Chapter 46 – Two Become One
Elizabeth wakes up on her wedding day, rested and ready to marry her best friend, her lifetime love, the father of her children, current and future. She checks on Jack, and he is in his crib playing with a toy quietly. Elizabeth picks him up, saying, "Good morning, my sweet boy. Mommy and Nathan are getting married today."
Jack asks, "Where…Natan?"
"You'll see him later." She kisses him on the forehead. "Would you like to rock with me? I'll read you a book. Then we'll get ready for Grandma, Grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousin to come over." Jack hugs Elizabeth and nods yes. Elizabeth sits down with her son on her lap, opening Peter Rabbit and reading, "Once upon a time there were four little rabbits."
Rosemary and Lee are up early, ensuring everything is ready to go. The skies are blue, with no clouds in the sky for miles and miles. They drop Patrick off at Vincent's house for a few hours and go into town. Rosemary sends Joseph, Bill, Carson, and Lee to the saloon to start loading up the tables and chairs in the wagons. Jesse, Michael, and Henry will show up later to help. Rosemary checks in with Gustave, and he has everything he needs to prepare for the reception dinner and finish the wedding cake. Next, she checks with Ned and the flowers. He reluctantly tells her the flowers did not arrive last night. He called the company, and they won't be here until Sunday, at the earliest. Rosemary gasps in disbelief, "Oh, no. We need flowers and lots of them."
"I'm sorry, Rosemary," responds Ned as he braces himself for what is next. "I checked around town, and no one has enough to cover what you need. I have half-a-dozen roses, and that is all I could find."
Rosemary frowns, stating, "No, this can't be. There is nothing else in this town?" Her voice quickly changes to panic as she realizes, at a minimum, she needs four bridal bouquets, four boutonnieres, and enough for flower arrangements on the stage and the tables at the reception. "What am I supposed to do, Ned?"
"I don't know, but I am sure you can think of something." Rosemary excuses herself and walks as fast as possible to the salon, hoping Fiona and Clara are there. She steps inside with worry written all over her face. Rosemary plops down on the salon chair and breathes in and out slowly, calming herself down.
Clara inquires, "What's wrong, Rosemary?"
Rosemary replies overdramatically, "What's wrong? The flowers aren't here. That is what's wrong."
Fiona states, "I'm sure there are flowers somewhere in this town."
"Ned already checked. The only flowers in Hope Valley are half-a-dozen roses," mentions Rosemary with a shriek.
"Maybe we can get some of the kids to pick flowers on the outskirts of town," suggests Clara.
"Yes, that could work," responds Rosemary as she opens her notebook and writes it down with some other ideas. Rosemary puts her pen to her mouth, brainstorming in her head. "Do you think Molly would be willing to help the kids pick the flowers and arrange them? Maybe Florence can help too?"
Clara grins and holds out her arm to Rosemary. "Let's go ask them?" Rosemary and Clara head to the infirmary, grab Molly and go to the mercantile to talk to them together. They find Florence at the switchboard, so they join her there.
"Molly, Florence, I'm not sure if you've heard what a disaster the flowers are for the wedding. Would you two be able to get some of the children and pick some wildflowers we can use? Then come back here, and make four bridal bouquets, four boutonnieres, flower arrangements for the stage, and the nine tables at the reception. They don't need to be big, just something pretty to sit on the pedestals and each table for decoration. Molly and Florence smile and nod.
Molly says, "I'm sure we can get Emily, Opal, and Anna to help."
"I think I saw them going to Emily's house," adds Clara.
"Great, I've been meaning to visit Cat," remarks Molly as she reaches for Rosemary's hand. "Don't worry. I won't let you down."
Rosemary exclaims, "Problem solved! Thank you so much, ladies." Molly leaves for the row houses while Rosemary and Clara go back to the salon to update Fiona.
Molly knocks on Emily's door, and she answers, questioning, "What can I do for you, Missus Sullivan?"
"Are Opal and Anna here with you?"
"Yes, ma'am." Emily calls the girls to the door, and they join her.
"Good, you are all here. The flowers for Missus Thornton's wedding didn't arrive, and I'm hoping you three girls can help me pick wildflowers and arrange them into bouquets." The three girls smile and agree to help. "Anna, Opal, go ask your parents if they are good with you coming with me." They nod and run to their houses. Cat eventually comes to the door, asking what is going on. Emily tells her about the flowers, and Cat immediately says she can go.
Rosemary and Clara enter the salon in much better spirits. Fiona mentions, "Good news, I see."
Rosemary sits down and replies, "The best news. Molly and some of the children will find us some wildflowers to use." She brings out her notebook again, inquiring, "Fiona, the linens and decorations are still here, right?"
Fiona points in the corner. "Yes, over in those boxes."
"Why don't we put them in my car, and Lee can drive them out. Here, let's do it now." Fiona, Clara, and Rosemary grab the boxes and throw them in her car.
"When are we going out to decorate?" questions Clara.
Rosemary answers, "Probably in a couple of hours. The guys still need to drive all the heavy things out there."
"Okay, I'll let Hannah and Faith know."
"Thanks, Fiona, Clara," responds Rosemary as she walks over to the saloon to check on the guy's progress.
