Ginger knew that when she looked back on her wedding day, it would be in two parts.

Her marriage to Jeff began in a dining car of the North Shore Special as he was transported to Wichita Kansas to join the Indians farm team. Father Dreher solemnized their vows that late afternoon but it wasn't in front of their family and their friends. In truth she would have been content with that because the only thing that really mattered to her was that she and Jeff were finally married.

But weddings weren't just about the bride and the groom her mother reminded her after she returned from her hasty honeymoon. Weddings were about bringing the two families together to recognize each other and celebrate the joining of those two families.

It would have made sense if the Szabo's didn't know the Metcalf's, but Ginger's best girlhood friend was Linda Metcalf and the two families had usually sat together at Sunday Mass.

The fact that Jeff agreed to it made the whole thing much more bearable for Ginger and at the very least brought his family back to River Run, if only for a short while. She knew how much he missed them and that living in his mother's house wasn't the same without her there, or Hank for that matter.

She wished that they had had more time to spend together before the wedding but Hank couldn't get much time off and she knew that he would have to leave for Chicago the morning after the wedding. And by then she and Jeff would be waking up in their bungalow on Lake Ichiwana after a night of champagne and candlelight with Bing Crosby, no phones, no mail or neighbors.

The wedding went off without a hitch that Saturday morning and Jeff looked so handsome in the dark blue double-breasted suit that made him look so much older than his twenty-three years. It was the suit he wore the day he left for Wichita and Ginger wanted to cry because it was something he remembered on his own. She felt how nervous he was as they stood at the altar and he held her hands in his. She felt them tremble as they stood in front of Father Dreher and repeated their vows.

Hank handed Ginger's wedding ring to Jeff and after he put it on her finger for what Ginger vowed would be the second and last time; Linda handed Jeff's ring to her. She slipped the gold band onto his finger for what she also vowed would be the second and last time and Father pronounced them man and wife.

They walked hand in hand to the back of the church and waited for Hank and Linda. Ginger's parents, Jeff's mother and Al also then joined them as the guests filtered out of the church and the photographer called the maid of honor and best man up to the altar for a picture. When he was finished with them he called Ann, Al and Jeff together for a family picture. Ginger stood with her parents and watched what could have been a very awkward scene as Al tried to bow out but Hank insisted that he stand next to his mother while he held Michael.

It was a gesture for Jeff, of that Ginger had no doubt, but it also seemed to her that Hank was finally at a point where he could begin to forgive his mother's husband. She felt this because Jeff called her the night before to tell her goodnight and to tell her how good Hank was with Michael. It was something she wished she could have seen.

Once all the pictures were done the families of Ginger and Jeff left them to join the waiting guests outside to throw rice before everyone began the race back to the house.

"You look beautiful Ginger." Jeff smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her cheek and then he grinned. "And last night was the longest of my life."

"That wouldn't be because you and Hank were up half the night talking would it?" She felt her face flush and wondered if he would always have the ability to effect her that way.

"Linda finked on me didn't she?" He smiled.

"She said it was the nicest sound she'd heard in that house in a long time. It's been awhile since she's heard the two of you talking."

Jeff nodded in agreement. "It was swell to have the chance to talk to him again. And we didn't even talk about Sarah or Chicago or Al. We talked about growing up here and his going overseas and my playing for the Indians. We talked about Kirtland Hill and Rupert's and he said that he wants to go over there and have a piece of Mrs. Davis' cobbler before he heads back to Chicago."

"And he included Al as part of your family." She observed.

"I thought Mom was going to cry, especially when he held Michael. It meant a lot to her that he did that." He added.

"Come on you two, what's the hold up?" Linda's low voice carried up the aisle and Ginger saw her standing at the vestibule door. "Let's get a move on, everyone is standing out there waiting for you."

"We're coming." Jeff assured his sister as he again took Ginger's hand in his, walked back down the aisle and then they ran out of the church through a shower of rice and to a waiting car. It shouldn't have surprised Ginger that Coach was at the wheel because it was hiscar, the very car that Jeff proposed for the second time.

"Congratulations Miss Szabo on your blessed nuptial day." Coach Zelnick said with a smile before he cleared his throat. "I beg your pardon, I mean Mrs. Metcalf."

"Thanks for doing this Coach." Jeff smiled as he helped Ginger into the car and waited for her to sit down before he got in next to her.

"It's my pleasure young Metcalf. It seemed appropriate that you be driven in this particular automobile because it was responsible for getting you both back on the road to matrimony."

Ginger tried not to laugh because she knew how sincere he was. His manner of speech was unusual in how he expressed himself but it was unique and it was definitely Coach.

As they drove back to the Metcalf house for the reception Coach cleared his throat again. "I had the pleasure of dining at Rupert's the other evening and Stretch told me that he was surprised to receive an invitation to your wedding and the reception. He said that he didn't quite know what to make of it."

Jeff shrugged as though it weren't a big deal and Ginger was never more proud of him. "It seemed the right thing to do, Coach. He's followed my career before I ever had one and he always seemed to be there when I needed some encouragement."

"It's advice you would do well to remember Metcalf. The players in the Negro League had a rough go of it and he knows something about that from his own playing days."

"Did he happen to tell you if he and Mrs. Davis were going to come? I didn't see them at the wedding."

"I'm sorry son, he didn't tell me. I imagine he wants to talk to the Missus about it and see what she thinks. So I wouldn't take it personally if they decide not to come, you know how it is."

Jeff nodded. "Yes Sir I do."

Ginger took his hand and smiled at him. "We'll just have to keep a good thought Jeff."

He looked at her and smiled before he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"There now! That's what the honeymoon is for." Coach admonished them with a smile. "You don't have time for that anyway because we're here." And he pulled his car up in front of the house before he shut down the engine and got out of the car. "If you help your lovely bride out of the car, I'll get the door."

"You are a lovely bride Mrs. Metcalf." Jeff smiled as he got out of the car and held out his hand to her. "I'm glad that we did this today and not because our mothers wanted it. I'm glad we did it because we made our vows to each other in front of our family and in our church."

"You are sweet." She smiled as he helped her out of the car.

"If I'm so sweet how is it that the only thing I can think of is the last time we were here for a reception?" He grinned at her before he squeezed her hand and they walked toward the house.