It was something they'd all hoped for and worried might never happen.
Red was getting married.
He'd surprised them on New Years Day with the announcement that he'd asked Amy to marry him and that she'd floored him by accepting. The wedding was going to be small and as soon as they could make the arrangements. Red didn't consider himself to be superstitious, but he'd lost the chance at being Betty's husband because they had decided to wait and he didn't want to wait this time.
Because he and Amy had decided on a small ceremony they had chosen the Hickam base chapel, where Rafe and Evelyn had been married in 1942 and Danny and Sandra had also been married in 1946. Red had asked Gooz to be his best man and Amy wanted her best friend from nursing school to be her maid of honor.
It was in that very chapel the night before the wedding that Rafe and Evelyn sat holding the others hand. They had joined Danny and Sandra, Barbara, Martha and Gooz for the rehearsal. It had gone without a hitch, which worried Gooz because he said it was bad luck. It usually meant something would go wrong at the wedding. Amy tucked her arm through his and reassured him that everything would be fine as the friends walked out of the chapel and left Rafe and Evelyn in the quiet. They were remembering their own wedding day nearly nine years before and marveling at everything that had happened to them since. "Rafe?"
"What is it honey?" He asked as he squeezed her hand.
"Do you realize that it's been nearly nine years since we were married here?"
"It's been the best nine years of my life, even though I was away a lot for a few of them."
"We were luckier than a lot of couples who didn't get to see each other for months at a time."
"Don't I know it. I always felt so lucky to be able to see you and the kids so much and I never took it for granted that I could."
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "We were happy to be able to see you as much."
The door at the back of the chapel opened. "Hey McCawley's," Danny said quietly. "we're waitin' on you."
"We'll be out in a minute." Rafe told his friend.
He came in and stood next to the pew where Rafe and Evelyn were sitting. "Everythin' all right?"
"Just rememberin' when we got married here."
"The only time I saw you more nervous then the day that Sarah was born was your weddin' day." Danny laughed softly and looked at Evelyn. "This guy couldn't even tie his own tie."
She looked at her husband and smiled. "I never knew that."
"You weren't supposed to." He grinned. "The truth is, until I saw you standin' in the doorway, my stomach was in knots."
"If it makes you feel any better, mine was too. And that wasn't even the morning sickness."
Rafe looked at her with a slight frown of concern. "You never told me that."
"What purpose would it have served? It was something that was a part of my being pregnant and I didn't want it to affect our wedding day." She tucked her arm through his and looked at him with a smile. "Nothing was going to stop me from marrying you that day."
"Evelyn McCawley, you're really somethin'." He said and kissed her cheek.
Danny watched the exchange between two people who meant as much to him as his own family and smiled. "All right you two, let's get movin'. We got friends waitin' on us or have you forgotten we're hostin' the rehearsal dinner?"
"We haven't forgotten." Rafe told him and he stood up, taking his wife's hand as she stood up next to him. "Let's go." And they walked out of the chapel.
It was late that night when Red made his way home to the Bachelor Officers Quarters, for the last time. He had been assigned married housing and that was where Amy was staying to get their home in order.
Red was a happy man because not only did he love Amy, but he would always be grateful to her for helping him move on with his life without feeling that he had to stop loving Betty.
He'd never forgotten Betty's visit or how she'd given him her blessing to love again and he always felt that she would have liked Amy.
"Red?"
He turned toward the small kitchen and saw Betty standing there and she was smiling. "Betty."
"It's good to see you Red."
"It's sure good to see you too Betty."
She walked toward him. "I just wanted to come see you and tell you how happy I am that you finally found someone. She seems like a really sweet girl."
Red grinned. "She is. And as I remember, it was your idea for me to give her a chance."
"We're all so excited for you."
"We?"
"Of course. Billy and Anthony know you're getting married and wanted me to tell you it was about time."
"You see them?"
"Everyday. We're all right Red and we're happy."
"What is it like?" Red had been so surprised by her last visit that he hadn't thought to ask until after she'd gone.
"It's really nice because we're in Pearl Harbor. We had a choice of where we wanted to stay and Pearl Harbor before the attack was the happiest time for us, so that was where we wanted to be. We do miss all of you though."
"We'll all be together again someday."
"I hope so. Red I'm not here just to congratulate you, I'm here to say goodbye for good. Once you're married tomorrow I can't visit you anymore but I wanted you to know how much I love you."
"I love you too Betty, I always will."
"I know. Be happy Red, that's all I've ever wanted for you." And she kissed his cheek before she disappeared.
It was a beautiful day for the wedding as Red and Amy stood at the altar reciting their marriage vows. All of the people they cared about were there filling the pews and Gooz stood next to Red with a grin on his face that rivaled the one he wore on his own wedding day. His wife had surprised him by showing up the night before after not having made the trip with him because of their sick child.
Rafe, Evelyn, Danny and Sandra sat with Barbara, Martha and Gooz' wife as they watched the last of their friends find happiness.
As the minister pronounced Red and Amy husband and wife, Betty stood at the back of the chapel wearing the formal she'd worn the night in New York City. Standing next to her was Anthony and Billy in their dress uniforms and they all applauded with the rest of the congregation as the new Mr. and Mrs. turned to face the crowd.
Red saw them standing there and knew that that was the nicest wedding gift he could have received.
