ffsol3

Far away from Mark and Liz' dreams, Eliza watched with teary eyes as her boyfriend kneeled before her. "Eliza," Shane looked at her. "I love you, and I would be the happiest man on the face of the earth if you would just be my wife." She just sat there, and could do nothing but smile at him as tears of pure happiness ran down her cheeks. "So, what do you say love? Will you marry me?" he asked, and placed a shining ring on her finger. Eliza was completely overwhelmed by his gesture, and she seemed to have lost her
ability to speak, so she nodded. She watched with delight as Shane's face light up as if he had seen something so beautiful he couldn't allow himself to believe it was real. "Yes." she finally said. Just one little world, one little word of three letters, changed Shane's life. His face went from waiting in excitement to being ecstatically happy. "Oh good heavens�" he stuttered. Eliza took his face in her hands, and looked deep within his eyes. "Yes." she repeated. He placed his lips on hers, and it was like they had never kissed each other before. Everything around them looked so new, so alive.Distantly they heard the clock strike 1, but they didn't care about the
time. They had each other, and for now, that was all they needed.

Mark and Liz woke up around 11 the next morning, all the candles was burnt down around them. Liz got up to go to the bathroom, but she was yanked back again. "Ouch! Mark, help me! I'm stuck!" she laughed, when she realised her hair had caught itself in the chain he had around his neck. Mark carefully removed her hair, and kissed her neck. "It seems you're hooked on me, doll face." he said with a broad American accent, and it made her laugh even more. "I am!" she said, and headed for the bathroom.They were both getting ready to go down to have breakfast, when someone knocked on their door. "I'll get it!" Liz called over her shoulder, and opened the door. Outside it, Eliza stood with a huge grin on her face. "What is it?" Liz wanted to know. "Look! Isn't it gorgeous?" she said, and
held her hand out for Liz to see her engagement ring. She looked from the ring to Eliza's grin, to the ring again then back at Eliza. "Oh God! Congratulations Eliza!" she screamed, and gave her friend a big hug. "Thank you!" Mark came in from the balcony, "What's the matter?" he asked, and looked from one girl's face to the next, then down on Eliza's hand. "I see, congratulations Eliza!" he smiled and hugged her. "It's really beautiful. When did he do it?" Liz asked and pulled her inside. "Well, we took a walk through the park after dinner yesterday, and we sat down on this bench. We sat there for a while, watching the stars. Then he gets down on one knee, and says that if I would be his wife, he'd be the happiest man on the face of the earth." Eliza said, still smiling widely. "Aww, that is so sweet." Liz said, and hugged her again. "I'm so happy for you, sweetie!" Mark nodded behind her. "Me too, you're so sweet together." Eliza smiled at them and thanked them. "Now, what I came for other that show you guys this, was to ask if you were ready for some breakfast?" she said, and looked at them. "We were just getting ready to go down, so yeah." Mark said, and closed the door behind them as they walked out, and met Shane in the hall. "Congratulations Shane!" Liz and Mark both said when they saw him. He smiled widely at them. "Thank you!"

They sat talking about their engagement all breakfast long, and Mark and Liz found out that they were invited to their wedding; set to be the next Saturday. "But next Saturday?" Liz said, and looked at her watch. "That only leaves us a week! Eliza, we've got things to do!" she said, and Eliza nodded. "I know! But Shane told me he'd take care of the place, so all we have to worry about is the flowers, my dress�" "Your shoes, hair, make up, jewellery." Liz continued with a smile. "Exactly! Shane, Mark. You'll just have to excuse us, we've got some business to attend to!" Eliza said. They got up, and kissed Shane and Mark goodbye. "We'll see you later." Eliza
said, and then they were out the door. Mark looked at Shane; they shook their heads and laughed. "Well, I guess we'll have to get started too then, won't we?" Mark said. Shane nodded, "I guess so. Oh, I can't wait till Saturday." he smiled. "Neither can I. It'll be great Shane! You notified both your families before you left, right?" "Yes, and her friends, and mine. I've booked them all into another hotel not that far from ours, and they'll be here Friday afternoon. And you notified both you families and friends?" Mark nodded, "Yes, same hotel. I guess they've all talked to each other. Then all we have to do is keep the girls away from that hotel on Friday. Oh, we've got to go. The meeting with the priest was at 12.30, wasn't it?" Shane looked at his watch. "Yes, it was. Okay then, let's go. When are you going to ask Liz?" he wanted to know. "Tonight. I thought I'd do it last night, but she was so tired, and we both fell asleep after having dinner." he answered, and they laughed.

