Toni’s Blog

“Nigel’s here, love,” Mum called up the stairs.  “Are you nearly ready?”

“Two minutes,” I called back.

I was standing in front of the wardrobe mirror carefully studying my reflection.  Tonight I wanted to look my best for Nigel - I wanted him to be proud of me.  After all, this was a very important day for us.  The day we officially announced we were going to be married.  The day when Nigel would put the engagement ring on my finger in front of our friends and family.

Mum and I had taken weeks planning the party, and I was determined everything should go well.  My heart was beating furiously as I checked my make-up for the hundredth time, and added a touch of perfume - the one Nigel had given me.  Then I was ready.

I felt so happy.  It was hard to believe all this was happening to me, it could so easily have been a dream.  And I’d had the dream lots of times before.

But a month ago, when Nigel had proposed to me, my dream had turned to reality...

We’d been going out together for almost a year, and during the last few months Nigel and I had often spoke, a bit light-heartedly, about marriage and the future.  I’d known for ages he was the only one for me, but that Sunday afternoon it still came as a surprise.

Mum and Dad had gone to visit Aunt Ivy after lunch, and for the first time I found it hard to start up a conversation with Nigel.  He was in a strange mood.  Quiet, shy, and I had the awful feeling he was going to say he didn’t want to see me again.

Yet when he sat down next to me on the sofa and took my hand in his, there was so much love in his eyes, I knew I’d been wrong.

“Joanna,” he’d begun, clearing his throat.  “I know we’ve talked about this before...not seriously, I must admit, but...well, the thing is...”

He cleared his throat again and looked away from me as though he was embarrassed.

“Nigel, love, what’s wrong?” I asked, starting to get concerned.

“Let me finish,” he said a bit gruffly.  “Joanna...well...the thing is...will you marry me?”

It all came out in a rush, the words tumbling over each other and for a moment I didn’t think I’d heard right.  But I knew I had, and before I could even say yes I was in Nigel’s arms and he was kissing me.

“Oh, I’m so glad that’s over,” he’d sighed with relief.  “I’ve been trying to say it ever since your parents went out.”

Dear, darling Nigel.  I smiled at the memory.  Now it was our official engagement party.  The moment when he’d slip that lovely sapphire ring on my finger and the world would know we belonged to each other...

“Joanna!”  This time it was Nigel’s voice that called up the stairs.  “I hope you won’t take this long on our wedding day.”

Oh, Nigel, I love you, I thought, as I started downstairs.

“Well?  Aren’t you going to say anything?”  I asked softly.  My blonde hair shone and the deep blue of my dress matched the colour of my eyes perfectly.

He nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off me.

“Yes,” he said, his voice low.  “Nigel, you’re going to marry the most beautiful girl in the world.”

I threw my head back and laughed just as Mum came out into the hall.

“Come on, you two,” she pushed us into the lounge.  “The guests will be here any minute.”

With Nigel’s arm around my waist we went over to where Dad was pouring out drinks.

“Now, before the others get here I’ve just got a few words to say,” he said seriously.  Then he looked from me to Nigel.  “Take care of my little girl, Nigel, and here’s to both of you - with our blessings and our love.”

Dad lifted his glass to us and Mum lifted her hanky to her eyes.  Then there were lots of kisses and hugs all round and then the doorbell rang.

“This is it, love,” Nigel whispered as we prepared to greet our first guests.

Our party went just as I’d hoped it would.  Everyone turned up and as the evening wore on I was the happiest, luckiest girl in the world.  Nigel never once left my side and I felt so proud as relatives and friends wished us well for the future.  We listened to all the jokes about ‘marriage not being all it’s cracked up to be’, but that night I didn’t believe one of them.  My marriage was going to be wonderful, I’d make sure of that.

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