Chapter Twenty-Six: Vows
It wasn't the movement of the mattress so much as the quality of the movement which woke Nancy Wednesday morning. Where Joe would have bounced, this person slid. Instead of Joe's self-assured landing on the pillow, this person eased gently down with a long sigh. The intrusion was too obvious to ignore. Nancy rolled over reluctantly to protest and discovered a cascade of blonde hair, slightly damp from the shower and smelling strongly of a floral shampoo, spilling across Joe's pillow.
"I was positive I fell asleep with a different blond last night," Nancy said groggily. "How much wine did I have at dinner?"
Callie gave her a token smile. "I'm sorry I woke you."
"Liar. You knew I'd wake up as soon as you got in."
"Okay, seriously. How do you always know everything?"
"It's a gift." Nancy burrowed her face back into the pillow.
"You've got to get up." Callie's voice held more pleading than command. Nancy sighed and came back up from the depths.
"Are the boys gone already?" she asked, resigning herself to consciousness.
"They left about an hour ago. Frank said they're going to go for a run before they get ready."
"Of course they are," Nancy said, with a blend of amusement and affection. She stretched, feeling out her joints and muscles. For the first time since she had taken the Connolly case she felt rested and ready for action. It was a good feeling. She stretched again, exploring the range of motion in her stitched side. Even that was beginning to feel normal again. Nancy sat up. Being awake seemed a little less onerous, now.
"I'm thinking of going for a run of my own," she told Callie.
Callie's face fell. "Oh. Okay."
"A coffee run, Cal. I'm not going to ditch you. I just need to run out for a caffeine fix, unless someone remembered to pick up groceries?"
"No, it completely slipped my mind. We're out of almost everything."
Nancy was not interested in the state of their kitchen cabinets. She was interested in Callie's sudden clinginess. Nancy reached out and took Callie's hand. "Talk to me, hon."
The relief on the other woman's face was unmistakable.
"I'm so nervous!" Callie blurted out, tears welling up in her brown eyes. "I didn't think I was going to be nervous. And I'm restless, and nauseated, and I just want to get this over with."
"Is that why you woke me up?"
Callie nodded."I felt like I was going to turn inside out if I spent one more second alone out there. And I know my mom said she was sorry, but I still don't feel like I can really talk to her, so..." Her voice trailed off unhappily.
Nancy scooted closer and wrapped her arms around her friend. "I'm glad you came to me. I'm listening."
"What if I puke during the ceremony? What if my dress won't fit? What if Frank changes his mind? What if my parents decide to make a scene? My dad hates Frank, Nan. He said so many bad things about him when I told them about the baby."
"Frank loves you with every cell in his body. He would never change his mind. And that is the only thing that matters today," Nancy said firmly, smoothing Callie's hair. "Put all that other stuff right out of your head. You're going to be fine, and you're going to marry the man you love. And if your parents so much as look at you wrong, Joe will personally toss them out into the parking lot. You know he'll do it."
Callie took a deep, shuddery breath, and Nancy could feel her body relax. "You're right," she mumbled into Nancy's shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"Callie Shaw, don't you dare apologize for the way you feel. You just keep telling me about it, and I'll keep reminding you that you've got this, and we'll make it to the ceremony." Nancy pulled back. "I think a field trip would do you some good. Come on my coffee run with me."
"But I need to do my hair," Callie said.
"We still have hours," Nancy pointed out. "Besides, I know you don't want to hang out here all by yourself."
"That is true."
"Let me get a quick shower, okay? And then we'll go." Nancy swung her legs out of bed. "Trust me. You'll feel better if you get out."
"Okay." Callie, too, slid off the bed. She headed out of the room, but hesitated in the doorway and looked back.
"Nan? Thanks."
Callie was painting when Nancy emerged into the living room. She looked up when she heard Nancy's footsteps.
"I should have thought of this hours ago. I feel so much calmer."
"Good," Nancy said, finishing off the braid she was using to secure her still-wet hair. "You don't have to stop if you'd rather stay here. I won't be long."
"No, I think I'd like to come," Callie said, putting down her brush.
Nancy grabbed her keys. "Great! And since it's your day, you get to pick where we get breakfast."
"Whoa. I said I'd ride along. I didn't say I was eating anything. I tried that earlier and it went badly."
"You need the energy," Nancy said compassionately. "And maybe now that you're more relaxed, you'll be able to keep something down."
"Maybe," Callie said, looking dubious. Nancy started to feel bad for dragging her out of the house. But that feeling dissipated quickly. Once in motion, Callie cheered up considerably.
"Look at all the sunshine!" she exclaimed. "We couldn't have had a nicer day if we'd ordered it custom-made."
"It's beautiful," Nancy agreed. After all the rain and snow the past week, the clear blue sky looked like a miracle.
"Let's go to Nico's," Callie suggested suddenly, naming a favorite local cafe. "I know they make good pancakes there."
