Chapter 58
"Hank. Calm down, Buddy. This is not the Spanish Inquisition here. It's your wedding. Do you hear me?" Luis asked with a grin. "Your wedding," he said. Placing his hands on his friend's shoulders and staring into his brown eyes. "But Luis. Man. I know Gwen said she didn't want the whole shebang. That she just wanted it to be us. But what if she regrets it later? What if she wishes her family was here? At least her father?"
"I am here, Son," Jonathan Hotchkiss boomed. Smiling at his future son-in- law's stunned expression and open mouth. "But how…how did you do it? Where's Becs? Um, I mean Mrs. Hotchkiss?" Jonathan chuckled. "Becs, huh? Kind of fits. She's at home. I gave her free rein over the house. She's been dying to redecorate." Luis and Hank looked to each other and grimaced. "I know," Jonathan laughed. "But it's for a good cause. I have to give my baby girl away."
"You're not disappointed? Gwen deserves so much more, Mr. Hotchkiss." "Hank, my boy," Jonathan said. Straightening Hank's tie. "You are one of the best. She loves you. You love her—and that grandson of mine to distraction. That's good enough for her. So it's good enough for me." Hank was so touched he hugged the man.
The two men jerked apart at the sound of someone clearing their throat. "Sorry to interrupt your male bonding session," Sheridan teased. "But Father Lonagin's ready to start. He has another ceremony to perform in about an hour and a half. The guests are going to be arriving soon. So…are you ready, Hank? Because there's a certain special someone who can't wait to become your wife." Hank looked into Jonathan's kindly eyes, into those of his childhood buddy, then into Sheridan's sparkling blue eyes, and took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready. Tell Gwen I can't wait to see her walking down that aisle."
Sheridan beamed at the trio and blew her own husband a kiss goodbye. She walked outside to the room where Gwen waited. Studying her reflection nervously in the mirror. "It's not your typical wedding gown, but it's beautiful, Sheridan. Thank you for lending it to me." "You're welcome," Sheridan whispered. Tears in her eyes. Seeing Gwen in the gown she purchased in Spain on her and Luis's honeymoon brought back memories of her own.
"You look so pretty," Ali said with a smile. "Why thank you, Miss Ali. You look quite stunning yourself," she said. Tucking a loose curl behind the little girl's ear. "Sheridan, I think I have the most beautiful little flower girl in the entire universe. What do you think, Jake?" Jake looked down at his feet. Embarrassed. Still annoyed at having to wear his Sunday clothes. "Yeah," he grudgingly muttered. "She looks pretty." Sheridan and Gwen giggled when Ali mortified Jake by kissing him on the cheek. "Yuck!" he exclaimed. Wiping his cheek roughly. Face flaming.
They heard the soft strains of music begin, and Sheridan hugged her friend once more. "You're going to do fine," she said in a reassuring voice. "Come on, Ali. Jake. Time for the show to begin. You know what to do, don't you?" Ali nodded her head yes. Jake said, "Sure. I've seen it on movies a lot of times. I just don't want to trip, though, and lose the rings. Don't babies usually do this? I'm not a baby," he said. Screwing his face up in disgust.
Sheridan laughed. He was such an adorable little rascal. "Not always," she smiled. "Besides. Your mom wants you in her wedding. Don't you want to make her happy? You have a really important job." Jake grinned at the mention of importance and stood tall. Little shoulders squared. "I'm ready," he said in a proud voice. Walking away from Sheridan. Toward the sound of the music. Then turning back abruptly and asking in a loud whisper, "Which way do I go?" She laughed again and hurried over to his side. Holding Ali's hand in hers. Directing them on where to walk. Then she kissed Jake on the cheek. This time Jake didn't wipe it off. He practically beamed as he walked down the aisle to his father and Uncle Luis. Causing them to chuckle to themselves.
Ali strolled behind him happily. Tossing rose petals out of her basket. Sometimes watching as they fluttered to the ground. Sheridan came up behind her daughter and gave her a gentle push forward. "Ali, sweetie. We don't have all day." Ali's pace quickened, and soon she was standing beside Jake. Sheridan came to stand on the other side of Luis and Hank. And Luis lost himself in her eyes. "Hey, Buddy," Hank kidded. "It's my wedding. I can't have you guys upstaging me. Knock it off." Sheridan blushed and hid her smile when Luis ignored Hank's words. Staring at her more intently than before.
"This is it, Hank," she heard her husband whisper. And all eyes turned to the back of the church where Gwen stood. On the arm of her father. Jonathan Hotchkiss's proud smile grew with every step he took. And by the time they reached the altar, he was sure he would burst with pride. Tears gleamed in his eyes as he kissed his daughter's cheek. Then turned to Hank and said to Gwen, "Your in good hands now." The first of many tears slipped down Gwen's cheek as she whispered, "Thank you, Daddy." Then she took Hank's hand. And they both smiled as Father Lonagin spoke for the first time.
"We are gathered here today..."