Rosemary finally gets home from The Hill and has to freshen up quickly. She needs to go next door to pick up Elizabeth and Allie and get to the salon for their hair and makeup. Rosemary slips on one of her dresses she just let out and struggles with getting her boots on. Finally, she knocks on Elizabeth's door and steps in, asking if they are ready to go to Fiona's.
Elizabeth gets up from the kitchen table, speaking, "Hi, Rosemary. Yes, Allie and I are ready. Let me get her. She and Laura are putting Jack down for his nap."
"Great, I will wait for you here." So, Elizabeth goes upstairs and comes back with Allie, who immediately hugs Rosemary.
"I am so excited, Missus Coulter!" exclaims Allie.
Rosemary shrugs her shoulders in happy anticipation, saying, "I am too." Rosemary giggles and loops an arm around Elizabeth and Allie's arms, blurting out, "Let's go. We need to get our hair done!"
Rosemary, Elizabeth, and Allie walk into the salon, and Fiona and Clara greet them. They all hug, and Fiona inquires, "Are you ladies ready? Who is first? Elizabeth and Allie?" Allie squeals and jumps into the salon chair. "Clara, can you do Allie, and I'll do Elizabeth?" Clara grins and wraps the chair cloth around Allie. Elizabeth sits in front of Fiona, and they get to work. They are all chatting and having a good time when Molly rushes in.
Rosemary panics, asking, "What is wrong, Molly? Weren't you able to find some wildflowers?"
"We did. Emily, Anna, and Opal helped me, but it's not nearly enough to cover what you need," mentions Molly.
Rosemary stands up, mumbling to herself while pacing, "What am I going to do? We only have a few more hours, and we won't have enough flowers." She gasps when an idea pops into her head. "Fiona, do you think you could make a trip to Benson Hills to buy us more flowers? We'll have Florence call to ensure they have some before you go."
"Yes, I can run over there. I'm sure Lucas or Henry will let me borrow their car."
"Thank you," responds Rosemary as she finally stops pacing.
Molly announces, "Great, I will tell Florence what we need, and she'll give them a call. Fiona, find us when you are ready. We'll let you know where to go," and then she leaves.
Elizabeth questions, "Care to tell us what is happening, Rosemary? Is everything okay?"
"Of course, it is, Elizabeth. Why wouldn't it be?" answers Rosemary in a higher-pitched voice.
Elizabeth rolls her eyes at Rosemary as she often does. "What, you don't believe me?"
"I believe you, but I'm not sure what to think about Molly and the flowers. I feel like this hasn't been as smooth sailing as you make it out to be."
"Nonsense," remarks Rosemary as she laughs to herself. "Don't worry, everything is set up now, except for the flowers. As you heard, there were some issues with them not being delivered, but our Hope Valley family is coming to the rescue like it always does. And Hannah should be out there by now managing some last-minute things. Fiona, I believe you and Lucas are driving out there about an hour before the wedding starts, which hopefully you can fit in after your trip to Benson Hills." Fiona acknowledges. "So, Elizabeth, you have nothing to worry about." Elizabeth chuckles while Rosemary snaps a couple of pictures of Elizabeth and Allie and changes the subject. "Elizabeth, how did this morning go?"
Elizabeth grins, "It has been a wonderful day. I had a relaxing morning, rocked Jack while reading him a book, and my family came over for a few hours."
"Are you packed and ready to go?"
"Yes, my father is supposed to handle mine and Nathan's luggage, ensuring they get to the train station with us tonight."
"Allie, what did you all do today?"
Allie answers, "We also had a fantastic morning. My grandma stayed with us last night, which is always fun, and then my grandpa, Mountie Gabriel, and Lillian came over this morning, and we all spent time together.
"Where are you going on your honeymoon?" questions Fiona.
"Oh, I am so excited. We take a train to the Banff area and spend time in town and the park. It should be so beautiful and relaxing, but I will miss Jack and you, Allie."
Fiona turns Elizabeth around, saying, "You are ready. What do you think?"
Elizabeth gets a good look and responds, "I love it very much. And Allie, yours is so pretty, too."
"It's time to switch. Rosemary, I will do your hair, and Clara will do Elizabeth's makeup," offers Fiona.
"Perfect!" exclaims Rosemary as she sits in the salon chair, already tired from the day so far. The ladies gab about anything and everything, and before they know it, everyone has their hair and makeup done. Rosemary claps her hands and giggles. "Picture time, ladies! Allie, can you get my camera out of my bag?"
"Yes, ma'am," replies Allie. Allie grabs the camera and sets it on the counter, attaching the cable. Rosemary stays seated, and Elizabeth, Fiona, and Clara stand behind Rosemary, with Allie sitting on the arm of the salon chair next to Rosemary. Since Fiona is closest to the cable, she presses the button. Rosemary insists on Fiona snapping a couple, so she takes a few pictures just in case.
Rosemary finds her pocket watch and gasps when she sees the time. "Ladies, we need to get over to your house to get dressed." When nobody moves, Rosemary dramatically boosts herself out of the chair and says, "What are you waiting for ladies, my car…now," in a slightly raised voice. "Fiona, do you still think you have time to get more flowers?"
Fiona answers, "Yes, I have plenty of time to get the flowers and drive out to The Hill early." Rosemary thanks Fiona, and the rest of them hop into Rosemary's car and head to Elizabeth's house.
