Isabel, The Beauty Next Door Pt. 09

"Anyway, I'm going up," Sam says.

"Are you tired, Munchkin?" I say. Sam nods. We get up, and I escort her upstairs before returning for a nightcap or three.

My door opening and closing wakes me. It's still early because the sun isn't quite up yet. I feel a certain pregnant friend lift the covers and slide in next to me. A hand snakes around me and finds my hand. "It's too early," I say as Sam's fingers intertwine with mine.

"I'm in need of some skin-to-skin, and it seems my wife isn't here; you will have to do it," Sam says. I feel a tender kiss in the centre of my back, and I drop back off to sleep.

Duff, a pillow hits my head, and I'm instantly awake. Come on; we have to shower, have breakfast and check everything before we change." Sam shouts. I open one eye, and my best friend is naked and waiting with hands on hips.

"Are you going to shower with me?" I ask in disbelief.

"Of course," she replied with a cute smile. I look at her baby bump, and she beams again and cradles it. "So, do you think Megan came back last night?"

"I didn't see her return, and by the looks of the photos, she was having the best time."

"Ooh, let me see," Sam says as she picks up my phone. She flicks through. "Where are all the naked pictures of Isabel that help you through the night?" Sam sounds rather disappointed.

"Isabel's not convinced of the security of the phones, so she saves all the nudity for our bedroom. You've seen her naked anyway." I say frowning.

"Wow, it looks like I missed a great night. There again, I think seeing Mac, and you sing together trumps that... Hurry up, I'm getting cold."

"You know, you have been getting very loving with me since we... you know."

"Fucked?" Sam disappears into the bathroom

"No, that sounds crude, considering it was to make our baby with love," I say, entering the bathroom as Sam walks towards the shower screen.

Sam stops and thinks for a moment. "Sorry, you're right. I should have said impregnated." Sam looks thoughtful, which is new to me. As I come around the back of the screen, she looks up into my eyes. "What we have created together is incredible. I think Hannah put it into perspective. She says that this has created a bond that links not just you and me but encircles both our chosen partners. Hannah and I both think of you and Isabel as part of our marriage."

"Sam...." Shit, this is a deep conversation.

Sam pulls me into the shower. "What I'm trying to say is Hannah and I are... You know, this seemed so much easier to say to Hannah... I'm not saying we are in love like I am with Hannah, but there is this as we share that is growing in my stomach. Our babies will have, in effect, three mothers." Sam grabs a scrunchie, fills it with body wash, and starts on my back.

"You know, I hadn't even thought of that. I thought what happened in Charleston might have had an effect." I stand there enjoying Sam's delicate touch. "It's going to complicate things when Isabel and I have kids," I finally say.

"I think having two willing babysitters on hand for both of us has more pros than cons," Sam says as she moves down. "Please don't even get me started on Charleston."

"I know it's affected the whole family. I don't think we'll be having any children for a while. Remember that our work will mean we are travelling."

"Whenever you are ready." I cringe as Sam's hand goes up in between my legs.

"I think I can clean there, Sam," I say through clenched teeth. Sam laughs and changes direction.

"Your body is so different from when we were young. You put a lot of mass on at Cambridge." There's a moment's pause. "Can I tell you something that I wasn't going to say, but I think I need to?"

"Always," I say. Sam turns me around and starts on my front.

"Charleston, we know it was hard on you, but the fear that went through not just your family but Hannah and I were immense. As the news broke, it showed how close we came to losing either you or Isabel. We had a family meeting where we talked. It helped me so much to see the love our families share. I guess it made me more clingy as well."

I stand there and think. "I guess our families are connected like in-laws. We have become very complicated." Sam stands after missing my midsection and doing my legs. "It's like Hannah is my wife-in-law."

Sam hands me the body wash and turns. She flicks her hair out of the way, and I soap up her back. "That is as accurate as I have ever come to explaining what Hannah is to you. She told me what she did when you were left alone in bed. That shows us both how much she loves and trusts you. Between you and me, she doesn't like many men." I kneel and wash Sam's legs much the way she does me.

As I finish her ankles, she turns, and I am face to face with a hairless pussy. I think Sam is enjoying herself too much as she wiggles her lips. Trying to ignore her playfulness, I wash back up, missing any area that would be classed as off-limits.

Sam turns the shower off and throws a towel at me. "Hurry, I am hungry. They want breakfast done by half nine so they can start setting up."

"Tell me again why we are here, and Isabel is at home?"

"Because Jay, the salon for Isabel's hair and make-up is around the corner from the house, and Isabel wanted to show our homes off to everyone."

We make our way downstairs for breakfast. Bradly is looking lonely, so we sit down with him after we help ourselves to a cooked breakfast. Sitting down, Sam asks, "Megan, not back yet?"

"No, do you know what time she will be back?" Bradly asks.

"Any minute now. They should be back for the end of breakfast," Sam says. As if Sam had planned it, a sound of women laughing followed by them streaming through the dining room door. "There you go, Bradly."

"Hello honey, did you miss me?" Megan says.

