Chapter 107
As the click and low whir of the door mechanism sounded Meg Caldwell nodded to the string quartet, two violins, a viola and a cello that Brin had chosen and rehearsed to begin their first melody, the Canon in D by Pachelbel as Georgie and Wyatt began the processional through the barn and then into the brightly lit and decorated tent.
Wyatt was in a vintage dark grey wool suit with a crisp white shirt and a blue and grey silk tie. Georgie's gown, close to an A line with a scoop neck hung gently against her body and moved with her. It shifted in color much like her trick riding outfits which was her thinking when she chose the fabric.
They were a handsome couple young and happy which could be easily scene in their expressions when they separated to opposite parts of the stage after a brief kiss at the foot of the stage steps. As they moved down the stage they were greeted by Victor Whitetail who stood behind a simple table draped with a colorful woven cloth covered in beautiful embroidery of the mountains and what appeared to be a herd of wild horses. June Whitetail, his sister, was off to his right. They were both dressed in traditional ceremonial buckskins, both had their hair parted and braided and both wore simple matching and beaded headbands also embroidered with horses.
The next couple to walk was Trish and John which elicited whispers as they walked with Trish holding on to John's bent arm, both smiling for all the world to see. This was for the most part an American audience and the sight of what could only be described as American hero's garnered respect and a feeling of awe in the crown especially seeing the decorations which blazed on their uniforms.
Again they split at the base of the stage and were greeted and welcomed by Victor and June and now with smiles from Georgie and Wyatt.
Now, with another nod from Meg the music changed and the quartet began the Prelude from Te Deum by Charpentier as Wade and Lily, smiled wide and began their walk down the aisle, they were followed by Tim and Casey and finally Jack and Lisa. None of the three couples stopped to split at the stage but instead after a thankful nod and smile from Victor moved off to seats in the first row reserved for them.
Once again the music changed, now the quartet was playing Vivaldi, the Largo from Winter, part of the Four Seasons began as Shane and Jacqueline came down the aisle and destined to be greeted onto the stage. They were followed by Lou and Katie who also took places on the stage. It was here that Erma stopped the procession for a second, long enough to form a quiet separation for several beats before nodding to Charlotte and Bobby to come down the aisle, Charlie with both arms around Bobby's bent forearm followed a few seconds later by Madelyn and Sabrina who stood close and held hands. The couples split after brief kisses at the stage, Charlie and Maddie up on either side of the stage, Bobby off to the side where his folks kept seats for him and Carson and Sabrina to the waiting Steinway piano.
Chuck and Robin were next, their smiles wide as they walked down the aisle holding hands and they too split to opposite sides of the stage when they reached the end of the aisle. Once again Erma paused the procession slightly as the music changed from the Vivaldi to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and this time Sabrina's added piano flourishes were added to the piece which filled it out.
It took only a second for Jackson to get set up with his crutches and while Shoshana wheeled his chair around to the stage where John reached down to get it Phyllis stayed off to the side as JT walked between Carson and April, all full of smiles. Watching them go Amy's, Ty's and Betty's eyes were locked on JT heading down the aisle. They collectively held their breath until John was there to meet Jackson at the bottom of the stairs and Brin changed the music again which moved the audience's focus from the stage where John was now spotting Jackson as he made his way up to his waiting chair.
Now the Quintet (adding Brin to the mix) began another Harold Arlen piece "Someone to Watch Over Me" which Amy chose for Betty to walk with, she loved her adopted mother/grandmother with all her heart and could not imagine that she would be where she was today without Betty's unflinching confidence, strength and love. When she reached the stairs John walked over and put out his arm for her as she climbed and rather than join the bridesmaids she stood several steps ahead of them and close to the small table set up for Victor.
Meg reached over and lifted to piano cover propping it on it's leg exposing the soundboard which would raise it's volume substantially. She looked over at the door where Erma waited and then nodded to Meg who placed her hand gently on Sabrina's shoulder.
