When We Were

Gently running a brush through Maisie’s hair, Emilia couldn’t stop her eyes from drifting up towards the clock, watching as the time drew ever nearer to ten in the morning. It seemed to be moving slowly, since her mother had gently roused her with a plate of her favourite breakfast, it felt like days had passed rather than a couple of hours, but she had been expecting it. With a mixture of nerves and excitement stirring up a cocktail in her stomach, she had had little doubt that that morning would be the longest of her life. Blinking a couple of times, she pulled her eyes away from the clock and refocused on Maisie’s hair, gently brushing it before she slipped a headband into it.

“You’re still in a dressing gown”

Emilia smiled, looking up at the doorway to where her brother stood, a grin toying at the corner of his mouth. “Mama doesn’t want me to put my dress on too soon” she replied “She’s worried that it will wrinkle if I sit in it. She’s also worried that I will find a way to spill something down it. I am starting to think that she doesn’t trust me” she teased.

Jordi laughed as he knelt down at the side of the bed, encouraging Maisie to crawl over towards him.

“Why are you here, anyway?” Emilia prodded “Aren’t you Leo’s best man?” she asked.

Jordi, who’d swept his neice into his arms, nodded, but didn’t look away from Maisie, cooing at her playfully. “I am” he confirmed “But mama wanted me here until Luca’s arrived. I don’t think she trusts your ex-boyfriend as far as she could throw him, and wants someone around to go over there and scare him should the need arise” he explained, still making funny faces as Maisie.

Emilia rolled her eyes, but opted not to push the issue, instead gently toying with the tie of her dressing gown. “How is Leo?” she asked quietly.

Jordi pulled his attention away from Maisie, smiling at his little sister gently. “He’s OK” he mused “I mean, a little cranky, but alright. He’s looking forwards to seeing you, though” he added.

Emilia’s cheeks flushed pink as she ducked her head, trying, and failing, to hide the goofy smile which spread across her face. “Have you been annoying him again?” she asked.

Jordi scoffed. “You think I would wind up your soon-to-be husband on your wedding day?” he teased.

“I know you would” Emilia replied knowingly.

“He’s going to be an official Moretti after today” Jordi pointed out “If he can’t handle a little playful teasing, he got himself involved in the wrong family” he added.

Emilia went to retort, but was cut off by the sound of her phone on the end table, something which caused both her and Jordi to look at it before she shuffled across the bed, her stomach tightening at the sight of Isaac’s name on the screen.

“Do you want me to answer it?” Jordi asked “I can do” he added. He had a feeling that the only reason that Isaac would be calling would be to make excuses, and he wanted to soften the blow for Emilia. The last thing he wanted to do was sit and watch her face crumple as Isaac explained that he couldn’t get Luca to her on time. Having Luca at the wedding was the most important thing to Emilia.

Emilia swallowed as she shook her head. “You never help to make things with him easier” she mumbled.

“Still” Jordi replied, offering out his hand for the phone as he allowed Maisie to crawl back onto the bed.

Emilia shook her head, pressing the phone against her ear. “Isaac” she greeted softly.

“I know what you’re going to say” Isaac replied “And I am so, so sorry, Emmy” he added.

Emilia deflated. “Oh” she whispered.

Jordi’s hand nudged her arm, wordlessly encouraging her to place the phone into it, but Emilia dismissed it with a shake of her head as she listened to the vague excuse that Isaac was offering to her. “You are going to get here at some point, aren’t you?” she asked quietly “He’s my son, Isaac, and I want…need him to be here for this” she added.

“He will be there, Em” Isaac promised “Maybe not at your parents’ house, but definitely in the church when you get married” he added.

“Isaac…”

“I’ll see you in a bit, Emmy” Isaac cut in before he hung the call up, causing Emilia to pull her phone away from her ear, staring down at it sadly.

Jordi shook his head before he knelt back down again, gently brushing a piece of Emilia’s hair behind her ear. “Hey” he whispered “I’ll make sure that Luca’s there, OK? No matter what, that little boy is going to watch you walk up that aisle. I will ensure it myself” he insisted.

Emilia’s blue eyes were shiny as they met her brother’s. “You’ve got other things to worry about” she mumbled.

“On my baby sister’s wedding day?” Jordi scoffed impishly “I wouldn’t be doing my big brother’s duty if I didn’t try to make sure that your day was perfect. I’ve got this, Em, trust me” he insisted.