"Sorry, Megan, I'm a married woman," Sam says as she bites into a sausage.

"Oh, stop," Megan says, laughing. She has come back buzzing. "And you two have the most wonderful partners. Jay, I love your wife-to-be. I can see why Bradly has a crush on..."

"Megan," Bradly says, cutting his fiancée off.

Sam and I start to laugh. "Oops, your secret is out," Sam says.

Megan went off and got her breakfast with the rest of the ladies who had just come in. Mum and Rachel come over and sit with us with their coffees. "You two look like you had a good night," I say.

Rachel rests her head on my shoulder. "Jay, please," is all she can get out.

"Okay, grandma," I say, smiling.

"You don't know how happy that makes me feel," she whispers. I smile as I plough through my plate of food.

"Wow, I haven't had so much fun in a long time. Jay, you have a beautiful home," Megan says as she sits down next to Bradly.

"Is it as impressive as mine?" Bradly asks.

"You can't compare baby. Jay's home where you live would be an eight to ten million pound home. You didn't tell me Jay was a millionaire."

"Because I didn't know," Bradly says. "How are you a millionaire, James?" Bradly asks, not looking comfortable with my success.

"He won a competition that I set up with a prize of one million dollars," Mac says as he sits down with Emma. "He is also part of a patent on something we developed that is going to make him a very wealthy man," he adds, knowing that Bradly does not like what is being said. Mac and Emma sit, completing our table. I have had a couple of conversations about Bradly with Mac, and he understands quite a lot about my family dynamic.

Half nine, my phone buzzes in my pocket. "Hey baby, one moment," I say to Isabel. "Excuse me," I say, standing and walking toward the door. "Hey baby, how was your night?" I ask.

"It was perfect, Jay. I could not have asked for a better group of friends around me to celebrate our marriage."

I walk out of the hotel and sit on one of the benches that is bathed in the morning sun. "That's good. Look, Isabel, I had a conversation with Sam this morning that seems to have opened my eyes a little."

"I think I had a similar one with Hannah, but tell me about yours." I spent the next five minutes explaining what Sam and I spoke about in the shower, and Isabel agreed that it was very similar to the one she had. "So what are you thinking, because you wouldn't have brought it up?" Isabel says.

"You know me so well," I say. "I was wondering whether we could put somewhere inside our vows about accepting them as part of our marriage, similar to their ceremony?"

"Wow, I had the same thought, but it will need to be... I don't know.."

"Yeah, it can't be within the sanctity of our marriage, but part of our married life. I'll have a word with the priest who is doing the service; he seems quite a forward-thinking guy."

"Okay, I will leave it up to you," Isabel says. "Jimmy, you are making me the happiest woman alive, and I cannot wait to become Mrs Stokes."

"Isabel, you make me the proudest man alive to have you as my wife. I love you so much," I say.

"I love you too, baby. Honey, we need to leave for the salon now. I will see you at two. Love you with everything," she says.

"See you at two, my sweet, and I can't wait. Love you back," and I blow a kiss before ending the call. I find the priest's number who's marrying us and explain the issue as best I can. He reassures me and tells me he has done something similar before and will explain when we meet before the ceremony.

"There you are. What are you doing?" Sam says as she sits down next to me.

"Talking to Isabel and then the priest," I say.

"Any problems I need to know about?"

"No, nothing to worry any of your plans," I say.

"Okay, are you coming back in? I just love your brother's fiancée. He's so under the thumb," Sam says.

We spend the rest of the morning chatting with our families, and I get told a couple of stories from the girl's night at the house. Mac seems to have integrated with the family and always seems to be smiling or talking.

Sam drags me upstairs a little early; she wants me ready for when the last of the guests start to arrive for the ceremony. Reverend (I think we call him) Townsend arrives, and I have a private word. He has devised a plan to include Sam and Hannah in the ceremony. It's normally put in for children, but he assures me it will work just as well, if not a little unorthodox. I texted Isabel what he told me and how it would to change the ceremony. Isabel replied with so much enthusiasm that it brought a tear to my eye.

Sam and I get ready. Sam has the same suit as me, other than the shirt and tie, which are, how should I say, more feminine. Instead of trousers, she will for once wear a skirt.

When we return downstairs, there are already people turning up from work or North Devon. The Thatch has hired a minibus and transported some of my old friends down. The hotel is full tonight, and the bed and breakfast just down the road has a 'no vacancies' sign outside.

Sam and I stand outside and welcome people. We have close to two hundred and fifty guests for the ceremony and another hundred coming for the evening reception. I noticed Bethany get out of the minibus. "Did you invite Bethany," I ask Sam.

"No, Isabel did," she says. I nod and notice her take the hand of someone I don't know. "Her boyfriend Terry, I think," Sam says to my frown.

It's two long hours, but finally, I am standing, waiting for Isabel to arrive. "I'll bet she's had second thoughts," Sam says. A couple of minutes later, she adds, "What would you do if she suddenly changed her mind?" Because of the weather, the hotel had taken the side away and I could see the driveway.

"Sam, if you don't shut up, I will ask Mac to come down here to replace you," I say through gritted teeth.

