The guests stood at the sound and turned for their first glimpse of the father and daughter pair. Handkerchiefs were passed as Nathan and Allie made their way down the aisle.
For Allie, the world had faded as she held her dad's arm and strode towards the man who had stolen her heart one letter at a time. Her mother had teased—as his former teacher—that no one could make Robert write like Allie, but a man in love will do that. Pages and pages about how special she was to him.
She was always unlike the other girls. Allie was his friend first and then his partner in crime— from fishing together to a rather memorable ice cream-fight in the pharmacy. Sure he had owed the Yosts several paychecks and extra hours for the mess, but that look in Allie's eye gave him the hope that he had needed to hold on while he attended the Academy.
His love for her only grew across the miles. The teasing from his fellow recruits as he poured over her letters and their catcalls in the background as he whispered that he loved her on the phone near the bunk house—all of it was worth it to be here today.
Allie was a vision and Nathan soaked up every last step down the aisle with her as he approached the woman he loved in the front row cradling their next child. It seemed like yesterday that he was watching her finally walk their wedding aisle towards him. He could only hope that Allie would have the same happiness with Robert that he had found with Elizabeth.
Abby and Rosaleigh were first down the aisle and were dressed in cream with a deep burgundy ribbon tied around their waists. Their chestnut hair was braided across the crown of their head and was accented with small floral wreaths—mirroring their older sister's bridal hair. Their soft curls fell down their back and their bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement. The girls tossed crimson and white petals preparing the way for their sister.
Two steps behind was their youngest protector Will wearing a tan dress shirt with dark brown trousers and matching suspenders with a crimson tie. His jet black unruly hair fell in one curl over his bright blue eyes. Will's long arms held out the pillow tied with the precious cargo of the bride's and groom's rings.
At the end of the aisle, the little girls joined Elizabeth in the first row. Abby managed to dump the remaining petals unceremoniously in a heap at the end of the aisle before joining her mother on the bench—much to the amusement of the guests. (Minus perhaps one Hamilton-born grandmother).
Will stood next to his big brother Jack at the end of the groomsmen line with both brothers matching in tan next to the remaining groomsmen in their dress serge.
Robert stood tall with his eyes brimming as his future wife stepped closer while his heart hammered within his chest. To his left stood his best man—Cody Stanton in full dress serge as Brookfield's newest Mountie and Gabe Kinslow's protégée.
Next to Cody was his roommate at Academy Ray Stafford. Ray had sandy blonde hair and two deep dimples when he smiled. He was every bit as lean and muscular as the other young Mounties he stood with, and he had deep green eyes that sparkled with mischief.
Next to Ray stood Ellis Paxton. Ellis was his troop leader and a fast friend upon his arrival at Academy. He towered over the other groomsmen, but had dark kind eyes that accented his freckles.
The men were a commanding sight standing tall garnering more than just a little attention from the bride's single guests.
At the other side of the aisle, stood Opal as Allie's maid of honor. Angela Canfield and Emily Montgomery stood smiling to Opal's right. Sarah Wolf stood at the end of the line as the youngest bridesmaid opposite Jack as the youngest groomsman. Each girl held a bouquet of wildflowers and grasses which made for a striking contrast against their champagne colored dresses that mimicked the flower girls' dresses, but in a deeper hue.
Allie and Nathan reached the end of the aisle where Joseph cleared his throat and invited the guests to be seated.
"Good afternoon everyone. We are gathered here today to witness the joining of two lives: Allie Mays Grant to Robert Everett Wolf. Who gives this woman to this man?"
Nathan squeezed her arm one last time and looked deeply into Allie's eyes as he managed, "her mother and I."
Allie's eyes brimmed at the meaning she had longed for her entire childhood. She was the daughter of a mother and a father, not by birth, but by choice. Her heart swelled that she had been given the gift of becoming a Grant. It wasn't lost on her that Grant means gift of God. They truly were and would always be God's gracious gift to her to be raised by Nathan and Elizabeth Grant.
Brought back to the present by Robert's touch, she looked deeply into the loving eyes of her future. Robert mouthed a quiet "Wow! You look beautiful." He had tears in his eyes as he squeezed his bride's hand.
Joseph delivered a beautiful message managing to slyly work in Allie's scripture request from Proverbs 18:22. "He who finds a wife has found a good thing. And obtains favor from the Lord."
Robert laughed and rolled his eyes along with his new father-in-law. Elizabeth's eyes danced with amusement and her quiet chuckling garnered a playful squeeze from her husband who was fully aware that he would hear that verse plenty in the coming days.
Rings were exchanged with traditional vows before Robert added some words of his own.
"Allie, I have loved you since we were kids. My dad used to always tell me to be nice to the girls at school because I might marry one some day. I used to think he was joking until I met you. Allie, you were so much different than the other girls."
A look of panic crossed his face as he broke eye contact with Allie and leaned out around her making eye contact with the bridesmaids. "Uh, no offense Opal, Angela, and Emily you're great too. She's…you know."
Opal came to his rescue giggling. "It's ok Robert we get it. We love her too. Just marry her already!" The congregation laughed at the exchange. Cody caught her eye from across the aisle and gave her a tender wink. A deep blush crept across her features much to Rosemary's delight.
Robert continued, "You were so much different from the other girls. I couldn't spook you with snakes orworms. You stole my heart when you bated your own hook!"
Nathan smiled at that—grateful that his time fishing with Allie was a blessing to Robert as well. It was a comfort to his father-heart that they were so well matched and that Allie's unconventional childhood had prepared her well for her future.
"Allie, every day with you is an adventure and I love that you walk with me step by step. You were my friend first and I'm thankful every day that you have also become my love. I love you Allie and I hope I can show you every day just how much you mean to me."
Allie wiped the tears from her eyes as she mouthed, "I love you." Robert squeezed her hands in reassurance.
"Robert, you were the first boy that became more than just a friend. You snuck into my heart while I wasn't yet looking for love. You even had me wishing I could spit water through my teeth so you would notice me like you noticed Anna."
"It's true! She made a mess trying!" Nathan piped up until he got a swift elbow to the ribs from Elizabeth. The guests were all chuckling now—Robert and Allie included—as Allie continued.
"Robert, you were the first to see me not as one of the boys, but as a woman. Thank you for loving me as I am and for never trying to change me into someone else. You are my best friend and the one I want to do everything with. Loving you is easy and I am so proud of the man you have become. It was no surprise that I fell for a Mountie—you embodied valor, honor, and bravery long before you put on the serge. I love that you work alongside Dad and that you love him as much as I do. I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else. I love you Robert Everett and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
Allie leaned in to kiss Robert and Joseph cleared his throat. "Not yet. Not yet you two!" Then Joseph quickly hurried through, "Before God and these witnesses, and by the power invested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife you may now…"
And that's all Pastor Joseph got out before Allie squealed and kissed Robert soundly before all of her friends and family. Allie finally pulled back and Robert looked positively smitten by the tenacity of his new wife. Pastor Joseph laughed to himself, rolled his eyes with a slight head shake, and unceremoniously closed his Bible leaving the lovebirds to their moment.
Cheers were sounded as the church bells rung out announcing the new married couple to the valley. Guests were all smiles as several wiped their eyes. They watched the happy couple rush back down the aisle and just out of sight while guests stood up from the wooden log benches—waiting to be directed by the ushers.
Alone for just a quick moment, Allie and Robert seized the opportunity to share their first real married kiss all to themselves. It ignited a fire in both their eyes for a lifetime of knowing each other.
