GARANDS - YOUNG THE GIANT

CHAPTER TEN

Third person

One-month prior

"Okay," Rose said, looking over to the person accompanying her, "why are you going with me again?"

He laughed softly; focusing on the road, "trust me."

"Only fairly," she muttered lowly.

"Don't fret, I know what I'm doing," he spoke as the car pulled to a stop, "partly, the wedding planner - what's her name? - Oh yeah! Amy-Lee, informed me." He nodded.

"Right, Insley. I trust you." she laughed softly as he got up out of the car and started walking toward the store's entrance. He was clothed in a grey suit, with a light blue tie gracing his neck. His blonde hair was for once not falling all over his face, and neatly slicked into some style she couldn't quite make out. She was wearing a summer dress, with the biggest of smiles on her face as he opened the door for her.

"So, what? We just pick it up?" Rose asked, as she stepped in.

"That's the ideal," he replied, approaching front desk, "hi, my name is Insley Aulte, I'm here for a pick-up for Ms Darlings." Insley smiled politely as the receptionist swooned under his tone.

"Right," she looked up, blush lacing her face, "this way Mr Aulte."

He nodded and looked to Rose as they followed the flustered receptionist to the back. She brought out another similar looking woman, nametag reading Sadie.

"I'll go fetch it, and you can decide if it's to your liking, ma'am." She spoke, as both other people in the room simply nodded their heads. Rose stepped closer to Insley, looking up at him.

"You didn't have to do all this, you know," she said, smiling gratefully though.

"Nonsense," he dismissed her previous statement, "consider it a wedding gift from your soon-to-be brother in law."

"My soon-to-be-but-very-bloody-rich in law," she added, earning a chuckle from his side. The woman named Sadie returned, holding a long zipped up dress by a hanger. She slowly unzipped the bag, and the dress was exposed. Rose's mouth went open a bit, as she raised her hand to her mouth. The dress, in a beautiful mint colour, was long and flowing down Rose's body. Her black hair complemented the colour perfectly, and she shone in the dress.

Dashing toward Insley, she didn't care about his non-hug policy, she ran up to him, engulfing him in a massively tight hug. He laughed, embracing it for a bit.

"It's beautiful," she smiled, stepping down to gaze into his eyes, "how do you think Harry'll like it?"

"Oh, knowing him he'll whisper something inappropriate like 'I am the only one who'll peel that off your body'," he replied, earning a giggle from Rose.

"Ms Darlings, is it to your liking?" Sadie asked, peering up from a notepad.

"It's lovely, thank you." She responded, beaming.

"Agreed," Insley mused.

"All right, we'll have it delivered by the date then?" Sadie kept asking questions.

"Yes," he replied, nodding once more. Rose then took the dress off, changing back into her normal attire. All was slowly falling into place, and it was blissful.

One-week prior

Standing on the balcony of his apartment - or rather, their apartment - Rose and Harry smiled.

"We're really getting married," she said, and he smiled.

"I'm ecstatic," he replied, chuckling softly.

"It all seems surreal, like I'm going to wake up from this elating dream any time now," Rose said, looking over to him.

"Well, get used to it. You're going to be stuck with Harry Holt and all his cliché antics for a while after it," he laughed once more, planting a soft kiss on the side of her head.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She spoke, and she meant it.

Wedding day - July 7th

Harry Holt

It was July 7th, and it looked like it was going to rain. I cursed myself for living in England, and cursed us both of picking here to get married. But despite the sombre weather outside, I was getting married. Today was the day Harry Holt commits to something - something great!

I'll admit, I was nervous as hell.

Standing in front of the mirror, I'm fiddling with the mint coloured bow tie I'm supposed to wear, but my hands are so shaky I cannot even put it on. My mother was in the back of the room, watching me struggle with the damn thing. She walked closer to me, and put her hand on my shoulder. Clothed in a dress with the same colour as my bow tie, she looks lovely - lively. Her dark hair was up, with some curls hanging down.

"Harry," she spoke, looking at me, I'm chewing at my bottom lip, trying to slow my breathing down. I am not having an anxiety attack on my wedding day - sadly, I was.

"Can you breathe?" she asked, taking my hands into hers, and seating me on the couch. She sat opposite me, on the coffee table.

I shook my head, "barely."

"Should I get Insley?" she asked, getting up.

"Please," I choked out, looking up at her as she handed me a bottle of still water.

"Drink some, it'll help." Then she was gone, off to find the only person who could handle me in the midst of an attack. He casually walked in, smiling.

"Rose is just as nervous," he said easily, sitting on the same spot as my mum did previously.

"You don't say," I replied, strained.

"Look, Harry. I know you're nervous as hell, but you should be! It's your wedding day for crying out loud." He said, suavity lacing his deep voice.

"But, you've got to remember, you love this woman, and she loves you. All you've got to do is marry the hell out of her." He concluded, and successfully distracted me from my breathing problems.