"That baby has very specific taste in food," Nancy commented.
Once seated at Nico's, however, Callie changed her mind. "I'm going to have a Belgian waffle with strawberries," she told Nancy, setting aside her menu.
"An upgrade!" Nancy said approvingly.
"A Belgian waffle with strawberries, miss?" the waiter asked, waiting for confirmation. Callie jumped.
"I'm sorry, I did not see you coming," she told him.
"Yes, the whole staff just got extra stealth training," the young man joked. "It's the latest trend in fine dining."
"It certainly adds an element of interest to the experience," Callie said. She handed him her menu. "I will have the waffle, and a ginger ale, please."
"All right. And for you, miss?"
"I'll have the same, but with whipped cream on top, and the biggest cup of coffee you can find instead of the ginger ale," Nancy told him.
The cafe was not very busy at that hour. Their food arrived within a few minutes.
"Why have I never properly appreciated strawberries before?" Callie moaned, taking a bite. "These are incredible. These may be the best strawberries that have ever existed. Do you think Frank would mind if I married these instead?"
Nancy made no response. She was sipping her coffee, her eyes closed in bliss.
"Good coffee?" Callie said, smiling.
Nancy set the mug down with satisfaction. "So good."
"That's a relief, considering you ordered a whole pot of the stuff," Callie teased.
"I did not," Nancy said, wrapping her fingers around the oversized mug in front of her as though her small hands could disguise its dimensions.
"I'm pretty sure you did."
"Hey," Nancy said, laughing. "I won't judge your relationship with those strawberries if you won't judge my relationship with this coffee. Deal?"
"Deal," Callie said, capturing another berry with her fork.
"Is your stomach okay?" Nancy asked.
"So far, so good. I'll probably get nervous again when we start getting ready. But right now I'm fine."
After an enjoyable breakfast, the girls headed back to the apartment to begin the real work of the day: getting dressed.
"Grab your stuff and bring it over," Callie instructed, hanging up her coat. "Frank's bathroom is bigger than Joe's."
Nancy tossed her keys and purse onto the kitchen counter. Frank hated it when people did that, but Frank was not around to object. "Okay," she told Callie. "Let me change into something I can slip off without mussing my hair, later, and I'll be right over."
"Good idea. Oh, and I'll put on some music!" Callie called, darting off.
It only took Nancy a moment to shed her jeans and sweater and pull on one of Joe's button-down shirts. Then she slung her tote bag of supplies over her shoulder and headed over to Frank and Callie's room, rolling up the shirt's too-long sleeves as she went.
Callie was sitting on the bed, painting her nails. She looked Nancy up and down and whistled cheekily at her. "Very sexy," she said. "Want me to send a few pictures to your boy?" Callie herself had opted for shorts and a loose tank top.
"Do you want me to send some to yours?" Nancy countered, heading into the bathroom. She deposited her bag on the counter and began undoing her braid.
"He can wait. I packed something special to wear tonight," Callie said from the other room.
"Where are you going, anyway?" Nancy asked. She knew that Frank had made reservations somewhere for the night, but did not know the details.
"It's a gorgeous little bed and breakfast a little way upstate," Callie said. "Nan, did you bring your curling iron?"
"It's all plugged in and ready to go." Nancy stepped back out into the bedroom, fluffing the loose waves the braid had left in her hair. "I've already got some volume going on, so it's all yours, sweetie. May I rummage in your nail polish collection?"
"To your heart's content," Callie said, gesturing toward the bag in question.
The next few hours were spent in complete surrender to the thousand little rituals of femininity: painting and polishing, smoothing and scenting, preparing and adorning every part of the body for the coming celebration.
"The better we look, the worse the bathroom looks," Callie finally observed, taking stock of the once-tidy bathroom. Presumably, there was still a counter there; but it was practically invisible beneath the jumble. Bottles, jars, and cosmetics cases vied with pins, brushes, and styling products for space. Electrical cords snaked over and around the whole mess, leading to the curling iron, Callie's iPod, and multiple phone chargers.
"Maybe we should send Frank a picture of this," Nancy teased.
"Don't you stress him out. Not today," Callie said.
Nancy's phone chimed. "Speak of the devil," she said lightly, reaching for it.
"Is it really Frank?"
"No, it's Joe," Nancy told her.
"Ask him how Frank is doing. No, don't. Does that sound too desperate?"
Nancy raised an eyebrow at her friend. "You're acting like a high schooler with a crush, Cal. Want me to have Joe find out if he thinks you're pretty?"
"You're awful," Callie protested. "What does Joe want?"
"He's just saying hi. And he says Frank can't wait to see you."
Callie pinned one last curl into place and turned her head, examining herself from every angle. "Do I look all right?"
"You look wonderful," Nancy said warmly, setting her phone aside to admire Callie's artistry. She had pulled her long, blonde hair into a romantic braided updo, with soft curls framing her face. "I'm not even sure how you did that, and I was watching the whole time."
