Henry turned toward the back of the church. He hadn’t seen them in years, but John Randall was as tall and thin as ever, and Esther was as short and round as ever. They waved at him from the back of the church.
“Are those your parents?” Betty whispered.
“Yes,” Henry replied, still not quite believing that his uncle and his parents flew all the way out here because of him. It did make him smile, though, and filled him with happiness.
“They must love you very much,” Betty whispered. She then let out a little groan. “Oh, dear, what are they going to think of me? Almost marrying someone else?”
She looked so beautiful in her long white dress, but she was beautiful no matter what she wore, and he loved her, so very much. “I don’t care what anyone in this room thinks, except for you.” He squeezed her hands. “You still haven’t answered me. Will you marry me? We’ll make this work. I swear to you, we’ll make this work.”
“Yes, we will make this work,” she said. “And yes, I will marry you.”
He wanted to kiss her, but the veil was in the way, and they were in the middle of a church full of people.
“Was that a yes?” Jane asked.
“Yes,” both he and Betty answered at once, laughing.
“Bee’s knees!” Jane shouted. “Get out of the way, James—make room for the real groom.”
“H-he can’t marry her,” James said.
A hush fell over the room. It was the first time James had spoken.
“Why can’t I?” Henry asked, fully prepared to go head to head with James Bauer.
James fiddled with the lapels of his suitcoat. “B-because you don’t have a marriage license, and there’s a five-day waiting period in California.”
“He’s right,” Betty whispered.
Henry’s heart sank at the deflation on her face, in her voice.
“Father,” Uncle Nate addressed the priest. “Do you have the marriage license for these two, who were going to get married?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Let me see it, please.”
The priest picked a sheet of paper off a table, carried it down the two steps and stepped around him and Betty to hand it to Nate.
Upon reading the license, Nate pulled a fountain pen out of his pocket and then used Henry’s back as a table in order to alter the license right there in front of everyone.
“Is—is that legal?” James asked.
Nate handed the paper back to the priest before he said to James, “You find a judge who won’t honor that, you tell him to call me.”
Nate made the comment with humor in his voice, but Henry knew the truth in Nate’s words. As much as he didn’t like James, Henry felt a flash of empathy for the man right now. After all, he was losing Betty. Then again, Bauer hadn’t deserved her in the first place.
“You ready?” he asked her.
She nodded, then shook her head. “One second.” She stepped back up next to James, spoke quietly to him, and then lifted her veil, kissed his cheek as he nodded, then turned, and left the church. She returned to his side then. “Yes.” Smiling brightly, she nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Do you mind if I go invite my parents to sit up front?” he asked. They had given him more than he’d realized over the years. Their presence proved that.
“May I join you?” she asked.
“I’d like that.”
“Nate.” Henry gestured to the back of the room. “Give us a minute.”
Nate nodded, but it was Jane who spoke.
“Take your time,” she said. “We have some rearranging to do.”
He and Betty smiled at each other as they started down the aisle and Jane continued with her rearranging, which included inviting Lane and Nate to stand up as best man and groomsman.
“She has that all under control,” he said.
“That’s my sister,” Betty said.
Esther and John walked forward, meeting them in the aisle, with Esther giving him a motherly hug and kiss on the cheek as she always did whenever he saw her.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Henry said.
“We hope you don’t mind,” John said. “When Esther heard you were getting married, well, she really wanted to be here.” He nodded. “So did I. We’re proud of you, son. Proud to be your parents.”
“I’m proud to be your son,” he admitted, truthfully, heartfully, and then introduced Betty. “This is Betty, my bride-to-be. Betty, this is Esther and John Randall. My parents.”
Betty lifted up her veil. “I’m sure this all seems a bit unorthodox—I’ll gladly explain—”
“Oh, darling, there is nothing to explain,” Esther said, kissing Betty’s cheek. “Henry stole your heart. He stole mine the first day I met him.”
Betty looked at him, smiling. “That’s exactly what happened to me.”
“Well, let’s get you two married,” John said. “We can talk later.” He winked at Esther. “We’ve always wanted to see California, so we’ll be here for several days.”
“That’s wonderful,” Betty said.
“Yes, it is,” Henry said. His life was wonderful.
His parents walked back up the aisle behind him and Betty and took front-row seats. Henry’s heart had never felt so large, so full, as he took his spot next to her, ready to start the ceremony that would bond him and Betty together, forever.
“Hold on!”
Chapter Fifteen
Henry liked Jane, but leveled a glower on her at her shout to hold up the ceremony. Then, he had to grin as she merely flipped Betty’s veil back over her face and winked at him before rushing back to her spot.
“Are we ready now?” the priest asked.
Jane nodded.
Betty nodded.
Henry nodded.
“Good.” The priest let out a long sigh. Then, with a smile, he looked out over the guests, and began to speak. “Dearly beloved...”
Henry doubted he’d remember exactly what the priest said, but he’d never forget this day. The day Betty became his wife.
When instructed, he lifted her veil and kissed her with all the love inside him, then laughed, and kissed her again because
