"Ah, there she is," Dr. Zara Jetha-Grove smiled, as she watched her friend start down the aisle.
Once everyone stood up, Zara and her husband could only see the top of Sharon's son's head, until they moved past the end of the row.
"She looks a little scared to me," Michael whispered.
"No... she's just overwhelmed. For someone who sits on a judge's bench all day long, you should be better at reading people."
"Excuse me, but I read people just fine. It's old friends who make me wonder."
"Well, don't wonder. Sharon has wanted this for a very long time. She's deserved it even longer."
"You won't get any argument from me," Michael said again, as they sat with the rest of the congregation. Up at the front he watched one of his oldest friends taking a deep breath as she held the hand of the man she was about to marry. He couldn't be happier to be witnessing this, not even if he was presiding himself.
Stretching his arm behind his wife's shoulders so he could pull her towards him, Michael smiled and settled more comfortably. He had been one of Sharon's first friends in the law community decades ago, when no one even imagined that a police officer and lawyer could work together. He'd seen her highest highs and her deepest lows. They pushed each other a lot on cases, but their mutual respect always kept it civil. They laughed and cried about marriages, kids, broken arms, flat tires, and too many former colleagues to count. He considered her one of his favourite people, and watching her today felt like the fireworks on the Fourth of July. He tightened his hold on his wife, not because he needed her to know he was there, but because if he didn't, he might jump up and yell 'Congratulations' before the ceremony was even over. He was more excited for Sharon than he had been for his own wedding.
His wife must have known his struggle, because she reached over to rub her hand up and down his thigh.
"You can talk to her at the reception," Zara whispered. "We have to have them over for dinner soon, too. Andy gets scared every time he's in a room with you."
Michael chuckled quietly, "Andy's not used to being social with lawyers. He's on Sharon's turf now."
"True," she giggled, the shushed him as the prayer was announced. They both bowed their heads to listen.
"Amen" they joined with the rest of the congregation.
"She is going all the way with this service, isn't she?" Michael whispered.
"You know Sharon."
"Yes, I do" he replied as he got comfortable again. The service was going to be a lot longer than his usual ten minutes in judge's chambers, and he wouldn't begrudge her one moment of it.