Fabienne and June Ch. 11

We spent the Thursday before the wedding showing Mum and my birth family more of the city. We stopped off for coffee and cake at the Cathedral refectory, where Leo and Mathilde were indulged in their taste for English scones with jam and cream by their indulgent Aunt. I had texted Ali to let her know we would be about, and bless her, she joined us. I introduced Mum and Hélène to her - Leo and Mathilde managed to introduce themselves.

"Thank you for offering my daughter a church blessing," Mum said to Ali. "Is that permitted here?"

"Strictly speaking," Ali said, "no, but as we in the middle of a consultation on such matters, I am going to do it anyway. God is love, and Fabienne and June love each other. I am so glad that you have been able to come."

I could see a tear in Mum's eye.

"Thank you!"

I knew that Ali was taking a considerable risk, and it was typical of her to make light of it to Mum

"You know," she said, "I never understood that thing about God being love, I heard it, but never knew what it really meant - but when I see my Fabi with her June, I do."

And that made me blub. June held me.

"Thank you, Mum," she said, hugging her too.

Ali joined in.

"Puis-je avoir un câlin aussi, Tante Fabi?"

So we pulled Mathilde into our group hug, much to her delight.

"Moi aussi!"

Which pulled Leo in too.

Didier laughed.

"You are just too cute," he said with a smile. "Dammit, you'll win me over!"

Hélène smiled:

"You only want a hug for one reason!"

"Okay, busted, but hey!"

Which made us all laugh.

Somehow, even my idiot brother was mellowing.

He did more than mellow when we went to Wolfie's for lunch.

We'd arranged to meet Elle and Anne there before we went dress shopping, and I could see from the moment Didier saw Elle that he had eyes for no one else. He managed to sit next to her at lunch, and the two of them were soon deep in conversation. Anne, who was sitting opposite me, winked at me, and mouthed:

"He's hot!"

June whispered in my ear.

"Looks like Anne and Elle have a weakness for the LeGoubin family. Does he know they've both had you?"

I blushed at the thought, but said nothing. That, I thought, was all I needed!

I was amused to watch Didier flirt with both Elle and Anne, and towards the end of lunch whispered into June's ear:

"Well as long as you don't join his harem, I shall be fine!"

"Cheeky!" she grinned, "no danger of that, I'm as gay as you are darling."

"When shall we see your dresses, my dear?" Mum asked, diverting my attention from Didier's hand making its way under Elle's skirt.

"Oh Marthe," June said, "she is such a Romantic, and she won't let me see her dress until the day."

Ali and Jen both smiled, and June went on,

"Honestly, I told her, don't go spending a fortune, and anyway," she added, almost as an afterthought, "it's not as though she will be spending that long in it afterwards!"

"June!" I said, pretending to be scandalised, but smiling at her teasing.

"Too much information!" Anne said, smiling. "But I think I get to see it, as Elle and I are taking her for a fitting later."

"Oh," said June, "I see, is this instead of the hen night?"

"Ah," Anne said, "that's another matter, but Fabienne is refusing to have one!"

"Well," I said, "if I am not going to be in the wedding dress for long, I want to have a clear head for the wedding night."

It had, as Anne indicated, been what she called "a thing." I was well aware of the English "hen night" custom, as was June, we'd seen them at Wolfie's, and neither of us were fans of them.

"Clever answer," Anne said.

"And the right one," June added, "I don't want her to be exhausted before we start."

"Naughty!' Elle winked, and then went back to teasing Didier.

We had arranged that Anne and Elle would do with me to pick up my dress, while Jen and Ali would go with June.

To say that I was paranoid about the dress would, alas, not have been too harsh a description of my state of mind. I had evolved my own style for day-to-day wear, but this was not day to day, and I did not want to look like either a white macaroon, or a white bookmark. But Anne had persuaded me that my dark colouring would work perfectly with white, so I went for a lace mini dress with a lace collar, long sleeves, slightly flared with a scallop front and a slide slit which, I thought, made the most of my legs and draw attention away from my size and want of boobs.

Anne and Elle were all agog, and Elle insisted on coming into the changing room with me for, as she put it, "old times' sake."

