Chapter 18 The Road Not Taken

Nathan watched as Allie made her way down the aisle, and he thought she had never looked so beautiful. Her hair was lifted off her long neck, and she immediately reminded him of Colleen. He was sure Colleen was looking down, amazed at her beautiful daughter. Her dress was perfect. It was the color of the sky with a wide white ribbon around the waist. It had a scoop neckline, with cap sleeves, and the dress fell to her ankles.

When she reached him at the end of the aisle, she embraced him and said, "I love you Dad" before standing in her position as Maid of Honor.

Nathan watched as she got into her position, and then he turned back to the aisle, and just exiting the woods was Elise. His heart jumped in his chest as he watched her move towards him. She was a vision. Her dress was stunning, just like the woman who would soon be his wife. The dress was sleeveless with a V-cut neckline. The V was adorned with small clear beading that shined as she moved in the sun. The belt that circled her waist was made of the same beading. The bottom of the dress appeared to be layered and cut, making it look like she was floating towards him on gossamer wings. And her hair, normally up and out of the way, was down. It was in a side sweep, curled with jeweled pins adorning it. He thought she deserved to be on the front cover of a magazine. The only other time he had seen her hair down was the day he pulled the pin from her hair and told her that he loved her. But more than her appearance, she glowed. A glow that started deep inside of her and radiated through every part of her. And then it dawned on him - he would see this vision with her hair down every day, with this radiant glow every day, and having thought a few minutes before that it was impossible, he fell in love with her a little more.


Elise walked toward Nathan, and she gasped. She watched as he stood taller, and his traditional crooked smile turned into a smile unlike anything she had ever seen. She wanted to run to him, not walk, and jump into his arms and never let go. This handsome man was about to become her husband. She would fall asleep in his arms every night, whisper good morning to him, make love to him, bear his children, and live her life with him. All she saw was him and the visions of what their future held. She thanked the Lord as she stepped up to him for allowing him to come into her life. She handed the bouquet to Allie, then turned and looked at the man who was about to become her husband.

Joseph stepped forward and began. "Good day friends. We gather in this amazing place that the Lord has made, to celebrate the act of creating a marriage between Nathan and Elise. But before we start, something else needs to occur. Allie, would you please come forward", Joseph asked. Surprised, Allie stepped forward between Elise and Nathan. Elise had told Nathan what she wanted to do, and he was touched that she wanted to include Allie in this special way.

"Allie, I not only marry Nathan today, but promise to love you forever as my daughter. You are so special to me, and I never want you to forget that. So, I give you this token to show my love, and know that I am always with you." Elise opened her hand, and inside it was a beautiful circular gold locket. The locket had a green underlay with small strands of gold weaving around it. At closer look, it looked like vines, and in the center was a flower, the center of the flower filled with a diamond, and the petals made of small pearls. It was very similar to Elise's engagement ring. "This was my mothers, and she left it to me. Today, I give it to you, my daughter, and someday I hope you will give it to yours." Elise opened the clasp, and inside Allie saw there were two pictures. One of Elise, and one of her own mother, Colleen.

"Oh Momma, thank you," and Allie put her arms around Elise, still with both bouquets in her hands. Tears were starting to come down both their faces, and Elise laughed to try to break up the seriousness.

"Here, let me put it on you." Allie turned around, and Elise put the chain around the girl's slender neck. Allie then turned, Elise kissed her cheek, and Allie beamed. The guests clapped, and in traditional Allie style, she did a little curtsy then returned to her place next to Elise. Both Nathan and Elise laughed, along with the guests, completely relaxing both of them. They both took big breaths, then looked to Joseph.

"Nathan and Elise, please hold hands." Nathan began to rub his thumbs in circles on the top of Elise's hands as he gently held them. "I want you to remember these words as you travel through this journey called life. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

"Nathan and Elise have chosen to write their own vows, to say in their own words the love they feel for each other. Nathan", and he touched Nathan on the shoulder to begin.

Looking deep into Elise's eyes, down to her soul, Nathan began the vows he wrote just for her. He spoke clearly, and loud enough for everyone to hear, because he wanted the world to know how much he loved this woman. "For the longest time I wondered what I did to not deserve love, to not have my own forever love, especially when you try to live your life as well as you can. I thought that was it, I was meant to spend my life as a single father. And then one day, on my rounds, I saw a force to be reckoned with. A wrinkled, spirited, and spunky ball of energy who blew into this town, and we have all been changed for the better. I have been changed for the better. It could be raining outside, and all I see is the sun hiding behind the clouds because you are there with me. Every day has been an adventure because you are there with me. Every day is a blessing because you are there with me. I did not know what true, everlasting love was until you came into my life. I did not know who I was until you came into my life. I am no longer a shadow of a man, but whole, all because your love filled in where all the gaps were. I will love you every day, and the family that God may grant us, but this I promise. My devotion is to you, our family, God, then country. You and our family will always be my priority, my first and forever love. For as long as the sun and moon shall endure".

