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April 2016
Tyler, Texas
Lily was breathless with excitement and felt her heart pounding in her ears. She stared down at her ring fondly and knew that there was no more perfect a man for her than John. She treasured his love more than anything else in the world. She was so very proud of him; how strong his internal code was, and marveled at the way he simply ticked. He was resilient, silent, tender but at the same time – he was ornery and made her laugh like no other. She adored the way he made her feel treasured above all and his simple faith that they’d been brought together by a higher power.
She felt it too.
There was no mere chance meeting in life, or so she thought. She believed that her letter fell into his hands at the moment he needed it most. For her, it was the same. She’d been lonely and needed him more than she’d ever realized. Now, they would be beginning their lives together as one.
Straightening her skirt, she took a deep breath and smiled at John’s mother, Martha, who’d arrived earlier in the week for their wedding. It was to be a simple ceremony between family and friends, but as time wore on the size of the event grew and grew. Her students and the faculty at the school were attending, as well as most of the police force. John had arranged for a photographer to be present because he wanted to mail photos of them to his friends back in Afghanistan with the next set of care packages he sent. Her man had a huge heart of gold and always picked up something for the guys when they were out shopping.
Lily peeked outside of the event center to see that it was almost time. It was a beautiful spring day there at the park. The pink dogwoods were blooming and the heavy scent of magnolias hung in the air. It was sunny without it being too hot and the arbor was covered with honeysuckle. Well over a hundred people were in attendance but she only had eyes for one man and he was just outside of her line of vision.
Her gown was fitted at the waist and flared outwards. It was simple like her with little décor; the only thing that sparkled was her ring. She wore her blue earrings and necklace from John as good luck -and a reminder of their letters to each other. They each had chosen one person to stand up with them. Lily chose Maria Beckett and John had asked his chief to stand with him as his best man.
Taking a deep breath, she heard the lilting melody begin as she stepped out of the building into the sunlight. Her hair pulled back in a simple chignon with tiny wisps that framed her face. As if the wedding was choreographed by a higher power, several petals were carried on the wind from other flowering trees in the grove. It was breathtaking and humbling to think of what a gift it was to be marrying her best friend and the love of her life. As she reached the aisle, she smiled tremulously at Martha. Her own family was gone, and she was marrying into his.
“Take care of my boy,” Martha whispered, kissing her on the cheek. Her throat convulsed as she tried to keep her emotions in check, but her glassy eyes betrayed her. A faint smile and the proud look of a mother’s love kept her from breaking down. “He might be thirty-nine years old - but to me? He’ll always be my sweet baby I rocked every night to bed. Now, go to him. Patience was never his strong suit.”
“I will happily do so,” she whispered back. Lily felt a fresh set of hot tears spring forward in response to her tender words and could only imagine the depth of love the woman felt for her only son. Tears of sheer happiness and joy threatened to spill forward. Martha nodded and stepped back, as Lily glanced towards the arbor at John.
Thank you for his heart, she prayed silently as she saw her soon to be husband. John stood there in his uniform. The black dress uniform of an officer with a camouflage ribbon tied around his upper arm in remembrance of his brothers. Radar sat next to him with a bow around her neck and a flower pinned to her K-9 uniform vest around her torso. John’s crisp white gloves, gleaming polished shoes and his officer’s hat made him look like something out of a fairytale or a dream. He had this stony reserved expression plastered on his face until their eyes met.
This was her fairytale.
Stepping forward, their eyes held each other’s and she barely realized anyone else was there in the park. She only had eyes for him. As she stepped closer, she saw that his own eyes were glassy with unshed tears that he quickly wiped away, breaking his stoic stance. His tender smile of encouragement kept her on track, drawing her forward. As she stepped beside him by the pastor, John took her hand in his. She knew he needed this connection between them, a tether and expression of love.
Lily had deliberately not worn makeup because she knew that it would be an emotional day for them both. She never dreamt this day would come and knew that John felt the same. A year ago, neither thought this life was possible yet here they were taking the first steps to creating a new life together. Looking up at him the pastor began to speak, but the words barely registered as she looked at him. His beautiful hazel eyes held hers, so full of promise and love. Her eyes raked over his face, drinking in every moment as if to burn it into her memory for all time.
