Chapter 52: An Autumn Wedding
Approximately a week before the event, James still hadn't come up with who he wanted to stand up with and for him at the wedding. On house visits that Thursday, Faith and James drove down the roadway to their scheduled appointment and discussed the matter further in depth.
"James, there isn't anyone that you're close to that you feel that fits that role?", Faith asked as she looked over at him from the passenger seat.
James glanced quickly over at Faith, frowned, and shook his head, and then turned his head back towards the road. "No, Sam was the only option. The one that I've remained in true contact with since my youth, and he isn't able to travel because his wife Anne is too close to delivering their baby."
"With going to medical school and working as a very active doctor, along with having a family at one time, I haven't developed many male friendships in quite a while. Is there anyone that you know well enough that might stand up for me, for us, in the ceremony?", he glanced over at her quickly for a moment.
Faith thought about his question for a moment. "I think that, besides you, I'm most comfortable with Bill and Nathan. Would you consider asking either of them?", she asked as she looked at him, waiting for his response.
James continued driving, looking straight ahead, deep in thought. "I think, given those two choices, I probably know Constable Grant the best. Do you think he'd be willing?", James asked as he turned down a small roadway towards the next homestead.
"I think you should try and see what he says. If he doesn't want to, Nathan is honest enough to let you know.", she answered.
"Ok then, I will speak to him once we return to town.", James said and nodded confidently.
The two doctors arrived back in town in the late afternoon. Once they parked the car, Faith headed inside the infirmary to unpack and do the necessary paperwork on their visits from that day. James saw that Newton was tied to the post outside of the Mountie office, so he headed over there to speak to Nathan. Once he got closer, he opened the office door and entered inside.
Nathan looked up from the paperwork that he was doing at his desk and said, "Dr. McGuffin, how can I help you this afternoon?" He gestured for the doctor to take a seat in front of him as he put his pen down and folded his hands in front of him. James smiled, took a seat across from Nathan, and cleared his throat quietly.
"Constable, as you know, Faith and I will be getting married next Saturday. My old friend Sam is unable to travel since his wife Anne is expecting their second child any day now. Faith suggested that you would possibly be willing to stand up with us, with me, on our wedding day. ", James asked as he looked into Nathan's blue eyes inquisitively.
"Hmm, there is one problem with that, Dr. McGuffin. I think that if I'm going to stand up with you both, we'd best call one another by our first names. What do you say to that?", Nathan asked with a teasing smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
James chuckled softly, nodded, and responded, "Yes, I would have to agree. Please, call me James.", he said, as he smiled warmly and held out his hand to Nathan. Nathan smiled in return, took James' hand in his own, confidently shook it, and answered, "Call me Nathan."
"And, on that note, Faith has been a good friend over the years, and it's nice to see that you two have found one another. I would be honored to stand up with you both as your best man next Saturday, James!", Nathan replied, as he got out of his chair and came around to the other side of the desk and patted James on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Nathan! It is an honor to have you stand up with us. We are keeping it very simple, so feel free to wear any suit that you have. I'll most likely wear my navy blue suit if that helps any, however.", James said matter-of-factly.
"Sounds good, James, blue suit it is," Nathan said, taking a seat on the corner of the desk. The two chatted a little longer about the wedding, honeymoon plans, and where the doctors would live once they returned to Hope Valley. When they finished, James got up from his chair as Nathan stood from the desk, and the two men shook hands once more before James left the Mountie Office.
The day has finally come: the last Saturday of November. The church was decorated for fall, like the Yost's wedding a couple of years prior. Autumn leaves were strewn to create the aisle way on both sides of the pews while the Bible/book holders held various autumnal flowers from the surrounding area. Additionally, each pew had multiple strands of wheat bound together with burlap and twine. The doorway leading into the church as well as the chalkboard were decorated with a garland of autumnal leaves that the ladies had made the prior day.
