Chapter 1
"By the power invested in me by the State of Arizona, I declare Robert and Ramona man and wife!" Father Nick announced. Turning to the young couple, he held out his hands, smiling. "Robbie, you may now kiss your bride!"
Amid cheers and tears, the young sheriff took Ramona in his arms and kissed her, then embraced her passionately. "Oh, Rick!" Laurie took her husband's hand and gave it a squeeze, "Your son takes after you!" Shaking his head with an amused smile, Rick replied, "He didn't need my help to learn that!"
Finally their family friend simmered everyone one down by turning the red- faced couple to the large congregation, and joyfully saying, "It is my honor to be the first to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Robert Scott Simon!"
As applause filled the church, Robbie and Ramona went first to Angelina, her mother, then to Rick and Laurie, hugging and kissing each parent. "I wish you all the happiness your father and I have had!" she whispered to her tall son, as he replied, "You're the ones who taught Robin and I about love, thank you for everything!"
As her oldest turned to his father, Laurie embraced Ramona, saying, "Welcome my daughter, I'm so proud to have you in our family!" "Thank you, Mom; I love being able to say I have two Moms!" the young bride returned.
Once again reclaiming Ramona's hand, Robbie led her down the aisle, then Robin and Ian came arm in arm as the rest of the bridal party followed. As the rest of the wedding party came down the aisle, Rick took Laurie's hand and kissed it, saying, "I'd marry you again, darlin'!"
Stepping out of the pew, she beamed at him and answered, "So would I, my love, then we could have a second honeymoon!"
Swinging hands, he winked and teased, "Sure you want to wait for another wedding?"
Laurie leaned closer, grinning, "I don't even want to wait until tonight!" Under Rick's hot glance, she blushed, catching A.J.'s attention. "Oh, oh, Rick! What did you do to make her blush now!" he ragged his big brother.
"Never you mind, A.J., my blushing bride and I have to behave ourselves for a while!" he laughed. Laurie giggled, "Yes, A.J., Rick can get me into enough trouble without my help!"
Laughing, they joined the rest of the wedding party in the council hall, festooned with with so many ribbons and balloons that Rick had joked no one else in Southern Arizona could possibly have a party! Dining on the finest chicken and ribs the Heritage House could provide, it was still full of homemade touches that caused Robbie to audibly sniff his way through a toast to his family. Only the fact that Ramona "accidentally" airmailed Robin the bouquet broke the emotional mood.
Just then Oscar came by and gave Rick the high sign, at which he left Laurie with
A.J. Meeting up with his son at the hall's back door, Rick helped Robbie gather his things together and put them in his car. Joining his bride at Oscar's sedan, the groom gave a quick hug to his father.
"Thanks, Pop, for everything, I love you!" he told Rick, trying not to cry. "I love you too, son, you make me so proud! You too, Ramona!" he added, then embraced both of them.
Robbie's proud chauffeurs, Rudy and Oscar, hustled the young couple into the car, then drove away, honking as the crowd waved and cheered.
As Rick rejoined his wife, he caught sight of Robin embracing her boyfriend, and his heart sank, not yet, please! "Darling." he turned, and saw Laurie gazing at him, understanding his not wanting to let go of his little girl.
"You know me too well, sweetheart." he said, putting his arms around her. Kissing him, she replied, "Enough to know the father of our children doesn't want to see his daughter married just yet. Neither do I, my love, there's time enough for that!"
"Wanna bet?" he sighed, seeing Robin and Ian dancing close together.
"Yes! Now, how about asking the mother of the groom to dance, hmm?" she said, trying to cheer him up.
Rick shook his head; he really wasn't in the mood to embarrass himself and his two left feet.
"No, Laurie, why don't you ask A.J., I'll sit this one out." he replied.
Astonished, his wife stared at him; maybe she had upset him by contradicting him. "Rick, I'm sorry, I don't know what I said, please forgive me." Suddenly it was just too much, she had to find a place to deal with his rejection without making a scene.
Now it was Rick's turn to be puzzled, he turned to see her hang her head, then rush out of the room. "Rick, what's wrong with Laurie?" A.J. asked, coming over to his brother.
"I don't know, she asked me to ask her to dance, and I told her to ask you. Next thing I know she's saying she's sorry and running out like that!" he replied, uncomfortably aware he had upset her.
