The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

  She slipped a sturdy titanium band on his finger.

  "On this day," said Henry to Timber with a low, smoky tone, "I give you my heart, my promise that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, and loving, together, forever. You are light in my life. Without you, I would be lost in the woods." He slipped a gold diamond ring on her finger.

  "By the power given to me by Heaven," said Lord Frost, "I now declare you husband and wife. Henry, you may kiss your beautiful bride."

  Henry wrapped her up in his arms and kissed Timber on the lips. It felt like it was like their first kiss all over again. Her heart raced and her breath was stolen away. She pulled him closer to her so she could feel his heart. The guests cheered and clapped but Timber could hardly hear them. She was far too intoxicated by Henry's lips.

  "Ladies and gentlemen," said Lord Frost proudly, "It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Henry Santelli."

  There was a great deal of cheering as Henry and Timber walked back down the aisle hand in hand. While they walked, Timber looked for Aiyanna. A faint bell ring caught her attention and she turned her head with a smile. Aiyanna was hiding in a nearby tree with her white wings glistening in the sunlight. They headed back to the guest house for a cocktail hour while the wedding area was being prepared for the reception. Timber had planned well. Grace's first cousin from Georgia was a bartender and offered his talents for free though, among the Brogan clan, moonshine was the drink of choice. Timber had added only three cocktails to the menu but made sure there were virgin mocktails for those who didn't drink and some soda and punch for the kids. Timber had planned for the Disney movie 'Aladdin' to play during cocktail hour so the adults could converse while the kids stayed quiet.

  When the cocktail hour was over, everyone headed back outside. The tables were covered in white and red checkered plastic table cloths with a heavily laid newspaper table runner. Rather than fine china and cotton linens, each place setting was set with a disposable pie tin, a red and white bandana for napkins, and a mason jar with a yellow straw. Each place setting had a name for each guest. The guests were seated. Henry and Timber took a seat at the bridal table with Xianna, Ashley, Kendra, Gina, Charles, and Dresden. The ocean served as a backdrop and in front of the table was the hardwood dance floor.

  Just then, caterers appeared with massive pots full of food. Timber had spent a lot of time planning the menu and she eventually had Grace step in with suggestions. Together they settled on a low country seafood boil with red potatoes, corn on the cob, andouille sausage, shrimp, crawfish, and snow crab served with lemonade or sweet tea. They served Timber and Henry first, followed by the bridal party and finally the guests. There was a great deal of cheering as the food was dumped in a line across the newspapers right out of the pots. Dinner was filled with laughter as everyone enjoyed the food and each other's company. When dinner was finished, and the plates had been taken away, Xianna stood up to make her toast. Timber prepared herself for nothing short of an embarrassment.

  "Hi everyone," said Xianna. "I wanted to start by thanking Timber and Henry for inviting me to be a part of their special day. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Xianna and I am both the maid of honor as well as Timber's best friend. For those of you who do know me, you're welcome. Timber and Henry, I wanted to tell you both how spectacular you look today."

  Timber rolled her eyes but laughed anyway. When everyone began to quiet down, Xianna continued.

  "I want to start by saying that every once in a while two people meet and you know it's meant to be. You know instantly that the stars have aligned, and their paths would bring them together regardless of what the world might throw their way. This was the case when Timber and Henry met under a year ago before our last year of high school began.

  "So... I first met Timber at the age of ten after she moved here from Nebraska. Timber was timid, quiet and never spoke. I couldn't help but notice how pretty she was and I and my friends were determined to bring her out of her turtle shell. We would bring her food and sit with her in silence until one day she started talking. Now we can't get her to shut up."

  The girls laughed.

  "From the beginning of our friendship, it should be easy to see that from there on out, there hasn't been one major event in my life, since the day that we have met, that Timber hasn't been by my side. She is always there to celebrate my many successes and minimize the rare failures. She is the first person I ask for advice and the last person I talk to before I take any action. She is the one person that makes me feel that telepathy is a real form of communication.

