Finding Forever Chapter 7: Epilogue, an everwood fanfic

Epilogue

Ephram stood at the front of the church with Bright and Mark, trying to keep his foot from tapping nervously. This was it…their wedding day had finally arrived. He smiled as he watched Delia walk down the aisle, followed by Maggie. Until that moment he hadn't realized how much Delia looked like their mother. He wished she could've been there…she would've loved Liv. Glancing at the first pew he smiled as his gaze swept over his dad, Nina, his grandparents, Hannah, and surprisingly Amy.

The music changed and Ephram took a deep breath before looking towards the doors at the back of the church. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Liv in her wedding dress for the first time. She looked amazing in a white Celtic style gown, with a high waist, and long flowing sleeves that were almost as long as the dress. Her curly black hair was loosely gathered on top of her head, with a few curls hanging down. And in lieu of a veil she had chosen a simple wreath of white flowers, and carried a bouquet of lilies.

Ephram's smile grew as she walked down the aisle on her father's arm. By the time they reached him his smile was so big his cheeks were starting to hurt. Ephram moved to stand next to Liv with her father between them. They turned to face the minister, Reverend O'Donnell, who had married Liv's parents.

"Who gives this woman in marriage?" Rev. O'Donnell asked.

"Her mother and I do," Mr. Perry replied as he placed Liv's hand in Ephram's and sat down next to his wife.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony…" the minister began. "Ephram and Olivia have chosen to say a few words to each other. Olivia…"

Liv handed her bouquet to Maggie and turned to face Ephram, joining their hands. "Ephram, when we first met I was getting over a broken heart, and I didn't really trust it. Then I met you…and my heart knew exactly what it wanted. You are my heart and my soul, and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you in my life." She stopped and took a deep breath before continuing. "A ceremony is for a day; a marriage is for a lifetime. Today, I join my life with yours for as long as I shall live on this earth, forsaking all others. Ephram, I freely offer myself to you as your wife."

Ephram smiled and squeezed her hands. "A little over a year ago I ran away from home, and came to England. I didn't believe it was possible to want to spend the rest of your life with someone. The last thing I expected to find here was you, and now forever isn't going to be nearly long enough. A ceremony is for a day; a marriage is for a lifetime. Today, I join my life with yours for as long as I shall live on this earth, forsaking all others. Olivia, I freely offer myself to you as your husband."

"Do you, Ephram Brown, take Olivia Perry to be your wife?" Rev. O'Donnell said beginning the vows. "To live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; forsaking all others, to be faithful to her for as long as you both shall live?"

Ephram gazed into Liv's eyes and squeezed her hands again. "I do."

"Do you, Olivia Perry, take Ephram Brown to be your husband; to live together with him in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

Liv nodded. "I do."

The minister asked for the rings and they turned to Bright and Maggie, taking the rings they held out, before turning to face each other again.

"The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken," the minister explained.

Rev. O'Donnell handed Liv's ring to Ephram. After taking the ring, Ephram took her left hand in his. "With this ring I thee wed, and with my body I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow," he said as he slid the plain platinum band on her ring finger.

Liv took Ephram's ring from the minister and slid the matching band on his finger as she repeated his words.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Rev. O'Donnell paused and looked at Ephram. "Ephram, you may kiss your bride."

Ephram and Liv smiled at each other before leaning in to share their first kiss as a married couple.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Ephram Brown," the minister announced as they ended the kiss.

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Bright took a deep breath as he stood and tapped his knife against his glass to get everyone's attention. As all the guests quieted down he looked at the tables scattered around Liv's parent's backyard, and then down at his best friend and his new wife sitting next to him.

Bright took another deep breath and cleared his throat. "Hi, I'm Bright Abbott, the best man. Ephram is my best friend. I remember the day Ephram told me about Liv. He had had a fairly crappy year and he decided to run away to Europe to sort things out. One day he called me, and I asked if he had seen any good sights in London, and I will never forget his answer." He smiled and looked down at Ephram. "I asked if he had seen any good sights, and he answered by saying 'I met the most amazing girl today.' And I have never seen him happier." Bright stopped and raised his glass, and everyone followed his action. "To Ephram and Liv, may you always have love and happiness," he finished.

"To Ephram and Liv," everyone repeated, raising their glasses.

