“Glenn?”
“You gave me your word. You’re mine now, Anika.”
Allen and Delaney are on the porch with Daisy alerted by Savannah when they see them. When Glen shouts, “She said yes!” Daisy leaps to her feet with a shout of joy. Savannah laughs and Delaney squeals.
“Time to plan a wedding,” Allen says with a laugh.
Chapter 29
Anika walks slowly to the grave of her husband and daughter crunching the autumn leaves under her boots and denims. The horse stays where she leaves her, giving her privacy. Hopefully, she will be back before anyone knows she's gone. Both stones are covered with leaves as most things are in the fall season. She kneels and clears each with a gentle hand.
“Hi, baby girl. I miss you. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of you. I like to think of all of you together. Saul, your grandparents, and even Sue. Give them my love.” She places a stone painted with a beautiful butterfly on it by Delaney.
“Delaney has a new hobby, painting rocks. Well, truthfully painting anything. She’s really good at it,” she says with a laugh. “She sends her love.”
The second rock is painted for Saul, it has a rainbow on it.
“Saul, Delaney wanted you to have this as a reminder of God's promise to always bring something good out of the storms that we walk through. I need to tell you…” she sniffs and takes a deep breath, wiping a tear away, “tell you that I forgive you. I know you were sick and broken and I pray that God has healed your heart the way he's healed mine. I wanted to let go of all the past hurt, and I know it will take time to get there, but I promise to keep saying I forgive you until I mean it with all my soul. I loved you once, and I know I have to let go of the hate and hurt to walk the path God has chosen for me.”
“Daddy, if your listening,” she pulls his letters wrapped in the twine out and hugs them to her heart. “I’ve read all of your letters. Thank you for never giving up on me. Whenever I need to hear your voice, I will read one of your letters and think of you with love. Tomorrow I’m getting married.” She smiles up at the early morning sunshine. “I love him, and he will be an amazing father and husband. I wish you were here with me, but I know we will all be together again someday. I love you.” She cries silently for a little while and blows her nose.
The horse nudges her and she laughs reaching up for the reins.
“I know, the time for tears is over.” She swings back up into the saddle and rides for home.
Epilogue
Anika smiles at Delaney when the music starts. “Are you ready?” Standing in matching ivory silk bustled dresses they are a vision of loveliness. Anika’s gown is corseted with tiny ivory buttons down the front.
“Yes, Mama.”
They chose to be married in church the Saturday before Christmas, with only a few guests present. Dr. Parker and Clara are witnesses, along with Savannah, Allen, and Daisy.
Some of the church members came after the ad Allen, and Daisy put in the newspaper announcing the engagement of the daughter of former Senator Thomas Bowden to Glenn Ward.
Anika and Delaney hold hands and step to the end of the aisle between the pews. Glenn’s eyes fill with tears as he looks at them. How could one man be so lucky? He holds her eye proudly with his as she walks toward him. Her eyes fill, and she doesn’t try to wipe them away. When the pastor starts talking Anika’s doesn’t hear the words, she is so stunned by her love for Glenn that everything else fades into the background.
“We are gathered here today in the house of God to join this couple in Holy Matrimony. Who gives this woman to this man?”
“I do,” Delaney says clearly causing Anika to jump and look down at her daughter with a grin. Delaney takes her hand and places it in Glenn’s and walks to Savannah.
The witnesses chuckle and the ceremony continues. “The couple has written their own vows.”
Glenn squeezes her hands reassuringly and speaks clearly. “I, Glenn Ward take you Anika Coltrane to be my wife, loving you now and as you grow and develop into all that God intends. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart; when our lives are at peace and when they are in turmoil; when I am proud of you and when I am disappointed in you; in times of rest and in times of work. I will honor your goals and dreams and help you to fulfill them. From the depth of my being, I will seek to be open and honest with you. I say these things believing that God is in the midst of them all.”
He slides a gold band on her ring finger.
Anika beams up at him. “Glenn today I choose you to be my husband. I promise to be faithful, honest and supportive as God watches over us. With God’s help I will be the wife you need, deserve and have chosen.”
She slides a matching gold band on his finger. Then she surprises everyone by her next words. “You have shown me a world I’d forgotten. You have accepted me into your heart as flawed as I may be. All I ask of you is to accept me for who I am and who I will become. Accept my heart and cherish it, for it is yours. Love me as I love you. Accept me into your children’s lives and let me
