Just four months after Bobbie and Clark reconciled, on a certain early autumn Saturday morning at eleven-forty, Clark sat in the groom’s changing room of the Metro police chapel and leaned back on the couch. He wore the requisite shirt, pants, shoes and socks, but not the tie or the cummerbund or the cufflinks or the coat. His hair was a bit messy and his glasses needed cleaning.
Just an hour and twenty minutes more, beginning at one o’clock that afternoon, he’d give up his personal freedom forever.
He laughed softly and shook his head. He couldn’t wait.
He thought about Lois and how he’d loved her so deeply and how she’d lost her life protecting his parents. He knew he’d been complicit in her death, but he also knew he hadn’t intended it. Nor had he come up with the dumb idea in the first place. His memories of her would never leave him, but now he had peace instead of pain, comfort instead of torture. And he had a bright future before him, a life with a woman who loved him and understood him.
He smiled and closed his eyes. He tried to envision Lois standing before him, trying to hear what she might say to him. He wondered if she’d be happy for him, sad that he wasn’t marrying her, upset that he’d moved on, or maybe something else.
Nothing. He couldn’t envision her at all. And maybe that was a good thing.
The door opened and Clark looked up to see Jimmy Olsen step into the room. The younger man grinned at him and said, “Hey, CK, you’re here early. That mean you’re really ready to get this done?”
Clark smiled back. “Not really. I mean, I’m ready to get married, but I’m not here because I can’t wait. Wanda and Lucy ordered me not to walk the halls. They didn’t want me to see the bride before the ceremony.”
Jimmy nodded sagely. “Got it. Hey, you think Detective Ybarra will let me call her Felicia today?”
“Sure. Just don’t ask her for a date at the same time or she might arrest you.”
The two friends laughed a bit harder than the joke warranted. Jimmy wound down and said, “You know, I think the tension is getting to me. And I’m having trouble talking to Wanda. How well do you know her?”
“Bobbie’s told me about her, but I didn’t meet her until last Thursday night at the rehearsal. She seems nice. A little intense, but nice.”
“Yeah. Intense may be a diplomatic way of describing her.”
“She’s a firefighter, Jimmy. She’s had to compete against men for years, and a lot of them wouldn’t give her the chance because she’s a woman. Bobbie told me she thinks she has to be twice as good as any one of her coworkers to get half the respect they get just because they’re guys.”
“I know, man, but this is her best bud’s wedding! You’d think she’d turn it down a notch or two.”
Clark shook his head. “Maybe, maybe not, but that’s not my problem. All I have to do is stand, turn ninety degrees to my left, hold hands with Bobbie, put a ring on her finger, get a ring from her, say a few words to her, let her say some words to me. Then I kiss her, sign the we-got-married-legal part of the license, then we go get changed for the reception and sneak out early for the honeymoon.”
Jimmy snickered. “I guess when you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so hard.”
“It’s not. It’s just the rest of our lives together. No pressure at all.”
*****
Bobbie walked into the bride’s changing room at twelve-oh-three and startled herself by almost slamming the door. Wanda and Lucy both jumped and turned, then relaxed as they recognized her.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Wanda drawled, “settle yourself down right now. You got that man hog-tied and down, all you need to do now is wait for the judges’ scores.”
Lucy mock-frowned at her. “Is everything a rodeo metaphor with you?”
“Hey, I been a cowgirl ‘bout all my life. No reason to change now.”
Bobbie smirked at her. “Is that how you keep all those calendar-quality men in line?”
“Got to do something. With a last name like Dallas, they kinda expect it of me anyhow. And I’d hate to disappoint all them hunky hose-draggers.”
Lucy put her hands on her hips and huffed. “Okay, Wanda, are you a cowgirl or a firefighter? Which is it?”
Wanda drew herself up to her full five feet and four-point-five inches. “Young lady,” she said in a cultured Midwestern accent, “I am not constrained by any artificial delimiters you might wish to place upon me, either personally or professionally. I am both cowhand and firefighter, depending upon the situation in which I discover myself. Additionally, I am the maid of honor in my best friend’s wedding, and I will thank you not to cast aspersions either upon myself or upon my friend by either direct imputation or indirect association with myself in any of my manifested occupations.”
Bobbie hid a grin, remembering other times when Wanda had said similar things to other people, some of whom had really ticked her off. Lucy stared at Wanda for a long moment, then said, “You had to have memorized that speech. No way you did that off the cuff.”