It did, indeed, feel like old times being in an intimate space with her and removing my clothes. She was grinning all over her pretty face:

"Don't mind me, I've always enjoyed watching you - and don't worry, I know you are June's - but a girl can dream! Oh, Teach, that dress looks so good on you!"

Elle motioned Anne to come in.

"Fabienne, that is fabulous, you look so pretty!"

"You two, what are you like?"

"No, really love, you look great - fabulous Fabienne!"

"Well, I will say this, you two are great for a girl's morale!"

"But not so good for your morals! So what about undies?"

"Not sure," I said.

"I am," said Elle, who vanished for a moment.

"Thanks for reassuring me, Anne!"

"It's a big thing darling, and I hope you and June will be happy together. Have you seen her dress yet?"

"No, no more than she's seen mine, bad luck."

"Didn't know you were superstitious love?"

"I don't believe in tempting Fate," I said, earnestly. "After all we've been through. By the way, watch out for my brother, he's a bit of a letch!"

"Oh, I could see that from the way her was flirting with me as his hand moved up Elle's leg. But nothing wrong with a wedding fling!"

"You are such a tart, Anne!"

"And proud of it. Anyway, I am sure he wants her and not me. Or do you think he'd go for us both?"

"Anne!" I expostulated, just as Elle arrived with what she declared was the "perfect set" of undies. Somewhat to my surprise, I agreed.

"What do you think, Mum? I thought a light cream lace bralette and knicker-set would be the perfect thing for June to find when she unwraps Fabienne! These hi-cut knickers will suit your shape, darling!"

"Stop worrying, we're not going to get you to model those, but I am buying them for you."

It was, we all agreed, an afternoon well spent.

I was eager to know how June had got on with Jen and Ali, but of course, all I got was a mysterious smile and a: "Wait and see!"

I got a call from Hélène to say that Leon, her husband, had arrived, and wanted to take us all out - a typically flamboyant gesture. We had not committed ourselves for that night before the wedding, but it seemed to provide the perfect excuse not to do anything too wild along the lines Elle would have liked. I texted her to invite her and Anne along and got a" "Will Didier be there?" by way of reply. Assured he would be, she assented.

Being Leon, he had, of course, booked us in at the most expensive restaurant in the city. Leo and Mathilde stayed with "Auntie Penny," who kindly volunteered to take care of them - not that she had much choice as the former had decided that she was "cool".

I could see, at once, that Anne was as taken with Leon as Elle was with Didier. I looked at my sister as we sat down:

"Darling, don't worry, I have my own lover back home, and if Leo ends up fucking Anne, that's fine with me, so stop worrying."

I told June, who just looked at me:

"You French! Don't bloody think you are going to do anything like that! You're mine!"

I giggled. Bless her! I could understand her concern - my family did, indeed, take a rather French attitude to these matters, and it was clearly foreign, in every sense, to June's nature.

Leon was Gallic charm personified, and even June, who was least likely to be impressed, warmed to him as the evening wore on, admitting that:

"Well, I can see what your sister and Anne see in him. Not so sure about your brother and Elle!"

"You don't need to be, darling," I assured her, "the oral tonsillectomy he's performing on her tells me everything I need to know."

"Don't you think Anne might have a word with her?"

"Given where Leon's hand is, I doubt that?"

"Bloody Frenchmen!"

It was hard not to giggle - but I behaved myself.

Afterwards, I went back with Hélène and Mum to Penny's, to find the children long ago asleep. As June had gone back to the house, I stopped to have a drink with them and with Penny.

"Is your husband not joining us?" Penny asked.

"I suspect the only joining he is doing is with Anne," Hélène said, with something of a resigned sigh.

"Oh!" Penny said, "well I guess I'll leave you sisters alone and go to bed - see you tomorrow darling!"

"I shall do the same," Mum said.

This, I thought, looked like a concerted plan, so I sat there with Hélène.

"You know sis," she said, "I never thought I'd see you happy like this. It does my heart good."

I smiled and gave her a big hug. She had never seemed more like my big sister than at this moment. My heart opened to her.

"Well, it looks as though love has brought us together as a family."

"You were with Elle, weren't you?"

"Oh with her and with Anne," I added for good measure.

"Well I suspect that Didier is adding Elle to his list."

"It could," I teased, "be that Elle is adding Didier to her list, she is no vestal virgin."

