The Wedding

June 1880

Chapter 1

The Matron of Honor, the

Mother of the Bride

Since the day Audra was born, Victoria had dreamed of this day, years in the future. She remembered the day she and Tom, her late husband, chose Audra's hope chest – it was on Audra's fourth birthday, just after Jarrod had gone off to war, and they needed something good to look forward to. Over the years, Victoria had embroidered tablecloths and napkins, and chosen dinnerware and flatware and all the other things she wanted her daughter to have when she began her own life as a wife.

On this day, Audra's wedding day, her brothers Nick and Heath had already delivered the hope chest to Audra's new home, the neighboring ranch of Carl Wheeler. Victoria felt so good when she thought of her new son-in-law – her son-in-law! – a handsome, muscular man who had been Nick's best friend growing up, even though Carl was a year or two younger. Looking back, Victoria realized very early on that Carl was likely to be her daughter's husband someday. Audra had always followed him around when he came by to see Nick. It was inevitable.

And now, Victoria helped Audra put on her veil and Audra stood up and asked, "How do I look?"

Victoria could not keep the tears back. In her satin dress, covered with lace, and that beautiful veil that Victoria had worn in her own wedding, Audra was the beautiful woman grown up from the beautiful child. "You look every bit as beautiful as I dreamed on the day you were born."

Audra laughed with joy and hugged her mother tight. "Mother, I'm so excited, I don't know if I can contain myself. I thought I couldn't be any happier on the day of my coming out party, but this – oh, Mother, did you feel so giddy on the day you married Father?"

Victoria laughed and wiped tears away. "Oh, yes, I was giddy, all right, but the moment I saw your father waiting for me at the altar – all the giddiness just turned into pure happiness."

"Do you think it will be that way for me, too?"

"I don't know. It's different for everyone. But I know Carl is the right man for you. I've known that since you were children. You'll make each other very happy."

"Is it almost time?"

Victoria took hold of her daughter's hands and tried to get past a flash of embarrassment. "In just a minute, but is there anything you want to ask me? You know, about – tonight?"

Audra laughed. "I don't think I have any questions, Mother. If we don't know exactly what to do, I think Carl and I will figure it out."

Audra lifted her veil back and hugged her mother then, and Victoria's eyes brimmed over again. "The next time I hug you, I'll be hugging Mrs. Wheeler, not Miss Barkley."

Audra pulled back and kissed her. "I'll be an old married lady."

Victoria laughed. "Oh, come on, let's get you married."

As they came to Jarrod and Maggie's room, Audra said, "Oh, please, let's stop in a see Maggie before we go down."

Victoria nodded and knocked on the door. They heard Maggie invite them in, and they went in together.

Maggie was in bed, put there in part by the doctor and in part because she did not want to risk anything happening with the baby in the middle of Audra's big day. She had been reading a book, but as soon as she saw Maggie, she gasped and put the book down.

Audra came over to the bed, and bent and kissed her sister-in-law. "I'm sorry you can't be with the rest of us today."

"I'll be there in spirit," Maggie said, "and my goodness, you look so beautiful."

Audra did a slow turn in her gown.

"It's beautiful," Maggie said. "And you're going to be so happy as Mrs. Wheeler."

"I know it," Audra said. "We have to be going down, but I didn't want to go before seeing you."

"Thank you," Maggie said. And to Victoria, she said, "And you are about the most beautiful Mother of the Bride I've ever seen."

Victoria smiled. "At least until I start crying."

"Don't let Jarrod trip on his way down the aisle," Maggie said as Audra and Victoria left.

They went out of Jarrod and Maggie's room together and down the hall to the stairway. Jarrod and Heath were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. They both looked so handsome in their formal wear, and they both wore wonderful smiles. Victoria escorted her daughter to the bottom of the stairs, where Heath offered his mother his arm. Victoria took it and let Heath escort her to where the priest, Carl and Nick – his best man – waited by the fireplace in the living room.

"Nervous?" Heath asked as they walked down the aisle.

"Petrified," Victoria said.

Heath chuckled. "Just remember – you're gaining another son, not losing a daughter."

"I just hope I don't faint dead away during the vows."

Heath laughed again. "Mother, you've never been the fainting kind."

"I've never watched my daughter get married before."

By then, they were with the priest. Heath took his seat on the front row next to his brother Eugene, and they all turned to watch Audra.

Her brother Jarrod escorted her down the aisle, and Victoria could not help herself. The tears just came gushing out, to see her oldest son escorting his sister. Her thoughts went flying back to her own wedding, when her children were just dreams she and Tom had for the future. Now here they were, all of them – and Heath, the one Tom never even knew and the one she did not give birth to but as dear to her as if he were her own. They all looked so wonderful, Victoria could not thank God enough for them.