Wanda reverted to a relaxed smile. “Of course it’s memorized. I’m not stupid, but that’s too much to come off the top of my head. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used that or something like it since I came here. Some Yankees just can’t understand that you can be a Texan and be smart at the same time.”
Lucy frowned and put her hands on her hips. “Clark’s not like that. He’ll accept you as you appear to be until you do something to alter his perception.”
Bobbie smacked Lucy on the arm lightly. “Hey! He’s my groom! I get to defend him, not you!”
“Yeah, well, he’s my adopted brother, and you better be good to him or Mom and I will find you and – and do something really irritating!”
Bobbie and Wanda laughed together. Lucy joined in quickly, then Bobbie asked, “Where’s Felicia? I thought she’d be here already.”
“She is,” Lucy said. “She just wanted to triple-check with the pianist and make sure he plays ‘Baby Elephant Walk’ for the bride’s entrance.”
Bobbie stared for a second, then exhaled sharply. “If you’re not kidding I’ll arrest the guy and tell him you identified him as a Mafia hit man.”
Lucy grinned evilly. “He’s gonna play ‘Linus and Lucy’ for the bridal party’s exit, too.”
Wanda grabbed her stomach and leaned against the wall. When she recovered control of her breathing, she sputtered, “You two – might as well be sisters!”
Bobbie shook her head. “I take it back, Lucy. I won’t arrest the piano player. I’ll just handcuff you to the second urinal in the men’s room and leave you there. Totally naked. Then – after a suitable amount of time – I’ll arrest you for indecent exposure and inciting a laugh riot in a bathroom.”
Lucy laughed as Wanda, unable to breathe, stumbled to a chair and flopped into it. “Okay, Bobbie, I give up,” Lucy told her. “You’re the meanest one in the family.”
Instead of laughing with her, Bobbie’s face blanked out, then turned a whiter shade of pale for a few seconds. Her knees wobbled, and Wanda grabbed her arm to hold her upright. “Hey, girlfriend! Don’t you dare punk out on us! Neither of us is walking down that aisle to marry Clark! Your name’s the one on the license!”
Bobbie took a deep breath then swallowed hard. “Wow. I’m okay. I think.”
Lucy stood and moved to Bobbie’s other side. “What happened? You were laughing and joking and all of a sudden you nearly passed out. What gives?”
Bobbie took a step backward and sat down. “I – I just now realized that Clark and I will be a family together. It – I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it quite like that before. I mean, I already knew he’ll be part of my family and I’ll be part of his, but – wow. We’re gonna be a family. Just the two of us.” She smiled wide. “And now that I have, I think I really like it. Yeah, I do like it.” She stood and stretched. “I like it a lot. A whole lot, even.”
They silently stood together for a long moment, just smiling and thinking, until the door flew open again and Detective Felica Ybarra burst in. “Ay! You three just standing there chattering like pollos locas and not even dressed yet! ¡Caramba! The bride must be dressed muy pronto!” Felicia laid her dress, still in the plastic sleeve from the dry cleaners, across a wingback chair and stomped to the trio. “¡Ahora! We must begin now or Clark will decide you are not worth the wait, mujer muy alta!”
Bobbie walked to the hanging bag with her dress while unbuttoning her blouse. “What’s with the Latina fury, Felicia? Why are you suddenly talking all West Side Story?”
Felicia unzipped Bobbie’s dress bag and started pulling things out. “I was just channeling my maternal grandmother. She was really a lot worse at my big sister’s wedding a couple of years ago.”
Bobbie kicked off her shoes and slipped out of her blouse and slacks. “Okay. But I’ll get you back for that ‘tall woman’ crack.”
“Not to mention the ‘crazy chickens’ thing,” Wanda muttered.
“Hey, at least her hair is done,” Lucy retorted. “That’s one less thing to worry about.”
“Enough!” Bobbie barked. “No more useless chatter. Felicia’s right, we need to get a move on.” She stared at her bridal party for a moment, then snapped, “Why are you just standing there? Get to work!”
The three women expressed various levels of put-on offense, then went to work dressing Bobbie. As Lucy handed the stockings to Wanda and checked the bride’s shoes for scuff marks, she growled, “Slave driver,” at Bobbie.
Bobbie only smiled and lifted her head imperiously, then raised her arms to the front so her servants could fit their mistress with her chosen garment.
