Chapter 8

“Did you think Ash looked nervous at breakfast?” Tom asked in a concerned voice as we walked up the grand stairs of Dowdales Hall, its luxurious oak banisters wrapped with fairy lights that gave the room a magical quality as they softly shone.

“Yeah, he did,” I replied as I furrowed my brow with concern, “although he's bound to be a little nervous on a day like today, it's natural,” I reasoned.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Tom replied as we reached the second floor of the grand old building and headed down the corridor and towards the room which had been set up for us to get prepared for the wedding.

“I hope some yoghurt and a banana is going to be enough to keep him going,” I muttered to myself, concerned about Ash even while having a lot on my own mind to deal with. I checked my watch, less than two hours until Ash would be my boywife. The thought sent a tingle rushing down my spine as goosebumps formed on my skin. Despite it being so close, it was still hard to process that this was really happening to me.

As we entered the large, elegantly decorated room that had been set aside for us, we were greeted by Katherine, our wedding planner and certified lifesaver. She was in her mid forties with short brown hair and a friendly, motherly face that invited trust and confidence and was a big part of the reason that me and Ash had chosen her in the first place. “Hello chaps!” she exclaimed, greeting us warmly, “all fed and ready to get gussied up for the biggest day of your life?” There was a glint in her eye as she asked the question which showed that she absolutely loved her job, meeting young couples, helping them plan their dream day and making sure it was executed as flawlessly as possible, another reason that she had been chosen.

“Absolutely, the food here is so good!” Tom said enthusiastically as he walked over to the rack where all our outfits were hanging, perfectly pressed and ready to go.

Katherine turned to me with a concerned look on her face, “is your father not joining us?”

“Oh,” I replied with a chuckle, “he's still eating, but he won't be long “

“Ah, that famous Neil appetite I've been told so much about!” Katherine replied with a knowing smile before turning to my best man. “So, should we start with you Tom?” she asked warmly before starting to collect all of his individual pieces of attire from the rack and inspecting them to make sure each was up to her impeccable standards.

Dad joined us about ten minutes later and once Katherine was happy we had everything we needed and was happy that we wouldn't mess anything up she made her exit to go and check on “the girls.”. It made sense that she would spend more time with them of course, they all had hair, makeup and their dresses to worry about, whereas for the three of us it was just a matter of ensuring we were showered, shaven and properly dressed. It didn't take us long to be fully prepared and we all ended up awkwardly pacing around the room while we talked, not wanting to crease our perfect suits by sitting down and potentially earning the disapproval of Katherine.

As the fateful hour grew closer and closer I kept checking my watch nervously, hoping that it would be the right time despite knowing it couldn't be. Time seemed to be dragging and it was absolutely agonizing, seconds crawling by as I waited to finally be stood with Ash, committing to be his for the rest of our lives. Dad was standing by the window, watching the first couple of cars pulling up and commenting on who was getting out to help break the tension in the room. “Ah, there's Darren and his parents. Cousin Brian just arrived too!” he told us excitedly before glancing over at me and catching something in my eye that he mustn't have liked.

“Hey Tom, can you hold down the fort while me and my lad go for a smoke?” he asked, drawing a faux, shocked expression from me.

“I don't smoke Dad, and neither do you!”

He turned over his shoulder to look at me, shooting me a withering look before speaking. “Come on son, you really think you can hide something like that from your old man?” he asked with a cynically raised eyebrow.

Well, it looked like I was caught, no point denying it now. “I guess not,” I replied in a hushed voice, feeling like a toddler that had been caught with his hand in the biscuit tin rather than a grown man that was due to get married in less than an hour.

“Come on then son, I know a way out the back so we can avoid the guests,” he explained, grabbing something from the inside pocket of his coat before striding out into the hallway as I followed close behind. He confidently headed down a set of stairs at the rear of the building, pushing open a pair of large metal doors which, to my surprise, led into the kitchen. There were a couple of chefs already inside, prepping for the day ahead, chopping veggies and making sauces by the looks of it. “Alright Kev!” Dad said cheerily to a larger man who looked to be in his early fifties, who looked up at him with a smile.

“Alright Neil!” He replied, giving a little wave, knife still clutched in his weathered hand as he did, “remember what I said!”

