The day was June 9, 2001. The sunshine, so perfectly warm and bright and pale golden, seemed to fuel the happiness and excitement lingering in the air. The sky was a bright blue, barely a cloud to be seen. The temperature was perfect; the only lapse in warmth was a cool sea breeze once in awhile.
During North Carolina's drizzly spring season, this kind of weather was truly a Godsend.
Not that Jamie or her husband-to-be believed otherwise.
Husband-to-be...husband-to-be...Today was the big day. It was here. Ms. Sullivan would today become Mrs. Carter. Married to the love of her life... Jamie stood in front of the large vanity mirror in Cynthia's bedroom, which had been turned into a dressing room slash salon, all these thoughts and more running through her mind. She had gotten into her dress - a beautiful, long pearly white gown that hung just past her feet, with sleeves of lace.
Her mother's.
Cynthia had expertly curled her hair, Miss Garber had done her makeup, and now Sally, who had been excitedly chatting away all morning, prepared to pin on her veil.
"Jamie, you look gorgeous," she gushed. "Your hair is perfect. And this dress... oh, I know I've already said this, but it's stunning. I hope I look this amazing when I get married!"
Jamie giggled. "Thanks, Sally," she replied. She stole a glance in the mirror and drew in a breath. She was so insanely happy...but like any bride shortly before walking down the aisle, she had butterflies in her stomach.
"She's right, sweetie," Cynthia added, touching her arm. "You're going to make everyone's jaws drop." She grinned. "Especially Landon's."
Miss Garber nodded in agreement, smiling. Quickly, she grabbed the camera she'd been keeping on hand and snapped another picture.
Jamie smiled, trying not to blush. "Thank you, Cynthia."
"All right, hold still a second," Sally said. Carefully, she pinned on the veil, and arranged it so it hung just right around Jamie's shoulders. "Ooh, you're perfect!" she practically squealed, clapping her hands together.
"Ready to take a look?" Cynthia asked gently. Jamie nodded lightly and turned so she faced the mirror dead-on. Her lips curved into a smile. I can't believe it, she thought. I'm a bride. Landon's bride.
There was a knock on the door. Gently it opened, and Reverend Sullivan leaned into the room. "Are we ready?" he asked.
"We certainly are." Cynthia stepped out of the way, revealing the Reverend's daughter to him. Jamie turned to face him, smiling.
"Hi, Daddy," she said softly.
Reverend Sullivan's face softened immensely. Nobody could quite tell if he had tears in his eyes, but they certainly shone with pride.
"Now, how'd this happen?" he asked softly, taking a step forward. He chuckled softly, with a shake of his head. "My Jamie…if I'm not mistaken, just yesterday you were stumbling around the living room, taking your first steps…"
Jamie sighed, reaching for his hand. "Daddy…" The way she smiled reminded him of the hospital room that afternoon.
"You're beautiful, honey," he said, clasping one of her hands in both of his. He faltered a moment, as if he were about to say something else, but he simply let out his breath instead. From there, he pulled her close, embracing her almost as if he were trying to protect her from all harm, rubbing her back tenderly. She held on to him..
The words "thank you" clung to her lips, but somehow, she wasn't sure they were enough.
Finally pulling away gently and stroking his daughter's cheek, Hegbert looked into her smiling eyes.
"Just like your mother. Just like her." It seemed like he had completed his thought from before. He looked down over the dress, then back up into Jamie's eyes.
Jamie drew in her breath and looked into the face of the man who had raised her, for sixteen years of her life.
"Thank you, Daddy," she said. "For everything. Okay?" Amazingly, her voice only quivered.
He nodded, placed a hand on her cheek, and kissed her forehead. "She's here today," he whispered, years of North Carolina residence wearing down on his speech. "My Elizabeth, your momma. Remember that."
Jamie nodded. "I do." With those words, she realized fully what today was. She bit her soft lip, overcome with a wonderful bittersweet emotion.
Reverend Sullivan held his daughter's hand, and they said a prayer.
Moments later, they left the house, and headed towards the church.
