Adrian had a special pilgrimage to make the morning of his second wedding day. Both Ambrose and his father had offered to come with him, but he'd declined, preferring to make this particular journey alone.
It was a crisp 63 degrees when he pulled into the cemetery parking lot. The sky was clear and dazzlingly blue; it promised to be a beautiful day. He'd worried about the possibility of rain, but there wasn't so much of a wisp of a cloud hanging about.
He leisurely walked the familiar paths, enjoying the pleasant day, and in short order he reached Trudy's grave. He gazed at her tombstone for a long moment before kneeling to lay the flowers he'd brought — yellow roses, her favorite — at its base.
"Hello, Trudy," he said. "I think you probably know why I'm here. And I think you know what's going to happen today." He paused, and then continued. "After you died… I never thought I'd fall in love again, and I never thought I'd get married again. But, lately, I've been wondering if you arranged the whole thing. I wouldn't put it past you."
He chuckled, very quietly, and touched the base of the finger where he'd once worn his wedding ring — and where, in a few short hours, he'd wear his new wedding ring. "Thank you for sending her to me. Thank you for saving her after her accident. And thank you for… for teaching me how to love in the first place. I couldn't love Natalie as much as I do if I hadn't loved you first."
With difficulty, he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "I'm so glad you showed me that I can love differently, because I'm so happy. Almost as happy as I was with you." The tears almost came, then, and he fought them back. "You once said that all you wanted was for me to be happy, and… I am. I didn't think it'd ever be possible, but I finally am."
He sighed, and leaned down to touch the hard granite. "I'll never stop loving you," he murmured, and turned to leave.
Adrian jerked back in surprise when he saw Dwight and Marcia Ellison standing several feet away. He hadn't heard them approach, but then, he hadn't been listening for anyone else.
"Hello, Adrian," Marcia said, smiling. "I wondered if you'd come here today." Beside her, Dwight carried a bouquet of yellow roses, nearly identical to the one he'd brought.
He blushed, and couldn't think of a thing to say. How long had they been there? Had they heard what he'd said?
"We just got here," Dwight said, almost as though he'd been able to hear Adrian's thoughts. "And we didn't plan… that is, we didn't know you'd be here right now."
"I'm not surprised we had the same idea this morning," Marcia said, moving to stand beside Adrian. She threaded her arm through his as she gazed at Trudy's grave. "Did you say everything you wanted to say?"
"Yes," Adrian said, relaxing a little. "I don't need to come here to talk to her, but I thought… today, I thought that I should."
"I understand," Marcia said, patting his arm.
Dwight came forward and laid their flowers on the grave next to the ones Adrian had placed there. He flanked Marcia, and for a long minute the three of them stood in silence, lost in memories.
At length, Marcia spoke, and her words surprised him. "I felt such joy on Trudy's and your wedding day. After she died, I didn't think I'd ever feel that kind of joy again. But, today, I do."
He turned, slightly, to look down at her. "You do?"
She nodded, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's the kind of joy you feel when you know that your children are truly happy." She squeezed his hand.
"You'll always be our son, Adrian," Dwight added. "And we're so pleased that you've found someone so wonderful with whom to share your life again."
"Thank you," he managed, moved nearly to tears by their words. "I'm honored to be your son."
"I hope Natalie won't mind if we consider her our – well, our adopted daughter," Marcia said, a tear escaping as she looked at Trudy's grave. "She already reminds me so much of Trudy."
Adrian tensed. "You don't think that I'm only marrying her because – "
"No, of course not," Dwight reassured him. "We know that no one could ever replace Trudy in your heart, nor would you try to replace her."
"It's just not at all surprising that you would gravitate toward the same type of woman," Marcia said, smiling. "Kind… compassionate… spirited."
"Stubborn," Adrian added with a laugh, then sobered. "Courageous."
"And Trudy loved Natalie like a sister," Marcia said softly. "She was devastated when we moved away and lost touch."
"I'll bet," Adrian murmured. He remembered how sad Trudy had seemed when she'd told him about the little girl she had once baby-sat.
"You know, we were a little bit worried at first, when you told us you were going to remarry," Dwight confessed. "We were afraid that… well… we thought that you might not want us in your life anymore."
"You know I'd never let that happen," Adrian told them, feeling a pang of guilt that he hadn't made that clear from the outset.
Dwight shrugged. "We wouldn't have blamed you if you'd wanted to distance yourself from your old life," he said. "But after we met Natalie, and we found out who she was… we didn't have to worry anymore. It was like a message from Trudy telling us that she was still watching over you."
Adrian smiled. "I thought the same thing," he admitted. "Natalie thinks so, too. She says it's a comfort."
"And so it is," Marcia said with a smile. "Well, I need to meet the ladies at the salon shortly, so we'd better get going."
"I'm sorry if you wanted some time alone – " Adrian began.
"Oh, don't worry about that," Marcia said, brushing off his concerns. "We plan to come back on Saturday after we check out, too." She kissed her fingers and pressed them to the tombstone, then turned to smile at Adrian. "Is there anything you want me to tell Natalie when I see her?"