“Lily, when I met you for the first and laid eyes upon you – I knew then that I had been lost. You are everything good in this world. Happiness, tenderness and laughter. I was gifted your letter by the grace of God and found myself again through your love. I cannot tell you how very precious you are to me because words don’t seem like enough. You are the reason I get up in the morning, the reason I am who I am and the reason I stand here today, humbled and in awe of your sweet soul. I love you more than the air I breathe, more than Twinkies…”
A large hot tear spilled from the corner of his eyes as he spoke his own vows to her. John swallowed hard, clearing his throat and gave a nervous laugh before continuing, “I love you more than circus peanuts, Lily - and that’s saying a lot. I would give everything for your smile, your heart and your hand in mine for all time. I swear before God to love, honor and cherish you before all.”
His trembling hands held hers as he struggled to put the ring on her finger. Both of their hands shook with emotion and she knew his vision was nearly as blurry as her own with unshed tears. Bless his heart, he was trying so hard and she knew he was terrified of messing up. Lily smiled and laughed tearfully as he slid the ring into place and let out his breath in a whoosh of accomplishment. Now it was her turn to say her vows. She smiled up at him and drew a mental blank of the words she’d memorized. Instead of panicking, she took a deep breath and simply let the words of love flow as she stared at him enraptured.
“John, when you wrote me the first several times I have to admit I was fascinated with your words. I could hear you in my mind, in my heart. I knew that you were special to me, I just had no idea how much so until I saw your smile. I love that about you. Your honor, your code, your tenderness and above all: how you show that you love me to the world. I’ve never had someone treasure me or be so very proud of me for just being who I am. You admire my strengths, my weaknesses and thrive in the love that is blooming between us. I am humbled by your heart and by your dedication. I promise, here before God, that I will always love you.”
Lily hesitated, feeling her throat close emotionally as she saw the rawness of emotion on his face. Even Radar knew John was emotional because she began whining and pawing at his shoe, scuffing the shiny finish. She glanced out at the crowd and saw several people wiping their eyes at the emotional words. It wasn’t her intent to make this a sad event. She was happy beyond words and wanted the world to know what sheer joy he brought to her heart.
“Everyone, including Radar, that knows you – knows what a beautiful gentle soul you are and I am so very proud to call you my husband. I vow to love, honor and cherish this feeling between us for all my days and even after- as I believe that I was blessed and gifted with my soulmate. I cannot believe that our love will not transcend into the heavens forever,” Lily was weeping openly now as John wiped his own eyes emotionally, smiling at her. “And I cannot imagine there ever being an end to you and me, my love. I am yours, for eternity – and you are mine.”
Nodding, John didn’t wait for the pastor to speak any longer. Lily saw that he was overcome as he pulled her into his arms. His kiss was full of promise and a pledge between them. She heard cheering and barking as they were pronounced man and wife. He cradled her in his arms for several minutes there at the altar, giving them a secret shared moment to compose themselves from the emotional outpouring between them.
“I love you, Mrs. Griffin,” he teased softly in her ear. “I thought the Twinkies were a nice touch in my vows – didn’t you? That’s why you married me, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely,” she giggled, cupping his smiling face. “You are a man after my own heart. Now, we need to walk down this aisle, husband.”
“It would be my greatest pleasure, wife.”
A Short Story Epilogue(Written as an addendum to Lawfully Gifted/Remember Home)
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house… well, you know how the story goes – until now.
Lily glanced up from where her husband, John, sat in front of the Christmas tree. He’d told her to refrain from peeking as he wrapped her gifts. She was actually thankful for the distraction. Her lesson plan book hadn’t been touched in weeks and school was starting back soon. She needed this break to keep her mind focused on the second semester of classes at the school, plus it was a much-needed distraction from spilling her secret.
“You aren’t peeking, are you?” John’s warm voice broke into her thoughts and she started guiltily. Glancing up, she saw his tender smile as he defiantly held up a large piece of wrapping paper between him and the box on the floor in front of him. The paper was a shield to block her view. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she found the hidden receipt a few weeks ago for the pressure cooker. He was obviously planning on surprising her with it as a gift.
That was one thing about him that always touched her – the way he simply listened or took care of her. The expensive pressure cooker was something she’d mentioned one evening in conversation as she’d stood at the stove cooking dinner. She’d casually mentioned that it would be nice to ‘set it and forget it’ in order to spend more time with him.
