We stood back to back, the open door between us, as Jordan snapped photos. I heard Brady’s voice, steady and sure, as he began to pray over our relationship, our wedding, our future life together. I did my best not to cry as he shared his heart with the Lord and asked for God’s guidance and direction over us as a couple. When he finished praying, the clicking from the camera continued, but I didn’t focus on that. Instead, only one thing held me in its grasp, a simple revelation. Right now, I took Brady’s hand for a photograph. In less than an hour, I would take his hand as his wife.
30
Safe in the Arms of Love
If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all.
Audrey Hepburn
I’d pictured my wedding ceremony for years. Okay, so I’d pictured it with a different groom—my teenage heart being so foolishly wound around Casey Lawson—but how could I have known the Lord would have someone far better in mind for me? As I stood in the foyer of the Baptist church, awaiting that moment when the doors to the sanctuary would swing open and the first bridesmaid would begin her descent down the aisle, I forced back tears. All of the planning in the world couldn’t have prepared me for this awesome, holy moment.
“You okay over there, kid?” Pop squeezed my arm. “There’s no crying in the wedding biz.”
“Puh-leeze.” I sniffled. “This isn’t baseball, Pop. Weddings are all about crying.”
“Oh.” He cleared his throat. “That would explain this unusual sensation that’s plaguing me right now—kind of a lump in the throat and moisture in the eyes. Wish I had a tissue.”
As if on cue, Joni appeared and handed my father a tissue. “You need one too, Katie?”
“I think I’m okay.”
“More than okay.” She gave me a wink. “But no crying, okay? You don’t want to mess up your mascara.”
From inside the sanctuary I heard the strains of my favorite worship song draw to a close. Time to get this show on the road.
“Okay, people,” Joni whispered in a hoarse voice. “That’s our cue.” She reached for the handle to open the door leading to the sanctuary and looked back at the bridesmaids and groomsmen. “Okay, people, remember what I said. Twiggy and Beau, you guys take your time getting to the front, then you part ways. Girls on the left, guys on the right.”
“Girls on the right, guys on the left. Got it.” Beau gave her an impish smile and Twiggy jabbed him with her elbow.
“Don’t ruin your sister’s wedding.” She glared at him.
His eyes twinkled with mischief. “Hey, can’t a guy have a little fun?”
“Not at a wedding.” Twiggy waggled her finger.
“Dang.” He sighed and slipped his arm through Twiggy’s. “Getting hitched is no fun at all. Might have to reconsider whether or not I’ll go through with it myself.”
This provoked another glare from Twiggy. Joni pulled open the door and they entered the sanctuary. I stepped to the side, out of view, so that no one inside would see me just yet.
Joni’s confident smile spurred me on. “Okay, they’re halfway up. Dahlia and Dewey, you’re next.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Dewey offered Dahlia his arm and they began their walk to the front of the church.
“Okay, Crystal and Jasper.” Joni glanced down at her clipboard, then back up at them. “Your turn next.”
I couldn’t help but notice that Crystal looked a bit green around the gills.
“You okay over there?” Joni’s expression conveyed her alarm. “You gonna make it?”
“Yes, I, well . . .” Crystal still looked nauseous.
“Here, sniff this.” Joni pulled out a bottle of peppermint oil. “It’ll calm the stomach.”
A few seconds later, tummy issues under control, Crystal and Jasper booked it down the aisle.
“Guess we’re next, huh?” Lori-Lou took her husband’s arm. “This won’t be the first time we’ve walked the aisle, will it, babe?”
“With four kids, I would certainly hope not.” Alva waved her hand. “You two get a move on. It’s almost show time for this old gal, and I don’t want to miss my cue. I’m the matron of honor, you know.”
“I thought I was the matron of honor,” Lori-Lou said.
“Nope. That would be me.” Alva put her arm in Eduardo’s. “Now that I’m a married woman, I’m the matron of honor, not the maid. Just makes sense. Now get on down there so I can make my entrance.”
