She led me through the lounge and out of the doors leading to the garden and pool. It was breathtaking, there must have been a thousand candles lighting up the night, surrounding the blanket and pillows laid out on the grass. Soft music flowed out from the house filling the night air. I could feel the stress of the day begin to fade from my body.

I accepted the glass of wine from her and she took my hand to help me lay down on the blanket she had spread. She moved round and sat behind me inviting me to lie between her legs leaning on her body for support. She wrapped her strong arms around me as we watched the last light of the day drain from the sky as nighttime fell.

We sat and ate the fruit she had prepared and drank wine and enjoyed each others company as the air cooled she wrapped a blanket around us keeping the heat in. we had talked very little and I was not surprised as I felt the deep intake of breath as she prepared to speak.

“When I was young all I ever wished for was that someone would look after me. Love me and care for me. I got so bogged down as I grew up that I never realised that amongst all the new wishes that came over the years that one always remained. I was thinking today about my speech and what I wanted to say to all the people that I care about, and I realised that at some point along the way I stopped having wishes and it started all those years ago in New York. I spent so much time thinking I was looking after people that it took me until now to realise that I have all I could ever wish for, right down to a parent’s love that I never had.

Peggy she looks after me, as a parent should and our friends here love me as a sister, Libby loves me in that way too even though it took a while. I have the love of a child from Holly and the fierce passion of a soul mate more amazing than I could ever have imagined from you. So I didn’t stop having wishes because I gave up hope, just because all of the wishes that really meant the most to me came true. I just wanted you to know that, to know how much you mean to me and how much you have bought into my life before you marry me on Monday I just wanted you to know that it was your love that granted the first wish I ever had, even if it took me until now to realise it. And I want to thank you for that with all my heart.”