“Don't you worry mate,” Dad replied as he continued to stride towards an open door at the back of the kitchen with sunlight streaming through it, “I won't say a word.” I was bemused but just continued to trail behind my Dad as we stepped outside. The temperature had increased a little, but it was still quite pleasant, the Sun slowly continuing its journey through the sky, its beams warming my skin with barely a cloud to be seen. Perfect weather for what would hopefully be a perfect day.

Dad had walked a few metres away from the kitchen’s exit door, standing beneath a part of the roof that provided a little shade from the bright morning sunshine. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ornate metal box as I looked at him with a confused expression.

“What?” he asked nonchalantly when he finally met my gaze.

“Are you going to explain how we managed to walk through the kitchen without being yelled at and told to leave?” I asked.

“Oh that,” Dad replied calmly as he opened the box and withdrew a thick cigar from within, “Kev came to clear the plates away after breakfast and we ended up chatting. Turns out he's a County fan too and I mentioned that I was hoping to find somewhere quiet to slink away to if things got too hectic.” I raised my eyebrows at him, not thrilled at the idea of him trying to slink away, but he continued, unperturbed, “he said there was a back door in the kitchen I could use, so long as I don't tell his boss, and so here we are.” He grinned at me, clearly feeling pleased with himself as he handed me my own cigar before taking a deep inhale of the earthy aroma of the tobacco within as he ran it under his nose.

“Wow,” I replied, suitably impressed at my Dad's ability to befriend a stranger within what must have only been a few minutes of talking.

“That's what being a supporter of the greatest team in the world will get you!” Dad said with a laugh before producing a small metal item from his pocket which I later learned was a cigar cutter, bringing it up the end of the thick brown stogie and snipping off the end and letting it fall to the ground. He passed it to me and I followed what he had done, cutting off the end of the cigar as he watched on like the proud poppa in the world.

“I've never had a cigar before,” I admitted a little hesitantly as I inspected it. The cigar was almost as thick as my thumb and around five inches long with the densely packed tobacco inside starting to poke and fall out of the end, waiting to be sparked into life.

“Well, it's about time to pop your cherry then!” he replied with a wry chuckle which was only intensified when I saw him grimace because of his choice of words. “Besides, it's tradition to smoke a cigar on your wedding day, at least, in our family it is,” he reasoned. Dad pulled an electronic lighter from his pocket, pushing down a button causing a powerful blue flame to burst from its tip making a dull roaring sound. Raising it to the end of the cigar, he slowly puffed on the long cylinder, carefully igniting the tobacco and ensuring it was lit evenly, exhaling a cloud of strong smelling smoke and letting out a satisfied sigh before passing me the lighter.

Again, I followed my father's actions, slowly dipping the tip into the flame and doing my best to make sure there would be an even burn. It tasted much stronger and richer than any cigarette I had ever smoked and despite my hesitance, I inhaled deeply. Big mistake. The harsh smoke hit my lungs, causing me to cough and splutter, almost dropping the cigar to the ground as I doubled over, lungs burning. Dad laughed heartily at me, slapping me on the back before rubbing my shoulder. “You silly sod,” dad guffawed, “you don't inhale a cigar, you just puff on it and savour the flavour!”

My eyes were watering and bloodshot but finally I was able to suck in some clean air, straightening up to look my Dad straight in the eyes, “well, you could have told me!” I said sternly, before dropping the act and cracking a smile. We both laughed together as Dad took another puff, causing another thick cloud of smoke to float up into the morning air and on its way heavenwards as it slowly dissipated.

“Well try again son, like I said, just take a puff, hold the smoke in your mouth and then let it out.”

I followed his instructions as best as I could, I wasn’t a regular smoker, but I still struggled fighting my natural instinct Nx not inhaling the smoke, instead just letting it sit in my mouth. It tasted strong and earthy, with some almost nutty undertones to it. I could hardly say it tasted great, but it was far from unpleasant and as it was a tradition, I decided to keep puffing away on it to make Dad happy. I had to admit, it did make me feel pretty cool standing in my immaculate tailor made suit, stogie clamped between my lips like I was some kind of old timey gangster.

“So son, how are you feeling? Nervous?” Dad asked as he looked over the rolling fields laid out before us where a handful of sheep were lazily grazing, their white woolly coats making them stand out starkly against the green grass as they enjoyed their carefree, laid back lives.