Lori-Lou grunted and took off down the aisle, a bit faster than Joni had instructed.
“Finally.” My aunt glanced my way. “This is it, girlie. The moment we’ve been waiting for. This hunky fella and I might just steal the show.”
I watched as Alva and Eduardo sauntered—Really? Since when does she move that quickly?—down the aisle. I couldn’t help the chuckle that rose up when she gave a queenly wave to the crowd as she passed by. It figured that Aunt Alva would turn this into a production. Not that I minded. Oh, no. Right now I just wanted to get to the front of the church and say my “I dos” to the man I loved more than life itself, the one I’d waited my whole life for.
Still, we had one more person to get down the aisle. Gilly looked adorable in her soft pink flower girl dress. Joni gestured for the youngster to take her turn down the aisle, and I watched from a distance as she rounded the corner into the sanctuary, petals flying.
Joni closed the doors and fussed with my gown.
My father gripped my arm and gave me a crooked smile. “Your aunt Alva’s a real showboat, isn’t she? Looks like she turned your wedding into a red-carpet event . . . for herself. Must be all of that time she spent in LA. It did something to her brain.”
“I don’t mind.” And I didn’t. I was just so excited that my moment had finally arrived.
The music shifted from Pachelbel’s Canon to the “Wedding March.” Joni released her hold on my train, stood upright, and put her hand on my arm. “Okay. The big moment. Remember what I told you yesterday. Don’t lock your knees, and keep your focus on Brady.”
I nodded, but my mouth suddenly felt like cotton. Ick.
“You ready, kiddo?” Pop asked.
“Sure am.”
Joni reached to open the door and I stepped into place. As the room came into full view, I saw—for the first time—every detail. For a moment it looked like an ocean of people, many of whom snapped pictures with their cell phones. With everyone standing, I could barely make out the wedding party at the front of the room. Only after taking a few steps down the aisle did I catch my first glimpse of Brady.
Brady.
My heart flew to my throat and my hands trembled with excitement as I saw that gorgeous hunk of a man in his perfectly tailored tuxedo standing next to the pastor. As I drew closer, I couldn’t help but notice the tears in his eyes. Of course, I found it difficult to see clearly, what with mine being in the same condition.
“There’s still time to back out, kid,” Pop teased. “Just say the word and I’ll turn this train around and head back to the station.”
I gave a nervous chuckle after hearing his playful words. “Um, over my dead body.”
Oops. I hadn’t meant to speak those words aloud, but I must’ve, judging from the look of horror on my mother’s face. She glared at me from the front row. Thank goodness the pastor chose that very moment to speak those words I’d been waiting for: “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
For a moment I didn’t think Pop was going to say anything. In fact, the silence went on for an extended period of time until Brady finally cleared his throat and the wedding guests laughed.
My father rushed the words, “Her mother and I do,” and then slipped my arm through Brady’s. In that moment, as my sweetheart and I took our place in front of the pastor, my breathing steadied. All of my nerves, my anxieties, my plans, my concerns, faded away.
This. Is. It.
The moment I’d waited for all my life had arrived at last. I felt joy flooding over m
e like a river, consuming me and giving me the courage to stand before the masses and declare my undying love to this amazing man.
The pastor offered an opening prayer and then instructed the congregation to sit. In that moment, as they all took their seats, I felt a little bit like Cinderella at the ball. I could feel the eyes of every person on me. And Brady.
On us. The two becoming one.
The pastor shared from 1 Corinthians, then handed off the microphone to Pap-Paul, who had offered to lead us in the exchange of vows and the giving of the rings. He greeted us with tears in his eyes, and my emotions got the better of me. How good God had been to us over the past year! He’d brought new family members into the fold and proven himself faithful in a thousand ways. Best of all, he’d given me this amazing, godly man to share my life with.
