It has been a pleasure.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Logan's cries came through the baby monitor. Zoe's eyes fluttered opened and a smile formed on her face as she sat up and threw the covers back. After she got up out of bed, Zoe walked across the bedroom passing the white dress hanging on her and Wade's bedroom door as she continued to go to Logan.
Zoe picked Logan up out of his crib and then brought him to her chest. "It's just you and me with the peace and quiet for a little while kiddo. Then the circus will begin". She then placed a soft kiss on the top of Logan's head and then proceeded to the kitchen to make his bottle.
"Wade, no" Lavon ruled as he held Wade's phone out of reach.
"Come on Lavon. I just want to check on her. She has never been alone with Logan over night" Wade exasperated.
"And pushing the baby bird out of the nest is the best way to teach her how to fly".
"Zoe is not a baby bird. She is a tightly wounded, spring trap that could snap at any moment".
"Enough! I will call and check on her". Lavon compromised and then dialed the number while Wade moved around nervously.
"Put it on speaker" Wade suddenly demanded.
"No" Lavon answered sternly. "No seeing the bride, no speaking to the bride. And no hearing the bride".
"Hey Lavon" Zoe answered the phone.
"Big Z, today is the big day"
"Yes, it is. The smile has not left my face since I woke up this morning". Zoe answered and looked down at Logan. "Oh, you should see Logan. He's looking for you".
"Oh, you have me on speaker"? Lavon asked.
"See? She has you on speaker". Wade snapped at him.
"Hey Logan, how you doing little buddy"? Lavon eyed Wade.
"That's cold and just plain mean". Wade scolded him.
A smile stretched across his face at Wade's frustration. Wade just huffed out of the kitchen and went upstairs.
"You're so mean, Lavon" Zoe chuckled.
"I'm the best man. It's in the job description". He defended himself.
"Okay, delivering messages is also in the job description.
"Pen and paper ready" Lavon answered.
"Knock, Knock" Lavon said as he cautiously opened the door to the guest room.
"What do you want, worst best man ever"? Wade snapped.
"Keep that up and I won't give you Zoe's messages". He chastised.
"Sorry" Wade begrudged as a reply.
"I guess that's better than nothing". Lavon commented before he continued. "Zoe is fine. Logan is fine. They are fine. And you can read the last message for yourself". Lavon told him as he handed the Wade the piece of paper.
Wade took the piece of paper and read it. "I love you, forever" he whispered.
"Forever? I'm pretty sure I wrote down always". Lavon questioned
"You did. It's a thing Zoe and I do. I say I love you, forever and she says I love you, always". Wade answered reminiscing.
"That's so sweet" Lavon mocked.
"Just you wait. One day, you'll meet a girl and fall in love. Then you'll turn into a girl like the rest of us". Wade warned.
"I look forward to it" Lavon took the challenge.
Ms. Hart was directing traffic in the town square. "Begin setting up the chairs here. This is a diagram for you to follow". She handed the piece of paper to the man in charge of the chair rentals. He took it and started directing his men in the set up of the chairs.
The wedding planner caught Ms. Hart directing the chair rental employees. "Ms. Hart, you need to stop doing my job and go to your hotel room and relax. I know I wasn't here the second the chairs arrived but that's okay. Everything will be perfect, I promise". She assured Ms. Hart as she turned her and directed her towards the Whipple Inn.
Dr. Hart knocked on the front door of Zoe's house. Zoe answered the door and motioned for him to come in. "I came to pick up Logan to take over to Wade".
"Oh, okay. He's in the living room with Nathan". Zoe answered as she led the way.
"Hey Nathan" Ethan greeted.
"Hey Dr. Hart" He returned.
"Dad came to pick up Logan". Zoe explained.
"I have to give up my little buddy"? Nathan pouted at Logan.
"Yes, Wade is probably going nuts. He's never been away from him over night before". Zoe answered handing her dad the diaper bag and Logan's wedding outfit.
"Well, I guess dad trumps uncle. I have to give you up". Nathan told Logan before he gave him to Dr. Hart. Ethan nodded his farewell to Nathan before he went to the door to leave. Zoe sat down on the couch to put her shoes on.