“I guess,” I replied uncertainly as I took another drag on the cigar. “Moreso about everything going to plan than anything else,” I explained.

“That makes sense,” he replied, but I could tell there was something on his mind, something that he needed to say and that he was struggling to come up with the right words. “Just remember that your wedding party, Me, your Mum, Tom, Nancy, we are all here to be firefighters for you and Ashley. Everything has been planned down to a tee, but if anything does go wrong, we’ll deal with it, okay?” he looked up at me and I nodded back at him and he seemed satisfied with my response.

“It’s a big day for you of course, but it is for me and your Mum too,” he said as he started to fiddle with something in his pocket absentmindedly, “we’re both so proud of you. Not just for the man you’ve become, but for being so brave.” He stumbled over his first few words, as if it was a speech he had been practicing for a while, but he managed to find his footing as he continued to speak. “For being your authentic self and finding love on your own terms. When I was your age, same sex couples were much less common than they are now. I have to admit, I have some moments that I look back on with shame now.”

“Dad…,” I tried to interject, but he raised his hand and continued speaking.

“I’ve never been a hateful person, but it was a different time back then. That’s not an excuse and it’s something I wish I could change, but that’s not how life works. All I can do is be better and honestly, you’ve really helped me with that. Opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn't see before” Dad explained.

He rarely talked like this and I knew how difficult it must be for him to open up and express his feelings so bluntly. He was right, he did grow up in a different time, when gay people were still subject to **** and scrutiny, women were treated poorly and men didn’t talk about their feelings, instead bottling things up out of fear of being seen as weak. I hadn’t understood as a kid, but as I got older I realised that this was something my Dad had to deal with, accepting that his emotions were valid and should be able to be expressed and I swelled up with pride knowing that he gave me some of the credit for helping him open up and be more honest about himself and the world around him.

“I’m so proud of you son,” he added croakily, tears welling up in his eyes and cigar still in hand, I closed the small gap between us and gave him a big hug, wrapping my arms around him like I was when I was little and for a moment it was like I was teleported back to being a little boy, running into his arms as he swung me around and wrapped me up in the safety of his arms after I'd scored a goal in the bare bones goal frame at our local park. He seemed a little surprised by my advance at first, but he was quick to return my embrace, holding me and softly stroking my hair. It felt nice, safe and warm. I owed Ashley a lot, but in a weird way he was also responsible for bringing me and my Father closer and for that alone, I knew I would love him forever. Both of our eyes were leaking at this point and I was glad that it was just the two of us so we could share this moment together without interruption. Eventually Dad released me, grabbing a hankie from his trouser pocket and dabbing at his eyes. “Sorry son, I hope I haven’t got my eye juice on your jacket,” he joked, back to his usual jovial and unserious self to diffuse the palpable emotion in the air.

“You better hadn’t have done!” I shot back, “Ash will kill you!” We both laughed together warmly as I noticed Dad continuing to fiddle with something in the same pocket he was earlier. Taking a deep drag on his cigar as if to calm his nerves, he pulled whatever it was out of his pocket, gripping it tightly in his hand so I still couldn’t see what it was.

“Like I was telling you, smoking a cigar on your wedding day with your old man is tradition, but there's something I want to do, our own tradition if you will, so I want you to have this.” He turned over his hand so his palm was facing upwards, uncurling his fingers and revealing a small pin badge with County FC’s crest on it. I reached out to take it, lifting it up to examine it in the bright sunlight. It was old, with signs of weathering around the outsides where it had been worn down over the years.

“You know I love County as much as you do Dad, but why do you want me to have it?” I asked, a little confused.

“Your Grandad gave me that badge before we went to our very first game together,” Dad explained with a nostalgic, wistful look in his eye. “We won three two that day, Jackie Evans scored the winner. A beautiful header from just outside the six yard box. I can still remember it now.” We had lost my Grandad when I was only eleven. It had been a big loss for the family, the first person that was close to me that had died. He was a hardcore football fan and the main reason that my Dad and Myself were as invested in sports as we were. I thought about him every day, even all these years later, meaning that the small piece of enamel coated metal I held in my hand was incredibly precious regardless of whatever monetary value it may have.