When my grandfather instructed Brady to say his vows first, I turned and gazed into my sweetheart’s moisture-filled eyes. I did my best to maintain my composure as he read from the page in his hand.
“Katie, from this day forward, we’re a team. And I guess it’s pretty obvious that I’ve always been a fan of teamwork.”
A light chuckle went up from the congregation, especially from a couple of his basketball buddies.
Brady gave my hand a squeeze, and I could see the paper in his other hand shaking as he continued to read. “The Bible says that one person can put a thousand to flight, and two people, working as a team, can put ten thousand to flight. I’ve never been very good at math, but this one was easy: that’s nine thousand more enemies put to flight, simply by taking your hand in mine.”
At this point, his eyes really began to sparkle. “From this point on, we’ll pretty much be invincible. I’ve always wanted to be invincible, ever since I put on my first superhero cape as a kid. I just didn’t realize back then that a girl would have anything to do with it.”
The congregation laughed. As I took in the look of joy in my sweetheart’s eyes, I wanted to laugh too.
“You have no idea how glad I am that you ended up at Cosmopolitan Bridal on that amazing day. I truly count it the most important day of my life, because it’s when I met you.”
Shoot. The mascara was on its own now. I couldn’t help the tears that flowed down my cheeks as he continued to read.
“It’s not just a coincidence that you won that dress”—he pointed to my gorgeous Loretta Lynn gown—“which looks amazing on you, by the way.”
I mouthed, “Thank you.”
“More than anything, though, I’m glad you saw past my struggles and pain to see who we could become—together. I take you to be my wife, my best friend. God has brought us together, and no enemy can tear us apart. From this day forward, we are one. I love you, Katie, and I’ll do my best to be a husband you can be proud of, and hopefully one day, a father to several other team players.”
Several? Did he say several? We might need to talk about that one.
Not that I had time to think about it right now, of course. I listened as our guests chuckled and sighed. Then, without hesitation, Pap-Paul instructed me to share my vows.
I’d waited for this moment all my life—to speak these words to the man who would be my husband. I gazed into Brady’s eyes, those same amazing eyes that had sparkled with delight the day he slipped the ring on my finger, and my heart was overwhelmed with love and gratitude. The words I’d rehearsed for days hit the tip of my tongue with ease.
“Before God and these witnesses, I take you, Brady James, to be my husband. In joy and in pain, in adversity and in celebration, I will love you. Who you are. Who you will be. Who we will become together. My love will never fade. No matter where God takes you in your journey, I will be the one with my hand in yours, walking beside you. Listening. Learning. Loving. Your joys will be my joys. Your sorrows, my sorrows. Your faith, my faith. My heart has waited a lifetime to say these words: I am yours and you are mine. Always. Forever. Together.”
Brady squeezed my hands, and I noticed his trembling had stopped. From now on, just like he’d said, we really were invincible.
I heard my mother sniffling. Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Pop handed her a box of tissues. She pulled one out and dabbed her eyes.
Pap-Paul turned his attention to Brady, all smiles. “Now, Brady, put this ring on Katie’s finger and repeat after me: ‘With this ring, I thee wed.’”
Brady gave me a little wink as he slipped the ring on my finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Pap-Paul glanced down at his book and then back up again. “An ever-present reminder of our vows and a symbol of my love.”
“An ever-present reminder of our vows and a symbol of my love.” Brady’s eyes filled with tears.
“I offer all that I am, and all that I have.”
At this point, my sweet fella’s voice broke. “I offer all that I am, and all that I have.”
My grandfather lifted his hand. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
“Amen,” they said in unison.
Pap-Paul’s moist eyes caught me off guard as he turned my way. “Katie, do you have a ring for Brady?”
I nodded and looked at my matron of honor. Alva, who looked a little glazed over—possibly from standing so long—snapped to attention and fished around in her little handbag until she came out with Brady’s ring. A chuckle went up from the crowd when she presented it to me. I turned to face Brady and held it up, ready to slip it on his finger.