"It's not too much?"
"No. It suits you. Is mine okay? Is it too boring?" Nancy asked, placing one last pin in her simple chignon.
"It's not boring at all!" Callie said. "You always look so classy."
"Good, because I don't have time to re-do it," Nancy said, checking the clock. She reached for her makeup bag and began pulling out the things she intended to use that day. The task was an absorbing one; and it took a few minutes before she realized that Callie had gone quiet.
"Cal?" she said gently.
Callie had been staring at herself in the mirror, a makeup brush in her hand. Now she broke eye contact with her reflection and looked to Nancy.
"My hands are shaking," she said sheepishly. "I'm trying to calm down a little so my eyeliner won't look like Myra did it."
Nancy set down her eyelash curler. "I can do it, if you'd like."
"I don't want to be any trouble," Callie said.
"Think of it as part of my services as de facto bridesmaid," Nancy said. "I promise I won't go wild."
"No glitter eyeshadow?" Callie said, regaining a glimmer of her good spirits.
"No glitter," Nancy agreed.
"Well...as long as you'll still have time to finish your own face..."
"Cal, quit being so nice. It's your day," Nancy scolded, taking the brush from Callie's hand. She leaned in close, cupping Callie's chin to turn her face.
"I'm sorry you feel so nervous," she said, dipping the brush into the eyeliner.
"It's a good kind of nervous," Callie murmured. "More like anticipation."
"At least you're getting it all out of the way. In June, you'll be the calmest bride ever."
Callie's smile was genuine this time. "That's true. Plus, at least I don't have to be nervous about the wedding night."
"Yeah, that ship sailed a long time ago," Nancy said absently, concentrating on tracing the brush carefully along Callie's skin.
"I almost wish it hadn't," Callie said wistfully.
Nancy paused, surprised. "You regret sleeping with Frank?"
"No! Not at all. I was just thinking it would be nice to have that first time feeling again, though. All those butterflies, you know?"
"I didn't really have that," Nancy said, reaching for an eyeshadow palette.
"Nan. Everyone is nervous, their first time. I know you're brave, but that's almost superhuman."
Nancy shrugged. "I felt...curious, mostly, and resigned. That's all."
"That sounds unpleasant," Callie said, and then covered her mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound judgmental. But you were...you were okay, right? This didn't happen on a case or something?"
"No," Nancy said quickly. "It was consensual. It was with Ned." She weighed her next words carefully, sifting through the sudden rush of memories. Loud music, George dancing, Bess making out with a boy they had just met. A glass in her hand, deliciously cold against her skin, its contents sugar-sweet and molten with alcohol. She'd had a few sips and then abandoned it as Ned pulled her back onto the dance floor. The heat of Ned's hands, his body, his eyes. Ned, kissing her. Ned, rumpling her sundress with his wandering hands. Ned, leading her back to his hotel room. More kissing, molten like her drink. Fumbling with buttons and zippers in the tropical half-dark.
"We were in Brazil, and we'd just wrapped up a case. There was a party," Nancy said aloud, struggling to convey the right feeling to Callie. "Ned and I had been dating awhile, and it was the next step everyone expected us to take. It's not that I didn't want it. I did. I just wasn't swept away by passion or anything. It's the same reason I accepted his proposal, I guess, though I didn't realize that until much later."
"Oh, honey. Nothing against Ned, but you deserved better than that."
"It wasn't awful. And it wasn't as awkward as most people's first times seem to be."
"Mine wasn't awkward," Callie said firmly.
"Of course it wasn't. You and Frank are straight out of a storybook," Nancy teased gently. "Let me guess: he climbed up into your bedroom window like Romeo and Juliet without the grisly ending."
"Not even close."
"Really?"
"Sorry, Nan. Your detective instincts have finally failed you."
"Okay, then how did it happen?"
"The summer before our senior year, Frank took me out in the Sleuth to watch the Fourth of July fireworks over the bay."
"Hold on. You lost your virginity in a speedboat?" Nancy asked incredulously.
"Don't say it like that! You make it sound sordid," Callie protested, laughing. "It really wasn't. Just picture it: you're out in a little boat in the middle of the bay, all alone, with the boy you love. The air is just starting to get chilly, so you scoot close and he wraps his arms around you as you watch the fireworks overhead." She grinned. "Let's just say the fireworks weren't the only big finale that night."
"You two have hidden depths," Nancy said, sweeping mascara along Callie's lashes. "I would never have guessed that. Never."
"I'm still sad for you," Callie said. "Wait. What about your first time with Joe? That must have been better."
A very different set of memories surfaced. Nancy smiled, half-turning her face to hide it from Callie. "It was an impulsive hookup. Hot as hell, but not really romantic," she said.
"I don't believe that for a minute," Callie retorted.
"Okay. I may have had a butterfly or two," Nancy conceded, and left it at that, because she would have felt foolish saying it felt like skydiving, like solving a puzzle, like coming home. I'd never given myself so completely before, body and mind and heart, and I never will again. She changed the subject, instead.