“I wore that very same pin the day I met your mother. She looked so beautiful. It was the middle of the Summer and me and my friends were kicking a ball around at the park. A shot of mine went wide and landed right next to her and her friends as they sunbathed on the grass. She had this gorgeous yellow dress on and she picked the ball up and brought it over to me. My hand touched hers as she passed it to me and in that very moment, as our eyes met, I knew that she was the only girl for me. A month later I asked her out and we’ve been together ever since, as you well know,” he added with a chuckle.

“Wow,” I replied, flabbergasted that he was giving it to me and that I hadn’t known about such an important detail of our family's history before.

“I wore it on our wedding day too. I always considered it my good luck charm, taking it to football matches, job interviews, exams, all sorts. So I figured with today being as important as it is, you might need it.”

I was overwhelmed by his gesture and to be trusted with something that had so much history in our family. I reached out to give him another hug and spoke as we held each other, “thank you so much Dad, I promise I’ll take care of it.”

“I know you will,” Dad replied as my eyes started to well up again.

Our moment was interrupted by the sound of the back door being opened and as we ended our hug we turned to see Kev sticking his head outside to look for us as I brushed the tears from the corners of my eyes. “Ah, there you are,” he said as he walked over, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and popping one into his mouth with the casual air of a man who smoked a pack a day at least “Katherine is looking for you young man, something about Ash needing to see you?”

“Ah, thanks Kevin,” I replied, realising I still had a half lit cigar in my hand and offering it to him, which he took gratefully with a big smile. “Consider it a thanks for giving me and Dad somewhere to talk,” I said with a smile!

“Don’t mind if I do!” Kev said happily, putting his cigarette back into its box before taking the still smoldering stogie from my hand and sucking on it contentedly. As I made my way back into the old stately hall through the kitchen door I could hear Dad and Kev starting to talk about football, of course, what else was there to talk about?

I made my way through the kitchen which was now bustling with activity ahead of our post ceremony meal. Pushing open the kitchen door I made my way out into the main hall where Katherine was busy ushering guests into the large ballroom where they would mingle and wait for the ceremony to start. As soon as she spotted me, she made a beeline in my direction with a concerned look on her face, taking me by the arm and leading me towards the stairs before the various family and friends dotted around stole my attention away. As we walked up the stairs together hurriedly she explained what was going on. “Bruce sweetheart, Ash is having a bit of a wobble and he needs to see you.”

Immediately I was incredibly concerned, he had looked nervous at breakfast and I wondered whether the stress of the day was getting to him. Regardless, my brain switched into protection mode, doubling my pace as I took each stair two at a time before bounding down the corridor and towards the bridal room. As I sped off Katherine shouted from behind me, “make sure to knock before you go in, you can’t see the dress before the ceremony, IT’S BAD LUCK!”

Bad luck and superstitions be damned, nothing was stopping me from being there for my baby boy if he needed me. As I came level with the wooden door behind which Ashley was suffering I barged it open, probably with a great deal more gusto than was needed. The women inside shrieked in surprise, Mum almost falling off the bed and Nancy dropping a bottle of water that she had been offering to my fiancé before my interruption although thankfully the cap was still in place. Ash was sitting in a large armchair, facing towards the window meaning only his right arm was visible and that I couldn’t see him in his dress so at least Katherine wouldn’t be too mad at me.

“Jesus Son!” Mum chastised me as she rose from the bed, clutching her hand to her chest, “you nearly gave me a heart attack!” I didn’t reply, taking a large step across the room, but before I could advance further I found the diminutive Nancy blocking my path with a wagging finger outstretched to keep me at arms length.

“Oh no you don’t!” she warned me firmly before turning to the bed and pulling a blanket from it. “Ash needs you right now and me and Pippa will leave you two alone in a moment, but not before his dress is all covered up, understand?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, as if challenging me to defy her. “We’ve all spent months preparing for today and I’m not having somebody barging in, ruining ancient marital traditions and cursing this wedding day and the marriage that will follow, even if it is the groom!”