"Where are you going"? Nathan Asked.
"I have somewhere I need to go before the wedding. Alone". Zoe eyed Nathan not to protest. He held his hands up in the air and then leaned back on to the couch.
Zoe opened the gate to the cemetery. She knew the path to her destination well. "Hey Harley" Zoe greeted before she sat down on the ground. "I am getting married today. I will become Mrs. Wade Kinsella. He would give me one of his signature smiles if he heard me say that". She laughed softly to herself. Little did she know that he was indeed giving her one of his signature smiles because her phone pocket dialed him.
"Who are you talking too"? Lavon asked making sure it wasn't Zoe.
"Her pocket dialed me, it's not the same". Wade tried to negotiate.
"I can't imagine that she and Nathan's medical conversations are that interesting"? Lavon responded.
"She isn't talking to Nathan. She's talking to Harley". Wade corrected.
Lavon snatched the phone from Wade's ear. "That is a private conversation between her and her desist biological father". Lavon reprimanded.
"I wish you could have been here to see all of the good things you have contributed to my life. I have become a better doctor. I have become a mother. I will become a wife. I would have never had any of those things in New York like I will have them in Bluebell and I could never thank you enough for leaving me your half of the practice. It changed my life so much for the better". Zoe pressed her hand over Harley's name on his tombstone before she stood up to leave.
"How did you talk me into being your maid of honor. Nathan asked adjusting his cuffs.
"Oh! I made you watch Maid of Honor so that you would see it was okay to be a male maid of honor. Then you promised me, you would do it as long as I never made you watch that movie again". Zoe answered with a sly smile.
"Ah, yes, torture".
"It was not torture it was a cute movie. Zoe pouted.
"I'm just glad that Logan was in bed asleep and couldn't see you emasculation of his Uncle Nathan".
"Drama queen" Zoe mumbled as she walked into the bathroom.
"I heard that". Nathan shouted back.
Wade and Lavon were putting the final touches on getting dresses before they headed to the town square.
"Did you and Zoe write your own vows"? Lavon asked.
"Yeah, we did". Wade answered while trying to put on his cuff links.
"Let's hear it". Lavon demanded as he took over Wade's cufflinks for him.
"I love you, forever". Wade recited.
Lavon stopped his activity and looked up at Wade. "I'm still listening".
"That's was all of it".
"That was all of it"? Lavon repeated.
"Yeah, you know Zoe. She doesn't need a bunch of flowery words.
"She may want more than a sentence as her husbands wedding vows". Lavon scolded.
"What should I say? That I will always love her or I will always take care of her to the best of my ability. I will never leave her or cheat on her. That I want to grow old with her and sit on the front porch in the rocking chairs with our grandbabies"? Wade finished.
"Well, yeah" Lavon responded.
"All of that is part of loving her and well, forever covers the always".
"So, it does" Lavon conceded with a smile.
The doorbell rang and Lavon went down stairs to answer the door while Wade put on his shoes. Standing on the porch was Ethan Hart with Logan and all of his belongings.
"I heard you were missing a groomsman". Ethan greeted.
"The most important one too" Lavon smiled and then let them in the house.
Wade was casually walking down the stairs until he saw Logan. He sped up his pace directly towards him. "How are you doing Dr. Hart"? Wade greeted before he took Logan from him while keeping his eyes trained on the baby.
"You can skip the pleasantries this one time. I know you missed him". Ethan responded.
"You have no idea". Wade held Logan close like he would disappear if his grip was loosened one bit.
"Ethan, we have to pick up Zoe and Nathan". Ms. Hart let herself into Lavon's house.
"How is Nathan"? Wade asked. "Did he enjoy spending the evening in my house with my fiancé and son"?
"Green isn't a good color on you, Wade". Ms. Hart responded as she retreated to the door.
"Yeah, I got to go" Dr. Hart said awkwardly and quickly followed behind Ms. Hart.
"We should get going too". Lavon reminded Wade.
"Yeah" Wade agreed after a deep breath.