"All those years ago, did you ever imagine you'd be marrying him?"
"I didn't imagine it. I knew it."
Nancy set down the mascara. "Okay. You just need lipstick, and you're all set."
"That was fast." Callie opened her eyes, flutteringly, and turned to the mirror. "Oh, Nan! I love it. Thank you so much. This is perfect."
"You're welcome," Nancy said, reaching for her own makeup bag again. "You can finish telling me how wonderful I am some other time. Right now you'd better start getting dressed." She had just checked the time again, and had been astonished to find that the nearly endless expanse of time which had stretched before them that morning had now dwindled down to almost nothing.
"Right. The dress." Callie darted out of the room. "The moment of truth," she called dramatically. "It has to fit. It just has to. Right?"
"It's going to fit," Nancy called back. "Do you have your old, new, borrowed, and blue?"
There was a pause. "Damn," Callie said. "Do you have something I can borrow? Anything. A bobby pin, or a stick of gum, or-"
"You are not chewing gum at your wedding! Wear my diamond drop earrings," Nancy suggested. "They're on Joe's dresser."
Callie re-appeared just as Nancy was applying her own lipstick. "These are perfect. Thanks, Nan."
"Anytime," Nancy told her. "You're all set now?"
Callie nodded. "Old locket," she said, holding up her delicate antique necklace. "New wedding dress. Borrowed earrings. And as you can see, blue underwear."
"That covers it," Nancy agreed. "Let's get you buttoned into that dress."
They dressed quickly, with more solemnity than they had felt thus far.
"It's starting to feel real," Callie commented.
"Are you ready?" Nancy asked, leading the way out of the bedroom. She pulled on her coat and retrieved her keys while Callie settled a warm faux-fur wrap around her shoulders. The other woman's cheeks were pink with more than cosmetics, and her eyes sparkled, but she looked at peace.
"I'm ready," she said simply.
The couples had agreed to meet in the courthouse lobby, but Callie and Nancy had only just approached the building when they met Frank and Joe coming from the other direction. There was no aisle to walk, no formal procession, no church filled with expectant faces; but to Nancy, it still felt like a holy moment. Bride and groom met in that same time-freezing flash of joy beyond comprehension which Nancy had witnessed at scores of weddings, and the kiss Frank gave Callie was a benediction in itself. Nancy blinked away an unexpected tear and took the arm Joe was offering her, drawing him a little way apart to give Frank and Callie a moment of privacy.
"You're beautiful," Joe whispered, bending his head to kiss her. He handed her a single red rose.
"Thank you," she murmured back, thanking him for the compliment and the flower all at once. She touched the petals gently, smiled, and looked him over with approval. Joe always could carry himself well in nice clothes, though the effect was not quite as respectable as Frank's appearance. As always, there was something rakish about the younger Hardy brother, some quality which suggested that his appearance would not be so immaculate by the end of the day if he could help it.
"You look good. Very James Bond," Nancy teased, straightening his bow tie.
He leaned in close again, brushing her ear with his lips as he whispered "Up for a little role-playing later? I wouldn't mind fending off a femme fatale bent on assassinating me."
"Joe Hardy, this is supposed to be a sacred occasion," Nancy scolded, blushing.
"So the answer is yes?" He was as irrepressible as always.
"What makes you think I couldn't assassinate you?" Nancy retorted.
"There's only one way to find out," he replied. The look he gave her carried so much heat it made her shiver.
"Joe, I don't know what you're saying to her, but shame on you," Callie called suddenly, breaking the tension.
"Why do you always assume I'm misbehaving?" Joe protested.
"She knows you that well," Frank said dryly. "Come on. Let's go in." He offered Callie his arm, and together they headed for the courthouse door.
"Are your parents here yet?" Nancy asked, falling into step with Joe behind the bridal couple.
"They should be here in a minute."
"Are Callie's?"
Joe shrugged. "No clue. She didn't hear from them?"
"No." Nancy lowered her voice. "I promised Callie you'd throw them out if they cause any trouble."
"I almost hope they give me a reason to," Joe said, with his most unsettling grin.
Their parents arrived only a few minutes later-both sets at once, as it turned out, the Shaws evidently having met up with the Hardys in the parking lot. It was an awkward group, Nancy could see that immediately; and all four parents' faces looked noticeably relieved when they reached their waiting offspring.
"You all look wonderful!" Mrs. Hardy exclaimed, distributing hugs all around. "Let me get some pictures of you."
"Mom, can't we do that after?" Frank said.
"I'm going to be taking pictures all day," Mrs. Hardy told him. "But for now let's just get a few of you boys, so Callie can have a moment with her parents."
Nancy watched with amusement as Laura pulled Frank, Joe, and Fenton to one side and began taking pictures. Frank looked uncomfortable, Joe was goofing off, and Fenton only had one expression when a camera was pointed his way: the "government photo ID" scowl.