Emilia looked like she wanted to object for a second, but was stopped when their mother stepped into the room, Emilia’s dress draped over her arm. “Come on” she cooed “We’ve got to get you into this. Jordi, will you take Maisie to get dressed?” she pressed.

Jordi offered Emilia another look, something which made her smile at him gently, before he scooped Maisie into his arms.

Marcella watched Jordi out of the door before she turned to Emilia, offering the dress out towards her. “You ready?” she asked, not even trying to cover the wide, motherly smile which lit up her face.

Emilia nodded, smiling as best as she could in return. “So ready” she replied.

~#~
“I’m going to kill him!”

Emilia sighed, glancing across the living room towards Jordi who’d thrown her phone down onto the couch next to him. He had been trying for a while, with Emilia ready to go, he had insisted that he be the one to call Isaac and get an update on where he was, but despite him using Emilia’s phone to hide the fact that it was him calling, Isaac was still ignoring the calls, something which was ratcheting up Jordi’s frustration and Emilia’s nerves. She wasn’t entirely surprised by it, despite the tentative truce they’d drawn up after he’d kissed her, Isaac had still found ways to make things a little harder than they needed to be, and she shouldn’t have been surprised by his attempt to throw a spanner in her wedding day, even if she had batted away the suggestion that he was doing it deliberately. She knew that that was what everyone else in the room thought.

“Still no answer?” she asked.

Jordi shook his head.

“I know you don’t want to hear this” David mumbled from across the room “But we need to think about getting in the car soon. We’ve really left this as late as we can, sweetheart” he added tentatively.

Emilia blinked a couple of times, but nodded her head. “OK” she whispered.

“He might already be at the church” Marcella cooed, smiling at her daughter hopefully.

“Already checked” Jordi replied “He’s not” he added.

Marcella offered her son a glare, something which made Jordi lift his hand in apology.

Emilia shook her head. “We should go” she said softly “I don’t want Leo thinking I’ve change my mind” she added.

Marcella shared a look with her husband before she quirked a soft smile, gently moving to collect the bouquet of flowers which sat on the sideboard.

Emilia gently stood up, smoothing out a few tiny wrinkles in her dress, before she took the flowers from her mother’s hand, offering the older woman a faint smile. “How do I look, mama?” she asked gently.

“Beautiful” Marcella cooed softly.

“Absolutely perfect” David contributed “My beautiful little girl” he added.

Emilia’s smile was bashful as a knock at the door filled the air, causing the entire family to turn and glance at it. Hesitating for a second, Emilia stepped towards it, pulling it open to Isaac whose slightly brash smile faltered when she entered his vision.

“Hey, asshole….”

“Jordi” Marcella snapped, cutting off her son with a sharp glance towards Luca who stood at Isaac’s side, smiling happily up at his mother.

“You look really pretty, mama” Luca cooed.

Emilia pulled her stare away from Isaac, smiling gently at her son. “Gracias, baby” she cooed “Why don’t you come inside and let nana fix your tie for you? I need to have a word with your papa” she added.

Luca didn’t hesitate, stepping over the threshold as Emilia passed him in the opposite direction, pulling the door to behind her.

Isaac stepped back, his stare dropping to his feet. “Emmy…”

Emilia shook her head. “You can’t just let me have this day?” she interrupted.

“He’s here” Isaac pointed out.

“Three hours after you said he would be!” Emilia shot back “You promised me, Isaac” she added.

“He’s here” Isaac repeated, his voice strained with the effort it took to keep it calm.

Emilia just shook her head. “I don’t even know why I am surprised” she hissed “I keep letting myself believe that you could be good to me, just once, and you keep…you keep letting me down. Would it kill you to do something you said you were going to do? Just one time, Isaac” she added.

Isaac just shifted his feet.

“Get out of here, Isaac” Emilia muttered “I’ve got a wedding to get to, my wedding” she added.

Isaac closed his eyes, taking a moment to compose himself, before he stepped towards her, pressing a lingering kiss against her cheek. “You’re a vision” he murmured “Leo is…he’s very lucky, Em” he added as he stepped away, making a beeline for his car without as much as a look back.

Emilia stared after him for a second before she heard the door open, allowing Luca to step out, wrapping his arms around her waist. Emilia hugged back as her mother bustled out of the house with Maisie on her hip, ushering everyone to the car. “Let’s get going” she called “We’ve got a bride to get to a church and a nervous groom to put out of his misery” she added.

Emilia’s expression brightened. “I can’t wait” she gushed.