"Hank. Calm down, Buddy. This is not the Spanish Inquisition here. It's your wedding. Do you hear me?" Luis asked with a grin. "Your wedding," he said. Placing his hands on his friend's shoulders and staring into his brown eyes. "But Luis. Man. I know Gwen said she didn't want the whole shebang. That she just wanted it to be us. But what if she regrets it later? What if she wishes her family was here? At least her father?"
"I am here, Son," Jonathan Hotchkiss boomed. Smiling at his future son-in- law's stunned expression and open mouth. "But how…how did you do it? Where's Becs? Um, I mean Mrs. Hotchkiss?" Jonathan chuckled. "Becs, huh? Kind of fits. She's at home. I gave her free rein over the house. She's been dying to redecorate." Luis and Hank looked to each other and grimaced. "I know," Jonathan laughed. "But it's for a good cause. I have to give my baby girl away."
"You're not disappointed? Gwen deserves so much more, Mr. Hotchkiss." "Hank, my boy," Jonathan said. Straightening Hank's tie. "You are one of the best. She loves you. You love her—and that grandson of mine to distraction. That's good enough for her. So it's good enough for me." Hank was so touched he hugged the man.
The two men jerked apart at the sound of someone clearing their throat. "Sorry to interrupt your male bonding session," Sheridan teased. "But Father Lonagin's ready to start. He has another ceremony to perform in about an hour and a half. The guests are going to be arriving soon. So…are you ready, Hank? Because there's a certain special someone who can't wait to become your wife." Hank looked into Jonathan's kindly eyes, into those of his childhood buddy, then into Sheridan's sparkling blue eyes, and took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready. Tell Gwen I can't wait to see her walking down that aisle."
Sheridan beamed at the trio and blew her own husband a kiss goodbye. She walked outside to the room where Gwen waited. Studying her reflection nervously in the mirror. "It's not your typical wedding gown, but it's beautiful, Sheridan. Thank you for lending it to me." "You're welcome," Sheridan whispered. Tears in her eyes. Seeing Gwen in the gown she purchased in Spain on her and Luis's honeymoon brought back memories of her own.
"You look so pretty," Ali said with a smile. "Why thank you, Miss Ali. You look quite stunning yourself," she said. Tucking a loose curl behind the little girl's ear. "Sheridan, I think I have the most beautiful little flower girl in the entire universe. What do you think, Jake?" Jake looked down at his feet. Embarrassed. Still annoyed at having to wear his Sunday clothes. "Yeah," he grudgingly muttered. "She looks pretty." Sheridan and Gwen giggled when Ali mortified Jake by kissing him on the cheek. "Yuck!" he exclaimed. Wiping his cheek roughly. Face flaming.
They heard the soft strains of music begin, and Sheridan hugged her friend once more. "You're going to do fine," she said in a reassuring voice. "Come on, Ali. Jake. Time for the show to begin. You know what to do, don't you?" Ali nodded her head yes. Jake said, "Sure. I've seen it on movies a lot of times. I just don't want to trip, though, and lose the rings. Don't babies usually do this? I'm not a baby," he said. Screwing his face up in disgust.
Sheridan laughed. He was such an adorable little rascal. "Not always," she smiled. "Besides. Your mom wants you in her wedding. Don't you want to make her happy? You have a really important job." Jake grinned at the mention of importance and stood tall. Little shoulders squared. "I'm ready," he said in a proud voice. Walking away from Sheridan. Toward the sound of the music. Then turning back abruptly and asking in a loud whisper, "Which way do I go?" She laughed again and hurried over to his side. Holding Ali's hand in hers. Directing them on where to walk. Then she kissed Jake on the cheek. This time Jake didn't wipe it off. He practically beamed as he walked down the aisle to his father and Uncle Luis. Causing them to chuckle to themselves.
Ali strolled behind him happily. Tossing rose petals out of her basket. Sometimes watching as they fluttered to the ground. Sheridan came up behind her daughter and gave her a gentle push forward. "Ali, sweetie. We don't have all day." Ali's pace quickened, and soon she was standing beside Jake. Sheridan came to stand on the other side of Luis and Hank. And Luis lost himself in her eyes. "Hey, Buddy," Hank kidded. "It's my wedding. I can't have you guys upstaging me. Knock it off." Sheridan blushed and hid her smile when Luis ignored Hank's words. Staring at her more intently than before.
"This is it, Hank," she heard her husband whisper. And all eyes turned to the back of the church where Gwen stood. On the arm of her father. Jonathan Hotchkiss's proud smile grew with every step he took. And by the time they reached the altar, he was sure he would burst with pride. Tears gleamed in his eyes as he kissed his daughter's cheek. Then turned to Hank and said to Gwen, "Your in good hands now." The first of many tears slipped down Gwen's cheek as she whispered, "Thank you, Daddy." Then she took Hank's hand. And they both smiled as Father Lonagin spoke for the first time.
"We are gathered here today..."