As much as I wanted to get directly to my beloved I couldn't help but admire the small woman's guts. I hadn't liked her direct bluntness at first, unsure of how to take it, but with time I had seen that her heart was in the right place and I'd really warmed up to her. Seeing her sticking up for Ash and building his confidence had only helped things further and while I was still not as close to her as Ash, I still considered us to be friends. Ash leaned into my view and turned to look at me over his shoulder, eyes red and puffy, tears welling up in the corners and threatening to cascade down his face uncontrollably. He cracked a little smile and his eyes sparkled when they met mine, which made me feel a little better and reminded me why I was there, to do whatever was best for him.

Raising my hands to Nancy in mock surrender, I responded, “okay, okay, I won't move until you say so, pinkie promise! I don't want the maid of honour mad at me!” I joked.

“Better hadn't!” Nancy replied in a slightly softer, teasing tone before passing the blanket to Mum. “Can you help Ash cover up his dress Pippa?” she asked and Mum was quick to oblige, helping to delicately lay it over my future husband and tucking it in to make sure the special garment was concealed from my gaze. Once the two women were happy that not an inch of my soon to be husband's outfit could be seen they both let Ash know they would just be outside before leaving us alone, Mum giving me a quick, reassuring squeeze before she went.

I waited until the door was securely closed behind them before walking over towards the large bay windows looking over the grounds and more importantly, to Ashley. As I walked around the chair I sank to my knees in front of him and he instantly leant forward to wrap his arms around me as I felt him shake softly, tears starting to fall again. I softly soothed him, giving him time to let his feelings out before asking what was going on. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes, a damp patch forming on the shoulder of my suit jacket as the sadness which had overtaken him slowly subdued.

“Thank you for coming Bruce,” he finally whispered in a strained, hoarse voice.

“Of course baby, I came the second I heard you needed me,” I reassured him, gently tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear, making him smile sweetly through his tear streaked and smudged makeup. “What's wrong?” I asked as I held his hands gently to remind him that he was safe and loved.

“It will sound stupid…,” he started before trailing off and looking away from me, gazing out of the windows and the rolling hills outside, but I was quick to turn him back to face me.

“Your feelings aren't stupid baby, ever,” I reminded him. “Remember that time we lost in the cup final and you found me crying in the bedroom?” Ash nodded to confirm that he did, “well, if I'm allowed to cry over football, I'm pretty sure whatever is upsetting you is far from stupid!” Ash giggled softly, another perfect smile breaking through his sadness, allowing me to bask in his beauty like the rays from the Sun that were illuminating the room. He collected himself and I grabbed the bottle of water Nancy had left behind, offering him a drink before he spoke.

“What if people say things?” he asked cautiously, as if he still thought his concerns were silly.

“Like what?” I asked inquisitively.

“Like how there's a man in a dress marrying another man.”

“Oh baby, we talked about this didn't we? Everyone coming knows about our lifestyle. Not one single person here will have a bad thing to say, and if they do, they'll have me to answer to!” I joked, flexing in my suit and doing my best to look tough, rewarding me with another laugh from the man I loved. “Mum, Dad, Nancy and Tom will all be watching out for us as well, so you really don’t need to worry, okay baby?” I asked as I held his small, soft hands in mine.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Ash replied, although he still looked unsure and I could tell that there was something else bothering him as he turned to blankly gaze back out of the bay windows.

“Is it your Mum?” I asked. I hadn’t wanted to bring it up, but I had felt Sheila’s presence, or more appropriately her absence, hanging over us in the last few days like a grey cloud. Ash glanced at me, tears welling up in his eyes again before looking away.

“No,” he replied defiantly, “I haven’t thought about her at all,” he lied.

I reached out to turn his face back towards me. “Ashley…,” I whispered softly in a tone he knew all too well, the tone that said that I knew he wasn’t being honest with me. His lip was quivering as he tried to speak. I knew how hard this was for him, so I just gave him time to get the words out, smiling at him soothingly as I stroked the back of his hand with my thumb.

“It’s really nice of Nancy to offer to give me away and everything, but it's not the same, you know?” he explained through his tears. “They should be here. Mum and Dad. They should be happy for me, they should…,” He trailed off, but he didn’t need to say anymore. I pulled him close to me, his head against my chest as I stroked his hair, gently soothing him as he let his feelings out. I could tell that just verbalising his feelings had helped and so I gave him the time he needed to get the tears out. After a few minutes he was much calmer, pulling his head from my chest and softly stroking my cheek.

“Thank you Bruce,” he said softly, “I feel a lot better now.”

