Chapter 4

"Well!" said Mike, opening the bottle of champagne.  "I think this calls for a celebration - what do you say?"

" I say - hurry and fill that glass up!" piped up Danny, Donna's brother-in-law, as they all laughed.  "It's nice not being the odd one out after all this time!"

"What do you mean?" said Jon, virtually emptying his glass in one fell swoop.  "Odd one out?"

"I mean, I'm not the only one who's spoken for!" said Danny  "Get a grip, Jon!"

"It's OK!" said Mike, without a hint of a smile.  "He's having a blond moment!"

They all collapsed with laughter, as Jon filled up his glass, and proceeded to empty the contents over Mike's head.  Muttering that it was a waste of good champagne, Mike went into the bathroom to dry his hair and change his shirt.  When he came back, they had all sobered up.  Mike noticed, after a while, that the bottle was virtually empty, and, looking at Jon, he guessed where most of it had gone.  He was sitting there, virtually asleep, with a huge smile on his face.  There were no prizes for guessing what, or who, he was thinking about!  After Danny had left, Mike sat down next to him, and said:

"I don't know why, but I get the impression you have had a little too much champagne!"

"I haven't!" protested Jon, slapping him on the arm. "I'm not at all ine...ineb... inebr..... drunk!"

"You're happy, though, aren't you?" said Mike, for once, he was being serious.

"I've never been so happy in my life!"  Jon was one of those people who always got emotional when he was drunk, and now was no exception.  "In fact, I'm so happy, I think I'm going to cry...."

"Oh, please, don't!" said Mike, laughing.  "I hate to see a grown man cry!"

"Well, sod off - then you won't have to!"

Despite himself, Mike could not help laughing.  It made a pleasant change to be able to share a laugh with his friend, instead of him crying on his shoulder.  It was unbelievable what a change Donna had made in him, and it was definitely a change for the better.  He prayed every night that it would work out, and, this time, it would be for life.  It was about time things changed for the better!

It was not long before the media got wind of the happy event, and soon it was all over the papers and on TV - with everyone asking when they were going to set a date.  Donna had got her heart set on a spring wedding, she desperately wanted to get married in her local church - where she had been baptised, and attended every Sunday.  At first, she was worried that someone in the media spotlight like Jon would want a large affair, but he assured her that whatever she wanted was fine by him.  If she was happy, so was he, so they set a date...

As he stood there at the altar of the tiny church, beautifully decorated with flowers of every description, he kept glancing back nervously, waiting to see Donna arrive.  It seemed like he had been waiting forever.  He looked at the happy faces of his family and friends, and smiled contentedly to himself.  Suddenly, the organist struck up with the wedding march - this was it!  He turned around, and gasped as Donna walked through the door.  He knew she was beautiful, but the way she looked in her beautiful white dress and veil, with flowers in her hair, and smiling radiantly, she took his breath away.  He could not take his eyes off her.  She stood next to him at the altar, and as she glanced at him, the look of love in her eyes told him all he needed to know.  The vicar approached them, and began the ceremony, then, as they exchanged rings, and the vicar pronounced them man and wife, he gently cupped her face in his hands, kissing her tenderly.  Her eyes were soft and full of love, she looked at him as if he were the most precious thing in her life.  The love he felt for her was so overwhelming, it seemed there was not enough room in his heart for it all.  When they finally pulled away from each other, she lifted up the edge of her veil, and gently wiped away the tears that were rolling down his face.  He looked over at his family - his mother was crying, as was Donna's, and his father was surreptitiously wiping away a few tears.  He wondered to himself, could life possibly get any better than this?

At the reception, everyone made all the usual speeches, then, finally, it was Jon's turn.  He stood up, and looking fondly at Donna, he said:

"My wife and I - it feels so good to be able to say that - would like to thank you all for being here, it means so much, because we love each and every one of you, and it wouldn't be the same if any of you were missing.  And, as for my lovely wife Donna, I just don't know, for once in my life, what to say.  From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and even though, at first, she only wanted to be my friend, I didn't give up on her, I wouldn't go away, I never gave up hope, and eventually she grew to love me.  She made me what I am today, she's my life, my heart and my soul, and when's she's away it's though half of me is missing, and only when she comes back do I feel whole again.  I just want her to know that I love her so much, and I promise her that I will always be there for her.  She will never have to be alone again - because I intend to grow old with her...."

He did not trust himself to say any more, things were beginning to overwhelm him, and, seeing that tears were threatening, Donna gave his hand a comforting squeeze.  He looked at her gratefully, and said:

"There's just one more thing I want to do, and that is to sing a song for my wife - which says everything I want to say to her - this is for you, Donna"

He stood on the small stage, and picked up the microphone.  The DJ stood to one side, as he began to sing, that glorious tenor they all knew and loved so well filling the hall:

'I wanna call the stars down from the sky
I wanna live a day that never dies
I wanna change the world only for you
All the impossible I wanna do

I wanna hold you close under the rain
I wanna kiss your smile and feel the pain
I know what's beautiful, looking at you
In a world of lies you are the truth

And baby, every time you touch me
I become a hero
I'll make you safe no matter where you are
And bring you everything you ask for
Nothing is above me
I'm shining like a candle in the dark
When you tell me that you love me

I wanna make you see just what I was
Show you the loneliness and what it does
You walked into my life to stop my tears
Everything's easy now I have you here

And baby, every time you touch me
I become a hero
I'll make you safe no matter where you are
And bring you everything you ask for
Nothing is above me
I'm shining like a candle in the dark
When you tell me that you love me

In a world without you
I would always hunger
All  I need is your love to make me stronger

And baby, every time you touch me
I become a hero
I'll make you safe no matter where you are
And bring you everything you ask for
Nothing is above me
I'm shining like a candle in the dark
When you tell me that you love me'

As the final notes died away, there was silence.  Suddenly, the whole room broke into applause and cheers, but as they kissed, they were oblivious to everything but the beating of their own hearts, now joined together as one.