"Rick, you take the cake, she loves to dance with you, she's feeling sad over her son marrying and leaving home and you refuse to dance with her! Yeesh!" A.J. shook his head, disgusted.
"Aw, heck, A.J., I'm a jerk! I was feeling sorry for myself and never even thought of my girl. I'll go find her!" he answered, ashamed.
Going through the tables of the hall, he immediately thought of the one place she would have gone to. Exiting the reception area, he went to the back of the chief's office. Seeing the door closed, he raised his hand to knock, only to hear snuffling inside. Instead, he quietly turned the knob and entered to see Laurie crying, her head buried in Mike's fur. His heart dropped, he knew she was worn out from all the wedding preparations and everything had hit her at once.
"Sweetheart." he said, kneeling down next to her. She looked up, startled, as he added, "Forgive me, my angel, I didn't mean to hurt my girl. I'm sorry."
Sniffing, she held out her arms and he drew her into his embrace, cuddling and comforting her. "Rick, I didn't mean to make light of you feeling bad. I love you, I just wanted you to dance with me, it's been so long." she hiccupped.
"Of course darlin' I'll dance with you, I just feel so awkward and clumsy, I always feel like I'm going to hurt you." he told her, caressing her face, then kissing her.
"You could never hurt me, my love, I just want you to know I understand how you feel about Robbie's leaving home." Laurie sighed, then looking up at Rick's face, added, "he'll still be around, he and Ramona will always need our support and help."
"You're right, sweetheart.", he kissed her, then raising her up, took her arm. "Come on, I'll even slow dance with you, if you like!"
Wiping her eyes, Laurie grinned," I like, I like!"
As they came out onto the dance floor, the dj took the hint from A.J.'s nod, and played an old love song. Dancing cheek to cheek with his wife, Rick's melancholy mood lifted; heck, he wasn't even that bad a dancer!
As the party wrapped up, the two Simons went to the door, arm in arm to thank their friends for coming. As A.J. caught up to them, he kissed Laurie's cheek, then hugged his brother. "Everything all right?" he asked.
"Everything's fine, little brother, thanks for being a great sounding board!" he said, then seeing a gold streak trying to make a break for freedom, yelled "Mike, come back here!"
Laughing, Laurie went to help catch their dog, saying, "And Rick thought he was done raising a son!"
"By the power invested in me by the State of Arizona, I declare Robert and Ramona man and wife!" Father Nick announced. Turning to the young couple, he held out his hands, smiling. "Robbie, you may now kiss your bride!"
Amid cheers and tears, the young sheriff took Ramona in his arms and kissed her, then embraced her passionately. "Oh, Rick!" Laurie took her husband's hand and gave it a squeeze, "Your son takes after you!" Shaking his head with an amused smile, Rick replied, "He didn't need my help to learn that!"
Finally their family friend simmered everyone one down by turning the red- faced couple to the large congregation, and joyfully saying, "It is my honor to be the first to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Robert Scott Simon!"
As applause filled the church, Robbie and Ramona went first to Angelina, her mother, then to Rick and Laurie, hugging and kissing each parent. "I wish you all the happiness your father and I have had!" she whispered to her tall son, as he replied, "You're the ones who taught Robin and I about love, thank you for everything!"
As her oldest turned to his father, Laurie embraced Ramona, saying, "Welcome my daughter, I'm so proud to have you in our family!" "Thank you, Mom; I love being able to say I have two Moms!" the young bride returned.
Once again reclaiming Ramona's hand, Robbie led her down the aisle, then Robin and Ian came arm in arm as the rest of the bridal party followed. As the rest of the wedding party came down the aisle, Rick took Laurie's hand and kissed it, saying, "I'd marry you again, darlin'!"
Stepping out of the pew, she beamed at him and answered, "So would I, my love, then we could have a second honeymoon!"
Swinging hands, he winked and teased, "Sure you want to wait for another wedding?"
Laurie leaned closer, grinning, "I don't even want to wait until tonight!" Under Rick's hot glance, she blushed, catching A.J.'s attention. "Oh, oh, Rick! What did you do to make her blush now!" he ragged his big brother.
"Never you mind, A.J., my blushing bride and I have to behave ourselves for a while!" he laughed. Laurie giggled, "Yes, A.J., Rick can get me into enough trouble without my help!"
