On Horseback
Chapter 23: Our Happy Ending
"...Wait, I just have to say, before I choose, is that this isn't the hardest decision I've had to make my entire life. Dealing with pain, and all of that, due to my mother's death when I was younger. May understands what I'm talking about. So, the person I choose is the person I feel that I think would be the better husband to me in the end.
"Oh, yeah, and from the current looks of it, it's gonna be me getting married next Sunday. Not May."
Some of the people in the church laughed, but some, like Zack and the midwife were less than thrilled by my comment. I don't understand why though, because she was only eight-years-old! Oh, well.
Everyone got silent again. I wanted to delay a bit more, but I decided that it was now or never. It was now or never. I kept saying that to myself over and over and over. Finally, I let out my big announcement.
Turning towards Jack, I said, "I choose you."
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I was so thrilled to be getting married to the person I was in love with when I was five-years-old. Who really knew that fate was really that strong? Definitely not me! But that didn't matter right now, what did matter was that I had a wedding to get to. My very own wedding.
The following Sunday, the 20th, was the day of my wedding. It was the most beautiful wedding I'd ever been to. There was confetti flying around everywhere and the church was filled with so many people. My father was crying, Karen and Kai were both crying too, and Cliff was...Cliff was upset. I had made him wait for so long, just to reject him.
I did feel bad about letting Cliff go, but I knew I had a future with Jack, and that was that. If I married Cliff, I thought that life for me would completely change. I wouldn't feel good about it anymore. So I knew that I had made the right choice. I knew that I had.
Gray and Popuri attended the wedding too, with Popuri's stomach streching out as far as Karen's. They were both predicted to give birth around Summer 16th. That would be two days after my birthday. That would be cool!
Finally, Jack and I laid lips on each other, and we walked outside and down the aisle, everyone cheering and throwing balloons and confetti falling into my hair. There was even candy flying all over the place, most of the little kids, including Popuri, diving for it.
After the ceremony, everyone filed into the church for the party. Jack and I walked onto the stage and were both handed a knife. We cut one side of the cake, and a picture was taken of the two of us. After that, I gave him another kiss on the lips, and everyone cheered again. I guess that it really was true that newlyweds were rare in Flower Bud Village.
"Let's all give a big cheer to the second wedded couple in just one week!" Karen shouted out to the church. And they cheered again. It felt good being in the spotlight for once, and not playing the role of a puppet. Even though I never did.
At midnight, we all ran out of the church, and Jack decided to carry me home. I was finally moving into his place. I no longer had to worry about leaving Dad, since Gray and Popuri returned.
Karen and Kai were finally together, too, so I didn't have to worry about her wedding anymore. I just had to be careful and watch for when her baby was going to be born. The same for Popuri, since both children were expected to be born on or around the same date. That would be the coolest thing in all of history!
And no more love worries. I was finally with the man of my dreams. No more snooping around about who I was going to fall in love with. Truth be told, I was still madly in love with Cliff. It was definitely going to be a while before that spell was broken over me.
There were still two bachelorettes in the village. Maria and Elli. Maria was obviously in love with Harris, so there was no mystery between the chemistry that was brewing there. Elli was still a mystery. She had her chances between Jeff and Cliff now, since she absolutely hated Rick. We'd see soon if she was falling for one of the guys.
The only thing I worried about now was the question: Would we have children too? It just felt so awkward asking myself that. Sometimes I really, really wanted to get pregnant and be like all the other women in the village, but then I was also too afraid of wearing myself out. Well it looked like only time would tell again.
Jack finally put me down when we reached the house.
He opened the door and breathed in the heavy country air. It was a delight, but smelled like vegetables too. That was one of the many differences of being a farmer over a rancher. Your house didn't only smell like animals, but also vegetables. I enjoyed the vegetables more though. Tee-hee.
It felt like home in Jack's house. Ever since our little breakfast, which was basically a year ago, the house had definitely grew into more of a real home. Now it felt like my home away from home. But now the Green Ranch would be my home away from home. It was strange how my whole life was shifting all of a sudden.
I would still feed animals and take care of them. I also got to take care of more chickens now, since there was only, like, one back on Green Ranch. I also got to watch Jack's horse fly around the farm all day now. And maybe I'll be able to mount him...and go for a ride...on horseback.
I couldn't ask for a better life, I just couldn't.
Well, that concluded what you could call my quest for love.
My life certainly wasn't over. There was a whole bunch more to explore.
At least there was one thing that I could definitely admit for Jack and myself: We were together for a while, he left, and returned, both of us completely oblivious to the facts that we were the ones that we were searching for. But then, we slowly rememberd and then fully remembered. We were the ones. This was us, finally together...okay, FINE, I'll stop rambling on and get to the point. This concludes our happy ending.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Don't assume that this was the last chapter. It isn't. Stay tuned, as there is still more to come in On Horseback!