"Is Jack and Laura still at your house?"
"I am not sure. Lee is supposed to bring Patrick and Jack over to Nathan's, but I am unsure when. But my mother, sisters, and Nathan's mother should already be there."
"Fabulous!" exclaims Rosemary.
Fiona drops the flowers off with Molly, Florence, and the girls at the mercantile. Molly looks at what Fiona brought, responding, "These are exactly what we need. Thank you. Do you need to get out to The Hill now, or can you wait until we finish these up? I am hoping you can bring them out there with you."
Fiona looks at the time, asking, "Do you think you'll be ready in forty-five minutes? Lucas is picking me up then."
Molly and Florence glance at each other, and Molly replies, "Yes, forty-five minutes should be enough time."
"Great," responds Fiona as she heads out the door. The ladies frantically work, filling out the bouquets with what Fiona brought. The bouquets for the bridal party are small but colorful. They mixed the red roses and cosmos with the daisies and western blue flax wildflowers the ladies found. The bouquets for the tables and the stage are a bit fuller and are just as colorful. They contain a mixture of pink roses, hydrangeas, lavender, baby's breath, and lupines from the wild.
Rosemary drives the bridal party out to the rowhouses, and they all go into Elizabeth's house. Missus Thatcher, Julie, Viola, Viola's daughter, and Missus Grant greet them, dressed and ready to go to the wedding. Hugs all around, and then Rosemary states, "We need to get ready. We are running out of time. Allie, why don't you go up and change in Jack's room, and Clara, you can change in Elizabeth's room." So, Clara and Allie go upstairs while everyone talks about the wedding and how excited they are. Five minutes later, Clara and Allie come down modeling their dresses. Clara's is a floor-length dusty rose bridesmaid dress made from cotton eyelet lace. The neckline is square, and the elbow-length sleeves have scallop lace trim. The A-line skirt highlights the contrast ruffles between skirt tiers and the scallop lace trim at the hem, matching the sleeves. Allie's junior bridesmaid dress is like Clara's, except for it being mid-calve in length.
"Now it's your turn, Rosemary," mentions Clara.
"Elizabeth, I might need your help getting it on this time," admits Rosemary.
Elizabeth responds, "Of course. I'll help you, and you can help me." Rosemary giggles and takes Elizabeth's arm as they walk upstairs to Elizabeth's room. Rosemary's matron of honor dress is like Clara's, except it is dusty blue instead of rose. She steps into the dress and tries to pull it up, sighing in relief when the dress eventually fits over her protruding belly. It's a lot tighter than what she remembered last week, but she doesn't have another choice. Rosemary fidgets in her dress for a few moments, trying to get comfortable, when she bends partially down to put her shoes on. Then, she screams when she hears her dress rip right down the front seam, exposing her underclothes.
Rosemary turns around, saying, "Elizabeth, we have a problem." Elizabeth tries not to laugh at Rosemary, standing there with a ripped dress and the most pitiful expression on her face. "I can't believe I ripped my dress." Then, in a panicked tone, she inquires, "How did this dress get so tight in one week? Elizabeth, this fit me with some room to spare last week." Elizabeth places her hand in front of her mouth, trying to cover up her smirk. "Elizabeth Thornton, why are you laughing at me?"
"I'm sorry. You are always so prepared. I never thought this would happen to you." Rosemary frowns even more. "There is no predicting how much your bump grows each week. It could happen to anyone." Elizabeth rests her hand on Rosemary's belly, where it ripped, suggesting, "Maybe Clara can fix this."
Rosemary raises her voice, questioning, "Maybe? Maybe, Elizabeth? Clara must be able to fix this rip." She glances at herself in the mirror and gasps in horror. Rosemary shrieks, "I have nothing else to wear," and plops down on the bed, rubbing her precious bundle of joy for comfort.
Elizabeth excuses herself and steps out of the room, calling, "Clara, can you come up here please?"
Clara walks into the room and sees Rosemary lying on the bed propped up by her arms, pouting and trying to hold back her anguish. "What's wrong, Rosemary?" she inquires.
Rosemary responds, "Can you please help me up, and then I can show you?" Rosemary holds out her arms, and Clara pulls her up. She shows Clara the rip and pleads with her, "Can you do anything?"
Clara grins and replies, "I think so."
"You think so? That is all you can give me," whines Rosemary in exasperation.
"I will try my best. I know we left some extra room in case you outgrew this, so I should be able to let the dress out some and fix the rip. But, unfortunately, I don't think I have enough time to sew this on the machine, so I will have to whip stitch this. Do you have the right thread?"
Rosemary smiles for a second, answering, "I am not sure. Please tell me you have some at the dress shop."
"Rosemary, we don't have enough time."
"Oh, wait. I might have some in my emergency bridal bag. It's over there. Can you check?" Clara nods and picks up the bag looking inside.
Clara finds a few spools of thread, white, rose, which appears to be Clara's color, and blue, which thankfully seems to be Rosemary's color, but not very much left of either. "Rosemary, why don't you take off your dress, and I will get to work?" Rosemary removes her dress, hands it to Clara, and puts on the robe Elizabeth lets her borrow from when she was pregnant with Jack. Clara ensures Rosemary, "I will fix your dress. So, please don't worry. And when I finish, I will bring it back up to you." Clara runs downstairs and gets to work, followed by Elizabeth and Rosemary, trying her best not to pout.