Through her tears, Elise chuckled at the Anne of Green Gables reference, and she could hear Allie behind her doing the same thing. Nathan smiled his crooked smile and squeezed Elise's hands a little harder. She looked down for a moment to collect herself, and silently prayed she could get through her vows, the words she was about to say to the man who means more than anything to her. She finally looked back up, straight up into his eyes, and began.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that a photograph in a magazine would change my life. Two years ago, a picture planted a seed, and it slowly grew until it exploded and had to become a reality. That photograph encouraged me to pack everything I owned, buy a train ticket, and move halfway across the continent to a tiny dot on a map. I felt a call, something in my heart that to this day is indescribable. My soul found its home in the shadow of these mountains, and my heart... found its home in you. I love that if I want to lay in the grass and watch the clouds, you will do that with me. I love how protective you are of those you love, even those you may barely know. But most importantly", she paused, as she was having difficulty controlling her emotions, "You have taught me I could never settle for less than the love that I feel for you. Who could ever want sunburst and marble halls when they have a man such as you? I am so thankful that the keeper of the stars knew what he was doing, even when we did not. I love you, and I promise to be the woman, wife, and mother that our family needs. For as long as we live".

The guests were all tearing up at the words and love passing between Nathan and Elise. Rosemary reached for Lee's kerchief in his suit as tears slowly cascaded down her face. Joseph handed Elise his kerchief to wipe the tears that had formed at her eyes before they continued.

Many of the single women wondered how this man slipped through their radar.

"The rings are a symbol of eternal love and devotion. Nathan and Elise, are you prepared to commit to each other through the giving and receiving of rings?"

"We are," they said in unison.

Nathan looked at Bill, who reached in his pants pocket. He put his hand in a little further, and quickly had a look of fear on his face. Nathan tilted his head and developed a look that spoke volumes, knowing he should have trusted someone else with the rings. "Really Bill?"

"Give me just a minute." He started searching through every pocket, then started rubbing the front of his suit jacket. His eyes got large as his hand ran across something, and he quickly unbuttoned the suit jacket, and a moment later his hand reemerged with two rings on his finger. He handed them to Nathan, who responded with "I am never trusting you with the rings again." Everyone within hearing distance laughed, along with Bill, knowing the need to hold rings would never happen again.

"Nathan, please put the ring on Elise's ring finger on the left hand and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed".

As Nathan slid an eternity band on her finger, he repeated, "With this ring, I thee wed".

"Elise, please put the ring on Nathan's ring finger on his left hand and repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

Elise slid the white gold band on his finger, and repeated, "With this ring, I thee wed.

"We have one more special moment to share. Mrs. Elizabeth Thornton, will you please come forward and share your message."

Elizabeth made her way from her seat and stood off to the side of the altar.

"I know that this poem is not one usually read at weddings. But after knowing both Nathan and Elise's stories, and my own, I felt this was poignant. We must recognize the road that led us here, with these two-amazing people. Meeting Elise helped me change my life, it helped me wake up from the place I was at in my life. I felt that this could be my gift to you, these words, even though they are not my own." Elizabeth opened the book of poetry to a page that had been marked, then began, her words slow and deliberate, and full of emotion.

"The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both,

And be one traveler long I stood,

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

She looked up from the book of poetry, closed it, then added, "For all of us."

Nathan and Elise stood at the altar, Nathan's arms wrapped around Elise's shoulders, both with tears in their eyes. Nathan bent down to Elise's ear, whispered that he would be right back, then walked over to where Elizabeth stood. Elizabeth also had tears in her eyes, but she smiled when Nathan approached.

"Thank you. You do not know how much this means to us. To me" He paused, then continued. "Welcome back Elizabeth. I have missed my friend." He then embraced her, no longer at odds with each other, and now ready for them each to travel their prospective roads.

Nathan returned to Elise, and Elizabeth back to her seat behind Rosemary, who turned and reached her hand back to her friend and told her how proud she was of her.

"Friends, I am very proud to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Grant. Nathan, you may kiss your bride."

The guests clapped and cheered as Nathan pulled Elise to him, tilted his head, and brought his mouth to hers. The kiss was sweet but filled with passion that neither of them could control. His hands found their way to her hair, her hands to his back, and oblivious to the crowd around them, the newlyweds were alone in the moment and had no desire to rejoin the world around them.

Joseph stood behind them, prodding them to wrap up their kiss, but it was not working. "Nathan…. Nathan…. Constable!"

Nathan and Elise's lips finally parted to their dismay, and Nathan looked at Joseph, his eyes slightly glazed over. "Yes?"

"The kissing part… it ended a few minutes ago."

"Um, no, it didn't. Sorry, but I really enjoy kissing my wife". He tilted his head back down and continued to kiss the love of his life.


The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost English Poetry Foundation