“It’s six-thirty.”
“Can I get fifteen more minutes?” he grumbled.
“No. Serves you right for trying to drink your sons under the table. Is Bo OK?”
“I think so. He said he wasn’t giving in to the liquor, so he elected to stay up all night. So, in other words, he’ll be sleeping during the ceremony.” He let out a big yawn.
“Well, Bonnie can keep an eye on him. Did Wyatt have a good time?”
“I guess so. He was mad that he couldn’t drink. Cal kept serving him Shirley Temples all night. I see you’re wearing my present.” He ran his finger over the seashells.
She smiled. “I can’t believe you went to all that trouble. I love it. I’m going to keep it in the safe.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Next to the diamonds or your emeralds?”
“In between, smarty. It’s beautiful.”
“It broke my heart being away from you all those times.”
“I know. I’m just glad you came to your senses.” She kissed him. “The wedding consultants will be here any minute, so I have to finish getting dressed and get downstairs. You promise not to go back to sleep?”
“I promise. Before you go. I have something for you.” He got out of bed and retrieved a box from a dresser drawer.
“Something else? What have you done now?” She took the box from his hand and pulled on the white ribbon. Inside lay a dozen engraved handkerchiefs. “Mother of the grooms. How sweet.”
“I know this is an emotional day for you, so we’ll never be in short supply.”
* * *
Teri-Lyn knew she was cutting it close, but there was something she had to show the boys before they walked down the aisle. She’d been awfully nostalgic lately and had been looking through the family albums.
Channing gave her a big hug. “Mama, you look beautiful.”
“I don’t want you to wrinkle your clothes.”
“I think it’s worth it.” Tyler lifted her off her feet.
“Put me down.” Teri-Lyn sniffed as she landed on her feet, and then dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief. “You both look so handsome.”
The boys looked at her, the same look of anticipation, joy, and unmitigated fear on their faces. “I found this the other day and I wanted to share it with you.” Teri-Lyn took the picture out of her purse.
Channing looked down at it and grinned. “Oh, my gosh. Where did you find this?”
“In one of the photo albums in the family room.” The photo was of Tyler and Channing, around the ages eight and five, dressed in T-shirts that said Cowboy in Training and matching jean shorts. They’d just dug up a mountain of dirt in the backyard with their plastic shovels, standing with their arms around each other’s shoulders, sporting toothy, mischievous smiles.
“I can’t believe we were ever that young.”
“You two were always so close. That’s why it didn’t surprise me that you wanted to have the double ceremony. I know you’re grown up and have your own lives, but when I look at the two of you, to me you’ll always look like this. My two babies.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
* * *
When the violinists from Isabelle’s orchestra began playing the Wedding March, John Jacob smiled at Michelle and led her down the aisle. Tyler stood at the altar waiting for his bride, and John Jacob could see so much of himself in the boy. He never worried about his son finding love; he knew when Tyler found the person he wanted to spend his life with, he’d know just what to do. And Channing seemed to face his future with Cassidy with an optimism John Jacob envied. His son was determined that nothing was going to stand in his way of having a wonderful life with his love—not even the possibility of her cervical cancer returning.
Finally, he made it to the altar and passed Michelle off to Tyler.
When he took his seat, Teri-Lyn gripped his hand tightly. The wedding party was huge, all of the boys were up standing up for Channing and Tyler, and their women were there for Michelle and
“Can I get fifteen more minutes?” he grumbled.
“No. Serves you right for trying to drink your sons under the table. Is Bo OK?”
“I think so. He said he wasn’t giving in to the liquor, so he elected to stay up all night. So, in other words, he’ll be sleeping during the ceremony.” He let out a big yawn.
“Well, Bonnie can keep an eye on him. Did Wyatt have a good time?”
“I guess so. He was mad that he couldn’t drink. Cal kept serving him Shirley Temples all night. I see you’re wearing my present.” He ran his finger over the seashells.
She smiled. “I can’t believe you went to all that trouble. I love it. I’m going to keep it in the safe.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Next to the diamonds or your emeralds?”
“In between, smarty. It’s beautiful.”
“It broke my heart being away from you all those times.”
“I know. I’m just glad you came to your senses.” She kissed him. “The wedding consultants will be here any minute, so I have to finish getting dressed and get downstairs. You promise not to go back to sleep?”
“I promise. Before you go. I have something for you.” He got out of bed and retrieved a box from a dresser drawer.
“Something else? What have you done now?” She took the box from his hand and pulled on the white ribbon. Inside lay a dozen engraved handkerchiefs. “Mother of the grooms. How sweet.”
“I know this is an emotional day for you, so we’ll never be in short supply.”
* * *
Teri-Lyn knew she was cutting it close, but there was something she had to show the boys before they walked down the aisle. She’d been awfully nostalgic lately and had been looking through the family albums.
Channing gave her a big hug. “Mama, you look beautiful.”
“I don’t want you to wrinkle your clothes.”
“I think it’s worth it.” Tyler lifted her off her feet.
“Put me down.” Teri-Lyn sniffed as she landed on her feet, and then dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief. “You both look so handsome.”
The boys looked at her, the same look of anticipation, joy, and unmitigated fear on their faces. “I found this the other day and I wanted to share it with you.” Teri-Lyn took the picture out of her purse.
Channing looked down at it and grinned. “Oh, my gosh. Where did you find this?”
“In one of the photo albums in the family room.” The photo was of Tyler and Channing, around the ages eight and five, dressed in T-shirts that said Cowboy in Training and matching jean shorts. They’d just dug up a mountain of dirt in the backyard with their plastic shovels, standing with their arms around each other’s shoulders, sporting toothy, mischievous smiles.
“I can’t believe we were ever that young.”
“You two were always so close. That’s why it didn’t surprise me that you wanted to have the double ceremony. I know you’re grown up and have your own lives, but when I look at the two of you, to me you’ll always look like this. My two babies.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
* * *
When the violinists from Isabelle’s orchestra began playing the Wedding March, John Jacob smiled at Michelle and led her down the aisle. Tyler stood at the altar waiting for his bride, and John Jacob could see so much of himself in the boy. He never worried about his son finding love; he knew when Tyler found the person he wanted to spend his life with, he’d know just what to do. And Channing seemed to face his future with Cassidy with an optimism John Jacob envied. His son was determined that nothing was going to stand in his way of having a wonderful life with his love—not even the possibility of her cervical cancer returning.
Finally, he made it to the altar and passed Michelle off to Tyler.
When he took his seat, Teri-Lyn gripped his hand tightly. The wedding party was huge, all of the boys were up standing up for Channing and Tyler, and their women were there for Michelle and
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