"Joe, honey, I wish you hadn't gotten a head wound right before your brother's wedding," Laura sighed, clicking away.
"You're right, that was really inconsiderate of me. Is this better?" Joe asked, inverting himself into a headstand suddenly so that his feet were on level with his brother's and father's faces.
"Take it, quick!" Fenton called, grabbing Joe's ankles. "This is his good side!"
Nancy let the ensuing laughter and wisecracks fade into the background. She glanced, instead, over to her other side, where the Shaws were gathered. So far, things seemed to be going all right. Mr. Shaw was standing a few steps back, glowering at the whole group from beneath his thick, dark eyebrows. But Mrs. Shaw was making an effort to speak to her daughter.
"Your bouquet is lovely," she said awkwardly.
"Thank you. Frank surprised me with it," Callie said.
"And- and if you just hold it- here, hold it like that," Mrs. Shaw said, positioning Callie's hands in front of her torso. "Now it covers you up a little."
Callie's eyes widened. But Nancy did not catch her reply, because just then Mrs. Hardy touched her shoulder.
"Nancy, will you take one of the four of us?" she asked, pressing her camera into Nancy's hands. Nancy obediently aimed the camera and captured a few shots.
"Great. Thanks, sweetie. Now, one more. Just Frank and Fenton," Laura said. "And let's do it over there, by that window."
Joe joined Nancy as she handed the camera off to Laura. He was watching Callie, too.
"She doesn't look happy," he murmured to Nancy. "Can I toss 'em out yet?"
"Give them a chance to work through it," Nancy murmured back, hoping she was making the right call. Mrs. Shaw was talking again.
"Callie, you don't have to go through with this."
"I know I don't have to. But I want to," Callie said earnestly.
"It may seem romantic now, but what about a year from now? Six months, even?" Mrs. Shaw stepped closer, lowering her voice. "He's always going to remember that he got pressured into this. Men can't be happy in a relationship like that. Just think about it, Callie. I don't want to see you go through that pain."
Callie looked flabbergasted. "I promise, no one got pressured into this. Especially not Frank."
"What about you?" Mr. Shaw snapped, speaking for the first time. "It's not enough that the arrogant bastard used you like he did. Now he wants control over you and your kid. You're making a big mistake."
That was the final straw. Before anyone else could speak Joe was there, putting a protective arm around Callie's shoulders.
"Excuse me, sir, but that arrogant bastard is my brother," he said. "If you had a problem with him, you should have worked it out before coming to this wedding."
"Back off, son. This isn't your business," Mr. Shaw said.
"Actually, it is," Joe said coolly. "Part of my job here today is to make sure nobody talks to my sister like that. Because unlike you, we all love her a lot, and we want her to have a beautiful day. So you can either shut up or get out."
"I don't like your tone, young man," Mr. Shaw said.
"And I don't give a flying fuck what you like," Joe said. Beside him, Callie half-laughed, half-sobbed. Her father's face was turning a deep shade of red.
"What did you say to me?"
"You heard me. I'm not the one marrying your daughter. I don't have to pull any punches. I'm not letting you bully her, and that's my final warning."
"Here's a little warning for you," Mr. Shaw said, stepping closer. "You better get that chip off your shoulder before someone knocks it off for you. No puffed-up clotheshorse of a kid detective gets to tell me how to treat my own daughter."
"Charles," Mrs. Shaw said tremulously, grabbing his arm.
By now the rest of the Hardys had gathered around. Frank moved in to stand by his brother.
"Is there a problem, Joe?"
"No problem here, Frank. Charlie and I were just exchanging pleasantries," Joe spat, transferring Callie gently to her fiance's arm.
"Hardy, get your little brother on a leash," Mr. Shaw rumbled.
Frank slapped his pockets. "Damn. I seem to have left his collar at home."
"This is no joke."
"No, it's not. It's my wedding day, actually, and I take that pretty seriously," Frank said. "And on that note, I think the judge is ready for us. Are you ready, Cal?"
Callie's eyes were dry, now. She looked up at Frank as though he were the only one in the room with her. "I'm ready," she said softly.
After the anticipation of the morning, and all the emotions building up to this moment, Nancy was surprised to find the ceremony passing in what felt like a heartbeat. She stood behind Callie, holding her bouquet, and filed away impressions like a strand of jewels in her mind: the hush in the room and the palpable sense of joyful solemnity, despite the aftershocks of Mr. Shaw's anger. Frank's face, filled with pride and adoration. Callie's luminous smile. Joe's expression as he listened to his brother speak his vows, his brow slightly furrowed in concentration, his eyes heavy with the weight of the occasion. The way Frank's hands shook as he slid the ring onto Callie's finger. The purity of their first kiss as a married couple.