*****
Clark glanced at his watch. Twenty minutes to go. Jimmy buffed his shoes once more. Best man Pete Ross stared into the mirror and tied his tie for the third time. Ryan Barnes stood beside him and frowned as he ran a brush through his hair.
“Hey, Pete,” Ryan hissed, “how’s my hair?”
Pete elbowed him away from the mirror. “Lucy will forget to breathe when she sees you in that monkey suit, okay? Just remember that this is Clark’s day, not ours. Let him be the handsome one for once.”
“For once?” Clark asked. “I’ll have you know that Bobbie thinks I’m better looking than Brad Pitt.”
“Maybe so,” Jimmy snarked, “but what does Angelina Jolie think?”
Ryan snorted once. “She probably thinks you could beat Brad at arm wrestling.”
Pete turned to him and asked, “Yeah, but could he beat Angelina?”
“That’s enough, guys,” Clark growled. “I don’t care about anything right now except the wedding.”
Pete lifted an eyebrow at his friend. “You don’t care about the honeymoon?”
Jimmy laughed. “CK has his laser focus on right now. He’ll care about one thing at a time. Saves wear and tear on his mind.”
Clark grinned. “Right now, I’m focusing on remembering my vows.”
“We know what yours are. What’s Bobbie gonna say?”
“I don’t know, Ryan. We agreed to let the other hear them for the first time during the ceremony.”
“I bet you’ll choke up when you hear hers, CK.”
Clark shook his head at Jimmy. “I just hope she likes what I have to say to her.”
Pete stopped and looked straight at the best friend of his youth, his expression as serious as Clark had ever seen it. “Your words are from your heart, Clark. She loves you, and she’ll love whatever words you want to say even if you’re too emotional to actually say them.”
Ryan nodded. “Amen, bro.”
Clark closed his eyes for a long moment and silently thanked the Lord for such good friends as these. Having them was better than owning all the riches of the world.
*****
It was fourteen minutes before the scheduled start of the ceremony, and Bobbie stood before the full-length mirror, spellbound by her reflection. She’d always known this dress was perfect for her, and that while she knew she was no great beauty, none of the men she’d dated had ever hinted that she might exhibit a slight canine heritage. But she’d never expected to be so – so – utterly gorgeous.
The white dress ended just below her knees and billowed slightly at the hem, as if a plastic hoop frame hid below the white cottony fabric. The waist was tapered and emphasized her height without making her look like a giant. The bodice curved around her breasts, emphasizing their presence without making them the focal point of her appearance. She showed a slight cleavage without making her look like a stripper entering a bachelor party. The low collar framed her neck and shoulders as if they were a sculpture in the Met Museum of Art. The headpiece supported a woven lace covering that ran from temple to temple behind her head and decorously draped halfway down her neck.
Her face – her beautiful, smiling face, with soft cosmetic touches that looked so very natural that it looked like bare skin – was uncovered. Even her jawline, which she’d always disliked as too square, looked soft and rounded. And her hair – the girls had lightly brushed and pinned and fussed and cheered over the hairdresser’s best efforts, then had somehow made it even better – glowed as she imagined Eve’s hair had glowed when she and Adam had first met.
Bobbie almost forgot to breathe. She was nervous, afraid that if she moved she’d spoil the illusion and disappoint Clark. She thought wildly that everyone should come in here and see her and they could exchange vows right here and she wouldn’t move until the license was signed so Clark wouldn’t see how plain she really was and—
Wanda touched her shoulder and Bobbie started. “Hey, girlfriend,” Wanda whispered, “you’re about to marry the guy who you insisted is the best guy in the world. You walk in there looking like that and he’ll forget his name, his best friend, his job, and how to put one foot in front of the other. I guarantee you he’ll know for a fact that you’re the most beautiful woman who’s ever lived.”
Bobbie pulled in a deep breath and saw how the dress shifted over and around her abdomen but maintained the illusion that she had a beautiful body. “Yeah,” Bobbie said. “I’m gonna tell myself that until he realizes the truth.”
Just then a gentle knock sounded at the door. Felicia cracked it, then pulled it open long enough to reach out and tug Bobbie’s mother into the room. Felica smiled at her. “Most beautiful mother of the most beautiful bride ever, please come and speak to your daughter. Warn her that all men will crush her spirit and waste her life in making endless children with her and force her to wash his feet every night.”