“Just remember baby, you have all the family you’ll ever need, right here.” His eyelashes fluttered and a huge smile broke out on Ash’ face as he leaned in to kiss me deeply, tongue pushing into my mouth as his sadness transformed into an insatiable hunger that would have to wait until later in the day. A knock on the door interrupted us and I quickly shouted over my shoulder that we would be out in a moment. “I better go, we don’t have long until the ceremony,” I explained as I stood up, but Ash grabbed my wrist before I could leave.

“I have a surprise for you later,” he said coyly with a cheeky little grin at the corner of his lips, “I think you’re going to like it.” I felt a rush of blood to my groin as my mind ran through all the possibilities of what it could be before I reminded myself that I needed to focus on the wedding before I could think about the wedding night.

“I can’t wait,” I replied, leaning down to give him one final kiss, the last one before we would be man and boywife, before making my way out of the room. I found Mum and Nancy waiting outside, both looking a little worried as Nancy looked at her phone to check the time.

“How is he?” Mum asked anxiously.

“He’s okay, it's all sorted now, but he’ll need his makeup touching up and his hair sorting,” I explained.

“I’m on it, don't you worry Bruce, he’ll look absolutely beautiful” Nancy replied, running off down the hall to find the makeup artist as she lifted up her dress so as not to trip over it.

“THANKS NANCY!” I shouted after her as myself and Mum watched her small frame getting smaller and smaller before she disappeared from view. I turned to look at Mum and we both smiled at each other, a smile that conveyed a million words without a single one being uttered.

“You better get going baby,” Mum suggested as she checked her watch, “you need to be at the altar in thirty minutes and it's awfully rude to show up late to your own wedding.” We both laughed and she pulled me close, squeezing me tight, cheek to cheek and I could virtually feel the pride radiating from her body. “Good luck Bruce,” she added, tussling my hair like she had when I was little. With one last hug I made my way back towards the stairs so I could get back to Dad and Tom.

Thankfully once Ashley's tears had dried from my suit there were no further problems as we waited in our room for the cue from Katherine that it was time to head down to the ballroom. Myself, Tom and Dad made small talk as we waited, about football, what drinks we were going to have at the reception and any other nonsense that popped into our heads. I could tell that my father and best man were trying to keep my mind occupied, presumably able to tell my nerves were rising the closer the clock ticked towards the fateful moment. Finally, after what felt like hours, the wedding planner knocked on the door, checking we were all dressed properly and that Tom had the ring.

“He's lost it actually, we can't find it anywhere!” Dad replied when she asked about where the symbol of our marriage was and in an instant Katherine looked horrified as her eyes started to scan the room to see if she could spot the small black box the wedding band was held in.

“Dad’” I chastised as I checked my pockets to ensure I had everything I would need while straightening my hair in the mirror, not even needing to look at him in order to chastise him. It's funny how roles reverse as you age, going from the one being told off to the one giving out reprimands. The thought made a small smile creep in at the edge of my lips..

“Sorry Katherine,” Dad apologised, “I was just joking, you've got it haven't you Tom?”

“Certainly do Neil!” my best man replied, pulling the box from his pocket, “it hasn't left my person or been out of my sight all week!” He popped it open to show that the slender gold band was still inside, safe and sound, Katherine clutching her hand to her chest and taking a deep breath of relief.

“Please don't do that to me Mr Marston,” she said in a tone tinged with a little sternness, “the big day can be stressful enough without unnecessary jokes.”

“Yes, of course,” Dad replied contritely, adjusting his tie before turning to me. “Ready to do this son?” he asked.

Taking one last deep breath as I looked into the mirror I turned to face them, nodding my head confidently and walking towards the door of the room that I had been pacing around for the past several minutes. As we made our way down the stairs and into the lobby it was totally empty, the sound of soft music wafting on the breeze from the ballroom along with the gentle chatter of our invited guests who were all awaiting my arrival. Standing outside the door to the large, grand room which had been especially decorated for the occasion, we all did one last quick check that we had everything before stepping over the threshold and into my future with Ashley.