"Actually," Adrian said, suddenly inspired, "there's something I'd like you to give her, and Julie, too, if you wouldn't mind. I was planning on dropping them off at the Four Seasons on my way back to Ambrose's, but I'd feel better knowing you were going to take care of them for me."
"Of course," Marcia agreed amiably, taking his arm as they walked back to his car.
Clad only in her undergarments and a thin silk robe, Natalie sat very still, as her mother had commanded, so that she wouldn't mess up her perfectly-styled hair or her intricate make-up job. At least the beautician, at her request, had used water-resistant cosmetics. She had a feeling she wasn't through with her tears for the day.
They had just finished at the salon and were now in her parents' suite. Peggy and the bridesmaids (sans Cassandra, who was still supervising the decorating) were dressing, chattering gaily as they did so, but Natalie was under strict orders to wait until they were finished before getting dressed herself. They wouldn't even let her put on her jewelry. So, she waited in a quiet corner of the suite's large master bedroom, listening to the "getting ready" playlist Julie had put together – all upbeat, cheerful songs such as "Chapel of Love" and "Walking on Sunshine."
Having finished dressing, Marcia came over to her, looking classically lovely in a flowing ivory skirt and matching top. She was carrying a small box in her hands. "Natalie, dear," she said, smiling gently, "I saw Adrian earlier today, and he asked me to give this to you."
The brown cardboard box was small, about the size of a postcard, and tied with a wide white ribbon. "Where did you see him?" Natalie asked as she took the box in her hands.
Marcia hesitated for the barest of moments before replying, "We met – unexpectedly – at the cemetery this morning."
Natalie only smiled. "I thought he might go there."
Marcia smiled fondly and touched her shoulder. "Well, I'll leave you alone to open that," she said, and went over to help Peggy with her necklace.
Curious, Natalie pulled at the ribbon and lifted the lid of the box. The first thing she saw was a square white card with thick black writing on it – writing that she immediately recognized as Adrian's copperplate script.
Ten Reasons I Can't Wait to Marry You, it said.
She grinned with genuine delight, and lifted that card to reveal another.
10. You're my best friend, and I love spending my days (and my nights) with you.
She lifted that card as well.
9. I want to see your smile every morning when I wake up, and I every night before I go to sleep.
The cards continued in a similar fashion all the way to the last, which read, simply,
1. I love you.
Below that, he'd written, See you at 5 o'clock. – Adrian
She carefully replaced the cards – in order – and placed the lid on the box, retying it with the bow. Then she hugged it to her. Leave it to him to come up with the most perfect, utterly romantic wedding day gift a bride could ask for. She would treasure it for the rest of her life. She just hoped he liked her gift to him just as much.
Standing in his childhood bedroom, Adrian carefully tied his bow tie – again. This was his tenth attempt, and if he didn't get it right this time, he feared he'd need to ask someone for help. But as he studied the results in the mirror, he was, finally, satisfied. The knot was perfectly straight and the loops of the tie were symmetrical, unlike his other lopsided attempts.
With a brisk nod, he carefully pulled on and buttoned the matching vest. The suit jacket came next, and once that was on, he took a step back to gaze at himself in the mirror from head to toe.
The tie looked good, the vest was straight, and the coordinating pocket handkerchief was perfectly even. His lapels were smooth and lint-free, the pleats of his pants were razor-sharp, and his shoes were shined to a blinding gleam.
He was ready.
A knock at the door startled him. A second later, Leland came in, dressed in an identical tuxedo. "Hey, looking good," Leland said with a smile.
"Is it time to leave?" Adrian asked, minutely straightening his sleeve cuffs.
"Not quite yet. I think Ambrose and your dad still need a few more minutes." With a crooked smile, Leland produced a small box from behind his back. "Hey, uh, Natalie asked me to give this to you."
Adrian took it with a smile. "Thanks," he said, holding the box gingerly. It fit neatly in the palm of his hand and was surprisingly heavy. He couldn't imagine what it was.
"I'll let you know once everyone's ready," Leland promised, stepping out again and closing the door.
Carefully, Adrian pried open the lid of the box. There was a folded white piece of paper, first, and when he lifted that out he saw the beautiful, and obviously antique, gold pocket watch resting on white cotton batting. The face of the case was smooth and worn from many years of handling, the attached gold chain slightly tarnished.
He lifted the watch gently, reverently. His fingers found the spring that opened the case and he watched the seconds dial tick around the perimeter of the watch face for a full thirty seconds before he opened the note that had been included.
Dear Adrian, it read in Natalie's fine, careful handwriting, this watch belonged to Mitch's great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and then Mitch. It was one of his most treasured possessions; he never took it with him on deployments because he was afraid something would happen to it. I've kept it all these years. It has a history of being owned by honorable, upstanding men, and I think he'd want that tradition to continue. I love you, and I can't wait to marry you. Yours forever, Natalie.
He ran his fingers over the face of the watch before gently closing the lid. He held it to his lips for just a moment, and then slipped it into his pocket. The box and the note went into his overnight bag. "I promise I'll be worthy of it, Mitch," he murmured, fingering the watch. "And worthy of her."