Maggie smiled as Ephram and Liv kissed, and then stood up. "So, I guess it's my turn," she said. "I'm Maggie, the maid of honor. I also remember the day Liv and Ephram met very well. Liv and I were shopping and she was babbling incessantly about some cute guy she had met. I wanted to smack her," she joked, making everyone laugh. "But then I met Ephram and saw what a great guy he is." She turned to face Liv and Ephram. "Bright kind of said what I wanted to say, so I'll just say congratulations guys. I hope I get to make a speech on your 50th wedding anniversary."

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Ephram unlocked and opened the hotel room door, but stopped Liv from entering.

Liv looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?"

While holding the door open, Ephram reached down and swept her up into his arms before entering the room. "I'm carrying my bride over the threshold," he explained, laughing a little as he kicked the door closed behind them.

As they entered the room both looked around in amazement. What was already a beautiful hotel room had been made even more beautiful by the dozen or so lit candles and the rose petals scattered over the floor and bed. On one of the nightstands there was a silver ice bucket with a bottle of champagne chilling, and two glasses. On the center of the bed there was a gift-wrapped box with a large silver bow.

Ephram gently set Liv down as they took in the room. When their gazes finally returned to each other, they both knew who had done all of this. They smiled at each other and said "Maggie" in unison.

Liv turned and headed to the bed, pulling the box towards her as Ephram opened the bottle of champagne. She pulled the card off the box and read it aloud. "To the bride and groom on their special day. May you always have love and happiness, and a whole lot of fun! We love you! Love, Maggie, Mark, Bright, Hannah, Annie, Sara, Nick, and David."

After pouring the champagne, Ephram stood behind his wife and smiled as he read the handwritten card over her shoulder and took in all the signatures.

Liv set the card to the side and opened the box. Inside was a beautiful silver picture frame that had space for two pictures. The one on the right was a picture of Ephram and Liv before they had started dating, but after they had started to fall in love. The other picture had been taken a couple of hours earlier by Nick. Liv was sitting on Ephram's lap and both were holding up their left hands to show their wedding rings, and both had big grins on their faces.

Liv gently ran her finger over their wedding picture. Then she turned her head to face Ephram. He smiled and handed her a glass before taking the picture out of her hand, and moving the box off of the bed.

"So…would you like your wedding present now or later?" Ephram asked. She had given him his gift that morning. It was a silver watch with the inscription "forever…" on the back. Liv had given it to him before the wedding saying that he couldn't wear his old one in the wedding.

Liv pretended to think about his question for a minute. "Now, please."

Ephram nodded. "Sit down," he said nodding toward the bed. He set his glass down and went to retrieve the guitar that he had learned to play in the past year, and Mark had hidden for him earlier that day. He kicked off his shoes, and took off his suit jacket and climbed onto the bed sitting cross-legged across from his wife.

"I though about it for a long time, trying to figure out what I could possible give you that would show you how much I love you. Then I found this song, so…" he explained. Ephram quickly tuned the guitar and began playing.

"Thank you for this moment
I've gotta say how beautiful you are
Of all the hopes and dreams I could've prayed for
Here you are.

If I could have one dance forever
I would take you by the hand
Tonight it's you and I together
I'm so glad I'm your man.

And if I lived a thousand years
You know I never could explain
The way I lost my heart to you that day
But if destiny decided I should look the other way
Then the world would never know
The greatest story ever told
And did I tell you that I love you tonight?

I don't hear the music
When I'm looking in your eyes
But I feel the rhythm of your body
Close to mine
It's the way we touch that sends me
It's the way we'll always be
Your kiss, your pretty smile, you know I'd die for
Oh baby, you're all I need.

Did I tell you that I love you tonight?

Ephram stopped playing and set the guitar aside. Liv, who had been looking down at her hands looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"And all I got you was a watch," she finally said.

Ephram laughed and took her hands. "I love the watch. It was perfect, and just what I needed." He shrugged. "I just…I love you…"

"I love you, too," Liv replied.

Ephram scooted closer to her and leaned over to kiss her. He couldn't believe everything that had happened in the past year. Who knew it was possible to be this happy? A little over a year ago he didn't believe that it was possible to love someone enough for forever, and now he was married…and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with his wife.

The End.

Author's Note: So, that's it. Finally done. First of all, thank you to everyone who reviewed this. This is actually the first fanfic that I've ever published, and I'm glad that you all enjoyed it. Second, if you would like to see a picture of the wedding dress that I was picturing for Liv, please visit this part of the story that is posted on my website. The link is my profile.

Oh, yeah…the song is "The Greatest Story Ever Told" by Oliver James. It's from the "What Girls Want" soundtrack.