Theirs: a short story [harry styles] ✓ - Chapter 2: Chapter 2

15th February 2016 - 10 months and 11 days before the big day.
Everything in the room glittered, shimmered or glowed. Even the balloons, arranged decoratively in an arch over the doorway sparkled and I wondered if Niall had had any input in the decor for his and Elenore's engagement party.
Harry and I stood beneath the balloon arch, each with a hand in Nola's and drank in the madness that we would no doubt be exposed to from now until the day of the wedding. From the moment Elenore had called me with the news, I knew full well that this was not going to be a small, simple or traditional wedding. Niall didn't have a clue what he was in for.
"It's going to be the event of the decade!" She'd assured me on the phone after gushing about how embarrassed she was for thinking he was going to end their relationship.
"Good lord." Harry muttered and with his free hand gestured to a table in the hall, packed full of framed photos of the happy couple, each separated by a pink, glittering candle.
"That's me." Nola chimed and I followed her eye line to a frame of her sitting on Niall's knee last Christmas with Elenore's arm draped across his shoulders.
"Well then, that's definitely the best photo of them all." Harry said proudly, earning a beaming smile from our daughter and a rosy blush from myself. Fingers suddenly curled around my right shoulder and I spun around, pleased to see the familiar, full-lipped face of Lou Teasdale.
"'iya!" She squealed before engulfing me in a bone crushing hug.
"Hi, Lou." I responded politely, admiring her navy velvet tuxe as I pulled away. "You look great!"
"Ta!" She grinned before kissing Harry on the cheek and ruffling Nola's curls affectionately. "Lux is about somewhere with Tom. She'll be excited to see Nola."
I opened my mouth to reply but was interrupted by the weight of Harry's hand against the small of my back. "I'm going to see if I can find Niall." He said. "See you guys in a bit."
I watched him disappear into the swarm of smiling people until he became a blur of cream satin and floral embroidery. Eccentric suits were another of his latest trends.
"How's he enjoying the reduced workload?" Lou smirked, her crimson lips stretching across her face. Nola shuffled closer to my leg and dug her fingers into my tights. I released my grip of her hand and wound my arm around her shoulders instead.
"I'm honestly not sure." I sighed. "Sure, it's a reduced workload but we're so busy. He's so busy. He doesn't really rest and of course I'm not complaining, but I think we've been out of the country more times than we've been in it. Nola's probably got more air miles under her belt than most children her age."
Lou's head tilted backwards as she laughed. "I doubt he knows how to rest. He probably hasn't rested since he was sixteen, before he auditioned for x-factor."
"I know, I know." I grimaced. "I think that maybe when he starts filming Dunkirk, he'll be better. At the moment, I feel like he's lost."
Lou chewed on her lip for moment before opening her mouth to reply. A shrill scream of excitement cut her off, surprising the both of us.
"Marnie, where have you been!?" It was Elenore, of course. She was dressed in a tight fitting, knee length dress; embellished from top to bottom in gold sequins.
"I'll leave you two to it." Lou chuckled before stepping away and merging with everyone else.
"Lelly!" Nola released my leg and clapped her little pink hands together repeatedly at the sight of my best friend. Elenore scooped her up swiftly and blew a raspberry against her flushed cheeks, earning a giggle in response.
"Fancy seeing you here." I smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She was practically glowing, fitting in nicely with the decor.
"Marnie," she squeaked, balancing Nola on her hip. "Ed Sheeran is at my engagement party."
My lips parted but Elenore was already speaking again.
"Can you believe that? Can you believe I'm getting engaged to Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran is drinking red wine in our kitchen?" The only other time I had ever seen her quite so excited was the day Nola had been born.
"Our kitchen?" I repeated with raised eyebrows. Nola was pulling on her earrings; big, gold filigree hoops that practically sat on her collar bones.
"Niall asked me to move in with him." She grinned. "Isn't that great?"
I wanted to ask her what she thought was going to happen with her living arrangements after their wedding but opted not to, instead deciding to allow her to enjoy the moment.
"Of course, Ele, I'm so pleased for you. For both of you."
