quipped, carefully pulling the door to behind her “Papa’s starting to freak out that we’re running behind schedule and…wow” she squeaked, her blue eyes settling on her sister who stood ahead of her, a sheepish expression on her face.
“Is that a good wow?” Isabelle posed softly “Because we’re not in a hurry. If I need to change something…”
“You don’t” Grace quipped “You look…I can’t quite come up with words to tell you how good you look, Belle” she added, a soft smile on her lips.
Isabelle offered her a slight look, wordlessly asking if she certain, something which made Grace giggle before she stepped towards her older sister, gently straightening the hairclips which held her blonde hair in place. “You know that you’re already married to the guy, don’t you?” she teased impishly.
“I do” Isabelle confirmed softly “But still I’m a little nervous. You know how I am about crowds” she added gently.
Grace, who’d moved to straighten out the material of her sister’s dress, nodded. “I do” she confirmed “But you have nothing to be worried about today. You and Leo were very specific, you didn’t want too much fuss, and Mama stuck to that. It’s only something small, Belle” she added, her tone soft and soothing. She knew that her sister was nervous, from the moment she had woken up that morning, she had looked a little uncertain, and Grace wanted to offer her some reassurance, even if she was confident that Isabelle had nothing to worry about. She knew that her sister needed to hear it said aloud.
Isabelle spared another dubious look towards her sister, something which made Grace smile before she moved to stand ahead of her, offering her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “You’ll be fine, Belle” she mused softly “You and Leo, you two make a lot of sense, and I’m sure that today will go perfectly. Besides, even if it does go wrong, you’ll always have the day you actually got married to look back on” she added, an impish grin perched on her face.
Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully before she straightened up a little, her blue eyes peeking shyly towards Grace once more. “You’re sure I look alright?” she asked shyly.
Grace quirked a warm smile before she nodded. “You look amazing, big sister” she mused softly “Your dress is beautiful and with that pregnant lady glow, I am sure that Leo will be suitably blown away when he sees you, which brings me to my next point. We ought to get moving” she added, fussing over Isabelle’s dress for another couple of seconds.
Isabelle nodded her head softly before she let a small sigh fall out of her mouth, something which caused Grace to offer her hand a soft squeeze before she led her out of the room, a warm smile on her face. She knew that Isabelle wouldn’t admit it, for a while, she had been insistent that the day ahead of them was one that had been planned for the benefit of hers and Lionel’s families, but Grace knew that she was looking forward to it, even if she hadn’t said it. She knew that Isabelle was more than a little excited about the idea getting married in front of her friends and family.
~#~
Fiddling with the hem of her dress, Isabelle spared a small look towards the building which stood ahead of her, her stomach turning at the thought of heading inside. She knew that there was no reason for her to be nervous, she and Lionel had been married for months, but still she was a little apprehensive, even if her mother and sister had tried their hardest to reassure her that there was nothing to be concerned about. She couldn’t seem to shake the slight hit of nerves which twitched in the pit of her stomach.
Smoothing the dress out, she allowed another soft sound to fall out of her mouth before she felt a hand take her own, something which caused her to lift her head, offering a small look towards her father who smiled down at her. “Were you this nervous when you actually married him?” he quipped, his tone bright and cheerful.
Isabelle shrugged wordlessly, something which made Marco shake his head before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, offering her a soft squeeze. “I know you’re nervous, sweetheart” he mused softly “Even if this isn’t the first time, I know that you’re apprehensive, and it’s Ok. This is a big deal, Belle, it’s nothing like the last time, and it’s alright to be slightly apprehensive. I’d be a little worried if you, my worrier of a daughter, wasn’t nervous” he added, a fatherly smile on his face.
Isabelle mulled his words over for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a gentle sigh falling out of her mouth. “It’s not like last time” she murmured softly “That was just the two of us and I’m a little…a little nervous” she added, looking up at him.
Marco nodded. “I know you are, sweetheart” he mused softly “But you have to know that there is nothing to be worried about. This isn’t about perfection, this is about allowing everyone that loves you, and Lionel, to celebrate the fact that you two ended up together. We just want a chance to celebrate you two, Belle” he added, offering her shoulders another brief squeeze.
Isabelle offered him another slight look, something which made Marco chuckle before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “This means a lot to us, Isabelle” he mumbled softly “Me and your madre, much like Leo’s parents, we’ve been waiting on this moment for a while and we want to share it with you. We want to see you two happy” he added encouragingly before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached his ears, causing him to lift his head and look towards Francesca who stood a little ahead of them, tapping her watch.
Offering her a quick nod, he moved to take Isabelle’s hand before he offered it a soft squeeze. “Now, as much as I would like to go through the protective papa repertoire and ask if you’re sure about this, I think we should probably skip it and put Leo out of his misery. What do you say?” he quipped playfully.
Isabelle rolled her eyes a little at her father’s comment before she nodded. “I think that that sounds like a plan” she noted with a small smile.
Marco offered her another swift nod before he carefully moved to lead her forwards, guiding her up the aisle for a few steps before he lifted his head, offering a look towards Lionel who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of Isabelle. Quirking a small smile at the younger man’s expression, he squeezed Isabelle’s hand encouragingly before he pulled her to a stop. “Lionel?” he quipped.
Lionel, who’d been admiring Isabelle, blinked a couple of times at the sound of his name before he turned. “Yes?” he posed.
“I know that this is a little late” Marco noted softly “But this woman is one of the most important people in my life. She’s my little girl, Lionel, and I want to ask you to take good care of her. Do you think that you can handle that?” he posed gently.
Lionel nodded his head. “I will give it everything I have, Marco” he enthused gently.
Marco offered him a swift nod before he pressed a brisk kiss against Isabelle’s cheek, ducking out of the way before Isabelle stepped ahead of Lionel, a nervous smile perched on her face, a sight which made Lionel smile a little before he pressed a soft kiss against her cheek, wordlessly insisting that she had nothing to be worried about.