Julie inquires, "What happened, Rosemary?"
"Oh, I ripped my dress. It was a little too tight, and when I partially bent down, it ripped right in front." They all expect Rosemary to burst into tears or scream or do something, but she glances at everyone and surprisingly laughs. Then, she gathers her composure and gets back to business. "Elizabeth, we don't have much time. We need to get you in your dress. Let's go."
Elizabeth and Rosemary go back upstairs to her room, and Elizabeth grabs her dress, and she slips it on with no issues. They squeal in delight at how gorgeous it turned out. Rosemary giggles, telling her to look in the pocket. It's her something new and something blue.
"What pocket?" questions Elizabeth.
Rosemary answers, "The one on the left, right below the waist." Elizabeth searches for the hidden pocket and pulls out a cloth. She unfolds it and sees something written in blue embroidery.
Elizabeth reads aloud, "You opened your heart to love again. Best wishes! 5/31/1918," and hugs Rosemary, saying, "Thank you."
Elizabeth looks like she's going to cry, and Rosemary puts up her hand, stating, "No crying."
Meanwhile, downstairs, when Clara is ready to stitch up the rip, she notices she only has a couple of inches of blue thread left. She gets mad at herself for not seeing it sooner because she would've saved the blue thread for the front. So, Clara finishes the blue thread and then swaps to white, finishing up the ripped seam. She observes her handy work and thinks, "Not bad. Hmm. Maybe Rosemary can cover up the front with her bouquet."
Clara grabs Allie, and they run upstairs, parading in and handing the dress to Rosemary. Rosemary sees the nervous expression on Clara's face and asks, "What's wrong, Clara?"
"I didn't have enough of your thread, so I had to use white for the rip. I feel so bad. If I had caught it sooner, I would have used the white in the back." Clara shows it to Rosemary, and Rosemary frowns but forces a smile. "I tried to hide the stitches as much as I could," mentions Clara.
"It's alright, Clara. I am just relieved you were able to fix this so quickly. Now, are you sure it won't rip again?" questions Rosemary.
"I'm positive," answers Clara.
Rosemary thinks to herself, "Well, the moment of truth," and hesitantly steps into the dress and slowly pulls it up over her rounded belly and puts her arms through the sleeves. She giggles along with Clara and Elizabeth. "It fits so much better! You saved the day, Clara." Rosemary touches the white stitches and looks at them from the front and two sides. "It's not too bad, and I can hide it with my bouquet."
Allie inquires, "Can we get another picture, Missus Coulter?"
"Great idea, Allie." Rosemary grabs the camera out of her bag and suggests, "Let's go downstairs to take some pictures, and you can get your family, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth remarks, "Great idea, but first I have something to give you three," as she hands each of them a gift box. "I wanted to say thank you for being there for me and being my bridesmaids. Allie, why don't you open your gift first?"
Allie grins and removes the lid from the top. She grabs a small felt bag, and inside is another charm for her bracelet, a heart. Allie hugs Elizabeth, saying, "Thank you. I love the heart, Aunt Elizabeth."
Elizabeth offers, "You're welcome, sweetie. Now, Clara, you and Rosemary open yours at the same time." Rosemary and Clara glance at one another and open their boxes simultaneously. They both see a bronze heart with the words, "Isn't Love Wonderful," engraved on them, plus the month and date of the wedding. "Rosemary, I remember you telling me those exact words after Clara's wedding as they were driving off to the train station. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure I believed in it for myself then, but I do now, and love couldn't be more wonderful." Rosemary squeals and insists on a group hug. Then, the four of them pad down the stairs, and they get a bunch of pictures together. Elizabeth's mother and sisters can't stop gushing over the wedding dress and find it hard not to cry since her mom and Viola missed her first wedding.
Nathan's mom shyly approaches Elizabeth, hugs her, and whispers in her ear, "You look stunning, Elizabeth. Thank you for marrying my son and making him and my granddaughter so happy." Elizabeth hugs her back, and this time she wipes a tear from her cheek.
Fiona and Lucas return to the mercantile right when the ladies finish the flowers. Fiona takes in the lovely fragrance, stating, "Ladies, these are amazing. I am sure Elizabeth will love them, as will Rosemary."
Molly instructs, "Can you drop the red rose boutonnieres off at Nathan's house and take the rest of the bouquets to The Hill. You can leave the bridal bouquets near the aisle runner, but please bring the others down and place them on the tables and the pedestals on the stage."
"Easy as pie," responds Fiona as she and Lucas carry the flowers out to his car.
Lee, Bill, Patrick, Jack, Nathan's father, and Elizabeth's father are all over at Nathan's house getting ready. Nathan had asked Lee to be his best man and Bill to be a groomsman. He also wanted Jack to be a ring bearer, but since he is still so young, he asked Patrick also to be a ring bearer to help Jack. They are each dressed in a blue three-piece suit with a light blue shirt and a gray tie. The only difference for Patrick and Jack is a two-piece suit instead of three and no tie.
"Why aren't you wearing your serge, by the way?" inquires Lee.