Sheppard hooks with candle lit lanterns out lined the perimeter of the ceremony. Paper lanterns were also strung above the guest to add more lighting. At the base of the Sheppard hooks were deep red rose pedals. The poles of the gazebo had white lights wound around them. The natural foliage was the only plant life, less is always more. The white chairs were filling with the citizens of Bluebell. They were buzzing with the anticipation of the evening's event.
A hush fell over the crowd as the minister stepped out and walked up the stairs to the gazebo. He was followed by Wade and Lavon with baby Logan in his arms. Wade was so nervous. His worst fear was that Zoe would come to her to senses and change her mind. He felt as though he didn't deserve the male version of the fairy tale ending. The only good thing he ever did in his life was loving Zoe and apparently that was enough to get his fairy tale ending.
Cannon in D began to play as Nathan walked down the aisle trying to keep his dignity intact as Zoe's maid of honor. He passed Wade and Lavon snickering like little school boys. Nathan tried for Zoe to ignore them otherwise he would have decked them both.
The archway that Nathan walked through at the beginning of the aisle now had white curtains hanging closed from it. Wade took a deep breath for he knew what that signaled. The wedding march began to play and the guest turned to see the bride. Two men in tuxedos pulled back the curtains to reveal Zoe and her father.
Zoe was the most beautiful creature Wade had ever seen. She was walking towards him in an ivory sweetheart design in a mermaid silhouette. It also had a pleated design on the body that was made of lace and beading. In her hands was an arrangement of deep red and ivory roses.
As Zoe and her father walked towards the end of the aisle complete happiness came over Zoe. She was walking towards the beginning of forever with Wade. There was no moment other than when Logan was born that compared with this moment. Who would have thought that Dr. Zoe Hart would find the love of her life in the middle of nowhere, Alabama?
Wade took Zoe's hand from her father and squeezed it tight as if he loosened it one bit, she would disappear. Zoe smiled and squeezed his hand back to let him know she wasn't going anywhere.
The minister spoke the words of a traditional wedding ceremony and then announced that Wade and Zoe had written their own vows. Wade looked into Zoe's deep brown eyes and then spoke his vow. "I love you, forever". Zoe couldn't hide her smile even if she wanted too and returned Wade's gaze as she spoke her vow. "I love you, always". They then exchanged rings before the reverend pronounced them man and wife.
The wedding reception was a grouping of ivory linen covered round tables with deep red rose center pieces as well as chargers underneath ivory china. The tables were arranged around the dance floor that was lit by the over hanging lanterns. There were waiters walking around to each table delivering their meals as Wade and Zoe took center stage on the dance floor.
"May I have this dance, Mrs. Kinsella"? Wade offered his hand.
"Of course, Mr. Kinsella" Zoe returned with a soft laugh. They floated across the dance floor as the town of Bluebell looked on in awe.
After the song ended Mr. Hart was standing at the edge of the dance floor waiting for the chance to dance with his daughter. "Zoe, would you honor your father with a dance"?
"I would love too". Zoe responded choking back her tears. She had dreamt of the father of the bride dance since she was a little girl and she would dance standing on top of her father's feet.
"You look beautiful". Dr. Hart commented.
"Thank you" Zoe replied.
"I remember your mother on our wedding day. She was a vision".
"She was. I remember the pictures".
"Wade looks at you the same way. That's how I know my little girl is going to be just fine". Ethan told her.
"I'm going to be more than fine, dad". Zoe retorted.
The cake was cut and they sweetly fed each other and drank champagne. There were a few more dances that needed to be squeezed in before Wade and Zoe left. Lavon made sure his was one of them. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Kinsella"? Lavon asked extending his hand toward Zoe.
"But of course Mr. Hayes" Zoe answered as she took his hand and they walked towards the dance floor.
"So, how does it feel to be an old married woman"?
"First of all, I'm not old and second of all, it feels amazing". Zoe finished.
They twirled around the dance floor in comfortable silence until Lavon asked a question. "What brings a hot shot surgeon to Bluebell, Alabama"?
"After my medical residency, I was a little lost. So, Dr. Zoe Hart went home".