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“You’re marrying Whit.”
“Damn right I am.” I smile.
Walking into The First Methodist Church Of Walton, I see Nora sprinting at me in the little white dress that very much complements Whit’s. I squat down and open up my arms in time to catch her.
She plants one hand on each side of my face and says, “Pretty soon, you’re getting married, and you’ll be my daddy, just like I knew you would when I saw you first.”
“You see your mom’s ring?” I ask.
“Uh-huh. It’s soooo pretty. But she says it’s scary ’cause of the ’surance if she ever lost it.”
This kid is adorable.
“One day, when you’re your mom’s age, you’ll get one just like it from some lucky young man.” I set her on her feet and squat down as I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a tiny little box. “The first time I met your mommy, I knew she was special, and within a couple of years, I knew I wanted to marry her one day.”
“Today’s one day.” She grins.
“It is,” I agree. “But I also knew I wanted to have a little girl. When we get your mom’s name changed from Belington to Paul—because that’s what you do when you get married—I’d love for you to have the same name too.”
“Yes.” She throws a fist in the air.
“And I’d love you to wear this.” I open the box and pull out the little necklace with the very sparkly baseball dangling from it.
She nods, and I spin her around.
“Pull your hair up so I can put it on you.”
When it’s on, she turns and looks at me. “I gotta go show my friends.”
When I stand, I see the future Mrs. Paul walking toward me, looking beautiful in the white dress.
“Whitley Mae Belington, you just get prettier by the minute.”
“I’d tell you that flattery would get you nowhere, but I’m not sure that’s true.”
I take her hand when the music begins to play. “Let’s go get our girl.”
After the opening hymn, we sit with Nora between us. Danny and Marks are beside me, and York and Chloe are on the other side of Whit.
“Back when Mildred and I moved here to become part of this church family, we had a calendar on the wall by the old rotary dial phone. There wasn’t a month that went by that we didn’t have a wedding or two booked to take place right here. As the years passed, they’ve become less and less. It’s been five years since I’ve officiated a wedding here inside this church, and that’s going to change today.”
Gasps are heard around the sanctuary, and I look down at Nora, who looks to be seconds from jumping up and not giving the congregation the courtesy of announcing spoiler alert before stomping all over Pastor B’s obviously well-prepared sermon.
“Today, we’re going to celebrate the love shared between two people who the rest of us knew would one day not only exchange vows, but also honor them. But before that happens, we have a slideshow to share with you all.”
The lights dim, and the screen to the left of the pulpit lights up.
The first picture is of me as a baby with my parents, followed by several others of us at baseball games. The next few are Whitley as a child, a couple with her mom, and a few with her father at a batting cage, smiling from ear to ear.
“That’s me, right?” Nora asks.
“That’s me when I was your age.” Whit smiles.
The next several are of Whit as a kid with her cousins and a ton with Nelly. When Whit’s eyes get glassy, I stretch my arm out along the back of the pew, lightly grip the back of her neck, and run my thumb up and down her soft skin, hoping it soothes her.
The next group of pictures are of her and me and then some with Whit, Danny, Marks, and me through the years. Mom was always there—always.
Pictures of Nelly and Whit are next, and Nora grins and waves at the screen, then looks at me.