Nathan replies, "I am more than a serge, and this marriage and blending of families is so much more important to me than being a Mountie will ever be."
Lee pats Nathan's back a few times saying, "You are a good man, Nathan." After everyone is ready, they need to pass some time. So, they all sit down to talk about baseball. Unfortunately, they don't notice Patrick and Jack sneaking into the kitchen. Patrick sees some cookies on the kitchen countertop and more on top of a shelf. He hands Jack two cookies and then quietly scoots a chair over, climbing on top and grabbing two for himself. Only his cookies had green icing on top of them. The two boys sneak back to the sitting room with the guys and munch on their cookies. They almost get away with it until Nathan sees Jack stuff the last bite in his mouth and sees Patrick do the same.
Nathan questions, "What are you eating, boys?"
Jack yells, "Cookies, Natan. Yummy."
"Where did you get those?" Patrick runs over to show Nathan where he got them, and Nathan scratches his head. "Those were part of a surprise my mother was working on for you three kids. How many did you eat?"
Patrick looks guilty, admitting, "We each ate two cookies. I'm sorry, Mountie Nathan. I didn't know." Lee checks on his son and finds out what he did.
"Patrick, you know better than to get cookies at another person's house without asking. What were you thinking?" questions Lee.
Patrick timidly replies, "I'm sorry, Papa. I was hungry, and those cookies looked good."
"Come here, buddy." When Patrick sits on Lee's lap, he notices the green icing on Patrick's collar and some on his nose. Lee takes his handkerchief, wipes off his nose, and tries to get it off the collar before it stains, but he only makes it worse. "Well, Mama is not going to be happy with you getting your shirt dirty or me for letting it happen," mentions Lee as he bounces him up and down, chuckling. "You know I love you, right?"
"Yes, sir. I love you, too." Patrick hugs him and repeats, "I'm sorry. Next time, I will ask, and I will be more careful when I eat something when I'm wearing nice clothes." Lee tickles Patrick, and he jumps off him, laughing.
Lee glances at the time, inquiring, "Are we all ready? Nathan? Are you good?"
"I've never been more ready than I am right now," answers Nathan. He is relieved his jacket covers up the cast on his arm for the most part, and hopefully, he won't be in too much pain without the sling.
Mister Thatcher approaches Nathan, offering, "Welcome to the family, Nathan. Thank you for loving my daughter and grandson, especially given what they have been through. You are an answer to our prayers." Then, Mister Thatcher hugs Nathan and shakes his hand.
Next, Mister Grant takes Nathan aside, revealing, "Son, I am so proud of the man you have become. You are a great father to Allie, and I know you will be an equally great father to Jack and any other kids you and Elizabeth are blessed with in the future. And I know you'll be an amazing husband to Elizabeth. Again, I am so happy to be here on this day, so thank you for including me."
Lee goes up to Nathan, pats him on the back, offering, "I'll go check on the ladies to see if we can drive out there now. Patrick, can you stay here? I'll be right back."
"Yes, sir," replies Patrick.
Lee briskly walks over to Elizabeth's house and knocks on the door announcing, "Rosie, it's me. Can I come in?"
Rosemary shouts through the door, "Yes, but only you."
Lee steps inside and is taken aback by his wife. He's never seen her look so beautiful, and that is saying something since he always thinks she is the prettiest girl he has ever seen. He stares at her, not able to get a word out, so she saunters up to him, asking, "Do you like my dress?"
Lee offers his hand, and he spins her around and brings her in close, with only their baby between them. He softens his voice, finally able to speak, "You're glowing, breathtaking, stunning, and anything else you want to add." Rosemary lovingly glances at her husband, kissing him deeply, lingering, not wanting the moment to end. That is, until someone suddenly clears their throat, and they realize they are not alone. Lee and Rosemary turn and see Clara, Allie, and Elizabeth giggling." Lee clears his throat in embarrassment, mentioning, "I should probably go. I came over to make sure it's okay we go out to The Hill now. We didn't want to run into you all accidentally."
"What time is it?"
"The ceremony starts in half an hour."
"Yes, you guys go out there now. We will go in about ten to fifteen minutes. Elizabeth's mother, sisters, niece, and soon-to-be mother-in-law are on their way, and we are waiting for Elizabeth's father, who should be here soon." Lee nods and turns to leave when Rosemary questions, "Wait, how is Nathan's eye?"
"It is a lot better, but you can still see the black under his eye."
Rosemary waddles to her clutch and grabs her compact, handing it to Lee. "Here, use this to dab around his eye. It should cover up the black."
"Thanks, Rosie. I'll see you there. I love you." Lee kisses her on the cheek and rushes out the door.
Ten minutes later, there is another knock at the door. Allie happily answers and lets her soon-to-be grandfather inside.
Mister Thatcher says, "Hello, Allie. You look so pretty today." Allie hugs him, and then he walks over to Elizabeth and hugs her. "Elizabeth, honey, you are beautiful."
"Thanks, father. I am so happy you are here." She looks around the room, mentioning, "I think we are ready to go if you are."
Mister Thatcher and the ladies park at the top of The Hill, and he helps them get out of the car.
Robert is standing there with Patrick and Jack and a basket with the four bouquets, waiting for them. He tells Rosemary, "They are ready whenever you are."