Kelly Tracey smiled and patted Felicia on the cheek. “You are still the most contrary señorita I’ve ever met, young lady. Now the three of you go hold off any more visitors while I tell my daughter how proud of her we all are.”
Felicia, Lucy, and Wanda filed out of the room giggling. Kelly locked the door and leaned against it for a long moment. Then she took a deep breath and turned around. Her smile made Bobbie believe her father’s stories, that she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.
“Let me look at you, honey.” Kelly shook her head. “You are so beautiful. I – you’re amazing!”
Bobbie smiled shyly. “It’s the dress and the hair. I’ll never look like this again.”
Kelly chuckled. “Not the dress, not the hair. It’s you.” She sighed. “I wish your father could see you. He’d cry at how lovely you are right now.”
“Mom, I really don’t think I’m all—”
“Hush. Clark is waiting for you. He’ll see you and know you’re the most beautiful woman his eyes have ever beheld. And he’ll love you if you look like this or if you’re coming off a twenty-hour stakeout all sweaty and nasty and funky. Or anything in between.”
Bobbie’s smile grew. “Nice contrast. And I happen to believe you. I doubt he’ll ever change.”
“If he does change, I’m sure it’ll be for the better and not the worse.” Kelly crossed her hands in front of her and sighed. “I mean it, honey, you’re probably the most beautiful bride in the world.”
“I’ve seen your wedding pictures, Mom. You were beyond stunning.”
“That’s because I was marrying a man I loved. You’re marrying a man you love, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am.”
“Then he won’t see anyone but you because your love for him makes you the most beautiful woman in the building. The minister will probably have to punch him on the arm to get his attention for the ceremony.” She smiled warmly. “Like our preacher did to your dad. I’m not sure he was breathing at the time.”
Bobbie’s eyes teared up again. “Oh, Momma, thank you! I really want to be beautiful for Clark.”
Kelly plucked a tissue from the box on the table beside the door and dabbed at her daughter’s eyes. “You are beautiful, Honey, I promise. You’ll make every other woman out there look like a Halloween hag.”
Bobbie laughed softly. “I don’t know about that. You look really nice today. Um – you didn’t come alone, did you?”
“Are you asking me if I have invited a close male friend to accompany me?”
“Trying to be sneaky about it, but yeah, I am.”
Kelly smiled. “There is a man sitting beside me. Your Uncle Westley flew in from Ottawa to be here. And no, he did not bring your aunt Cecelia. She decided not to see her brother’s only daughter get married.”
Bobbie’s face fell a little. “Are they still separated?”
“Honey, this is neither the time nor the place to talk about this.”
“Please, Mom! I’m asking for my own peace of mind.”
Kelly sighed. “Wes said that he told her that he really wanted her to come with him, but he also said that he’d come even if she didn’t. He said that Cecelia threatened to file for divorce if he came to your wedding. And before you ask, he doesn’t know if she’s actually filed.”
“Poor guy. I can’t imagine getting that upset with Clark.”
“She’s always been jealous of me, honey, you know that. And you also know that there has never been any reason for her to be jealous. Nothing untoward has ever occurred between your father’s brother and me, and it never will.”
“Yeah, but you’re her Lois Lane and you’re alive.”
The abrupt declaration startled Bobbie and she wondered who’d said it. Then she realized that she had. “Oh, boy,” she breathed.
Kelly gently took Bobbie’s hands in hers and looked directly into her daughter’s face. “I know who Lois Lane was and what she meant to Clark. I want you to remember two things from now on. Will you do that?”
Bobbie pulled in a sharp breath and nodded. “What are they?”
“First thing. The only competition you have with Lois is in Clark’s memory, and from what I’ve seen he’s handling that as well as he possibly could. He will always remember her.
“But that blade cuts both ways. He’s competing with your memory of Glen, and—”
“Mom, no! Clark and I have talked about this! I don’t compare him to Glen and he doesn’t compare me to Lois!”
“I know. Neither of you consciously make that comparison. But you’ll always have that in the back of your mind, that Glen and Lois are still hanging around. So will Clark. If you both love each other and treat each other right, though, those memories will become gentle mists, and the thing you’ll each remember best are the smiles and the laughter. You’ll make that happen if you and Clark make your own smile times and laugh times together.”
Bobbie relaxed and closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and asked, “What’s the second thing?”