"You must not worry about me and Leon, Squirt, he is still in love with me, and he adores the kids, it's just that, like many men, he can't keep it to himself."

"Don't you mind, sis?"

"At one level, yes, but given that I have taken advantage of that male weakness with another man, I am fine at that level, and sex with Leon is still good. But and remember this Squirt, there is so much more to a marriage than sex. I have seen the way you and June rub along together and like it."

I asked her what she meant?

"Well, it's easy enough - which is why all the novelists and film-makers do it, to focus on the love, the sex and the drama of a relationship, but if you think that marriage and a life together is all about that, you'll be in for a shock, and then, a bit like Leon, end up looking to recapture that excitement."

"I see," I replied, not being sure I did see.

"But even then, there's the daily grind - the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, the just fitting in with another human being with his, or in your case, her demands. That requires love in a different way."

I looked at her for more enlightenment.

"You need empathy, you need to be able to know when to put his, or her needs before your own, but without ever becoming a door mat or a pushover. You need patience and you need to be able to admit your own faults when they get in the way. And there is that daily need to accommodate to having another in your life in all its aspects."

I looked at her.

"And then, there are the children," I said.

"Do you think you and June will have any?"

"Well, as you know sis, I can't, and I am not sure June is ready yet."

"Would you go for AI?"

"I think that would be the way."

"Well, darling, then there is that too. And that is why, when I watched the way you and June rubbed along together, I got a good feeling. And now, you, get back to your bride. Is she the bride, or are you"?

After the serious talk, Hélène made me laugh.

"We both are that is kind of the point of it!"

As I walked back home, I reflected on what Hélène had said. It made theoretical sense then - and it makes perfect sense now from experience.

June and I had made a pact that we should leave making love till the morrow, and despite the fact it was after midnight when I got back, I slipped in beside her and slept like a log. Delayed satisfaction was the order of the day.

I woke before June and looked over at her.

I knew that there was a level at which what was about to happen was not important, but what was important to me was the witness it gave to our love.

Yes, and of course, Hélène was right to think that sexual fidelity was not everything, and yet and yet.... I knew that to June it was and to my surprise, it had become so to me. It was the symbol of so much else. The ceremony itself was a public celebration of our love - and those we loved were there because that was something we did want to share. Sex was part of love, but love was so much more than that.

I smiled to myself as I resisted the temptation to ravish June as she lay there. Instead, I went to fix her some breakfast.

"Wake up sleepyhead," I said as she stirred. "Breakfast in bed for the Bride!"

June looked at me sleepily.

"You are a soppy thing sometimes Fabienne - and I love it!"

"Just as well," I smiled back, "as you only have a few hours to leave me at the altar!"

"I'm leaving you nowhere, Madame, goodness knows who you'd pick up with. You're coming with me. And are you going to reveal where we are going afterwards?"

"Oh," I giggled, "that's easy, we're going to Paris as our first stop on the way to Venice I've packed what you need!"

"And how, pray, are we going?"

"Oh," I giggled even louder, "that's easy, Leon has chartered a plane for us all!"

June looked stunned.

"It's all arranged. We stay tonight and fly out tomorrow. The family will stay in Paris, and we will be flown on to Venice!"

"Good man to know, your brother-in-law."

"It's a wedding present from the two of them!"

On the entirely silly and superstitious (and therefore utterly necessary) feeling that it was unlucky to see the bride before the wedding, I had arranged to dress at Penny's. At nine-thirty the bell went, and it was Jen.

"You, young lady, scoot. I have June's dress in the car and Ali and I will get her ready. See you in the school chapel at noon!"

Ali, who was still in the car, waved at me.

Knowing when to make myself scarce, I did, taking my bag and heading for Penny's where Anne and Elle were waiting with my dress.

"Auntie Fabi, look at my dress!" Mathilde launched herself at me.

"Oh you are pretty as a fairy!" I exclaimed - she looked the very image of cuteness in her light-yellow frock.

"I AM!" She exclaimed with satisfaction. "Can I help you get dressed!"

How could one say no to that?

She loved to help me plait my hair, and we had decided on a Danish plait, which she lovingly declared made me look "cute too!"