Patrick skips to Rosemary, shouting, "Hi, Mama," while Jack copies Patrick, yelling, "Mommy!" Rosemary and Elizabeth hug their sons, and Rosemary reminds the boys where to stand and what to do.
"You look beautiful, Mama. Just like Papa said," remarks Patrick as Rosemary kneels to his level and hugs him again.
Rosemary notices the green on his collar, asking, "What's on your shirt, bud?"
"It is icing from a cookie I had at Mountie Nathan's house. I didn't see it until Papa tried to wipe it off later."
"I guess I need to show Papa how to be more careful," mentions Rosemary as she sighs to herself. "It is what it is. We can't do anything now." Rosemary chuckles, "We are a sorry sight. Me with the wrong color thread on my front seam, and you with green icing on your collar." She puts some of his curls behind his ears and states, "You are still my handsome, brave little boy, though."
"Mama, why do you always have to do that? I am not a little boy anymore."
Rosemary smiles, revealing, "I love you more than all the stars in the sky."
Patrick giggles, saying back, "I love you to infinity."
Elizabeth picks up Jack, whispering to him, "I love you, my sweet boy. Remember to do what Patrick does, okay?" Jack nods, wrapping his arms around her neck and laying his head on her chest. She holds him for a few more minutes and places him back on the ground, and he runs to Patrick's side.
Rosemary fixes Elizabeth's dress and tells her, "I am so happy for you. You deserve only the best, and Nathan and Allie are the best for you."
Elizabeth hugs Rosemary and replies, "Thank you. This wedding wouldn't have been possible without you."
Rosemary offers, "Anything for my dearest friend and the sister I always wanted." She glances over at Mister Thatcher and then Elizabeth. "Are you two ready?"
They look at each other, and Elizabeth responds, "Yes."
Rosemary steps up to get a better view of the finished venue. The first thing she sees is the white aisle runner, which starts where she is standing. Then it turns to the right and goes through the guest seating, where it makes another right in front of the stage and guests, ending after the final left turn at the bottom of the amphitheater stairs. Next, she sees the guests sitting in rows in front of the stage. And off to the left are the tables for the reception. Each round table has a white tablecloth, glasses, silverware, matching cloth napkins, and in the center is an incredible bouquet of fresh flowers. The tables are all shaded by the canopy of the tall cottonwood trees. And on the stage is the book arch Nathan made for Elizabeth, two chairs off to the side for Patrick and Jack to sit, and white pedestals with flower bouquets leading up to the arch. "Okay, Robert, go down there, and let them know we are ready."
"Yes, Missus Coulter."
The music starts a minute later, and Pastor Joseph, Nathan, Lee, and Bill step out to the front of the arch. Rosemary hands Allie and Clara their flowers and tells Allie to walk down the aisle, followed by Clara thirty seconds later. Rosemary tries her best to keep the tears from falling, so she smiles at Elizabeth and walks Jack and Patrick up to the aisle runner. She hands them the rings and instructs Patrick, "I'm going to start walking now. Count to thirty, grab Jack's hand, and follow the aisle runner to the stage. Please don't drop or lose the rings. And remember to sit with Jack in the chairs off to the side as we practiced."
Patrick whines, "Yes, ma'am. We won't lose the rings."
Rosemary kisses both on the top of the head and carefully walks down the aisle with her gorgeous bouquet. She thinks to herself, "They did a fabulous job combining wildflowers with what Ned had and what they were able to buy in Benson Hills." And thirty seconds later, Patrick and Jack follow. The music changes as they take their places on stage, and Elizabeth and her father walk down the aisle. When Nathan finally catches a glimpse of his bride, he can't keep his eyes off her. She is stunning, and he can't stop the tear falling down his cheek. Elizabeth eventually sees him when she passes through her guests. She, too, sheds a tear but can't wipe the grin off her face. Elizabeth is so excited to be marrying her best friend and lifetime love after all this time. Finally, they reach the stage, and Mister Thatcher kisses her on the temple and hands her off to Nathan. He joins his wife and family in the front row, taking his wife's hand and giving it a tender squeeze. A grinning Nathan and Elizabeth go up the stairs and stand in front of Joseph and the arch. They turn and face each other, hold hands, and Joseph begins the ceremony.
Joseph speaks, "Dearly, beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.
Ten minutes later
"May your marriage always bring glory to God, joy to one another, and blessings to your family for many generations to come. May love and laughter fill your hearts and your home for all the days of your lives. May you face every challenge hand-in-hand and side-by-side, knowing that with God's grace, you'll conquer all obstacles together. May the world be forever a better place because the two of you fell in love. In Jesus' name, Amen."[6]
Suddenly a loud thump is heard, and everyone looks towards the sound. Patrick's chair had fallen over, and he was crawling on the ground. Lee whispers loudly to get Patrick's attention. Patrick turns, and Lee can see the worry on his son's face. Lee jogs over, questioning, "What is wrong, Patrick?"
Patrick whispers back, "Mountie Nathan's ring fell, and I can't find it." Lee looks to the wedding party and the guests gesturing to go on, but Joseph decides to halt until they know more.
Rosemary waddles over to Lee and Patrick, annoyingly inquiring, "Lee Coulter, what is happening here?"
Lee quietly answers, "Nathan's ring fell, and he is trying to find it."