"You know how to hit a best friend hard, Jay," she returns.

I smile. "I'm sure all three of you will survive." My eyes catch some movement, and I see the white Rolls-Royce pull into the hotel's drive.

"It's not too late to run," Sam whispers. I can only laugh at my best friend's antics. I had grown up with them, and I have to admit they had taken the edge off my nerves.

The bridal car stops, and as a tradition, I turn to the front.

As the music starts to announce the bride's arrival, Sam starts singing, "Here come the bride all fat and wide."

I leaned towards her. "Sam, I've never viciously hit a woman, but with you today, I might make an exception."

"But I'm having your babies," she says. I shake my head.

I feel Isabel draw level with me, and I look to my left. Isabel gives me a radiant smile as my eyes take in the beauty that has agreed to be my wife. I lean in and say one word. "Wow." She is wearing the most beautiful white dress that sits on her body perfectly. I think that its main bodice is silk interwoven with embroidered cherry blossom that has a subtle pink tinge and are woven to the curve of Isabel's breasts. There is a hint of the treasures hidden without too much displayed. The skirt flows from a tight waistline to the floor with a slight ruffle. Interwoven into Isabel's hair are the same cherry blossoms, and her makeup is so natural, everything is perfect. The smile my 'Wow!' causes makes my heart skip.

"Welcome friends, family, and loved ones! We are gathered here today in celebration of James and Isabel, to bear witness as they join their lives in marriage. On behalf of James and Isabel, it's a true pleasure to have you here to celebrate this incredible moment. Please be seated."

"When I first met both James and Isabel, I was taken aback by the love that radiates from them both. Love is one of the greatest gifts life has to offer. Love offers hope, joy, comfort, and security in good times and bad. Love is what spurs our personal growth and allows us to face life and all its challenges with the unending support of the person we've chosen to commit our lives to. James and Isabel stand before you today to share the love and happiness in their hearts as they take their relationship to a deeper level of commitment by making a passage into marriage. It is rare these days for a couple to want the traditional vows. Most choose to write their own, but both Isabel and James have chosen to recite the traditional vows spoken for centuries as a mark of how seriously they are taking this step. Isabel and James have wished for both conventional and personal parts of their wedding ceremony. First, we start with a simple declaration:

James and Isabel, you have come together this day so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of this community of family and friends, and so, in the presence of this gathering, I ask you to state your intentions:

Have you both come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? If so, answer by saying 'I have.'"

"I have," Isabel and I say in unison.

"I call upon those here present that know of any lawful impediment that James and Isabel should not be joined in matrimony to please speak."

Sam chooses this moment to cough, and when I look at her, she smiles and says, "Sorry."

The Reverend shakes his head. "I will now ask James and Isabel to recite their wows. James?"

I take a breath. My mouth has never felt so dry as I begin to speak. "I, James Stokes, take thee, Isabel Richards, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others, till death do us part."

"Isabel," the priest prompts.

"I, Isabel Richards, take thee, James Stokes, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others, till death do us part."

The priest turns to Sam. "Sam, please, may I have the rings?" I roll my eyes as Sam makes a point of checking each pocket as if she has forgotten the rings, but then finds them in the last place she looks. Payback's a bitch.

The priest puts the rings on his bible and continues. "Rings symbolize many things to many people. For James and Isabel, they symbolise the endless and unbroken love they share. I will now ask James to take Isabel's ring. James."

I take the ring and place it on Isabel's third finger of her left hand and say, "Isabel, with this ring, I thee wed. As a symbol of my love and commitment, I give you this ring, a circle unbroken, a token of my everlasting trust and devotion."

Isabel takes my ring, places it on the third finger of my left hand, and says, "James, with this ring, I thee wed. As a symbol of my love and commitment, I give you this ring, a circle unbroken, a token of my everlasting trust and devotion."

The priest nods, and both Isabel and I move toward Sam and Hannah. I take Sam's left, and Isabel takes Hannah's right hand. I pull a confused-looking Sam to stand next to me, and I see an equally confused-looking Hannah.

"Before I allow James to kiss his bride, both James and Isabel have a last wish. So many times, when two people are brought together, it is often overlooked that marriage is also a joining of two families and the creation of a new family unit. Today, both Isabel and James would like you, their family, and friends to not only recognise the joining of the Stokes and Richards families but also that of Sam and Hannah. Sam, Hannah, James and Isabel would like you both to accept their wish that you are included in not only this ceremony but also their lives as an extension of their family unit."

Sam gasps, and Hannah has tears in her eyes.

"If you accept, I will ask James first to kiss his bride and then welcome both Sam and Hannah to their family. So, with the power that has been vested in me, I pronounce you, James and Isabel, as husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

I turn and embrace my wife, and our lips touch to a round of applause from the people watching. Then I turn and first hug Sam, followed by Hannah, who are both crying now. It takes a moment for the ladies to gather themselves.

We walk over to the waiting registrar, and all four of us sign or witness the register before the priest finally says, "Please stand for Mr and Mrs Stokes."

******

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