The Yosts and the Averys had arrived a bit earlier so that Florence and Molly could finish any last-minute decorating. Once they finished, the Yosts, along with Paul, sat on the left side of the church in the second pew, and right behind them was the Averys, with Rena sitting in Bill's lap and Katie Yost sitting next to Molly. At the very front, Minnie sat with Cooper and Anna while Angela sat playing tunes softly on the piano.
Clara and Abigail walked into the church, and those who hadn't kept in touch with the Flynns were pleasantly surprised that the young couple had become parents of a beautiful baby girl who was about six months old. The baby girl was a combination of her father with her light brown hair and her mother's large blue eyes. She sat upright on Clara's hip and played with a lock of her mother's long, dark, curly hair as Clara spoke to the others who had come up to greet the two women and the babe in arms. "I'd like to introduce you to Hope Abigail Flynn.", Clara said proudly. The other women expressed ahhh at the sentiment of the name and the cuteness of the little child herself as well. As if on cue with being the center of attention, Hope smiled a simple four-tooth smile, waved both of her hands and said enthusiastically, "Hiiii!" and instantly snuggled into her mother's shoulder.
Bill motioned for the ladies to come sit behind them in the back part of the church. Abigail and Clara excitedly smiled at the Averys and took their places behind the older couple. Rena looked over at Hope with a big grin and exclaimed, "Hi baby! I'm Rena. " Hope smiled shyly and nuzzled into her mother's neck as all of the adults around them chuckled at the scenario. Just then, Elizabeth came in, and she sat next to Abigail with Little Jack in her lap.
Across from Clara, Abigail, and the Thorntons on the right side of the church, sat Wilma Lawson, Cat Montgomery, and Mary Wolf, with Donny, Marshall, and Sarah on their laps. In front of them sat Robert, who had found Cody on his way in and convinced him to sit with him and Timmy. Emily, Maggie, Opal, and Allie sat in front of them. Then finally, in the front row sat Mike, Kevin, and Mei. At the very back, standing were Kurt Lawson, Richard Wolf, and Judge Bleakney.
At Joseph's signal, Cooper stood up and went to ring the church bell. The bell was to note not only the hour but also that the wedding would begin very soon.
Faith stood looking at her reflection in the mirror at the barber's shop. Even though she had borrowed the gown that Elizabeth had worn for Jack's dedication, Faith looked everything like the beautiful bride that she was. The cream lace and satin combination of the gown accentuated her porcelain features even more. Fiona repeated the updo that she had practiced and placed Faith's mother's delicate ivory pearl hair pins on each side, which matched perfectly to her mother's pearl earrings and necklace, which represented her something old. For her something new and blue, Rosemary had made her a beautiful handkerchief that went perfectly with the dress and was embroidered with a delicate flower, Faith's and James' initials, and their wedding date, all in blue. The ladies had helped her to take the handkerchief and wrap it around the handle of her bouquet and pin it with a dress pin. The bouquet consisted of yellow sunflowers, pinecones, and wheat. Fiona borrowed the burgundy anniversary dress that Rosemary wore to the movie picture show a few years prior. She wore her hair in an elegant updo, and she herself carried a smaller bouquet of sunflowers, pinecones, and strands of wheat.
Before the ladies walked in, Joseph walked in with James and Nathan. James looked very dapper in his navy-blue suit and navy-blue tie, which accentuated his auburn hair and green eyes. Nathan followed with his own navy-blue suit that he wore with a borrowed burgundy tie from Lee so that he'd coordinate with Fiona's dress. James closed his eyes for a moment, and Nathan leaned in, put his hands on James' shoulders, and said, "Breathe, James, breathe.", he said, as he smiled at his new friend.
