Sam stared down at the linoleum floor of the county courthouse. He wriggled his feet in his uncomfortable sunday shoes. He clenched his fists in his pants pocket as he concentrated on evening his breath. Sam was knocked out of his quiet concentration when a large hand slapped onto his shoulder. "How you doing man?" Yuri asked with a sheepish grin. Sam could tell all each son was already drunk despite it only being eleven in the morning, it was their way of celebrating anything. "I'm good. Thanks." Sam replied curtly. He didn't mean to be short with the young man but his nerves were getting the best of him. Yuri laughed with his head thrown back. "Hey don't be so freaked man! You've known Mamushka for twenty years! Today is a good day!" Yuri exclaimed still keeping a painful grip on Sam's shoulder. Sam gave a small smile hearing the words coming from his soon to be eldest step son. His smile formed into a grimace when Yuri's tight grip turned into a crushing vice. The officer was yanked back so the young man could speak into his ear. "But if you ever hurt her" he growled "I will bust your knee caps, slit your throat, then chop you up and make a fun little scavenger hunt out of you. One false move with Mamushka and you're mine." Sam stared in shock and the young man just laughed.
It was then when Maxim approached them wriggling his phone in the air. "Girls are on their way". Sam's heart jumped. Soon Alice and Galina will arrive at the court house looking beautiful and providing the proper paperwork for his future. "How long will they be?" Sam said with some strain. "Ten minutes or so" Maxim replied with a shrug. Time was going so fast and yet so slow. Sam's hands clenched tight again. Should he sit? But he was far to agitated to stay in one place. Should he walk around the building? But he wanted to be at the right place to see Galina enter. Nothing he was doing was right. But the situation was right. The situation was all he wanted. The situation was a puzzle piece just waiting to be slid into place.
"Sam Healy?" a voice pulled the officer from his racing thoughts. Sam looked down to see a short woman in a judges robe, peering up at him from her tortoise shell glasses. "Yes?" he replied. "Did you want a long or short ceremony?" she asked quickly. "I uhhh…what?" he replied flustered. The woman let out a sigh. "Do you want a long or short ceremony? The length of the ceremony will determine where we can perform it." The small judge explained. "Oh uh…short. My…person doesn't like to beat around the bush. I mean she likes weddings….I think she likes weddings…I hope she likes her wedding. So I guess she would want a long?….No you see we waited twenty years so I think…" Sam trailed off feeling embarrassed. The woman's face softened and a smile graced her lips. She placed her hand on his arm. "Maybe we can wait till the bride gets here. Ok?" she said softly. He smiled. "Do you at least know how many will be attending?" she asked glancing over to Maxim trying to shove a crumpled wad of a dollar into a candy machine. "Four people" Sam replied with a little more confidence. "Oh good less hassle" The judge replied clearly relieved "It's a slow day today so you have time to talk it over. I'll be back in a bit." The small woman then made her way to the perturbed russian assaulting the snack machine. Sam let out a breath as he looked back down at his uncomfortable shoes. The officer felt foolish for his nerves. But this was it. This was a moment the long time romantic had waited a very long time for. But could he be enough for her? Did she want to try to be enough for him? Sam paced about reliving the past twenty years with his soon to be wife. He thought back to when he first toured her around Litchfield to just last week having her teach him how to make a piroshki. He thought about it all.
"Mom's here!" Yuri chirped. Sam's head snapped up. It took a minute but then his eyes fell on her making her way down the hall towards him. She wore a white sleeveless dress top, long white slacks and a dark red shawl draped around her. She was stunning. Her hair was brushed back and rose was tucked behind her ear. "Looking good mom!" Yuri whooped. Galina gave him an unimpressed glance but quickly dissolved into a smile. Each son kissed her on the cheek before she stepped up to her future husband. She looked up at him with her signature smolder of a tilted head downwards, eyes boring into him and a crooked smile letting him know who's boss. Sam grinned broadly back. He took her by the hands and appraised her. She adjusted his tie and he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead when she was done. He didn't say a word and she didn't either. They didn't have to.
Within a minute of Galina's arrival the judge was back. "Oh good you're here" the small woman claimed when her eyes landed on the bride. "So long or short?" the judge asked the russian. "Excuse me?" Galina replied with a raised eyebrow. "The length of the ceremony" Sam explained. "Oh" the bride replied slightly perplexed. "The length decides what room you guys do the thing in!" Maxim explained with his mouth crammed full with peanut butter crackers. The judge gave the young man an exasperated stare. Galina quickly thumped him upside the head. "Ow!" the young man howled. "Short ceremony. I got things to do." Galina stated towards the judge before turning back to her son to give a second thump. "Ah! Mamushka! What the hell!?" Maxim exclaimed. "This is my wedding day!" Galina hissed "It is a wonderful and magical day! I will not have you ruining it by acting like a baboon! You hear me!" The young man nodded all the while rubbing his throbbing head. "Well, all right" the judge chirped unaffected "Do you have all the required paperwork ready and at hand?" Alice appeared squeezing in beside Sam all the while expertly handling a squirming infant and whipping out a manilla envelope from the diaper bag. The judge quickly snatched the envelope from her hand and thumbed through its contents. "Great! We're all set! Follow me." The judge announced quickly turning on her heal and shooting into the nearest hallway. Sam quickly looked to Galina. His chest tightened and he quickly took her hand into his. She looked up at him for just a moment. At first she attempted to appear nonchalant but soon a slight blush graced her cheeks and her eyebrows raised slightly. He took note of the quick squeeze she gave his hand before she turned to look forward and they made their unconventional walk down the aisle.
The courtroom was not to large and had as much of a cozy feel a courtroom could manage to be. The two stood side by side in front of the podium as the judge shifted through the paperwork before her. "Where is that fucking certificate?" The small woman grumbled oblivious to the nervous couple standing before her. "Ok so here is the deal. You will get a better looking certificate in the mail in a couple weeks so if…" the judge trailed off as she continued to shuffle about "Where is that god damn certificate!?" . The couple glanced at one another, Sam with amused smile and Galina with an exasperated scowl. "Aha!" The judge exclaimed holding up the certificate above her head before continuing "Ok so you two know how this goes? I ramble and you just say 'I will' and 'I do' until you think you're committed enough." Once again the couple shared a glance and simply nodded.
It happened so fast after that. Sam tried to remember all the little details. He tried to remember the smell of the room, the smooth oak of the judges stand, the placement of the flower in Galina's hair, the slight tremble in both of their hands when they slipped on the rings, the feeling of breath exciting his body when he promised himself to her, the way she tilted her head after she uttered the words "I do". He tried to remember it all. Then suddenly it was done. "Ok cool." The judge replied "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The two let out a breath they didn't know they were holding and smile crept onto both their faces. He gently cupped her face and placed a tender kiss upon her lips. Their small audience applauded and the baby let out a happy gurgle. They pulled apart and he gazed down at her. To his astonishment tears trailed freely down her pale cheeks as she smiled weakly. "I'm so damn happy" Sam laughed as tears pricked behind his eyes as well. He pulled her near and felt her warmth radiate against him.
"Cool so now we drink?" Maxim asked loudly. "Maxim I…" Galina was interrupted by her eldest. "I got it Ma" Yuri said holding up a hand only for it to land hard across his brothers head.
"Lets go home" Galina sighed. Sam placed a kiss on top her head before whispering in her hair "Lets go home."