If It Gave Us Time

Carefully smoothing out a wrinkle in Maddie’s dress, Gerard shifted his hold on the little girl, his eyes settled on Isla who was stood across the room, frowning as she tried to focus on the screen of her assistant’s camera. He wasn’t surprised, with Isla having arranged for her assistants to run their photography, he had always anticipated that at least a small portion of their day would be spent checking their work, and he was grateful for it, even if he was sure that Isla’s assistants, whom she had worked with for years, would have done a fantastic job. The few minutes of privacy and quiet which had been afforded to them was more than welcome after the explosion of noise which had greeted their first kiss as husband and wife.

As far as Gerard was concerned, it had gone off without a hitch. Yes, he had stumbled over his vows and Isla had spent almost all of the ceremony tucking one piece of her blonde hair off of her face, but it hadn’t mattered. From the moment that she had reached the foot of the aisle and smiled up at him, he hadn’t cared about could have happened, only that she had made it to him and put her hand in his.

Watching Isla frown at the camera screen, he rolled his eyes playfully at Maddie who grinned back at him before he stepped forwards, clearing his throat slightly.

Isla, who’d been studying the picture on the screen, looked up at the sound. “Hm?” she asked.

“We were just reminding you that we are here too” Gerard quipped, grinning at her boyishly “I thought maybe you’d forgotten” he added.

Isla offered him a playful glare before she shook her head, turning back to the camera.

Gerard watched her for a moment longer before he stuck a hand into his pocket, pulling out her glasses. “Lala?” he prodded.

Isla looked up again, tilting her head as she spotted the frames in his hand. “How did you...?”

“Your mama gave them to me” Gerard interrupted with a nonchalant shrug “She thought you’d ask for them eventually so she wanted me to have them. I figured if you put them on, you’d maybe avoid getting a headache which will cause you to try and get out of our wedding reception early” he added.

Isla’s eyes flitted between the glasses in his hand and his face a couple of times before she quirked a timid smile, gently taking the glasses. Unfolding them, she gently pushed them up her nose before she turned her attention back towards the camera, flicking through a few pictures before she held it out to him. “This one is my favourite” she admitted quietly.

Gerard took the camera from her, gently placing Maddie into her arms. Holding onto the camera, he studied the picture for a few seconds before he glanced up, offering her a boyish smile. “This one?” he prodded “Lala, I look like an idiot” he added.

“You look happy” Isla argued softly, her fingers gently smoothing out Maddie’s blonde hair “I like that goofy smile” she added.

Gerard offered her a dubious look, a faint smile dancing across his features before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached them, causing him to turn, his eyes landing on Meghan who stood in the doorway sheepishly. “I hate to intrude” she mused.

“We’re needed?” Gerard asked, settling the camera down.

Meghan, who’d stepped a little closer to Isla, nodded, flashing the defender a small, apologetic smile. It had been full on, from the moment that both Gerard and Isla had woken up that morning, they’d been surrounded by people who had been intent on fussing and prodding, and whilst she wanted to afford them as much time alone as she could, she knew that it couldn’t last forever. They had a lot of guests, people who wanted to share the day with them, and they needed to give them some time too.

“I’ve given you as much time as I can” Meghan confirmed “The band is set up now so I’d like to get you in for your first dance before the food is served and people start drinking. Does that sound like a plan?” she asked.

Gerard grinned. “Do we have a choice?” he quipped.

Meghan smiled back at him. “You do” she confirmed “You can agree with me now, or I will go and find Eva” she added.

Gerard grimaced playfully. “You’re mean” he joked.

“I’m good at scaring grooms” Meghan replied, playing along “Do you want me to take Maddie through to your parents, Isla?” she asked.

“Would you mind?” Isla asked.

Meghan shook her head, moving to collect the little girl before she padded out of the room.

Gerard watched them out of the room before he turned back to Isla, smirking a little as he watched her toy with the frames of her glasses. Stepping towards her, he softly bumped them back into place before he leant down, kissing the bridge of her nose gently. “You look beautiful, OK?” he murmured.

Isla’s cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink, something which made Gerard lean over, kissing the warm skin gently. Holding his touch, he grinned against her cheek for a second before he tangled their fingers together, gesturing with his head towards the door. “Come on” he quipped “We’ve got to stumble our way through a first dance” he added.

“I asked you to take lessons” Isla protested, following along after him.

“We’ve danced at a wedding before, Lala” Gerard chirped.

“No one was looking at us at Luna’s wedding” Isla retorted.

Gerard just offered her a boyish smile as he guided her to the centre of the room. Offering a nod towards his best man, he allowed the other man to announce what was happening before he took a hold of her, squeezing her waist gently as he guided her through a few tentative steps. Isla’s feet dragged, her nerves keeping her half a beat behind him for a few seconds before she glanced up at his face, catching the impish wink he sent down to her. Shaking her head, she laughed softly, amused by his confidence before he lifted their hands, twirling her underneath his arm.

Isla followed his moves more easily, both of them grinning and giggling at one another, almost entirely oblivious to the crowd which stood around them, cooing affectionately about how happy the two of them looked together.