Rosemary frowns with her hand on her hip, not believing this is happening. Patrick looks up at Rosemary, saying, "I'm sorry, Mama. I promise I didn't drop or lose the ring. It came loose and fell." Patrick looks back down and sees the ring a few feet away. He shouts, "Found it," and crawls over and picks it up. Patrick hands the ring to Rosemary, and she ties it back to the pillow.
"It is time for the rings, so as soon as Papa and I get back over there, you and Jack bring it over," remarks Rosemary.
Patrick responds, "Yes, ma'am."
Rosemary and Lee get back to their spots, and Patrick and Jack guiltily walk the rings up to Nathan, who takes both and hands one to Elizabeth. Elizabeth places the ring on Nathan's finger, and Nathan does the same.
Joseph continues, "These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. May what God has brought together, let no man pull asunder. And may these two loving people be a blessing and inspiration to each other and those close to them." Joseph pauses for a minute which gets their attention, "Elizabeth, Nathan." Joseph pauses again for effect. "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Nathan and Elizabeth kiss, and the guests stand and cheer for the happy couple. The music plays again, and Joseph introduces Mister and Missus Nathan Grant, and they walk across the stage and back down the aisle. Allie, Jack, and Patrick follow, then Bill and Clara, and finally Rosemary and Lee. The wedding party gathers off to the side, where the aisle runner turns, to take pictures. Carson is there to capture the big day, snapping photos of the procession, the altar, now group pictures, and later some of the reception. Before the guests get up from their chairs, Joseph announces, "Please join us over there for the reception." He points to the tables and chairs sitting off to the side of the stage. "You'll find your name on a card at one of the tables. Feel free to take a seat. The wedding party will be joining us shortly." The guests stand up, conversing with each other before finding their tables.
The wedding party poses for quick pictures of the bride and groom, the bride and her bridesmaids, the groom, his groomsmen and ring bearers, and a couple of group pictures with them all together. Then, they make their way back down to the tables, where Elizabeth and Nathan greet each table individually. They start with the table with her family, Mister and Missus Thatcher, Julie and Tom Thornton, Viola, Lionel, and their daughter, Laura and Jack. The next table is his family and special guests, Mister Grant, Missus Grant, Allie, Gabriel, and Lillian. Then, their Hope Valley friends fill in the other tables. Fiona, Lucas, Carson, Faith, Michael, Hannah, and Nicholas. The Canfield's and Yost's. The Piraro's. Robert and Timmy's families. Opal, Emily, and Anna's families. Elizabeth and Nathan finally come to their last table, the one with their closest friends who are more like family, Lee, Rosemary, Patrick, Clara, Jesse, Bill, and Molly.
While Nathan and Elizabeth head to their seats, Gustave announces, "The food is ready. We will bring it out to you shortly." For the next thirty minutes or so, everyone enjoys lively conversations and their Chicken Paillard with Squash and Spinach. When each table finishes eating, someone is there to clear the plates and leave the champagne or sparkling water in its place. Once the last of the drinks are out, the toasts begin with Mister Thatcher, followed by the Best Man and Matron of Honor, Lee, and Rosemary.
While there is a lull in activities, Rosemary leads Patrick over to Laura, Allie, and Jack, telling him to stay with them until they come to get him. Patrick acknowledges, and she goes back to her table and clinks her glass again. "Elizabeth, Nathan, it is time for your first dance as a married couple. Please, everyone, follow us to the stage." Elizabeth and Nathan jog up the steps and out to the center when the music begins. Nathan embraces her, and they dance to an instrumental version of Let Me Call You Sweetheart while everyone watches. When the song is over, Rosemary announces, "It is time for the father-daughter, mother-son dance." Mister Thatcher happily joins Elizabeth in the middle of the stage while Nathan's mother does the same. Then Passacaglia by Handel starts playing. At the end of the song, Rosemary announces, "Now, you are all invited to dance with the Thatcher's and Grant's." Elizabeth's father escorts her back to Nathan, and he leads her back to the dance floor. Nathan spins her with his good arm and brings her in close for the next dance, kissing her without caring who sees them. Several couples accompany Elizabeth and Nathan onto the dance floor, including Carson and Faith, Joseph and Minnie, and Michael and Hannah.
Lee walks up from behind, offering his hand to Rosemary, asking, "Would you do me the honor and dance with me?"
"I would love to dance with you, my love," answers Rosemary as they sashay towards Nathan and Elizabeth. They slowly dance while embracing one another and gazing into each other's eyes. Lee and Rosemary stay like this for another few songs, focusing only on one another. It takes Patrick racing up to them to break the moment between the two of them, making them realize how long they have been dancing in each other's arms.
"Mama, can I have this dance?" inquires Patrick.
Rosemary glances at Lee, responding, "If Papa won't be too sad." Lee pretends to frown and wrestle with letting him dance with her.
"Please, Papa. You can dance with her afterward," mentions Patrick.
Lee pretends to think about it again, suggesting, "You can have one dance, but I get her back."
"Okay, Papa." Rosemary giggles, showing him where to put his hand on her side while she holds his other hand. His arm barely reaches around her large tummy, but they make it work. Then she demonstrates where to step when Patrick smiles and reveals, "I know how to dance, Mama. Papa showed me."
