Wordless encouragement

Charlie did not disappoint as the ring bearer and stole the hearts of all that were gathered there and even stole most of the show as their eyes couldn't help follow him down the isle, making some of them miss the first steps of the flower girl and the bride herself. Charlie walked in with the delicate pillow holding the rings while wearing his sharp looking little suit and the blue coloured bow tie that made his own blue coloured eyes pop. Outshining both his parents and his dashing uncles.

After he had successfully made it down the isle without tripping or making a mistake, he stood by his father's side waiting for the bride to make her way up to the alter and for his final part in the ceremony to arrive. He was using his small hand to hold onto two of Jason's fingers as his hands couldn't fit any more, while balancing the pillow in his other hand ever so carefully, despite the rings being tied down onto the pillow to prevent them from falling. He was clenching Jason's fingers tightly as he watched the rest go down and tried to calm his nerves. Because although his mental age exceeded his physical age, his emotional age wasn't too far from his physical one. Meaning that a situation such as this, where he had to do something in front of so many strangers without his parents' assistance was quite a lot for a child his age. It also meant that he understood the emotions that such a situation could induce but did not yet possess the skills to deal with them.

Jason who could feel Charlie's grip tightening and imagined that this kind of situation and such a responsibility might by quite stressful for such a young child, especially one that actually understood what he was doing and what he was supposed to be doing. So, in order to help him relax Jason used the few seconds that remained between the words of the officiator and his son's moment suprême to give him some wordless encouragement and comfort. He pulled his fingers loose, catching Charlie's attention instantly and used his hand to pull the boy against his body. As Charlie's head was placed against Jason's leg, he used his hand to brush Charlie's neatly kempt hair and stroked his still adorably chubby cheeks. When Charlie looked up with a slightly confused stare, Jason smiled down gently at him. Making the boy understand what his father was trying to do causing him to smile as well. He mouthed the words 'It's going to be okay' before the two of them looked back at the front in order to not miss his cue to come to the front.

Jenny, who was standing on the other side of the alter by the bride saw all of this go down and felt her heart tighten with multiple wonderful emotions. She had seen the tense look on her son's face and wanted to help him but didn't know how to do so without ruining the ceremony. While she hoped that Jason would notice their boy's emotional state, she saw him standing there with an aloof expression on his face, making her give up on that hope. When he then proceeded to pull his hand away, her eyes grew wide and she was preparing to curse at him in her mind only to feel touched just a fraction of a second later when she saw him replace those two fingers with a comforting yet subtle hug. When she saw that he even smiled at their son and that Charlie was able to smile back, she became filled with happiness and was able to return her focus to the ceremony with a bright smile.

The comfort hadn't come a second too early or too late, because Jenny had just returned her focus to the bride and groom, when the officiator called for the rings and Charlie could finally wrap up his responsibilities with the final task in his job description for the day. Bravely and with as much of a smile as he could muster up under the circumstances, he walked to the front and held the pillow up high for his uncle and soon to be aunt. Once he had finished handing over the rings and walked back to Jason's side, he was lifted in his father's arms. Causing another look of surprise to appear on his face before it turned into one of joy. Jason felt that the young boy had stood on his own for long enough and now that he had finished his tasks, he deserved to be rewarded for doing so well today. A reward which would start with him being allowed to rest both of his legs and his excitedly thumping heart.

What Jason did not know yet that he too would be rewarded very shortly. Jenny watched every second of the interaction between father and son and couldn't be more pleased about it all. Making her even more determined to spoil her uncharacteristically patient prince, her neglected husband, the loving father of her beloved son and the person that she was proud to call the love of her life!