James nodded his head and opened his eyes as Angela began to play a different song, signifying that the wedding was beginning. Fiona marched down the aisle with a smile lighting up her whole face. The rich burgundy color of the gown brought out the golden blonde accents in her hair and her chocolate brown eyes. Since Faith's father had been too ill to travel, she asked if Bill would walk her down the aisle, since she felt closest to him as a father-like figure. Bill happily accepted, and when it was time, he handed Rena over to Molly, took his place in the back of the church, and led Faith to James and Pastor Joseph. Faith looked radiant as she walked down the aisle, her eyes focused solely on James and smiling from ear to ear. James let out a slow breath as Faith approached, and once she handed her bouquet over to Fiona and Bill handed her off, he took hold of her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.
It was a beautiful wedding, from Faith in her gown, to the decorations, and the vows and promises made by the couple. Later, at the reception, the ladies hung around waiting for Faith to throw the bouquet. Mei and Fiona stood right out in front with Cat and other mine widows behind them. Elizabeth stood off to the side. Then, Faith turned around and counted to three and threw the bouquet. The bouquet went flying into the air, then veered to the right and landed in Elizabeth's arms.
The crowd roared with applause, and Bill, who stood next to Nathan, nudged him in the ribs and commented, "You better get to work on that proposal, Nathan." Nathan just smirked and shook his head in response. With that, he smiled and winked at Nathan and walked back over to his wife and granddaughter.
When Elizabeth walked over to Nathan, holding the bouquet in her left hand, she blushed and chuckled, waving the bouquet at him and then said, " I told you a couple of years ago, I can't avoid these things it seems." Nathan smiled from ear to ear and there was a twinkle in his eye as he replied, "Well, where it may have intimidated me a little bit at the Flynn's wedding, this one here, it doesn't scare me away whatsoever." He grabbed her right hand, held it up to his lips, and kissed it. In response, Elizabeth blushed as she smiled sweetly at him as he met her gaze.
"Have I told you today how beautiful you look?", Nathan asked after a moment. Elizabeth blushed once more and nodded. She wore her sage dress from the graduation ceremony a few years prior, and the green of the dress perfectly accentuated the blue of her eyes. Her chestnut hair was braided on the sides, with the remaining curls cascading down her back and a few tendrils left framing her face. She smiled at Nathan as she reached up and tugged at his tie and responded, "You look pretty handsome yourself, Mr. Grant. Except, I do have one complaint. " She pulled away, crossing her arms, and scowling playfully. Nathan raised his eyebrows, with a twinkle in his own eyes, and asked curiously, "What is your concern, Ms. Thornton?"
Elizabeth unfolded her arms, reaching over once more to tug on the burgundy tie that Nathan wore. Then, she leaned in to his ear and whispered, "Your tie is matching the wrong girl. It should match my dress. " With that, she drew away from his ear, kissed his cheek quickly, and revealed her playful nature through her eyes and smile. Nathan chuckled heartily in response. Clara walked up to the two of them with little Hope on her hip. Nathan took the little baby's hand, said hello, and made a few funny faces. Hope stared at Nathan intently for a moment, and then a small giggle spilled out of her. The ladies chuckled in response, and Nathan offered to get both of them some lemonade, which both ladies accepted the offer.
Clara came closer to Elizabeth and put her free hand on her friend's shoulder and said, "Like I said before, Elizabeth, you can't hide from fate. You're finally on the right path, and now it's just a matter of when that man of yours will pop the question. " Both of them glanced over in the direction of the beverage table where Nathan was getting drinks from.
"You knew too, Clara?", Elizabeth looked at her friend intently, searching her eyes as she awaited the answer. Clara nodded at Elizabeth as she adjusted Hope on her hip and responded, "Yes, I saw it almost right away, but I knew you struggled with that decision too. But, I'm glad that you're where you're at today. I wish you the best, Elizabeth. I'm not sure if I can make it to your wedding, whenever that may be, but know that you will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish you both the best in this life. Elizabeth, love and even marriage are just as satisfying the second time around. Even with the struggles of everyday life. "
The two friends hugged tightly around the baby and the bouquet that they both held as well. As they pulled apart, Nathan returned with two cups of lemonade. After Clara took the lemonade, Nathan offered to take Hope from her for a few moments, allowing her to enjoy her beverage. He and Hope had a grand time as he made faces as she belly laughed at his antics.
