Still the one I kiss goodnight

(OOC: The dress and hairstyle... http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/Annaliese_Pfaff/MaddieDressandHair.jpg )

She didn't think that she could do this. Madeline felt like her stomach was full of tangled up knots, and felt like she wasn't going to be able to breathe. Despite the fact that Jonathan had been living with her for two years, she was still terrified that one day he'd look at her and the twins, and simply walk away. Today could be that day- she was sure that plenty of men left women at the altar, and Madeline didn't want to be one of those statistics. Her hands ran down the soft satin of her gown, feeling quite pretty in her dress. She reached behind her, and realized that she couldn't zip up the gown.

"Curse it all! Curse this dress, and these shoes, and this corset that is preventing me from breathing, and the whole concept of marriage!" She waved her hand in front of her face, trying not to cry. All of her bridesmaids were busy- Jennifer Hame was watching Isobel, as it was her task to take the little flower girl in hand. Julie Beauchere was trying to make sure that Madeline's family had it all together, and her Maid of Honor....Maddie didn't know where she'd gotten off to. Panic welled within her again, and Madeline tried once more to hold it in. She looked out the window; at least the weather was perfect, even if everything else went wrong.

A soft knock on her door pulled Madeline from her reverie, and as she turned, she smiled to see Martha Stewart standing in the threshold. Maddie's own mother had been too ill to come, and that meant that Maddie had insisted her father stay with her. Madeline's eldest brother Alex would be walking her up the aisle. While Maddie felt sad that her own father couldn't do it, she knew that his place was with her mother. At any rate, she was so relieved to see Martha Stewart that she flung herself into the woman's arms.

Martha smiled at her soon-to-be Daugher-in-law. She didn't bother asking what was wrong, nor did she tell the girl to calm down, that everything would be alright. She'd been in the girl's shoes once before (Quite literally, as they were Maddie's 'something borrowed'), and Martha remembered how little use those words had been to her. After a few minutes, she turned the girl around, and proceeded to zip up her dress.
"My son love you, you know."

It was, honestly, the best thing to have told Madeline. A radiant smile lit her features, and she nodded slowly.
"I love him too."

Martha grinned at her daughter, and patted her cheek. Then she opened the door and called for Jenny to bring Isobel and the veil. Both would be needed- and the Maid of Honor was currently busy. Josephine Hawthorne (she'd graduated about four months previously, and been married right after), was one of Madeline's favorite students, but she was currently a few weeks pregnant and the morning sickness had kicked in.

As soon as Jenny walked in the room and noticed both Martha's presence and Madeline's emotional state, she kicked into overdrive. Announcing that since she knew Josephine's job, the two would share responsibilities. Jenny could handle the wedding, and Josie the reception. Jenny's first task was to charge Martha with care of the flower girl until the wedding's start. Her second was to pin on Madeline's veil and smile at her. She was going to shatter her teacher's condition in a few minutes.
"It's time to go."

Madeline began to shake at those words, and Jenny lowered the veil to hide her suddenly ashen features. Taking her teacher by the hand, she led her to the car, and helped her get in with her gown arranged properly. She handed her the bouquet, and went back for Josephine. The three girls were silent on the drive- Josephine trying not to be sick, and Jenny knowing that no words except 'I do' could help Maddie just now.

Once the car stopped, Jenny again took charge. As far as Madeline was concerned, Jennifer was the most amazing fourteen year old she'd ever met. Jenny handled everything, even fetching Alex, and making sure that everyone was in position. Madeline made a mental note to perfect Jenny's eventual wedding, before letting Alex take her hand. Jenny bravely smiled at her teacher once more, and then set off down the aisle, to herald the arrival of Madeline.

Maddie walked in step with Alex, her eyes tearing with the nerves and the emotion.
"Lina, he loves you. Stop worrying." A faint smile appeared at the use of a name she generally detested, and she impulsively kissed his cheek as they reached the front of the chapel. Jenny stood there already, and took Madeline's bouquet. Her own was in Isobel's basket, as her free hand held the little girl's. The child grinned and waved at her parents, before looking up at Jenny and giggling.

Alex let Madeline go, raising her veil, kissing her forehead, and putting her free hand in Jonathan's. As Madeline lifted her eyes to Jon, all of her doubts and fears, and worries vanished. In his eyes, she only saw deep and unending love for her. She grinned at him, certain that her eyes revealed the same thing.