Dad placed his hand on my shoulder, kissing me softly on the forehead in a rare display of intimate affection from the man that had raised me, he looked into my eyes and smiled, and I returned his grin, both of us ready for what was to come. Tom and Dad walked in first, greeting some of the people in the crowd with smiles and waves. Everyone was so happy to be there and you could feel the positive, loving energy in the room. It was strong, palpable and undeniable and despite the grand occasion, I found my nerves slipping away as I entered the grand old ballroom. There was an audible, approving gasp from the assembled crowd as I came into their view, my older relatives commenting on how handsome I was and a couple of colleagues from work giving me a warm wave as I walked down the aisle, the oak wood floor covered in a thin white silk carpet with tassels along each side, beautiful flowers adorning the end of each row of chairs that had been lined up neatly and were now filled to capacity by friends, family and colleagues.

In each corner of the room there were beautiful framed pictures of myself and Ashley sitting atop wooden easels, one of us at graduation, a snap with Mum and Dad, us on our first day in our new flat and even one of us as children, playing with our toys together, a powerful reminder of how long we had been joined at the hip for and his this seemed like fate. The ballroom had two large stained glass windows on each side and on the windowsills were large wooden signs adorned with each of our names and as the sun hit the different panes of reds, greens and oceanic blues it cast subtle coloured beams of light over the room making it feel even more magical. The officiant was waiting for us at the end of the aisle, dressed in a smart suit with a wide, well practiced smile on his face and as I got closer I could feel my heart pounding faster and faster in my chest. No more preparations, no more daydreaming about what the big day would be like, finally, we were here.

Myself and my Groomsmen shook hands with the man who would be carrying out the wedding ceremony before we took our places on his right hand side, waiting for the arrival of my beautiful bride to be. We wouldn't have to wait long as the familiar strains of the song that had played when I proposed to Ashley came over the speakers, signifying his imminent arrival. I felt my heart leap into my mouth, eyes intensely focused on the entrance to the room, knowing that in just a few seconds I would get to see the man I loved dressed to the nines and ready to commit to each other for the rest of our lives. Mum and Nancy entered first, walking side by side looking stunning in their dresses, hair styles immaculate as they each held a small bouquet of white lilies. The crowd once again murmured with approving delight as they walked down the aisle, waving and smiling as they went. They both looked so happy and I couldn’t wipe an enormous grin from my face. The two ladies greeted the three of us with tight hugs once they made it to the front of the room, taking their place on the left of the officiant before we all turned expectantly, waiting for Ash's arrival.

Our song swelled into its instrumental bridge and as it did, the doors to the room were pushed open by the venues staff and there, standing in the doorway was the man I loved and as my eyes took in every inch of him, his shyly smiling face and his beautiful dress time stood still as my jaw dropped, a single tear rolling down my cheek. It was finally time to make Ashley my boywife as my heart started pounding in my chest harder than it ever had before. Deep breath. Here we go.

Hi everyone, first off, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of Bruce and Ash’ story despite the lack of sexy content! Secondly, I need to apologise for the long, long wait for a new installment in the series. I’ve been having a difficult few months when it comes to writing, partly due to not feeling motivated to sit down and write and partially due to several personal issues including being unwell as well as a close family member having to go into hospital (they’re doing well now.) I know there are many people who love this story and I’ve felt immensely guilty about keeping you all waiting, which kind of trapped me in a vicious cycle of not wanting to write which made me feel more guilty, leading to me not writing.

Chapter 8 was intended to be the final chapter of the story, but I got to the point of the ceremony being about to begin when I lost steam and so eventually decided I would edit what I had written and put it out to give you all something to read. Chapter 9 will be the final chapter of My Best Friend Is A Femboy as we get to join Ash and Bruce for their wedding ceremony, the reception and then their wedding night, so I hope you will all look forward to that. I’m going to be completely honest here and say that I have no idea how long it is going to take me to get the next chapter done and I totally understand if people don’t come back to the story due to the delays.

‘Femboy’ was only ever meant to be a one off story but it was received so well I decided to turn it into a longer story, but one thing I’m learning is that seemingly I lose steam with these larger projects which may partially be the cause for the delays. Whenever Chapter 9 is complete I’ll review how I feel and decide what I want to do moving forwards. I may just write shorter, one off stories or I may even stop writing erotica altogether, but I’m not making any decisions just now. I do intend to write some SFW articles in the future, so if this is something you are interested in, you can check out my website or follow me @HGTwinErotica for updates on what I’m working on.