Elizabeth watched in awe, wearing a wide smile on her face and wandering thoughts of what it'd be like to have a child of their own. Clara leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You are a goner, Elizabeth. He's going to be an incredible father, but it's not like we didn't know that from how he's been with Allie. " Elizabeth simply blushed, looked down, but nodded in agreement with her friend.
A little later, during the reception, Cody and Allie were in the far corner of the inn, talking and sharing some of their favorite things about Hope Valley. Robert was over by the beverage table, watching his two friends from a distance and, for a moment, felt a tinge of jealousy. "That's ok, my two best friends can be friends with one another too.", he thought to himself, shrugging off any feelings of insecurity that he had momentarily had. He decided to join them in their conversation. Just as he approached them, the music started playing, and Cody asked Allie to dance. She smiled eagerly as the two of them walked onto the dance floor, passing Robert. Robert stood there, shocked and dumbfounded at what he had just witnessed and the feelings about it that were stirring inside of him.
Nathan stood on the other side of the room, watching the scenario as well. He smirked at Robert's reaction but realized while his daughter could be pursued by other boys besides Robert. She was a beautiful young woman who had a lot to offer the world. A look of concern and worry washed over his face and he became lost in thought. He was so unaware that he didn't realize that Abigail had come up next to him and had also witnessed the scene until she placed her hand on his upper arm and spoke.
"You've done a great job with her, Nathan. She is a truly lovely young lady. When the time is right for her, she'll come to you. In the meantime, do what you've been doing and simply trust that you've done a good job building a solid foundation within her.", Abigail said as she looked over at Nathan.
Nathan glanced over at Abigail and smiled in return. "Thank you, that means a lot to me that you say that. Sometimes I worry that I won't know what to do or get anything right as we phase into that time of life with her.", he answered as he gazed back at his daughter dancing with Cody. "Nathan, I assure you; you've got this. Besides, you won't have to do this alone much longer, right? Elizabeth will be by your side to help you and Allie along the way. It will all work out.", Abigail responded as she patted his arm.
Nathan patted her hand in response as he smiled at her. "Would you like to dance Abigail?", he asked his new friend. "I would love to Nathan, thank you.", she answered. The two went onto the dance floor and were having a fun time, but not too long after, there was a tap on Abigail's shoulder. "Abigail, would you mind too much if I cut in?", Elizabeth asked.
Abigail shook her head and happily stepped aside as Elizabeth stepped in to dance with Nathan. It didn't take Abigail long to locate Henry and ask him onto the dance floor. As Elizabeth and Nathan swayed to the music. "Well, this is long overdue. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time now. I've finally been asked by Elizabeth Thornton to dance. I've moved up in the world.", he said as he wore a teasing smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. "Very funny. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here...", she started to say before Nathan interrupted and said, "And all that matters now is that you're here." He responded, "No looking back, we aren't there anymore.", he responded. She looked down for a moment, and he lifted her chin and held her gaze. Then, he leaned down, as if he would kiss her, but instead placed a sweet, quick kiss on her cheek and swiftly drew back.
Elizabeth looked up at Nathan in shock with wide eyes. Then, regaining her composure, she swatted at his arm and responded, "Nathan Grant, you are a tease. Ugh! You do know that your "taking the right path" philosophy is pure torture sometimes? " Nathan chuckled at her comment, held her closer and continued to sway to the music once more.
As the evening drew to a close, the McGuffins hugged each of their guests goodbye and made their way out of the inn. The next morning, they'd be on their way out of town for a week-long honeymoon. Elizabeth and Rosemary watched their friend as she walked into the darkness and across the way to her home at the infirmary with her husband. They looked at one another with a knowing smile. Their friend had finally found true love and happiness, and there was nothing that could fill their hearts more with joy.
