Wedding Day
Carol woke up alone on her wedding day, Daryl's bachelor party had been held at Sam and Dave's house and the men had all stayed over. The women had their own party at the house giving each other pedicures, manicures, and facials. They drank some wine and told Daryl stories. He had saved all of them at one time or other, but he had also said or did something hilarious or outrageous. Andrea mentioned that she was the only one to actually shoot Daryl. Carol was glad that the mood was light because she didn't want to get all weepy.
She missed Daryl. He had been occupied all week with some project over at the distillery, and she had been working with Ashton to place the Woodbury group in more permanent housing. Carol was hoping that once the wedding was over that she and Daryl would have some time together. He had told her yesterday that he would not see her until the wedding.
The day went quickly. Soon they were eating a light supper and the men took their showers in the barn house and left the house for the women. Carol was getting a sneaky suspicion that Andrea and Michonne were up to something. Jo and Emma came over and joined the fun. The weather stayed cool but beautiful. Carol wanted to throw up; she really didn't like to be the center of attention. She should have insisted on the jump over the squirrels wedding.
Carol was wearing a simple ivory dress, blue diamonds, and a fixed smile. She had something blue – diamonds, something old – her grandmother's cross that wore under her dress, and something borrowed- Andrea had loaned her a pair of shoes. Daryl had left his wedding band on her dresser. Michonne and Andrea were going to be in the bridal party as Best Friends. Daryl said Best Friends got to wear anything they wanted. Michonne was wearing a hot gold dress and Andrea was wearing a daring red dress. Both had them had been scarred by bridesmaid dresses in their past so they went bad and bold to erase those searing memories of unflattering dresses of Weddings Past. Michonne got to hold Daryl's band and Andrea was going to hold the bridal bouquet. Tyreese was going to hold Carol's wedding band and Rick was going to hold up Daryl. There had not been a rehearsal; Daryl said that he didn't want to kill the spontaneity.
Andrea, Michonne, and Carol were the last to go in one of the four wheelers. They had a little side car for Carol to ride and with Michonne driving they powered up the mountain and parked off to the side. The light was perfect, and the area around the rock was cleared and benches had been set up for the crowd to sit in. Carol thought it looked as if there were more people here than she had thought that there would be.
Andrea and Michonne got on either side of Carol and got ready for the bridal march which was an old Foreigner song "Waiting for a Girl Like You". Carol wanted this to just be over and so they came down the aisle and through the archway (no wonder she hadn't seen Daryl all week). Carol looked up and saw Daryl waiting for her on the rock with Rick and Tyreese. Hershel was standing facing them.
Daryl saw Carol come through the archway (it had taken all week to get it just right) and he felt his heart leap right out of his chest. She was luminous in the light, she was his one and only love, and soon to be his forever wife.
Carol focused on Daryl who was wearing dark pants and a blue shirt. He looked handsome and as he smiled at her Carol knew that she needed to remember this evening forever. This was real and this was right. He was her other half, he needed her as much as she needed him.
Daryl helped her up on the rock and they stood together in front of Hershel. Hershel asked God to bless this union in a short prayer. Hershel went on to say that Daryl had planned the ceremony, and it was going to be a little different. He said that in conventional weddings it was customary to ask if anyone had any reason why this wedding should not take place. Daryl wanted people to say why this wedding should take place. There was a moment of silence as the wedding guests grappled with the concept.
Then, Michonne said, "He is such a good man that he almost deserves her."
Tyreese said, "They make each other happy"
Several people stood up to speak, but when Carl stood up, they all sat down.
The boy began, "They are the two best people I know. When my mother died, Daryl talked to me about losing his mother. Carol told me that my mother was proud of me. That's what they do, take care of everyone else. They need to be married so that there is someone who will take care of them while they take care of everyone else.
They make me think that it is possible that two people can love each other and be happy together no matter what is going on in this world. Daryl loves and respects Carol and he shows all of us how we should treat the women we love. Carol loves and trusts Daryl and she shows us that loving someone is worth the risk. Together they can show us how to love someone with our whole heart and soul. They make me want to have that in my life when I grow up.
Carl sat back down. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. Hershel moved on to the vows.
Daryl : ) Carol, I give you my heart, I don't know what we will face in our lives, but I promise that you won't have to face it alone. I will love, honor, and protect you with all that I have for as long as I live. I swear this now and I will live it every day from now on.
Caro l :) Daryl, I give you my heart. I promise that I will love you forever. I heard somewhere that love is not about how much you say, 'I Love You' but how much you can prove that its true. I promise to prove it to your every day of our lives. I swear this now and I will live it every day from now on.
Hershel said , "Now is the time that these two will exchange rings. This is an outward sign of their commitment to each other.
Tyreese gave Daryl a ring. Carol extended her hand and Daryl grasped it gently and put the ring beside of the engagement ring.
Daryl :) With this ring I do wed, to have and to hold from this day forward.