Elle had appointed herself make-up chief, which was as well, as I found most make-up useless, designed as it tended to be, for white women. But the application of a little kohl and some dark lipstick had even me admitting that I looked better. Mathilde declared that I looked like a "Princess," which seemed as good an endorsement as one could want. Anne declared that "you'll knock her socks off!" Which had Elle laughing:

"It's not June's socks she wants off Mum."

I did get a moment alone with her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, love, Elle seems to have enjoyed your brother, and your brother-in-law was as good as he looked. Your sister seems fine with it, told me she hoped I'd enjoyed myself. You French!"

"Well," I declared, just so she knew, "this French woman is not going to follow suite!"

"Damn!" Anne declared, "I'll just have to content myself with Penny, Elle and the odd Frenchman!"

While Elle was finishing my make-up, I got a brief word in with her too.

"Your brother's hot, Teach, I think I may make a visit to Paris sometime. Did you know Mum got off with your brother-in-law?"

I told her I knew, increasingly feeling like a nun in a brothel!

At last we were all ready, and the limo arrived to drive us the short distance to the school. I had a text from Ali saying that they were ready.

We had arranged that June would meet me in the Office to the side of the chapel where we would have our actual legal marriage, signing the register and all that, which would be followed by the blessing in the Chapel itself.

When I saw June, my heart felt like it would explode with love. She was wearing an almost matching macramé minidress, but with a swirling tulle over-skirt with a front opening. Now there, I thought, was a Princess!

She smiled.

"Ready?"

"I am."

Jan took us through the legal side, with Hélène, my mum, June's Mum, and Ali as witnesses.

"And now," she said, "I will take June through to the Chapel and you can come through the main door!"

Ali had thought of everything.

So I got my walk down the Aisle after all, accompanied by my little niece, Mathilde, who looked radiantly happy. It felt amazing to walk down, in front of our friends and family to publicly share our love.

June and I stood there in front of Ali.

"My name is Ali and I have the privilege of performing this ceremony today. On behalf of June and Fabienne, I want to welcome and thank you for being here.

They are thrilled that you are here today to share in their joy during this wonderful moment in their lives.

By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other, and you support their decision to commit themselves to one another for the rest of their lives.

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves. If there is anything better than being loved, it is loving. And as God is love, then whatever the official position of the Church, which is why this is a blessing of the civil marriage which took place a few moments ago, then I have no doubt He approves of this.

So, we are here this afternoon we to celebrate love."

I could feel myself welling up as Ali turned to June:

"June, you have chosen Fabienne to be your wife Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will you stand by her through whatever may come?"

June looked straight at me:

"I will."

Ali turned to me:

"Fabienne, you have chosen June to be your life wife. Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will you stand by her through whatever may come?"

Just about overcoming the urge to break down in tears of happiness, I said:

"I will!"

Ali turned and asked Anne and Hélène whether they had our silver rings, and we then put them back on each other.

"I pronounce you wife and wife - you may kiss the bride!"

I wanted to devour my new wife, and could see she wanted the same, but we contented ourselves with a loving kiss!

My mind was in a whirl, and outside the Chapel, we received so many congratulations that I lost count!

The Refectory was ideal for a summer wedding, light and airy, and so spacious. As June and I entered, we saw darling Wolfie in his best chef's outfit getting the staff ready to serve.

"Well," he said, "as you two were in white, I thought I would be too!"

"Oh, very virginal!" June joked.

As we walked to our places, I was able to say:

"You look stunning!"

"You look pretty hot yourself darling!"

The lunch was, of course, perfect, and it was such a joy to see everyone relaxing and celebrating our special day.

Hélène gave a speech on behalf of the family, thanking everyone and saying some lovely things about me, while June's Mum did the same for her.

Once the cheers were over, June and I retired to the vestry to change into something a little more comfortable for the festivities. Only the knowledge that we would be missed stopped us from devouring each other on the spot.

"Love the thong and bralette, Fabienne, I shall have those later!"

Admiring her white lace set, I smirked:

"Not if I catch you first!"

Of course, we went back and made sure our guests were happy. One of the joys of the day was being surrounded by those we loved and who loved us.

I was glad we had resisted the temptation to leave that evening - much better, I reflected as things quietened down, to let the day take its course and then leave fresh on the morrow. It was kind of Leon to have offered to charter a plane.