And then suddenly Frank and Callie were turning toward their parents, hands clasped, faces radiant. Joe let out an exuberant whistle, breaking the spell. Suddenly everyone was talking and laughing and embracing all at once.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hardy, everyone!" Joe announced from the outskirts of the crowd, and Frank pulled Callie in for another kiss.
"Excuse me, miss?"
Nancy turned. It was the judge, holding out a clipboard. "Sorry to disturb you, but I need witness signatures from you and that young man. Just here, please, and here."
"No problem," Nancy said, beckoning to Joe. He slipped through the crowd, looking inquisitive.
"Everything okay?"
"Quite," the judge said. "I simply need your John Hancock."
"Oh, right." Joe took the clipboard, added his signature, and handed it over to Nancy. She signed slowly, carefully, suddenly struck by the profundity of the simple action. Her gaze lingered on the document for a moment, taking in Frank's angular cursive, Callie's graceful curves, Joe's old-fashioned hand- each name so expressive of the character of its inscriber. This was going on record, forever. There was something poignant about that small personal touch there, beneath the impersonality of the legal form. Nancy took a deep breath.
"If their great-great-grandchildren decide to do some poking around in their family history, someday, this is one of the documents they're going to find," she said, touching the ink of Frank's name. She was not sure if anyone else would understand her line of thought. But the judge's eyes were kind behind his glasses, and he was nodding.
"It gives you a new appreciation for red tape, doesn't it, Miss Drew," he said.
Nancy handed the clipboard back. "And for weddings," she said. "I'd never thought of them as that important, before."
"That's where you're wrong, young lady. Every union changes the course of history," the judge said.
Joe looked thoughtful. "Like a thousand little pieces making up one picture on a puzzle," he said.
"An excellent image," the judge said. "Now, if you'll excuse me- I believe your party requires you for a photograph."
Mrs. Hardy was indeed calling to them. Nancy and Joe excused themselves and re-joined the family, Joe promptly disrupting the proceedings by launching himself at Callie and Frank and squeezing them in a bear hug.
"Let me in," Nancy scolded, working her way in to embrace Callie. "Congratulations!"
"Children," Mrs. Hardy said affectionately. "Humor me for a minute. I just want to take a few more."
"That's code for a few hundred," Frank whispered to Joe.
"Just smile, boys," Callie said, posing prettily.
Frank's estimate was not far off. But finally, Mrs. Hardy seemed satisfied.
"I hope you'll join us for a brief reception at our house," she told the Shaws as she packed away her camera.
"But I didn't bring anything..." Mrs. Shaw demurred.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Hannah Gruen dropped the cake off this morning, and we're having some light appetizers to go along with it. Please come."
Next to Nancy, Joe was shaking his head. "Some party that's going to be," he muttered.
"Hush," Nancy whispered. "It's going to be fine. Look how happy they are." The happiness was contagious, too. Nancy turned back toward Callie and hugged her again.
"I can't believe you're married!"
"I know!" Callie said giddily, holding up her hand to admire the wedding band gleaming there. Frank held up his, too, and laughed.
"Believe it," he said, wrapping his arms around both Nancy and Callie and pulling them tight enough to make them squeal. He planted a kiss on Nancy's cheek, surprising her, and then turned to Callie for another long, just-married kiss.
"May I have my girl back?" Joe asked, reaching in to extricate Nancy. "It doesn't seem fair for you to get both of them."
"Don't worry, Joe. I'm not sharing Frank with anybody," Callie declared, wrapping her arms around Frank's neck and pulling him in for another kiss.
Nancy had never seen this level of public affection from them. She caught herself staring. "I am so glad they're not staying at the apartment tonight," she said under her breath, making Joe laugh.
"I second that," he said. "Come on, lovebirds. I'm ready for that cake!"
Aunt Gertrude, who had declined an invitation to the ceremony itself, had been busy at home. The Hardys' dining room table was covered with Laura's heirloom lace tablecloth. Several inviting-looking trays of hors d'oerves were positioned on the table. Hannah's beautiful cake, flanked by vases of carnations, completed the display. There was even a bottle of champagne on ice.
"Aunt Gertrude, everything looks delicious," Frank said, hugging the older woman gently. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I wanted to make a real luncheon. All this silly little food was your mother's idea," Gertrude said tartly. "And now I suppose you'll all be drinking and carrying on all afternoon."
"You won't mind it so much if you join in, Auntie," Joe said cheerfully.
"I'll do the honors," Fenton boomed, making his way to the table. He popped the cork and poured the champagne while Frank quietly filled glasses with cider for himself, Callie, and Gertrude.
"Public speaking isn't my strength, so I'll keep this short," Fenton said, distributing glasses to everyone else. He cleared his throat. "Son, I remember the first time you asked Callie out on a date. She said no." There was a general wave of laughter. Callie blushed and hid her face in Frank's shoulder. "Fortunately you inherited my stubborn streak, and then some. And even more fortunately, Callie decided to give you a shot. I've watched you two grow up together, and I always hoped this day would come. And hell, here we are." Fenton raised his glass. "I told you I'd be brief. To my son and his beautiful bride. Health and happiness all the days of their lives."
