"Mommy, mommy hurry up!" Ryan squealed, as Sydney hurried to unlock to
front door. Once she did she pulled it open wide, revealing Jack and Irina
standing on the front step. Sydney smiled broadly, without hesitation, as
did her parents.
"Grandma, Grandpa!" Ryan yelled running to Jack. "I'm so glad you're here." He said joyously as Jack lifted him for a big hug.
"Oh Ryan, I've missed you so much." Jack said softly breathing in the scent of his grandchild. He smelled of dirt, soap and cookies, as every six year should.
"Mom." Sydney said softly, pulling her mother in for a tight embrace.
"How are you Sydney?" Irina said as they parted.
"I'm great Mom, I'm so glad you're here." Sydney smiled, turning to her father. They hugged after Jack set Ryan down.
"Hey, hey now. No one told me you'd arrived." Vaughn said walking into the foyer. He smiled warmly at Irina before giving her a hug.
"Oh, Michael it is so good to see you." Irina said softly. She looked him directly in the eye, and smiled a warm but knowing smile.
"Mother." Sark said, as he began to descend the stairs.
As the crowd in the foyer grew, hugs were abundant, and the sounds of joyous conversation and laugher filled the air. Alex and Damien emerged from the basement, and Vaughn's mother made her way out of the kitchen. As they were greeted warmly, the sound of crying caused everyone to hush.
Sydney smiled. "It seems like somebody is disappointed she's not with us." She laughed, she turned to walk up the stairs. A few minutes later she emerged from the bedroom holding a baby in her arms. She smiled and giggled as she made her way down the stairs.
"There now, see Kate, everybody is together." Sydney cooed as she reached the bottom of the stairs. The baby giggled slightly and reached up toward her mother's face. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Exactly one week later the ten person family stood on the deck of the Country Club, looking out over the continental divide. They, along with many others had waited for this day for a long, long time. Through so much trial, and so much pain, the day had finally arrived.
"Do you Michael, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife. To love and to cherish in sickness and in heath, as long as you both shall live?"
She stood beside Will, who was holding baby Kate, trying to keep from crying. For the first time in a long time she let a tear of joy slide down her cheek, it was the first one she could clearly remember. Her parents, her brother, and her friends looked upon her, wearing a beautiful white dress, her hair swept up. Her long veil swayed ever so slightly in the breeze. She looked like an angel.
He held Ryan's hand, and stood beside Alex and Damien, they were all in this together. With his friends in the audience, his mother watching through tears, he said the words he'd waited a lifetime to say.
"With all of my heart, I do." He said softly looking into her tear filled brown eyes.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
And he did.
The ceremony was followed by much dancing and merrymaking. Loved ones and flowers, music and joy. After almost nine years of turmoil, after the pain, the loss, and the suffering they were joined. Their bond together was official to the world, even through they knew that if was already official in their hearts. They had created so much love together, a life. They were surrounded by those they loved, and they were completely devoid of fear. This was their life together. With Alex, Damien, Ryan, and Kate, they were a family. As hard as it was, they had finally arrived. They were home.
"Grandma, Grandpa!" Ryan yelled running to Jack. "I'm so glad you're here." He said joyously as Jack lifted him for a big hug.
"Oh Ryan, I've missed you so much." Jack said softly breathing in the scent of his grandchild. He smelled of dirt, soap and cookies, as every six year should.
"Mom." Sydney said softly, pulling her mother in for a tight embrace.
"How are you Sydney?" Irina said as they parted.
"I'm great Mom, I'm so glad you're here." Sydney smiled, turning to her father. They hugged after Jack set Ryan down.
"Hey, hey now. No one told me you'd arrived." Vaughn said walking into the foyer. He smiled warmly at Irina before giving her a hug.
"Oh, Michael it is so good to see you." Irina said softly. She looked him directly in the eye, and smiled a warm but knowing smile.
"Mother." Sark said, as he began to descend the stairs.
As the crowd in the foyer grew, hugs were abundant, and the sounds of joyous conversation and laugher filled the air. Alex and Damien emerged from the basement, and Vaughn's mother made her way out of the kitchen. As they were greeted warmly, the sound of crying caused everyone to hush.
Sydney smiled. "It seems like somebody is disappointed she's not with us." She laughed, she turned to walk up the stairs. A few minutes later she emerged from the bedroom holding a baby in her arms. She smiled and giggled as she made her way down the stairs.
"There now, see Kate, everybody is together." Sydney cooed as she reached the bottom of the stairs. The baby giggled slightly and reached up toward her mother's face. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Exactly one week later the ten person family stood on the deck of the Country Club, looking out over the continental divide. They, along with many others had waited for this day for a long, long time. Through so much trial, and so much pain, the day had finally arrived.
"Do you Michael, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife. To love and to cherish in sickness and in heath, as long as you both shall live?"
She stood beside Will, who was holding baby Kate, trying to keep from crying. For the first time in a long time she let a tear of joy slide down her cheek, it was the first one she could clearly remember. Her parents, her brother, and her friends looked upon her, wearing a beautiful white dress, her hair swept up. Her long veil swayed ever so slightly in the breeze. She looked like an angel.
He held Ryan's hand, and stood beside Alex and Damien, they were all in this together. With his friends in the audience, his mother watching through tears, he said the words he'd waited a lifetime to say.
"With all of my heart, I do." He said softly looking into her tear filled brown eyes.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
And he did.
The ceremony was followed by much dancing and merrymaking. Loved ones and flowers, music and joy. After almost nine years of turmoil, after the pain, the loss, and the suffering they were joined. Their bond together was official to the world, even through they knew that if was already official in their hearts. They had created so much love together, a life. They were surrounded by those they loved, and they were completely devoid of fear. This was their life together. With Alex, Damien, Ryan, and Kate, they were a family. As hard as it was, they had finally arrived. They were home.