And she said a silent prayer – Tom, I know you're here and you're as proud as I am. I'll love you forever and be forever grateful you gave me all these children.

Audra and Jarrod reached the group, and the priest asked who gave Audra to Carl. Jarrod said, "I do," gave her hand to Carl, and took his seat beside Heath and Eugene on the first row.

The rest went by in a fog until Audra said, "I do," to the vows, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Carl. Then in what seemed like seconds, the priest pronounced them man and wife, Carl lifted his wife's veil and they shared a long kiss. Victoria could hardly keep from screaming with joy.

Nick offered his arm and escorted his mother back down the aisle, behind Audra and Carl.

Everything happened in a swirl of activity outside at the reception in the garden. The next thing Victoria actually realized was that Jarrod was taking her hand and announcing the first dance with her was his.

As she looked at the happiness in his eyes, she couldn't help thinking of how thrilled she was that he had found that woman upstairs, pregnant with his child. It was too easy to let other thoughts slide in – his illness, and the fact that he had been a widower. But he looked so brimming with health that she could let that thought slip away. And as for the other, she had the odd feeling that maybe Beth did need to be remembered somehow on this day. She knew that despite his happiness with Maggie, Jarrod still occasionally thought lovingly of Beth, and he was probably doing that now and then today. Victoria wanted to think of her for a moment or two, as well.

Jarrod swept her around the floor, and then she thought, He's so much like you, Tom. You'd be so proud of all your children, but as far as dancing goes, Jarrod takes the prize.

Then before she knew it, Nick was dancing her around, then Heath, then Eugene, and one by one, practically every one of the ranch hands – also invited to the reception – had taken a turn with her. Finally, even before Audra and Carl had finished welcoming their guests, she had to sit down and just watch.

She watched Audra and Carl dance their first dance as a married couple. Then she watched her sons watching them and then dancing with their sister. For the n'th time today, she thanked God that she was so blessed to have this family, and to have Carl be a part of it.

Before she knew it, Carl was sweeping her into his arms and out to the dancing area. She laughed as he moved her around as gallantly as any man ever had, and she thought this is my son-in-law. "And you can dance!" she said out loud.

Carl laughed. "Don't tell anybody – but I took lessons."

"I'm so happy you're my new son."

"And I'm so happy you're my new mother."

As the light began to fade into evening, Audra and Carl prepared to leave. Victoria made sure that she was the last person they encountered before they drove away in a buggy with a "Just Married" sign and shoes tied onto the back.

Victoria felt the tears coming again as Carl and then Audra hugged her. Carl said quietly, "Thank you for allowing me to become part of your family."

Victoria smiled. "It is my pleasure, Carl. Take good care of my little girl."

"You know I will," he said.

Then Audra hugged her mother, crying for all she was worth. "Oh, Mother, I love you so much. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Victoria said. "And remember, if you need advice about being a wife and a mother – Maggie is just upstairs."

Audra laughed and kissed her mother good-bye.

Then Audra and Carl were off to their home, then later off on their honeymoon in San Francisco.

Then suddenly Nick was chasing Eugene into the house, just like he used to do when Eugene was a child and would bait him into it. Victoria laughed out loud. Then Jarrod was beside her.

"You know, Mother, you must be exhausted," Jarrod said. "I know I am."

"I haven't come down from the clouds yet," Victoria said, "but I suppose I'd better relax for a little while."

Jarrod led his mother back into the house, where all the chairs had been cleared out from the living room and the regular furniture restored. Nick and Eugene had already collapsed into the armchairs by the fireplace. Heath took a spot, standing, behind them. Victoria sat down in the settee with Jarrod.

"It's gonna be awful quiet around here without Audra," Heath said.

"Yeah," Nick agreed.

"And soon, Eugene, you'll head back east, and Maggie and Jarrod will be off to their new home," Victoria said wistfully.

"Well, Heath and I can make up for the noise pretty easily," Nick admitted, "and we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"You know, Mother, you keep promising to come visit me but so far you haven't come through," Eugene said.

"Yeah," Heath said. "Maybe now's the time for you to think about doing a little traveling."

Victoria's face actually lit up a little bit. "You know, you're probably right. Maybe I should."

The men looked at each other suspiciously. She really seemed to like the idea.

"Uh-oh," Eugene said. "Maybe we should have been careful what we wished for."

Victoria's eyes just danced. Yes, in a way it hurt to see her oldest moving off to his new home, and her two youngest with homes of their own, but on the other hand, sometimes an empty nest had its appeal.