It definitely was surreal though. Even more surreal than living with Harry. Than being in a relationship with Harry. I'd always thought Elenore's relationship with Niall was nothing more than an intense obsession, based on constant Google searches and Twitter stalking. When they'd announced they were dating, I was just as surprised as everyone else.
"I was also slightly shocked when half of Westlife walked through the front door." She continued, eyes wide. "Remember how much I fancied Kian when we were at school?"
I nodded. Kian had been Elenore's original Niall.
"I've never been quite so embarrassed." She gushed. "He kissed me on the cheek and everything."
I shook my head and smirked. "All your dreams coming true in one day, huh?"
"You have no idea." She exclaimed, sounding somewhat breathless. She extracted Nola from her side and placed her on her feet against the laminate flooring. "Now, it's time to make speeches, so head over to the kitchen, ok?"
I barely had time to nod; Elenore was a blur of silky blonde and shimmering gold, gone from the hall in a matter of seconds, leaving me with Nola bouncing excitedly at my feet.
"Looks like we're headed to the kitchen then." I said out loud, just as Niall's voice boomed across the house.
"If everyone could make their way over towards me." His accent was particularly thick, something I had noticed whenever he had alcohol in his system.
I lifted Nola into my arms and followed someone who looked an awful lot like Tom Fletcher from McFly into the kitchen. Harry was leant against the breakfast bar with a beer in his right hand. His sister Gemma was next to him with her boyfriend and Liam was on his other side.
"Hey guys." Liam greeted as Nola and I approached before shuffling along to make room for us next to Harry. I smiled at him gratefully before passing Nola into Gemma's open arms.
"Do you want a drink for the speeches?" Harry asked and in response to my nod, passed me a glass of champagne from one of the many trays lining the bar. Once upon a time, Elenore and I were drinking supermarket own brand cider - now we were toasting glasses of Moët. Harry's lips pressed lightly against my cheek as Elenore came to join Niall in the centre of the kitchen.
"First of all," he announced. "I just want to say thank you to everyone who has joined us this evening. Elenore and I are thrilled to celebrate this with everyone that we care about and love."
Niall's mum, Maura, was already sobbing in the corner and I couldn't help but wonder how Elenore felt at a time like this. Did she long for the parents she'd never had to share this moment with her? Most of the people at this party were connected to Niall. Aside from Nola and I, Elenore didn't really have anyone here of her own.
"But before I raise a toast to the exciting times ahead for my fiancé and I, I believe Elenore would like to say a few words." He stepped aside, allowing Elenore to come into the spotlight. She was practically quivering with excitement, her hands shaking as she gripped her champagne flute.
"As Niall said, thank you so much for being here." She said sweetly. "But, we have some news we'd like to share with you."
My eyes instantly dropped to her stomach. Surely not...?
"We've set a date for the wedding!"
The more drunken party guests started clapping and cheering wildly.
"Save the date, folks," she beamed. "Niall and I are getting married on the twenty-sixth of December... this year!"
More clapping and cheering. Nola's hands bashed together over and over again, although I was quite sure she had no clue what was going on.
Of course Elenore would want some sort of Winter wedding. She already thought she was Elsa from Frozen.
Her gaze landed on my face, eyes boring into mine. "And Marnie Owens, please do me the honour of being my maid of honour? It could never be anyone else and I would never be here right now without you. I couldn't possibly even consider marrying Niall without you by my side and Nola as my flower girl."
It felt like all eyes were on me. I was aware of Harry smiling proudly at the two of us, Gemma cheering in my ear and Niall's mother still weeping. Elenore leapt forward and squeezed me tightly. She was shaking.
"If you turn me down in front of Ed Sheeran and Westlife - I will kill you." She snarled in my ear. A laugh exploded from my lips and I squeezed her back.
"As if I would ever say no, Elenore Jones. Nola and I would be honoured to share your special day with you." There was more applause as Elenore released me and sauntered over to Niall in the centre of the room.
Niall raised his glass. "To our future!" He announced. "See you all after Christmas!"
And as Elenore locked lips with the love of her life, I couldn't help feeling that we were not only welcoming a new chapter but also saying goodbye to the life we'd left behind.