Six months later, on August 15th, Katie and Nick were to be married.
Unable to pick a maid of honor, Katie asked Danielle, Brittny, Diane, and Holly to be her bridesmaids, while Nick asked Kevin, Brian, Howie, and AJ to be his best men.
Twenty minutes until the service was set to begin, the girls all stood in the dressing room, helping Katie prepare.
She was wearing a shoulder-less, white dress, that was lined with silk flowers, across the top, and was tight around her waist, but became long and full as it got to her hops. Her hair had been braided into a halo, with small yellow flowers lining the braid, and connecting to a long, flowing veil.
Her bridesmaids were wearing pale yelled silk spaghetti strapped dresses, that were straight skirted, and had slits up the side.
Brittny's now eight month pregnant belly stuck out quite noticeably in this.
"You look beautiful, Katie." Danielle said, smiling into the mirror.
"Thank you, so do you." Katie smiled back at her.
Danielle sighed. "Do you realize this is probably the last time the five of us will be together-I mean really *together*-for the next year?"
Both Unique and the Back Street Boys had decided to take one year odd to sort out and get used to their new lives. Then in August of next year, if fans would accept them, they would go back to the music scene.
Holly nodded. "Yeah. It's amazing, huh?"
"After a life time of hard work, it all changed after a couple weeks in New York." Brittny said, looking down at her stomach.
"But, we'll see eachother all the time." Katie pointed out. "And we all have out boyfriends, husbands, and soon to be husbands who are also best friends."
At that comment, tears formed in Danielle's eyes, and burying her head in her hands, she began sobbing.
Diane walked over and wrapped her arms around her, her dress swishing as she walked. "What's wrong?"
"It's AJ," she choked out. "I-I-I"
"What?" Brittny asked. "Did that bastard cheat on you?"
"No, it's not that." she sobbed. "We just. . . we don't get along anymore. We fight all the time. We-I-I don't think he loves me anymore! We just had a HUGE fight on the way over this morning. I think. . . I think the relationship if over."
"Don't say that. Of course he loves you." Holly comforted.
There was a knock at the door, and Holly jumped to answer.
"Ladies, all the guests are here. So, we need you out in five minutes for the ceremony."
"All right. We'll be out in a moment." Holly answered.
"Well. . . " Katie trailed off. "This is if girls."
"Yep," Danielle said softly, wiping her running mascara with a tissue. "It's been on hell of a ride."
The bridal march began to play as Brittny and Brian, AJ and Danielle, Holly and Howie, and Kevin and Diane, then finally Nick's cousins Emily and Joshua as the flower girl and ring barer walked down the aisle.
Katie's father linked arms with her, and then it was her turn to walk down the aisle, as everyone stood up to watch.
Her eyes locked immediately with Nick's as it seemed in slow motion that she walked up the aisle.
Their whirlwind relationship passed before her eyes as they smiled at eachother.
The first time they met. . . their first date. . . waking up in his arms. . . the night she gave her virginity away to him. . . the night he proposed. . .
Finally, they were joined at the alter, and Mr. McGraw took his seat, handing his daughters hand to Nick.
As the pastor began to speak, Katie barely heard a word he said. She was lost in Nick's eyes, as he was in hers.
Before she knew it she saw Nick's lips form the words 'I Do', and the words she had been longing to hear filled her ears.
"Katherine Leigh McGraw, do you take this man, Nicholas Gene Carter to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do you part?"
"Yes," she said softly. "With every inch of my heart and all of my soul."
"May I have the rings please?"
Joshua stumbled up onto the alter, giving the pastor the rings.
The pastor handed Nick a ring. "Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."
Nick slowly slipped the silver band onto her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."
The pastor gave a ring to Katie, and shakily, she repeated the process.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Tears filled her as, as she and Nick slowly leaned close to eachother, and just as their lips were about to touch-
"Oh my God!" Brittny screamed out in pain.
Katie glanced over to where Brittny had collapsed on the floor, gripping her stomach with one hand, and Brian with the other.
"What happened?" Nick asked.
"My water broke!"
Part Twenty Seven
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