Brin took a second to look up at the quartet before gently playing an improvised opening flourish of Richard Wagner's famed "Wedding March Liberetto" part of the opera "Lohengrin" while Amy and Ty were carried forward on Harley and Spartan. It seems every horse on this side of the barn had walked forward to stand against the stall doors seemingly watching the two horses walk to the front of the barn. Two hands immediately stepped forward to hold the horses while Ty slipped down. A moment later he reached up to help Amy down and as the horses were led away they stopped to look into each other's eyes. Amy couldn't help herself and reached up to lovingly lay her palm against his cheek. Erma smiled at Amy as she looked over and nodded.
They stood forward and faced the crowd taking it all in for a second as Sabrina brought the music around before once again nodding to her quartet before pounding down the introduction to the libretto march more commonly known as Here Comes the Bride and as the strings joined her Amy and Ty walked smiling down the aisle towards the small stage.
They stopped again at the base of the stage where Betty stepped forward and reached out to take Amy's hand and steady her up the steps. A moment later Ty and Amy were up and standing before Victor who raised his arms wide.
"Tonsei, Good people, Tonsei"
"We gather here to honor Amy and Ty who have chosen to confirm their love and commitment to each other in your presence. It is told amongst my people that the Creator sent forth the creatures of the earth to complete the circle of life of the universe.
In the Creator's wisdom some of these creatures were sent to provide nourishment, some to clothe, some to watch over and some to walk along as companions. The greatest of these companions is the noble horse. It is said the Creator's wisdom was such that in each generation there is born those who can hear the pleas of these noble four legged companions we love and who have the ability to walk among them, have speech with them, and heal their bodies, hearts and souls when they are in pain. It is also said that there are those sent forth whose calling it is to heal the lesser afflicted creatures who have no other.
Here before you stand two extraordinary human beings, blessed with these abilities by the creator. Amy is one born as spoken of before, blessed with the spirit of the horse, a healer, who has dedicated her life to caring for the four leggeds. Ty, also blessed and born with the calling of a healer. It is an honor to stand before them.
Victor reached down over a large metal brazier set on the table and reached for a small twig which he lit off of one of two candles that burned on the small table. It took a moment before small flames reached up and a white smoke came forth filling the tent with a wild sage like odor.
"We burn the sweetgrass to create a holy place and cleanse the soul."
Unexpectedly Amy reached down and bowed her head. She lifted her hands together and scooped up the smoke spreading it up over her body and then over her head. She then scooped some and brought it to her heart. When she was done Ty repeated what he had seen and looked up to see Amy smiling at him. They stood together hand in hand.
"This is an eagle feather fallen from the sky. It is said the the eagle is the only creature ever touched by the hand of the creator. It is the watcher, the protector of all it surveys from the sky". Victor then walked around the wedding party spreading the smoke from the sweetgrass by fanning it with the feather.
"It is time. Amy, Ty" Victor said.
They turned towards each other and held each other's hands.
Amy looked into Ty's eyes and smiled as he began:
"Amy, as your husband I promise to love you without reservation, to comfort you when times are difficult, to rally with you, to anticipate your needs, to give my all, to work toward our happiness and revel in our good times. I will respect you, honor you, and cherish you as long as we both shall live.
Today I affirm my love for you, and vow to share my life with you in everything - to grow with you and love you. You are the most generous person I have ever known - kind, honest, and beautiful. I take you to be my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health from this day forward you shall be first in my heart and our souls shall be together as one." Then Ty reached over as June came forth holding a small pillow and took the small ring tied to the top.
"Amy, I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love for you." A moment later Amy held out her hand as Ty slipped the ring on. Ty took her hand then and raised it to his lips.
Ty looked down on her face and they both took in the love they saw in each other's gaze. Amy swallowed and began.