Kelly smiled and softly kissed her daughter on the cheek. “That you be happy. You’ll have tough times, hard times, days when nothing goes right, days when Clark irritates you just by breathing, days when you’d almost rather hit him with a club than put your arms around him. But that will pass. Remember that your feelings are perfectly valid, perfectly normal, and the absolute worst thing to build your life on. Feelings change from day to day. Real love doesn’t because it’s a set of attitudes and actions. Love isn’t a feeling – love creates that feeling. As much love as you feel for Clark right now, the feelings won’t last.”
Kelly sighed. “I loved your father more than any other person in this world, except maybe you. And I still love him. But I decided a long time ago that missing him wouldn’t stop me from living my life. Don’t let your past hurts keep you from your life.”
Bobbie lowered her eyes. “Did you – no. I’m sorry I didn’t learn from your example. You didn’t disintegrate when Dad died.”
“I didn’t let you see the times I came close. But I kept on living because I knew that people were depending on me. And I’ve learned that love is not a finite quantity, that I’m allowed to love another man if I so choose.”
Bobbie smiled back at her mother. “Is that what you’re doing with Uncle Wes?”
Kelly tilted her head and frowned a little. “Maybe. And maybe I just like being around him. He’s a good man, and there’s no reason I can’t be just friends with a good man.”
“Okay, Mom, I hear you. I’ll love Clark and he’ll love me and we’ll be deliriously happy together even when we don’t feel deliriously happy.”
Her mother laughed. “That’s the spirit! Now come on, it’s almost time for you to take his breath away.”
Bobbie’s eyebrow shot up. “Not for a few more hours, actually.”
Instead of acting scandalized, Kelly surprised Bobbie by smiling whimsically. “You will, Bobbie. And he’ll take yours away, too.” Her eyebrows rose. “You may have to breathe for each other. I hope your CPR certificates are up to date.”
*****
Jonathan knocked on the door to the groom’s dressing room at ten minutes before one. It was tradition that the groom’s father impart some words of wisdom to the son just before the wedding. He wondered for a moment what men in times past had told their sons. His own father had been too emotional to say much to him, even though Jonathan knew the man had held more than what he did say in his heart.
He wished he knew exactly what to say. Maybe then he could give Clark something worthwhile.
The door opened and Pete Ross’s smile greeted him. “Come on in, Mr. Kent. Clark’s ready for you to tell him how the cow ate the cabbage.”
“I sure hope you’re not calling my bride-to-be a cow,” Clark called out.
Jimmy turned and snarked, “Okay, how the beaver chewed the wood.”
“Now you’re criticizing her dental health.”
Ryan sighed and looked up. “We can’t win this one, guys. Maybe Clark’s father can straighten him out.”
Jonathan held up one hand to forestall any more nervous humor. “Okay, fellas, time to leave me alone with my son. Whatever wisdom I have to impart to my son, I don’t need an audience, especially you three reprobates.”
Ryan smiled and gave Clark a thumbs-up. Pete put his hand on Clark’s shoulder and squeezed for a moment. Jimmy nodded and said, “See you in a few.” Then they all trooped out to the hallway and took up guard stations in front of the doorway.
Jonathan shut the door and turned to his son. “You have some really good friends there.”
Clark nodded. “I know. Wouldn’t trade ‘em for a new pickup truck, either.”
Jonathan grinned. “Or even a good used one.”
“No.”
Jonathan sighed and stood before his son. “You may be the best-looking groom I’ve ever seen. I bet Bobbie will get dizzy when she spots you standing there.”
“I just hope I’m still conscious.”
Jonathan put his hand on Clark’s shoulder. “I wish I had some really deep and wise things to tell you, son. I don’t. All I can tell you is that if you really love Bobbie – and I have no doubt that you do – the two of you can overcome all the challenges you’ll face.”
Clark returned the gesture. “Thanks, Dad. And thank you for taking Bobbie into your heart the way you have.”
“You love her. She loves you. She’s a good person and she knows exactly what she’s doing. I’d have to say that I’m glad she’s taken your mother and me into her heart.”
“She has. She thinks the world of you two.”
Jonathan chuckled. “This may be the first wedding ever where there are two sets of in-laws, what with Ellen Lane and Étienne and Evonne LeCour attending. And those folks may be more French than Metropolitan, but they’re fine people.”
“They think pretty highly of you, too.”
Jonathan smiled and took a deep breath. “Well. Are we ready to get this dog and pony show started?”
Clark’s face lit up and he bounced like a happy second grader. “I wanna be the pony!”