Laughing, they joined the rest of the wedding party in the council hall, festooned with with so many ribbons and balloons that Rick had joked no one else in Southern Arizona could possibly have a party! Dining on the finest chicken and ribs the Heritage House could provide, it was still full of homemade touches that caused Robbie to audibly sniff his way through a toast to his family. Only the fact that Ramona "accidentally" airmailed Robin the bouquet broke the emotional mood.
Just then Oscar came by and gave Rick the high sign, at which he left Laurie with
A.J. Meeting up with his son at the hall's back door, Rick helped Robbie gather his things together and put them in his car. Joining his bride at Oscar's sedan, the groom gave a quick hug to his father.
"Thanks, Pop, for everything, I love you!" he told Rick, trying not to cry. "I love you too, son, you make me so proud! You too, Ramona!" he added, then embraced both of them.
Robbie's proud chauffeurs, Rudy and Oscar, hustled the young couple into the car, then drove away, honking as the crowd waved and cheered.
As Rick rejoined his wife, he caught sight of Robin embracing her boyfriend, and his heart sank, not yet, please! "Darling." he turned, and saw Laurie gazing at him, understanding his not wanting to let go of his little girl.
"You know me too well, sweetheart." he said, putting his arms around her. Kissing him, she replied, "Enough to know the father of our children doesn't want to see his daughter married just yet. Neither do I, my love, there's time enough for that!"
"Wanna bet?" he sighed, seeing Robin and Ian dancing close together.
"Yes! Now, how about asking the mother of the groom to dance, hmm?" she said, trying to cheer him up.
Rick shook his head; he really wasn't in the mood to embarrass himself and his two left feet.
"No, Laurie, why don't you ask A.J., I'll sit this one out." he replied.
Astonished, his wife stared at him; maybe she had upset him by contradicting him. "Rick, I'm sorry, I don't know what I said, please forgive me." Suddenly it was just too much, she had to find a place to deal with his rejection without making a scene.
Now it was Rick's turn to be puzzled, he turned to see her hang her head, then rush out of the room. "Rick, what's wrong with Laurie?" A.J. asked, coming over to his brother.
"I don't know, she asked me to ask her to dance, and I told her to ask you. Next thing I know she's saying she's sorry and running out like that!" he replied, uncomfortably aware he had upset her.
"Rick, you take the cake, she loves to dance with you, she's feeling sad over her son marrying and leaving home and you refuse to dance with her! Yeesh!" A.J. shook his head, disgusted.
"Aw, heck, A.J., I'm a jerk! I was feeling sorry for myself and never even thought of my girl. I'll go find her!" he answered, ashamed.
Going through the tables of the hall, he immediately thought of the one place she would have gone to. Exiting the reception area, he went to the back of the chief's office. Seeing the door closed, he raised his hand to knock, only to hear snuffling inside. Instead, he quietly turned the knob and entered to see Laurie crying, her head buried in Mike's fur. His heart dropped, he knew she was worn out from all the wedding preparations and everything had hit her at once.
"Sweetheart." he said, kneeling down next to her. She looked up, startled, as he added, "Forgive me, my angel, I didn't mean to hurt my girl. I'm sorry."
Sniffing, she held out her arms and he drew her into his embrace, cuddling and comforting her. "Rick, I didn't mean to make light of you feeling bad. I love you, I just wanted you to dance with me, it's been so long." she hiccupped.
"Of course darlin' I'll dance with you, I just feel so awkward and clumsy, I always feel like I'm going to hurt you." he told her, caressing her face, then kissing her.
"You could never hurt me, my love, I just want you to know I understand how you feel about Robbie's leaving home." Laurie sighed, then looking up at Rick's face, added, "he'll still be around, he and Ramona will always need our support and help."
"You're right, sweetheart.", he kissed her, then raising her up, took her arm. "Come on, I'll even slow dance with you, if you like!"
Wiping her eyes, Laurie grinned," I like, I like!"
As they came out onto the dance floor, the dj took the hint from A.J.'s nod, and played an old love song. Dancing cheek to cheek with his wife, Rick's melancholy mood lifted; heck, he wasn't even that bad a dancer!
As the party wrapped up, the two Simons went to the door, arm in arm to thank their friends for coming. As A.J. caught up to them, he kissed Laurie's cheek, then hugged his brother. "Everything all right?" he asked.
"Everything's fine, little brother, thanks for being a great sounding board!" he said, then seeing a gold streak trying to make a break for freedom, yelled "Mike, come back here!"
Laughing, Laurie went to help catch their dog, saying, "And Rick thought he was done raising a son!"