The day dawned bright with sunlight coming in through the dormitory windows. Candy was awake and had been most of the night. The last night she would spend in the dormitory with some of her friends and some new women who had come in as well. She lay there and worried, wondering what she and Jeremy would do once they were married. Emily, Ben's wife had given her some pointers as well as Lottie, both felt that Candy was like a daughter to them, so they helped her with her prewedding jitters as well as explaining some of the finer things about marriage that women did not speak about in public.

"Oh Candy, I am so happy for you!" Emily said as she helped her pack her things.
"Ben and I have been waiting for this day to come!"

"Emily, I don't think Ben has been waiting as much as you have!" Candy said with a nervous smile. She was eating her breakfast and could hardly swallow it she was so nervous.
Emily said: "Well, it seems like he was waiting as well. He had been holding onto that ring for Jeremy for a long time after your brother and sister arrived."
Candy looked at her thoughtfully. She is right, when her brother and sister arrived, she felt that she had to wait, but neither her nor Jeremy thought it would be 4 more years! There was knock on the dormitory door and Lottie came in with Biddie who had picked the fresh flowers. Molly was there with the actual wedding dress that Candy would wear. They all stood for a minute and then talked at once:

"Candy, you need to get in your dress now!"
"Sis, we need to fix your hair, the flowers from Biddie are gorgeous but won't last the whole day…."
"Oh, yes Candy, indeedy, we do need to dress you so we can have your hair just right!"

Candy looked at all of them and began to cry.

"Candy now don't cry," said Lottie, "this is your special day. I brought over the something blue, that will just match the blue in Jeremy's eyes!"

Candy still sniffling managed a smile and recited that ancient poem:
'Something borrowed, something blue.

Something old, something new…'

"Oh, Lottie, Biddie, Molly, thank you! Thank you very much!" With that, they took candy into the dressing room and shut the door.

Back at the cabin, the Bolt brothers were having a bit of fun teasing Jeremy about the wedding.

"No, Jeremy, if Candy says she doesn't want to, you have to tell her it is her wifely duty!" Josh said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Jason, was tying the bow tie for Jeremy he said:

"I heard that married women are a little fussier about the marriage bed, they may not like to get dressed or undressed in front of you, or they may wait until the dark before they come to bed. You might try to see if she will drink a little wine to relax more…."
Jeremy looked at Josh and Jason and was about to say something when Aaron popped in.

"Here is the groom, I brought something for you and Miss Pruitt, when you are on your honeymoon." He handed Jeremy a bottle of Dom Pérignon.

Jeremy took the bottle and looked a little confused.

"Jeremy," said Aaron, "…you and Candy will like it. It will help relax the young lady. Might be good for you as well!" He said with a slight chuckle and smile at Jason.

Jason looked at Jeremy who answered:

"T-T-Thank you, Mr. Stemple." He started to hand the bottle back to Aaron with the explanation: "I-I-I d-d-don't think we will n-n-need th-th-this!"

Jason looked at Aaron and then at Jeremy and said to Jeremy: "Go ahead and set it down on the table there, we can discuss this later. Thank you, Aaron!" Jason said as he moved to show Aaron the door.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes. Th-Th-Thank you Mr. S-s-stemple." Jeremy said as he turned to put the finishing touches to his hair in the mirror.

Jason came over to Jeremy and told him that he knew that Jeremy and Candy would be fine, and they did not need the champagne but if he did not want to take it, he could leave it here for another time.

At the church, Uncle Duncan was there with Biddie helping to organize and have everyone in their seats ready to go.

"Miss Cloom, I think you should know that I will be giving the bride away!"

Biddie looked at Uncle Duncan and said: "Oh, I thought Mr. Pruitt would do that!

Uncle Duncan said to Biddie:
"Aye, girl but ye know, she is coming into my family so I as the oldest of the clan will walk her up the aisle!"

"What about Grandpa Pruitt, said Chris, who had just walked up with Grandpa Pruitt.

"That is fine, we are all family young Chris." Said Grandpa Pruitt, I will be escorting her to the church, and he will be escorting her down the aisle. Isn't that correct Mr. Bolt?"

"Aye that is correct, my friend!"

Biddie, did not like changes in the middle of an event so she made an excuse and went to the other side of the church. Grandpa Pruitt left as well to get the 'blushing bride'.