Jonathan laughed. “Now you’re the one calling your bride a dog. Shame on you!”
*****
Étienne LeCour stood beside the closed door to the police chapel’s auditorium with a warm smile on his face. He accepted Kelly’s handoff of Bobbie’s arm with old world grace and nodded as she took her place at the door beside Clark’s boss so the man could escort her to her seat. Then he looked over at Bobbie and quietly asked, “You are certain you wish for me to give you away in the place of your father?”
“Yes. He can’t be here, but you can, and you’re just about the best man here today. After Clark, anyway. I can’t imagine my wedding without you and Evonne.”
“It seems odd to me to be here with you, but Ellen and Lucy Lane are also here, as are Clark’s parents. I spoke at length with Jonathan yesterday, and I see the source of Clark’s excellent manners and his good sense. Evonne said much the same thing about the women in Clark’s life this morning after her dinner with Ellen, Martha, and Kelly.”
She smiled and looked straight ahead. “I can’t cry now. I’ll ruin my makeup. I have to be beautiful for Clark.”
“No, cherie, you do not. You are already beautiful to him. He sees not only your very fine face but also your very fine heart. And that is why he loves you.”
Bobbie squeezed her eyes shut and sniffed. She would not cry. Not yet.
Her expression of joy would have to wait just a few more minutes.
*****
From the front of the chapel, Clark watched Kelly Tracey walk down the aisle, escorted by a smiling Perry White. Kelly smiled and sat beside Evonne LeCour, and the two women sniffled and smiled and clasped hands in what Clark interpreted as mutual support. He nodded as he saw his mother Martha, followed by his proud-to-bursting father, walk with her hand in Inspector William Henderson’s elbow. Bill handed Martha in next to Jonathan, then stood and looked directly into Clark’s eyes.
Clark wasn’t sure, but – did Bill Henderson just wink at him?
Didn’t matter. He was getting married today.
The back door opened and the pianist smoothly segued from Beethoven’s haunting “Moonlight Sonata” to Wagner’s traditional bridal entrance music, “Processional.” As he softly rolled the first notes, Felicia Ybarra slipped in. Draped by her bridesmaid’s dress and not by uniform, Clark nodded and acknowledged that Jimmy had good taste. Her dark complexion was accented by her ice-blue dress, and her smile was almost shy.
He caught her glancing at Jimmy more than once. Maybe his friend had an outside chance of a date with the lovely and very professional burglary detective.
Next in was Lucy Lane. He heard Ryan sigh as he saw her. And Clark couldn’t blame him. In her dress, with her hair in a style Clark didn’t recognize and couldn’t have described on a bet, she looked adorable. She was the closest thing to a sister Clark had, and he refused to describe her as “beautiful,” even in his mind.
Especially when Ryan was so stunned he was surely speechless.
The door opened and Bobbie’s striking bridesmaid, the diminutive but stout Wanda Dallas, stepped in. Clark heard a gasp from behind him, knowing it was Pete Ross. Clark hid a smile, knowing that unless Pete wanted to follow Wanda back to San Antonio, he had little to no shot at dating her.
And that wasn’t likely, but it wasn’t impossible, either. It might depend on whether or not Wanda encouraged him at all.
Then the pianist rolled the dominant seventh chord and pounded three octaves of “C” notes. Police Chaplain Preston McKenzie lifted his hands, palms up, and the crowded congregation rose. Clark glanced at the people standing by their seats and wondered how that many well-wishers had crammed themselves into that small chapel.
Then Bobbie came through the door.
Clark forgot to breathe.
She looked – she was—
He didn’t have the words. He’d never have the words.
Bobbie was beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, exquisite, magnificent – and all that didn’t do her justice. Her hair, her face, her smile, her dress – which she had zealously kept him from seeing – all made her the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Bobbie had every woman in the world, any woman who’d ever lived or would live, beaten by a mile and lapped twice.
He felt Pete punch him in the back. That and Pete’s whispered, “Inhale, buddy,” reminded him that he had to take in some air or he’d never be able to recite his vows.
He’d labored long and hard on those vows. He hoped she’d like them.
******
Bobbie looked up and saw him. Saw Clark. Saw his eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets and his jaw drop open. She almost giggled as she visualized someone reaching into his mouth and flicking his uvula, that little flap of tissue hanging down at the back of his throat. She could almost hear it ringing like a church bell tolling for vespers. Suppressing the giggles generated by that image kept her from crying.
