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Rory’s head tips back with a broad grin. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.” His hand cups my chin, thumb brushing up against the underside of my lips. “And how much I’ve missed this smile.”
I beam. “Kiss me again and prove it.”
Rory leans in, his lips nearly touching mine. “Gladly.”
Epilogue
Epilogue – Rory
Two years later…
Constance is a vision in cream lace as she walks down the aisle on her father’s arm. She carries her height well, elegant and graceful, her long auburn hair tucked into a coil at the back of her head. Naturally, she’s chosen an antique Victorian gown to match the venue: the Wilhelm House gardens.
The place is a far cry from what it once was. Between the funding the school and museum received, Constance and her team have been able to restore it to its former glory. Now, they have daily tours, welcoming school groups from all over the state, and even hosting events.
Like our wedding.
On the arm of her father, Constance looks at me with a shy smile. She’s glowing and I can only imagine I am too.
We are surrounded by our friends and family, which includes most of Horace Township’s residents. Constance has come out of her shell the past two years, in part thanks to my unwillingness to be anything but friendly. And she’s helped me learn all about the inner workings of Horace to make me a formidable resident.
We make a good team.
Joe, Constance’s father, is in fine form as well. His condition hasn’t been aggressive over the past couple years, so we’ve had many good days together and I can confidently say he’s pleased that I’m the man his daughter has chosen.
When Constance and Joe arrive at the end of the aisle, they share a tender kiss on the cheek before Joe place Constance’s hand in mine, with a very fatherly, “Take care of her.”
“Oh, I will, sir,” I say with a glimmering smile.
As soon as her father is out of earshot and in his seat, she says to me quietly, “I can take care of myself.”
“And I’m telling you that you don’t have to.”
Constance grins at me.
The ceremony is rather barebones compared to weddings I’ve been to in the past, mostly because Constance wanted things to be as close to Victorian as possible. No writing our own vows, no extra readings or modern music. Of course, I agreed to it, wanting to give Constance whatever she wanted. But I also appreciate the simplicity of it all. Just me and her and a few words exchanged that will seal our life together.
When the exchanging of the vows takes place, we join hands, and if I wasn’t melting before, I melt more now. Constance’s blue eyes, the hottest part of the flame, burn me.
The officiant feeds me the lines and I repeat each one.
“I, Rory, take you, Constance, to be my wife.” For a courtship as fast and fiery as ours, it’s remarkable it took us two years to make it down the aisle.
“To have and to hold from this day forward.” But we both had our dreams and our goals. Busy trying to make things happen, busy being there for each other.
“For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer…” It wasn’t easy at first going from job to no job. But after the attention the case of the Wilhelm Bones (as it was dubbed in the media) received, I was able to get on my feet pretty quickly. Now I have a roster of cases that are all just as wacky and complicated as that one.
Constance has been a big help on many of the cases, offering her expertise on most anything regarding history or research, sometimes letting me use her keen eye for detail to examine something. In return, she gets all the hard labor she needs. I’ve carried more boxes than I care to think about in the past couple years.
“In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…”
Constance squeezes my hands, giving me the smile that’s just for me.
She doesn’t save her smiles anymore. Sure, she’s not nearly as cheerful or affable as I am, but she’s quicker to give them out. I’m proud of her.
“And I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.”
Constance does the same, which chokes me a little, can’t lie about that. Then, we exchange our rings, say “I do” and then for the big finish…