Landon stood up at the front of the church, hands pressed together. The room had filled up with people - nearly every pew was entirely occupied. The sunlight poured in. Beautiful decorations accented the perfection of the tiny church as everyone waited upon the bride's impending entrance.
Landon looked around at everyone he knew. His mother sat in the first pew, smiling broadly at him. She quickly dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Landon smiled back. "Love you," he mouthed.
He continued looking around. He saw Eric…of course he saw Eric. Eric wouldn't have missed this for anything, and he knew that. Maybe it was the overall emotion of the day, but the very thought choked him up. He remembered how Eric had actually told him, after he'd sent an invitation…he'd showed up at Landon's door, invitation in hand, and smiled, holding it up. After a bear hug, he'd told Landon, "I'm gonna be there, front row, and you can count on it." Landon had laughed heartily, somehow wanting to cry at the same time. It was a strange, strange feeling for him. They'd done the handshake, and it was decided. Now, there he was...second row instead of front, but it didn't matter.
He looked around again… Dean, right next to Landon's mom, with his own dad on the other side…Dean's dad had known Cynthia for quite some time. They'd gone to high school together here in Beaufort. Even before Landon really started hanging out with Dean after screwing off with him every day in freshman year biology, their parents said hello when they saw each other out around town…Dean's mom was out of the picture too; lived in a different town about twenty minutes away. Now there they were, and Dean was turned and engaged in conversation with Eric, smiling and jubilant, both seeming to sit up a little straighter than usual. As if on cue, Dean turned forward and grinned and his friend, giving him a little salute. Eric grinned too, shaking his fist lightly in the air, like a sign of victory. Landon smiled at them both, nodding and returning it.
Looked around again…time seemed so much longer than it really was; he'd only been up here for less than a minute…
He saw Eddie, Sally settling down in her seat just in front of him; Jesse, the girl Jamie had tutored at Jefferson…
And Belinda, sitting with her parents in the back. He caught her eye, and she smiled at him. It didn't take much examination of her face to notice that… she seemed happy to be here. Her hair glinted in the sunlight, and the beams bounced off her cheeks as she smiled at him. For an instant, he remembered the brooding, upset look on her face in the cafeteria the day…well, the day that resulted in his asking Jamie out in the first place. He internally compared that look to today's look, and maybe that was exactly what made him realize that she was different.
Then there was the man standing at his side…it was so surreal to see that. His father caught his eye and nodded at him, looking strong and composed on the outside, but Landon noticed that maybe he was struggling to remain that way. They had already talked before the ceremony…
"I just want you to love that girl, Landon," he had told him, a strong hand on his son's shoulder. "You don't need everything in the world. That's all it takes to make it work. And…I just hope you know that I love you too." It had been the second thing his dad had done to make him cry in a long time.
Landon smiled gratefully at him, and for a second felt like he was eight years old again, about to go on one of their father son fishing trips. Everything was dreamlike for a moment, and then he looked out over the crowd of friends and family, and it was real again.
The pianist finished the last of the wedding party's recessional, then started up with a different song. It was new, but not to him. He'd heard it before.
Outside, the warm sunlight on her back, Jamie held onto her father's arm, her bouquet clutched tightly in her other hand.
"This is my number one, Daddy," she breathed. "I can't believe it…"
He smiled at her and stroked her cheek with his free hand…well, almost free, as he was carrying his Bible. She closed her eyes. She had expected to feel nervous at this point in time. She expected massive butterflies. There were, surprisingly, almost none. She wondered if she were really as calm as she felt.
The doors opened. Inside the church, everyone turned to face them. Landon looked up, just in time to see his bride step inside.
His breath caught inside his chest, literally, for just a moment.
Only Hope began to play.
She was... what was the word? Stunningly, amazingly, extraordinarily beautiful. Everything about her, every aspect of her being, glowed. As she walked slowly down the aisle to the magical notes of the song being played, she looked around at all the guests in the pews, smiling at them, as if thanking and greeting them silently. She looked like the happiest girl in the world.
She felt like it, too.