She stopped and gave Martha a long-stemmed rose, then turned and gave one to her own mother. Next, she handed another rose to Evonne LeCour, then the fourth rose to Ellen Lane. Bobbie straightened and looked up again and almost froze.
Clark had the most joyful, most terrified expression on his face that she could imagine. And it mirrored her mixed moods perfectly.
It also gave her the last bit of courage she needed to step up beside him.
In her heels, her eyes were almost level with his. He half-turned to face her, then took her left hand in his. She barely felt Wanda reach around and almost yank the bouquet away, and she heard the chuckle in the congregation as if it played on a radio in the next building. When Chaplain McKenzie asked the congregation to be seated, he might as well have been on Mars for all the attention she paid him.
A hand reached out and pulled her in a quarter-turn to face McKenzie. At the same time, another hand grabbed Clark’s arm and turned him to face in the same direction. She wondered for a moment what was so funny, then she noticed the chaplain’s mouth was moving and she forced herself to listen. This might be important.
“—in the bonds of holy matrimony. Roberta Lynn Tracey and Clark Jerome Kent have each agreed to wed one another, to bind themselves each to the other for life and for love. Should anyone have any cause, just or otherwise, to object to this union, speak now and risk both imprisonment and scathing editorials or shut the forever up.”
The congregation laughed aloud at that. Various snorts and chortles issued from the bridal party and the groomsmen. While everyone settled down, Bobbie whispered from the side of her mouth, “Was that your surprise?”
“No,” Clark whispered back. “I had no idea.”
“Good.”
Clark waited until it was almost quiet, then stage-whispered, “Was that your surprise?”
More laughter ensued, this time led by Chaplain McKenzie. Bobbie made sure Clark was watching her – then she rolled her eyes.
The chaplain lifted his hand and called out, “Okay, folks, my bad, sorry, can we get on with the wedding now? I’m sure these two are ready to proceed.” He looked at Clark, then at Bobbie, and asked, “You are, aren’t you?”
They both nodded.
“Very well.” He lifted his wedding manual again and read.
“Marriage is an important part of our society, even today. Many question the need for a piece of paper to say that two people are married, since divorce occurs so often. But marriage is still important. It signifies that two people are prepared to participate in the life of the community as a single unit, that they are willing to put each other’s needs before their own, that they have vowed to love the other person for the rest of their lives.
“And the couple who marries does so before the secular authorities – hence the need for a license – and, in this case, a religious authority, myself, as pastor of this chapel. They are proclaiming their love for each other and their commitment to a life of ideal togetherness, blissful peace, and perfect harmony.”
The pastor paused and looked out over the congregation. “You are invited to chuckle over the deliberate irony of the concept of a peaceful and completely harmonious marriage between a police detective and an investigative reporter.”
They did.
McKenzie smiled and continued. “I trust these two intelligent, driven, professional young people to work out their inevitable differences with patience and a focus on the issues, not on the other person. Every couple has disagreements, arguments, fights, and the ones who truly love each other stay together and work out the problem. Not only have they said the three magic words – ‘I love you’ – they’ve both said the eight magic words – ‘I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.’ Almost nothing can stand against a couple who agree to submit to each other in this way.”
McKenzie smiled and looked from Bobbie to Clark as he said, “I have every confidence that Clark and Roberta will do exactly that.”
Many heads nodded. Many mouths made humming agreement sounds. Two or three even said “Amen” aloud.
The pastor nodded. “Let me read a brief passage from the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter four, beginning in verse eight.”
There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task.
Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
He looked from Clark to Bobbie and nodded. “I trust that these words will represent the quality of Clark and Roberta’s life together.”
McKenzie waited for their simultaneous nods of agreement, then he smiled again. “Both Roberta and Clark have written their own vows, and they would like to present them at this time. However, they would like to present the rings at the same time, and since Roberta has requested to be first, we’ll hear her vows now. You don’t mind, do you, Clark?”
Clark smiled. “It’s bad luck for me to go first, Pastor. Trust me on this.”
Another chuckle made the rounds. McKenzie nodded and turned to Wanda. “Do you have the groom’s ring?”
Wanda lifted her hand and let the pastor take it from her palm. He lifted the ring and said, “Roberta, please take this ring, and as you make your vows to your groom, please place it on the third finger of his left hand.”
Bobbie took the ring and turned to face Clark. It was now or never.
She took a deep breath and tugged the index card out of her sleeve.