"Health and happiness," everyone echoed.
"All right," Mrs. Hardy called, as soon as the toast had been drunk. "Come up here and cut the cake, you two."
"And none of that smashing nonsense," Gertrude added.
"Oh, no," Callie said sweetly. "I'll save that for the big wedding."
"For maximum embarrassment?" Frank said, lifting a bite to Callie's lips.
"You know it," she told him, reciprocating. For a moment the two seemed lost in their own world. Then Frank tenderly tipped Callie's face up and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
"Our big wedding is going to be fun," Callie said softly, "but I'm beginning to think it won't hold a candle to today. Thank you all so much for being there as witnesses, and for this beautiful reception." She was beginning to get teary-eyed. Frank grabbed a napkin and pressed it into her hand.
"You deserve nothing less," Laura Hardy said, grabbing a napkin for herself. "We love you both."
"We do," Mrs. Shaw echoed, very quietly. Her husband said nothing.
There was a bit of a pause, while Callie and Laura dabbed at their eyes. Then Gertrude stepped briskly forward.
"If there are no more speeches, I'll serve the cake," she said, suiting her actions to her words.
Nancy had been worried, despite her earlier assurance to Joe, that the Shaws or Gertrude would spoil the celebration somehow; but as everyone ate their cake and began to mingle, the atmosphere in the room remained largely joyful. Laura Hardy was a gracious and practiced hostess who soon had even the stiff and nervous Shaws feeling more at ease. It was true that Joe's hackles were still up due to Charles Shaw's proximity, but out of deference to Frank's feelings he remained nothing but charming. And the newly-married couple's unabashed happiness pervaded the room like the bubbles in the champagne, lifting everyone's spirits.
"You were right," Joe said, passing by on his way to acquire a second slice of cake.
"Of course I was right," Nancy said, flashing him a smile like a meteor. Joe paused, backtracked, and kissed her.
"More champagne?" he asked.
"No, thanks."
He dropped another kiss on her forehead, light as a snowflake, and continued on his way, only to be intercepted by Aunt Gertrude. Nancy watched their confrontation play out, amused but also glad she was not in Joe's shoes.
"Seconds, already?" the formidable woman asked. She was the same height as Joe, but she still managed to create the impression of frowning down at him. "Gluttony doesn't pay, Joseph."
"But we didn't have lunch!" Joe said.
"You can't fill up on cake!" Gertrude told him. "You're as bad as that Morton boy."
"Aunt Gert, look at these abs," Joe said, patting his trim midsection. "I think I'm entitled to extra cake on a special occasion."
"Don't you 'Aunt Gert' me with that smile of yours," Gertrude scolded. "It's not going to get you anywhere with me, young man."
Laughing, Nancy turned away. Between Joe's inability to admit defeat and Gertrude's iron will, this conversation could go on awhile. As entertaining as it was to watch, Nancy also wanted to check up on Callie.
She found Callie in the living room, ensconced in an armchair like a queen on her throne. She had been speaking with her mother, but she bounced up when she saw Nancy.
"Nancy!" she cried happily. "Come here."
Nancy just managed to deposit her cake plate safely on the arm of the chair before Callie pulled her into an exuberant hug.
"Thank you so much for taking care of me this morning. I couldn't have done this without you," Callie said.
"I just gave you a little nudge. The momentum was all your own," Nancy said.
Fenton approached as the girls broke apart. He had two glasses of water, which he handed to Callie and her mother. "Here you go, Callie, Margaret. Shenanigans, can I get you anything?"
"Shenanigans! I like that one," Nancy said, retrieving her cake.
"It does seem appropriate, doesn't it?" Fenton said jovially.
"Now you sound like Chief McGinnis," Nancy joked.
Fenton took a seat. "I hear you wrapped up another case."
"We did," Nancy confirmed.
"Are you and Joe thinking of making this a regular thing?"
Nancy nodded. "We're going to be partners."
"I'm glad to hear that," Fenton said with approval. "Joe's been doing well for himself, but he's not the lone wolf type. He works best with a partner. But what about you, Nancy? Is it going to be an adjustment?"
"I may not have started with a built-in partner, but I enjoy having a teammate," Nancy said.
"Darling, are you talking shop again?" Laura asked, resting a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Nancy started it!" Fenton said, winking at Nancy.
"This is a happy occasion. No detective talk," Laura decreed. "Especially in front of poor Margaret."
"Is that even possible?" Callie asked.
"No, but a girl can dream," Laura said lightly. She leaned down and kissed the top of Fenton's head. "When you get a moment, you should ask Charles about Rich Zinsser. He ran into him in Chicago last month and he has the funniest story."
"By which she means that I should mingle more," Fenton said to Callie. "All right, dear. I'll go do my host-ly duty."