"How am I even g-going to say my vows, I can't breathe properly." I replied.

"Easy, calm down." He said.

"Okay," I took a deep breath, and it worked. My hands still hadn't quit their shaking though I think he noticed.

"Do you want me to do it?" He asked.

"Marry her?' I replied, mortified.

"No, silly. Your bow tie," he responded with a chuckle, I went a notable red.

"Yes," I replied, sheepishly still blushing as he gracefully did the bow tie, and put it around my neck, fastening it after he finished.

"You look snazzy, now as mentioned beforehand, marry the hell out of her!" he smiled, and so did I. I hoped I could. When I approached the altar the small chapel was filled with familiar faces. My mother in the front row, next to her my grandparents Concetta and Benigno from my fathers side, who had flown in all the way from Italy. Rose's uncle and aunt sitting on the opposite of the lane, even my father's brother, Eros - who had actually never been too keen on engaging in family affairs - showed up. Finn nervously twiddled his thumbs - he was seated next to them.

Insley sat, a hand on my mother's shoulder; whose tears were now freely flowing. Rose's uncle rose, walked out - probably to fetch Rose herself - the place was wonderfully decorated, I'll give a gold star to that Amy-Lee woman. The mint and white theme fit beautifully, white roses scattering the iron structure serving as the altar. I stood in my spot, and Insley suddenly appeared beside me, being the best man - I had just noticed how he looked, so neat and his clothing so well done - I smiled. The music started, and then she appeared. Rose Darlings looked absolutely picturesque in her mint dress. It showed off her curvaceous body and her lively eyes. Her face was made up to perfection and her hair was beautiful on that day. It all felt surreal, it felt like it was out of a movie, and it was absolutely perfect. The closer she came the more it felt as if my knees were going to give in and when she stood next to me I couldn't breathe again. I almost didn't hear a thing the priest was saying because I was mesmerized, this woman standing next to me was surely the most beautiful sight I had ever witnessed. This woman was Rosemarié Anne Darlings and she was getting married to me. She was going to be my wife, and I couldn't wait.

After the priest finished his speech for Rose, she gazed to me, and smiled, "I do."

He repeated the whole affair, this time gazing to me as he spoke.

"I do," I said, and the priest said it was time for the vows. Taking a breath, I smiled. I hadn't really prepared anything, I just hoped I wouldn't make a fool of myself and swear in front of a priest.

"Rosemarié Darlings, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love you, so very much. Honestly, I never thought I could love a single person so much, but here I am saying I do. I promise to love and cherish you until we're old and grey, and the grim reaper's knocking at the door, asking when we'll be able to come with him, I'll still love you even then, even when your hair is all grey, and your eyes aren't so sparkly, I still will." She gave me a playful scowl, but smiled anyway.

"Harry Holt, I promise to endure your early morning piano sessions, and your absurd traditions. I promise to take care of you, and of course Drew. And I promise to do my best to pleasure you, and to love you to all of my ability, just as you would for me."

"And now to seal these vows with a kiss, you may now-" before he could finish, Rose's lips had already found mine and it was a done deal. It meant everything because this was it, this was everything everyone ever wanted, to get married to the one person they truly love and know that you'll be with that person for the rest of your life, that you will love that person through sickness and health, riches and poverty, happiness and sadness, life and death. And that's what I did.

The rest of the day was amazing; Insley's speech was certainly noteworthy.

He stepped on stage with the world's confidence, "hi, my name is Insley - but obviously most of you know that," soft laughs emerged from a couple people, "excuse me if I seem totally awkward and extremely out of place, I have absolutely nothing prepared! Well, let's start off by saying thank you for gracing me with this opportunity - and then by saying, raise your glasses to one of the most comical, cliché, picturesque couples I've ever seen, Harry and Rose." Everyone did raise their glasses of champagne, exclaiming our names, "I never really thought I'd be doing this speech, since Harry's well- Harry. He'll probably write poetry about a girl for nine years and then after nine years walk up to her, and totally freeze up," I frowned at him, and half the family laughed because let's face it, it's true, "nonetheless, here I am, making a terrible speech. Well, Harry, congratulations, you did it. You just got married!" at this point, my mother was crying again, Rose was just looking at me with adoration, "anyway, point is Harry's kind of like the sun, but sometimes he's like this god awful weather we're having today, if you'd have met him two years ago you'd be saying to me 'how do you possibly like him!' But now, seeing him here in that silly suit, it just - it makes me totally euphoric. Knowing that all the misery we witnessed was resulting to something, resulting to this. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to make another toast, this time to Rose, thanks for making Harry - Harry again." He continued to smile as my mother's tears kept streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall everyone repeated the previous action. Rose continued to look at me, and her smile grew even wider. Everyone applauded Insley, who basked in the glory of the adoration of the applause; Rose and I seemed to be in our own world. Looking at each other, just loving each other so much. I felt so complete in that moment, like nothing could possibly go wrong.