Michonne gave Carol the ring and Daryl put his hand out for Carol. She put the ring on his finger carefully.
Carol : ) With this ring I do wed, to have and hold from this day forward.
Hershel: I pronounce you man and wife by the power that you have invested in me. Daryl, kiss your bride.
Carol and Daryl kissed each other and they hugged and kissed the rest of the wedding party.
The reception was beautiful, toasts were made, and everyone had enjoyed the food and drinks. Daryl and Carol danced to "At Last" and to "Waiting for a Girl Like You". They did the Electric Slide and they waltzed . It was a wonderful party. They accepted the well wishes from their friends, though Andrea and Michonne disappeared for a while.
Daryl whispered to Carol , "Can we go now?". She said, "I am ready, but let me throw the bouquet. The single women gathered and Carol turned her back and closed her eyes and threw right into Emma's lap.
Daryl shot the girdle high in the air expecting it to go toward Joaquin or Jonathan but it hit a fan and landed on Rick's mop of hair. Rick reached up and retrieved it like it was going to blow up. Everyone laughed and it was time for the bride and groom to go.
Carol and Daryl went outside where a four wheeler was decorated with all sorts of cans and shaving cream. Carol had thought that they would walk and she tried to find some way to ride the back of a four wheeler in a dress. Finally she just jumped on behind Daryl and was happy that he gunned the four wheeler out of the gate. She was surprised when they didn't stop at the house but continued toward Sam and Dave's. They went by the distillery and Daryl headed the four wheeler up a trail that looked as if it had been recently done. Carol was hanging on for dear life and was glad when the four wheeler stopped in front of a log cabin lit with candles in the window.
Daryl helped Carol to dismount from the four wheeler. "Welcome to our honeymoon home, my dear wife". Carol thought to herself, this is where he has been all week. Daryl opened the door and picked up Carol and carried her over the threshold. The inside of the cabin was lit by candles in the window and by a lamp on the table. Carol turned around to get a 360 view of the cabin while Daryl retrieved some bags from the vehicle. The inside was log and white washed mortar. There was a table with four chairs. She could see a camp stove and an ice chest. The fireplace was large but not lit. Daryl came back in and closed the shutters and locked them. There were rockers and some comfortable chairs scattered about. There was a set of stairs along one wall. Carol followed the stairs up to a bedroom complete with a four poster bed with a patchwork quilt. There were large windows with screens on them.
Carol went back down the stairs to Daryl. He uncorked a bottle of champagne and filled up two glasses. He gave Carol one and they toasted to each other. "How do you like it?" Daryl asked. "I wanted our wedding night to be somewhere special. And there is something else I want to show you. He opened a back door to a small room. There was a commode and a shower and a sink. Daryl went on, "The commode is a chemical one, There is enough water for a quick shower if it rains enough. There is bottled water for drinking and for tooth brushing.
They sat down in the rockers and drank the champagne. "So this is where you have been running off to this week. I was beginning to wonder if you were having cold feet."
Daryl laughed, "Now finish your champagne, and we can see if married sex is dull and boring."
Carol answered , "I consider that a personal challenge. Are those our clothes in those bags?"
"Andrea and Michonne packed for you, I brought my stuff over yesterday."
Carol took the bags upstairs. She unpacked her clothes into the dresser. She froze when she saw the nightgown. It was a flaming red with open spots in all erotic zones. Carol swore eternal vengeance on her two best friends for this trick. She leaned over the balcony wall and spoke to Daryl down in the main room. "Did you pick this out?" as she waved the nightgown. Daryl eyes lit up "Wow, married sex is really not going to dull and boring."
Carol decided to go with it, she had just promised eternal devotion so it seemed as if wearing a sexy nightgown was the least that she could do to make him happy. She did find something else in the bag and threw it down to Daryl.
"I am going to the bathroom to change into this and you will wear that." Daryl went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Carol took her things downstairs; she handed Daryl the bottle of champagne and the glasses and sent him upstairs. She brushed her teeth, fluffed her hair, and put on the nightgown. She wished she had kept the champagne; she could use some Dutch comfort about now. She left the bathroom and blew out the candles and turned off the lamp before heading upstairs. She wished Daryl would blow out the candles upstairs.
He was waiting on the bed and he was wearing Andrea's and Michonne's gift; white silk boxers with large red hearts sprinkled on them. She laughed so hard at the boxers that she forgot to be embarrassed by her nightgown. Daryl loved it and told her she looked hot. He said that Sam and Dave would turn straight if they could see her in that nightgown. She laughed and said seeing some woman in this nightgown was probably why they became gay.
They shared some more champagne and admired each other some more. They engaged in some non boring and non dull marital sex and then later some more of the same. Daryl fixed breakfast the next morning and they spent part of the day together talking and walking in the wood. They spent the rest of the time enjoying non boring and non dull marital sex.
They spent one more night together in the cabin and then packed up and went back to the rest of the world.
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