Nancy stood up, too. Callie, her mother, and her mother-in-law were absorbed in conversation. Fenton had joined Charles and Gertrude on the sofa and was talking away, his booming laugh punctuating the rumble of masculine voices. Gertrude was knitting and pretending not to listen in. And Frank and Joe were standing off to the side, comparing a schematic in a book to something on Joe's phone and discussing the whole thing with great animation. Nancy felt a brief twinge of misgiving.
I'm the only one here who isn't family, she thought, grabbing a few empty dishes and heading for the kitchen. A little bit of work would help. She would wash a few dishes and give herself some breathing space.
She was only absent for ten minutes, but when she stepped out of the kitchen Joe seized her hand as though he had not seen her all day.
"Where did you disappear to?" he asked, pulling her into an impromptu waltz.
"I washed a few dishes."
"You don't have to be useful. It's a party."
"I wanted to," she told him. "I was beginning to feel a little intrusive."
Joe frowned, and his feet stopped moving. "Nan," he said firmly, "you belong here. Don't second-guess that."
"Even if I'm here under false pretenses...Mr. Bond?" Nancy breathed into his ear. Joe groaned.
"Wait until after the party to kill me," he whispered back.
"No promises," Nancy said.
"That reminds me," Joe said suddenly. "Did you bring the stuff?"
"Would I let you down? It's in my car. When are we going to do it?"
Joe looked around. Everyone was still occupied. "Now seems as good a time as any," he said.
"Let's go."
Sneaking out, unobserved, was easy for people with their level of experience. Once outside, Nancy unlocked her car and retrieved the pack of window markers from the back seat.
"I can't believe Callie didn't notice those," Joe said.
"She had a lot on her mind." Nancy hopped a little, rubbing her arms to warm them. "Hurry up. It's chilly out here."
Joe tossed her a marker. "It'll go faster if you help out."
Working quickly, they wrote "Just Married" across the back window of Frank's car. Nancy finished the job by adorning the corners with pink hearts.
"That was a bit anticlimactic," Joe complained, capping his marker. "What else can we do? Tie tin cans to the bumper?"
"True art is knowing when to stop. Callie taught me that." Nancy linked arms with him, smiling up into his face. "Let's get back in before someone notices we're gone."
"Or we could take advantage of the fact that we're alone, and you're beautiful."
"Out here, in the driveway? I don't think so."
"There's a perfectly good barn right over there."
Nancy kissed him. "I love you, but there are limits."
The dynamic inside had shifted while they were gone. People were moving, setting their dishes in the kitchen, retrieving their coats.
"You're not going to leave without throwing your bouquet!" Joe protested.
"Do I really need to play catch with Nancy?" Callie asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Why should girls get all the fun?" Joe demanded, sinking into a catcher's crouch. He smacked a fist into the palm of his other hand, pretending he was wearing a baseball glove. "Come on, Shaw, show us what you've got."
"You're ridiculous," Callie told him.
Joe just grinned. "If I catch it, Nan, you have to propose to me!"
"It's on, Hardy. You have no chance," Nancy said, jostling him playfully.
"Don't go easy on them, Cal!" Frank called from the sidelines.
"But these are too pretty to throw away. Promise I get these back after you catch them," Callie said over her shoulder, making everyone laugh.
"I promise I'll give them back," Nancy said.
"She means she'll do the handoff for me," Joe added.
Callie lobbed the bouquet in a gentle arc. Nancy reached for it, feeling her fingertips graze a stem as it sailed by. Joe actually leapt sideways and dove for it. But the roses landed safely in the outstretched hands of Laura Hardy.
"And that's what happens when you get cocky!" she said, offering her youngest son a hand up from the floor.
"I'm not so sure I like that omen," Fenton joked.
Laura turned her smile toward him. "It's a sign that we should definitely do that vow renewal ceremony we were thinking about," she said. "Here you are, Callie. Not a petal out of place."
"Thank you all, again," Frank said, taking Callie's hand. "We'll see you for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow."
"I hope we got an extra turkey, because they're going to work up a big appetite," Joe said, purely to make his brother blush.
"Joseph," Laura scolded.
"If I had a dollar for every time someone used my full name today..." Joe said, shaking his head. He caught his mother glaring at him and trailed off, stepping forward instead to shake his brother's hand and kiss Callie's cheek. "Sorry. Congratulations," he said warmly.
There followed a flurry of goodbyes and congratulations, during which Laura hugged everyone in the room, Joe pulled Frank aside and handed him something which made him blush again, Mrs. Shaw gave her daughter a tentative hug, and Mr. Shaw shook Frank's hand without saying a word.
"Drive carefully, son," Fenton said finally.
"I will," Frank promised, helping Callie arrange her wrap around her shoulders. "Goodbye!"
"Thank you all for everything. We've had the most wonderful day," Callie called over her shoulder.
Everyone piled out onto the porch to see them off and to wave until the car had disappeared around the corner.