Oh, promise me that you will take my hand,

The most unworthy in this lonely land,

And let me sit beside you in your eyes,

Seeing the vision of our paradise

Oh Promise Me Words by Clement Scott, music by Reginald De Koven

Chapter Nine

The sanctuary doors opened and suddenly Kitty appeared, her hand on Doc's arm. Matt felt himself sway just a little when he saw her, and Reverend Paige grabbed his upper arm with both hands to steady him. He felt her eyes searching for his and returned her gaze. Hello, Kitty. You look mighty pretty in that new dress. That wasn't even close to what he meant to say to her, but she would understand. Morning, Matt. Nice day for a wedding, isn't it? He could feel all the love she had for him behind those simple words. He smiled the lovesick smile he had always had for her in his younger years and, seeing this, the wedding guests turned toward the back of the church to get their first look at the bride. Kitty returned his smile, and Doc felt the hand on his arm relax. "I'm ready now, Doc." They took a step into the aisle and the wedding guests rose to their feet. Just as he'd predicted, Matt felt considerably better now that everyone was looking at Kitty and not him. Kitty kept her eyes on Matt and barely noticed the guests standing and watching her as Doc accompanied her to the front of the church. She took her place at the altar opposite Matt. Before Doc could leave, Kitty put her arm around his shoulder and kissed his cheek. Doc left the altar to take his seat, rubbing his hand across his mustache in a way that was familiar to everyone present.

Before the preacher could begin to speak, Kitty smiled again and reached for Matt's hand. I love you, Cowboy. Let's get married now.

You bet, he answered.

"Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony…." Reverend Paige talked about marriage for a few minutes while the bride and groom stood in each other's eyes, waiting to take their vows.

"Kathleen, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy Estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep thee only unto him, so long as you both shall live?"

Kitty looked at the face of the man she had loved in sickness and in health for nearly half her life and answered, "I will."

"Matthew, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy Estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"

"I will." Forsaking all others keep thee only unto her. That meant the badge. Someday in the future he knew he was going to have to forsake that badge. Until that time he knew he was going to have to work out a way to put Kitty first. Kitty saw a change come over his face that she couldn't read and was looking at him with a puzzled expression. He smiled at her and then began to repeat the vow the preacher had just given him to make.

"I, Matthew, take thee, Kathleen, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

"Now, Kathleen, repeat after me…" Reverend Paige began.

"I, Kathleen, take thee, Matthew, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till…" Kitty faltered for a moment at the next word. "...death do us part, and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

Now it was time for the ring. Kitty looked at her left hand as Matt lifted it and repeated the words. "Kathleen, I give thee this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor thee, in the Name of God." Tears filled her eyes as Matt slipped his mother's wedding ring onto her finger. Looking up, she saw he had tears of his own.

"Now that Matthew and Kathleen have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. Those whom God hath joined together let no one put asunder."

Before the preacher had a chance to say anything more, Matt reached out and lifted Kitty's chin. Hello, Mrs. Dillon. He bent down to kiss his wife. In front of God and everybody.