We did the whole thing all over again, but this time I repeated the words as I placed the ring on Brady’s left hand.
Okay, so I lost it a little bit too when we got to the “I offer all that I am” part, but I somehow made it through. Behind me, I heard more sniffles than before and could tell that Queenie and Nadia had joined Mama in crying. I couldn’t really focus on that, however. I needed to keep my eye on the prize and my head in the game.
The pastor stepped back into place and instructed us to light the unity candle. I gripped Brady’s hand and we made our way over to the candelabra, where our parents gathered around us to pray. In that moment, with my mother, father, and mother-in-law hovering nearby, I realized just how blessed we truly were. Our future children—we’d still have to talk about how many—would have the best grandparents in the state.
Afterward, we joined the pastor and my grandfather back at the center of the stage for the grand finale. I still couldn’t believe the ceremony had flown by that quickly. The whole thing felt like it had happened in a blip. The pastor gave a few closing remarks, but I barely heard them. My heart couldn’t wait one second more. By the time he turned to Brady and said, “You may now kiss your bride,” it was too late. I’d already leapt into my husband’s arms, planting a kiss on him that no one in the town of Fairfield would ever forget.
31
Independence Day
I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.
Audrey Hepburn
When the service ended, we made our way down the aisle, hand in hand. Husband and wife. I wanted to sing, to dance, to throw a party! Oh, wait. We were having a party, and in just a few minutes. On the courthouse lawn.
Joni rushed our way when we reached the foyer and threw her arms around my neck. “It went great! You looked gorgeous.” She stood back and gave Brady an admiring look. “And you look like a million bucks!”
“Thank you very much.” Brady spoke to her, but his eyes were riveted firmly on me. I felt a warm, tingling sensation all over as he swept me into his arms and dipped me backwards for a long, passionate kiss. Unfortunately, with the doors to the sanctuary still open, the entire congregation could see. Applause broke out, which only further invigorated my husband to pull the dip-and-kiss a second time.
Husband. Wow!
I. Am. A. Married. Woman!
Alva and Eduardo were the first couple to join us in the lobby. They took one look at us and decide
d to do a little smooching too. Then came the others, couple by couple, all laughter and smiles. The congregation poured out of the sanctuary, and congratulations were offered, one after another. The person who surprised me most with her tears? Madge. Even Stan looked a little misty.
They didn’t stay that way for long, though. Joni sent most of our friends to the courthouse lawn to make sure everything was ready to go. Then the wedding party headed back into the sanctuary for a few more photos. Jordan led the way, snapping dozens of them. And though we had fun taking pictures, I really, really wanted to get to the party.
With the courthouse only a couple of blocks away, we decided to walk. Or, rather, have a wedding parade. Jordan snapped one photo after another as we made our way out of the front of the church, down the side street toward Main, and onto the south lawn of the courthouse. I couldn’t help but notice that the orange cones in the middle of the road had been taken away. I also noticed a police officer guiding traffic around the courthouse square for our protection. I’d have to thank the mayor and the sheriff later, for working together to keep our little party safe.
Er, make that big party. As my eyes traveled to the expansive courthouse lawn, I was blown away. “Wow! Brady, look!” I pointed to the tables. Gorgeous linen cloths. Hand-painted picnic baskets. Gerbera daisies. “Beautiful.”
“My favorite is the lemonade stand.” He pointed and I saw Bessie May and Mildred working together to hand out drinks. I couldn’t get over their aprons and caps. Adorable. Straight out of a turn-of-the-century photo.
“Ooh, ice cream.” A faint glint of humor blazed in Eduardo’s eyes. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“Not until we’ve eaten the real food,” Mama said as she stepped beside me. “Oh, Katie, just wait till you see the kabobs! Beef, chicken, pork, shrimp . . . I’m telling you, the folks at Sam’s outdid themselves. They loved your ideas so much that they’ve added kabobs to the menu.”
“Really?”