"Ty, my love, I vow to be the woman that you inspire me to be and the wife that you deserve. I vow to spend every day I have left on this earth showering you with a zealous love and a faithful commitment. A love that many waters cannot quench, a love that floods cannot drown.
I will respect you, honor you, and cherish you as long as we both shall live. Today I take you to be my husband and vow to help create for us a life of honesty, fidelity, trust, and love. To love you not as some idea of you, but as you truly are. To grow with you, learn with you, and to live out our days hand in hand, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health from this day forward you shall be first in my heart and our souls shall be together as one."
June now took a step closer to Amy and she reached over and removed the second ring.
"Ty, I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love for you." A moment later Ty held out his hand as Amy slipped the ring on. Amy the took his hand then and raised it to her lips.
Victor smiled, "please face your guests and love ones as witnesses." Amy and Ty complied, now holding hands.
"Almost done except for a couple of formalities" Victor said eliciting smiles and some low laughter.
"Now, with the blessings of the Creator and the internet license I received from the State of New York" which also elicited some laughs "it is with a great humbling honor that I pronounce Amy and Ty to be husband and wife, bound by their love and commitment to each other." And then with a smile and a nod to Sabrina Victor said his last official words "Go ahead and kiss, they've all been waiting."
The moment they touched lips Brin sounded the opening notes of Mendelssohn's famed Wedding March from his opera A Midsummer's Night Dream.
Both Ty and Amy were immediately deluged by those on the stage, the adults allowing the kids to come first as Jackson reached up from his chair for Ty's and then Amy's hugs, followed y the girl's, Betty and the rest of the wedding party.
Respectfully most guests stood and made their way through the large opening raised on the side of the tent facing the dinner pavilion. Large tables with poured drinks were set on either side of the opening for guests to grab and a line of servers with trays of hors d'oeuvres moved towards and then mingled with the crowd.
Still in the ceremony tent both Ty and Amy took the time for family and close friends as close to family as could be, parents and grandparents, the Koenig's, Potter's, Caldwell's Carmichael's and Margolie's and lastly Charlie who stood waiting for Amy with a loving smile.
"Look at you all married and grown up." He whispered as he held her. They both were misted when they broke apart, "Trudy would have been so happy for you."
Amy couldn't speak and just smiled before taking a hankie offered from the side and dabbing at her eyes.
When the short receiving line was done Erma was waiting to walk Amy and Ty and several others accompanying them back through the stables and around to the back of the house where Meg and Brin were waiting next to the music room to touch them both up before Leslie could snap her all important last photo in her series.
Amy had noticed her and her assistant shadowing them for pictures along with their own photographer who had now split off to the reception tents to set up and take pictures while Leslie and her crew worked.
They were efficient and Leslie knew exactly the three shots she wanted to choose from and her staff was ready with lighting and direction for the newlyweds. She shot 21 photos while moving around the different poses and smiled when she did a quick check of the computer screen set up in the corner. She looked up a minute later at Amy's anxious face and then broke into a smile.
"We're good ?" Amy asked.
"We are perfect Amy, thank you so much for letting me do this, I know it was an imposition."
"Not so much Leslie and you made it painless so thanks for that."
Both Amy and Ty walked over to her then for quick hugs before opening the door and finding Erma waiting.
"Take a few minutes to relax, I'll give you at least 20 minutes."
It was here that Amy took an extra second to again take Erma in her arms for a hug followed by Ty doing the same.
"Go on" Erma sniffled "Meg will come get you and check your face and hair. First dance next."
A moment later with the door closed they were alone and Amy melted against Ty's chest as he wrapped his arms around her. After a brief sigh she looked up and deep into his eyes as he leaned over and they kissed.
"20 minutes, what are we supposed to do exactly ?"
Amy smiled at him, "well for my part at least 10 minutes will go towards you and I figuring out how I can pee in this gown."
Ty smiled and leaned over for another quick kiss. "Guess we should start with that then."