Chapter 6.

The day turned into night, and the girls had arranged to meet for dinner. "We're having dinner with Liz and Mark tonight. We'll meet downstairs at 8." Eliza shouted over the sound of her hairdryer from the bathroom. "Really? At 8? Well, that gives him a little over an hour to ask. Unless he does it at dinner." Shane said, counting the hours on his watch. "What did you say? Who's going to ask who what?" Eliza said behind him. He kissed her, and tilted his head. "Well, I guess it won't do any harm if I tell you." he said. Elizalooked at him curiously, "Tell me what?" she asked. "Mark is going to ask Liz to marry him tonight." he smiled at her. Her eyes were
big and she smiled widely at his news. "He is? Really?" Shane nodded, and kissed her.

Liz sat in front of the mirror, fixing her hair. "Wonder where Mark is?" she said to herself, and got up to answer the door. It knocked again; "Yes?" she called, while spraying her hair. "Room service mademoiselle." the voice answered from the other side of the door. "Coming!" she called back. "Room service? I haven't ordered anything. Oh, maybe Mark did. Where is he?" she thought.She opened the door, and a young man in a smoking stood outside with a trolley. "Here you are. Enjoy, Mrs. Feehily!" he said with a smile, and
left her standing bewildered in the door. "Mrs. Feehily?" she asked the empty hall, and pulled the trolley into the room with her. "Let's see what's in here." she said, and lifted the lid on one of the silver trays. A bouquet of fresh cut, red roses lay on the tray with a card. Liz took the card, and read it aloud to herself. "My one and only� I love you more than words can say. Please, read the card on the other tray first. Forever yours, Mark." it said. She lifted the roses, and placed them in a vase she found on the desk. Then she lifted the other lid; there was a little box and a card there. She did like he had asked, and read the card first. "To my angel on this
earth, will you marry me?" she read, and with hands that were slightly trembling she opened the box. "Oh�" she gasped when she saw the ring. It was in white gold and had a diamond shaped like a little heart. Carefully she took it out from the box, and placed it on her finger. She held her hand out from her body, and watched the ring sparkle in the light. The door opened behind her, and she turned to Mark. "Yes!" she told him. He ran over to her and lifted her up. "You will?" Liz nodded, and he kissed her. "Of course, I will!
I love you, and I love what you did Mark." He smiled at her, and their eyes sparkled like fireworks.

Eliza and Shane were downstairs, waiting for the two others to come down. She stood watching the elevators carefully, to see if they came out of one of them. Eliza spotted Liz even before she was out of the elevator; she shone from happiness. "Liz!" she called, and she came running over. Eliza gave her a big hug before she could say anything. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you Liz!" she said. "You know? Thank you!" Liz asked. Eliza nodded, and told her that Shane had told her what Mark was up to. "Can I see it?" she asked. Liz held her hand out, and smiled. "Isn't it beautiful?" "Yes, it's gorgeous!" Shane smiled at the girls, and turned to Mark.
"Congratulations mate! I'm really happy for ya!" he said. "Thanks Shane. Should we tell them now?" Mark said and looked at Eliza and Liz. They stopped their chatting and looked at them. "Tell us what?" they said at the same time. "That it's going to be a double wedding in Paris on Saturday." Shane said. "It's what?" Eliza asked, and looked at Liz. "We're getting married together. Next Saturday." Mark continued. "For real?" the girls looked at them in disbelief, but the lads' smiles confirmed it. "Oh God! Thank you!" they smiled, and hugged them. "You're very welcome. Now, let's go get some dinner, and discuss weddings!" Shane laughed, and took
Eliza's arm.

The days went by so fast, and the two couples were out and about arranging their weddings. Eliza and Liz had been out and bought dresses; beautiful, white wedding gowns. "Oh, let me see it honey!" Shane said when Eliza came back with the dress over her arm. "Na-ah! You'll see it on Saturday!" she teased, and put the dress in her closet. "So, what are you wearing?" Liz asked Mark. "Na-ah! You'll see it on Saturday, angel!" he said, and winked at her. "Fine, it's not that long anyway. Just a day to wait." she said, and flashed him a big smile. "I know, and I can't wait." he said and kissed her.