Author's Note: This is not the end! Though I am predicting only 5-6 more chapters. All hell is waiting to break loose.
Chapter 45: The Wedding
Jack stood outside of the church. He was wearing the tuxedo given to him by Mary's father. Inside, he could hear the organ's beautiful wedding music played by the bride herself. Mary had insisted upon it. There was no one else in the town who knew how to play the organ, and she said that it wouldn't be a proper wedding without music. Of course, no proper wedding would have the bride playing the organ, but Jack felt it was wise not to say that.
He took a deep breath and braced himself to enter the church. The whole town was inside, waiting for him. Somehow, Jack knew what Mary was going to do when he opened the door. He was beginning to get used to her somewhat strange sense of humor. There was more than one reason that she had wanted to play that organ.
He lifted his hat slightly and swept his hair back under it neatly. He was ready. He gripped the handles of the church doors and opened them. The instant the door began to squeak open, the music cut off. When Jack stepped through, Mary started playing again, this time, a vigorous rendition of the song "Here Comes the Bride." Jack burst out laughing, as did most of the people in the church. Proper wedding indeed! He walked down the aisle, waving at a few people, generally having fun with the whole thing.
Carter sat at the end of the aisle in front of the pulpit in a large chair, waiting for them to arrive. His hands were resting in his lap, holding a book, with his elbows on the arms of the chair. Jack stopped in front of him. Mary stood up from her organ and walked slowly over to stand beside Jack, her white wedding dress flowing gently, caressing her soft form. Jack smiled and she smiled back. He had never seen her so beautiful as she was today, even with the stitches in her face.
They nodded to Carter together, letting him know they were ready. Carter raised his arms, gesturing to the crowd in front of him, "We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Jack and Mary under the holy light of the Harvest Goddess for the rest of their days. They have come here, so that their lives may be better as one then they were as two." He turned to Jack, "Do you, Jack, take Mary to be your wife, from this day forward, to have and to hold, to love in loss as in gain no matter what may come your way, for the rest of your life?" Carter deliberately left out the 'till death do you part.'
"I do."
"And do you, Mary-"
"I do."
Carter sighed. The whole proper wedding thing was a joke, it really was. Carter held up his two hands palm up in front of him. Cradled in each hand was a ring. He closed his eyes, bowed his head and offered a prayer, "Dear Harvest Goddess. Bless the rings in my hands and that which they symbolize, the eternal love of the two before me." He once again deliberately changed the word 'undying' to 'eternal,' "May the bond which these rings represent never be broken."
He opened his eyes, "If anyone objects to this wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace." Jack and Mary held their breath, seriously expecting Anna to burst through the door wielding a knife, or a lit torch, or something.
Carter held out the rings to Jack and Mary, "Take these rings, and place them upon the forth finger of the other's right hand to represent the love you give to each other."
The both took a ring from Carter's outstretched hands. Jack took Mary's petite hand in his, gently rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb as he slide the ring on her finger. He whispered to her, too low for anyone but Mary to hear, "With this I give you my love."
Mary's face flushed as she took hold of Jack's muscular hand. She sighed joyfully at holding his hand in hers. It felt so wonderful to hold such a powerful person's hand. She could just hold it forever. Carter coughed once, and Mary remembered the ring. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red as she took her ring and slide it onto Jack's finger. She whispered back to him, "I'll love you forever, no matter what."
Carter placed his book behind his back in the chair and gripped the end's of the chair's arm hard. He grunted as he lifted himself up into the air. His feet sat flat to the floor, his knees slightly bent from his limp legs being slightly too long, as he stood supported solely by the strength in his arms. Everyone, shocked by the effort he was putting forth, immediately started clapping and cheering him onward. He was strained, but managed to smile at Jack and Mary, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." He collapsed back into the chair, tired, but glad that he was able to at least stand for the final pronouncement.
Jack took Mary into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around him. They kissed long and deep to the clapping and cheering of those who had come to see them. Finally, breaking apart, Jack and Mary, hands entwined turned to Carter, as Jack spoke for them "Thank you Carter, for making our wedding special, but you know you didn't have to do that for us. We were happy enough just to have you here to wed us."
Carter grinned widely, "I know I didn't have to. I just wanted to do it for you."