"Oh, did he?" remarks Rosemary as she looks for Lee in the crowd. She sees him watching them from across the stage with the biggest grin on his face. Rosemary mouths to Lee, "I love you so much," and then she looks back down at her son.
Patrick questions, "Are you ready, Mama?"
"Yes," replies Rosemary as Patrick steps to the right and left with the music. She is impressed at how well Patrick picked up dancing.
The rest of the reception goes well. Hannah catches the bouquet, which doesn't scare Michael. Nathan and Elizabeth cut the cake, and lots more dancing by all.
A couple of hours later, Lee and Rosemary find Elizabeth and Nathan, letting them know their ride is at the top of the hill and their luggage is already onboard. Rosemary giddily says, "It is time for the newlyweds to leave and start their honeymoon, a week near Banff National Park." Nathan and Elizabeth can't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.
Elizabeth asks, "Where are the kids?" Rosemary points down at the chairs, where Allie is entertaining the boys.
"We will follow you," offers Rosemary as the four of them sit down with the three kids.
Nathan reveals, "It is time for us to go. You two be good for Mister and Missus Coulter. Allie, please help them with both Jack and Patrick. And yes, you can spend two nights with Opal while we are gone. We love you and will miss you so much." Nathan hugs both Allie and Jack and kisses them goodbye.
"He is right. We love you and will miss seeing you every day," remarks Elizabeth. She hugs and kisses Allie. Then, she picks up Jack and kisses him goodbye. Without putting him down, Elizabeth hugs Lee and Rosemary, saying, "I don't know if I can leave him for a week."
Rosemary chuckles and takes Jack from her, suggesting, "Of course, you can. They will both be fine with us."
"I know. But this is the first time I am leaving Jack for more than a night," states Elizabeth. Nathan wraps his arm around her for support. "Thank you so much for watching the kids. We are so grateful for you two."
Rosemary mentions, "It is our pleasure to keep the kids. They will all have fun." Lee nods in agreement, as Rosemary whistles and gets everyone's attention, announcing, "Our newlyweds need to be on their way. Their ride is waiting for them at the top of the hill if you would like to help send them off."
Allie yells, "Wait," as she hugs Elizabeth and Nathan one more time. Then, most of the guests, plus Lee, Rosemary, Patrick, Allie, and Jack, follow Nathan and Elizabeth up the hill. Elizabeth happily gasps when she sees a horse-drawn carriage waiting for them.
Elizabeth inquires, "Did you do this, Nathan? And the book arch? Was that you?"
"I did. I thought you would enjoy both a carriage ride and having something so important to you represented in our ceremony, books."
Elizabeth giggles, "I love both, Nathan. They are perfect, like you." Nathan shyly chuckles and kisses her.
Nathan whispers, "I love you," before helping her into the carriage.
Elizabeth kisses him, whispering back, "I love you too, my husband." They wave to their guests and ride off.
The reception continues a little longer but winds down to only a handful of people helping clean up while Allie keeps Patrick and Jack occupied. Gustave gathers all the plates, glasses, utensils, and food dishes. And Lee, Rosemary, Faith, Carson, and Fiona are finishing up with all the decorations, hoping to get everything done except for the tables, chairs, and arch. When they finish, Rosemary sits down a minute, catching her breath before walking back to the cars.
Rosemary remarks to Lee, "I think this turned out better than I could hope. Do you think they enjoyed their wedding?"
"Of course, they did, honey," answers Lee as he leans in, and their lips meet. "How are you holding up? Are you ready to go home? We will have three kids under our roof tonight and for the next eight days." Rosemary nods and stands up, taking a shaky step before losing her balance and almost falling. Lee catches her, helping her sit back down. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"
Rosemary replies, "I don't know. When I stood, I suddenly became extremely dizzy." Faith saw her almost fall and came to check on her.
Faith is concerned and sits next to Rosemary, asking, "What happened?"
Rosemary responds, "I was dizzy, and I lost my balance. I am fine now." She tries to stand up to prove she is good, but Lee catches her again when she falters.
"Have you been eating and drinking your usual amount of water today? You know the baby needs those things every day to grow big and strong. How is your head? Are you feeling any tightness or pain in your abdomen?" inquires Faith.
Rosemary frowns, thinking to herself and answering, "I've been so busy today, I don't think I've had time to eat or drink, except for the little bit of chicken I ate here. And I have not had much water today either." Rosemary reaches for Lee's hand, squeezing it before mentioning, "My head is fine, and I am not feeling any tightness or any new pains."
Patrick notices the concerned looks on his parents' faces, so he rushes over to them, questioning, "Mama, are you and my little brother or sister, okay?"
Rosemary lets Patrick climb onto her shrinking lap. She holds tightly onto him and whispers, "Hold on a minute, bud. Doctor Carter is going to tell us something."
Faith hands her a glass, stating, "Here, please drink this water. You are likely dehydrated, and you did entirely too much today with being eight months pregnant." She glances at Patrick, then Rosemary, and decides to leave out her concern, only suggesting, "I want you to come in tomorrow for a full checkup." Rosemary looks at Lee with worry on her face, and they both acknowledge they understand.
[6] A Marriage Blessing by Dave Willis (website: weddings/wedding-blessings)