As he stepped inside the dormitory Grandpa Pruitt was astounded at how beautiful his granddaughter looked.

"You look just like your mother poppit! She was very beautiful and so are you."

"Well, it is mother's dress that I am wearing!"

Benjamin Pruitt looked at her and smiled, "no Poppit, it is your dress, you are wearing!" He held his arm out and she took his arm, and they left the Dormitory.

Jeremy had Big Swede and Joshua as his grooms' men. Joshua was also with Jeremy, and they walked up the church steps.

"Last night was fun wasn't it, Jeremy!" Swede asked as they got ready to wait for the bride.

Jeremy looked, he did not quite remember the party last night, but he woke up with a headache and wasn't sure how he had gotten home. He just smiled at Big Swede.

"Yes siree, that was some party and you Jeremy, you were swinging off of Lottie's chandelier!" It was so funny!"

Jeremy grimaced and looked around for Ben, he saw him at the corner of the church and went over to him.

"Ben, did you give Big Swede the ring?"
"Of course I did! He should have it in his pocket!" Ben said to Jeremy and then looked for Big Swede.

"Thank you, Ben!" Jeremy said and went back.

The reverend came out and said that the bride was on her way and that they should all take their places. Jason scooted in just before the organist started to play.

"Uncle Duncan, I'm so nervous!" said Candy softly.

Uncle Duncan patted her hand and said not to worry. He opened the door and let her in. When the organist saw the bride, she began the music. Ben and Emily's daughter and Essie's and Swede's son were the ring bearer and the flower girl.

As the music began, all eyes were on Candy. Jeremy looked at her and was so taken with her that he knew this was the best day of his whole life. He looked at her, and studied her, he knew under the veil she had been crying. He had his handkerchief ready just for that. What he didn't realize was that he was crying tears of joy as well.

Candy held tightly to Uncle Duncan's arm, he patted her hand again and they walked slowly. It seemed like forever before she made it to the front. She also studied Jeremy's face; she saw the tears as well. She relaxed then, realizing that they both were so overjoyed at this wedding, they would both be crying. She swallowed a lump in her throat and as she approached and Jeremy took her hand, they both looked into each other's eyes and turned and looked at the Reverend who began the wedding as all weddings begin:
"Dearly Beloved we are gathered here today to celebrate in Holy Matrimony the union of Mr. Jeremy Bolt and Miss Candy Pruitt. Who gives this woman to be married?"

"I do!" Uncle Duncan boomed out loud.

"Is there anyone here who thinks these two should not marry?" Jason and Aaron both looked at everyone and even Uncle Duncan took a stern look as well.

"That is fine!" said the reverend. "Do you take Miss Pruitt to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold and to obey and love for the rest of your life?"
Without hesitation or stuttering Jeremy said: "I do!"

"And do you Miss Candy Pruitt, take Mr. Jeremy Bolt to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold and to obey and love for the rest of your life?"
"I do."

"Mr. Bolt take the ring and repeat after me:

"With this ring, I thee wed!"

Candy held out her hand and Jeremy put the ring on her finger.

The Reverend, said to Jeremy: "You may kiss the bride!"

The two of them looked at each other, both with tears in their eyes and almost forgot that anyone was around. In fact, Jason had to cough just to get them to stop.

The Reverend looked at Jason and smiled, and said:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Bolt!"

There was much clapping and hooting and everyone was very happy. Jeremy and Candy walked down the aisle. Outside, some of the brides who had married and moved away were there to throw rice and greet them.

Candy was so happy that she almost forgot to throw her bouquet. Looking over to where Biddie was she marked the spot and took a small mirror out of her pocket she then threw the bouquet right at Biddie.

The whole town was there to celebrate their wedding. The music and dancing would go on throughout the night. Sometime around midnight, Jeremy and Candy slipped away to Captain Clancy's ship and off on their honeymoon. Captain Clancy and Jason had both set up the captain's cabin so that Jeremy and Candy would have a wonderful time. Jason had slipped the champaign into the cabin so that at Jeremy's discretion he would offer a drink to Candy.

"Hurry up, Bucko! Time and tide wait for no man or woman!" Are you ready to shove off? He shouted to his crew. Then lets' get going. We have some precious cargo we are carrying!" Captain Clancy finished bellowing and the ship got underway.