As she passed Cynthia, the two women smiled broadly at one another, Cynthia's eyes twinkling and her smile warm as if Jamie were her own daughter. Then Jamie raised her eyes to Landon, and they locked. Whatever the time for perfection, this must have been it. Jamie smiled slightly, and her eyes never left her groom's as she approached the front.
Pausing briefly, Reverend Sullivan kissed his daughter on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy," Jamie whispered. He helped her to the front, then let go of her arm. Jamie turned and handed her bouquet to Miss Garber, the one she'd chosen as her maid of honor without a doubt…the teacher who had stood behind and supported her all four years of her high school career, as her drama instructor, and also her friend and guidance. To those who didn't know her well, she was an overexcited drama nut who was obsessed with the word "marvelous." To Jamie, she was the one person besides Cynthia with whom she'd ever wondered if this is what her mother was like.
She and Landon joined hands. Immediately, as if instinctively, Landon began stroking hers with his thumb.
Reverend Sullivan looked out to the congregation. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the presence of these witnesses, to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," he said. At the mention of the word "woman," he looked at his daughter admiringly.
Landon smiled at the beautiful young woman in front of him. "I love you," he mouthed to his bride.
"I love you," Jamie mouthed back.
Soon after, the Reverend opened his Bible and began to recite 1 Corinthians 13:4, Jamie and Landon's chosen passage. With that, Jamie and Landon recited their vows, the ones they'd written for each other…brief, but with so much meaning and love. Not long after Landon started speaking did Cynthia pull out the tissues and start dabbing like crazy. During Jamie's, her father smiled softly upon her, letting himself let go of his professional pastor role for just a few moments. The church was totally silent except for the occasional sniffle. Every eye was fixed up front. Nobody moved, except to reach for hands, or more tissues. Dean handed Cynthia an extra, and patted her back helpfully. He looked back up at Landon, hardly believing this himself.
Soon it was Reverend's turn again.
"Jamie and Landon, please state your intent to enter into this union by expressing your vows to one another. Landon, repeat after me..."
Repeating after the Reverend, Landon vowed, "I, Landon Rollins Carter, take Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan to be my lawfully wedded wife, to honor and to cherish, all the days of my life."
And then came Jamie's turn... "I, Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan, take Landon Rollins Carter to be my lawfully wedded husband, to honor and to cherish, all the days of my life."
"Now if I could have the rings," the Reverend said. Landon's father held them out. Reverend Sullivan took the first one, blessed it, and handed it to Landon. "Landon, place this ring on your bride's finger and state your pledge to her, repeating after me..."
Landon held the ring just above Jamie's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed," he repeated, then slid it on gently.
A moment later, Jamie repeated the same. "With this ring, I thee wed." She carefully slipped on the gold band.
Finally, Reverend Sullivan closed his Bible. "Before God and these witnesses, Jamie and Landon have pledged their love and commitment to one another. Therefore, by the power vested in me by God our Heavenly Father and the great state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He faltered for just a second. "You may kiss your bride."
Landon had thought that as soon as the Rev said that, he wouldn't waste any time. However, looking at him, seeing how he had composed himself through this…he had just given his daughter off to be married, to him…
Landon nodded at him respectfully, smiling. He hoped the look conveyed what he wanted it to; that he had never been more grateful to the Reverend than he was today.
Reverend nodded, and for maybe the fourth time ever, grinned at Landon. "Go ahead, son," he whispered.
There had only been maybe a second's pause, but Landon was definitely ready. He leaned in and wrapped his arms around his new wife's neck, kissing her. The church burst into cheers, and slowly the two pulled apart. Quickly, though, Jamie went back for one more, slightly quicker kiss. Then she turned, took her bouquet from Miss Garber, and grabbed her husband's hand.
With that, Mr. and Mrs. Landon Carter hurried back down the aisle together.
Everyone clapped, wiped at their cheeks, and did everything you would expect at the end of a wedding ceremony. What made this one a little different though, were two things.
One, some people had just realized how surprising God's ways can be, after witnessing these two marry each other.
Two, those same people, and everyone all together, had no idea how the Reverend who had married them managed to keep himself together as he did it.