  "For all of you who know Timber in some shape or form, you cannot deny for a second that she is a passionate, honest, and loyal person. Qualities that anyone hopes they had instilled within themselves or at least surrounded themselves with. She is an amazing, person, and friend, and I do not doubt that she will be an amazing wife to Henry and luckily enough for him, I am willing to share."Henry laughed."Henry has proved himself to be a wonderful man and over the last year. I have seen nothing but a kind, loving and considerate partner. I see how happy he makes Timber and there is nothing more any of us could ask for. Let's face it, anyone who can tolerate the kind of relationship that Timber and I have... is a keeper in my books!

  "Now, I invite you all to stand and raise your glasses in a toast to Timber and Henry, Mr. and Mrs. Santelli and wish them love, laughter and happily ever after! To Timber and Henry!"

  "To Timber and Henry!" echoed the small crowd.

  Several toasts were given after Xianna's and then it was time to dance. Timber choose to dance with Chad first so he took his shoes off and Timber helped him to the dance floor. Heartland's "I Loved Her First" came through the speakers and Chad began to move, slowly leading Timber in a circle. He stumbled once but Timber caught him and steadied him. She told him to stand on her feet. He looked unsure but obliged and Timber took the lead as she supported his thinning frame. When the last note ended, Timber helped him back to his seat and kissed his cheek.

  "I love you, Timber," whispered Chad.

  "I love you, too,"

  Timber whispered back.It was now time for her first dance with Henry as his wife. Timber was nothing short of excited about this dance. Both of them were leaving their comfort zone and trying a different style of dance. "Timber, I'm Falling In Love" began playing and Henry led Timber into a fun, yet graceful dance. The guests cheered and clapped as Henry lifted Timber into the air with ease and then set her down gently. Timber couldn't stop smiling when she realized that Henry would not have done that only six months ago.

  Soon the dance floor was packed with guests, including Lord Avanti who decided to put aside his proper manner for the moment to dance with Grace for one song. She was tipsy on moonshine by this point and giggling profusely. Jaci was dancing with Timber's older cousin, and Lord Frost was dancing with Emily which made Timber chuckle when she noticed because Lord Frost was taller than Henry, standing at six feet five inches while Emily was four feet and ten inches. Then she noticed that Emily was standing on his feet and she laughed. Dresden was teaching Xianna how to do a basic Foxtrot, and Gina was dancing with her older brother. Ashley was dancing with one of her four brothers. Charles and Angie were bouncing Ariel and Aurora and Chad was sitting in his chair, happily watching everyone. Then the DJ stopped the music to make an announcement.

  "As a special request from the bride, she would like participating guests to please change shoes and join her on the dance floor for the family tradition. She asks that anyone interested in joining to please does so with enthusiasm.

  More than half of the family put on cowboy boots they had brought with them and joined Timber on the dance floor. They formed tight lines that nearly filled the space and waited for the music to start.Then the DJ put on Copperhead Road. Timber, Grace, and Emily lined up with Xianna and the girls with the rest of Timber's family behind them. The line dance that ensued w
as so well-timed it looked to outsiders as though it had been rehearsed. The fact was that the song was something of a family anthem since moonshining had saved them during the Great Depression and it had been done on a hidden road called Copperhead. Most people knew the steps by heart and the sound of stomping boots and heels could be heard over the music. Halfway through the song, Lord Frost joined in as well as Henry and Charles. When it was over, Timber led the family in the rebel yell, as was tradition when a Brogan got married. The cheer that followed could have blown the roof off had they been inside.

  Eventually, it was time for cake, which turned into a slight mess because Timber and Henry ended up throwing their cake at each other and smashing it into each other's faces much to the delight of the crowd who could not stop laughing. By the end of the food fight, Henry and Timber had covered each other in the frosting. After the rest of the cake was devoured by the guests, the peaceful blanket of night had fallen and the black sky was littered with stars. With no moon in the sky, every single sparkling light was visible.

  It was time for Timber to toss the bouquet. All of the unmarried women grouped on the dance floor. Timber turned her back to them and tossed her bouquet into the air. It was caught by Xianna who took it and ran away from Kendra and Ashley who pretended to be upset but their laughter was making their charade very unconvincing. Timber folded in half laughing as they caught Xianna and tickled her until she cried uncle.

  Henry was enthusiastic about the garter. Timber sat in a chair while a blindfolded Henry fondled away with his fingers up her legs, sending Timber into a fit of wild giggles. It took him two minutes to find it because he was too busy feeling her up. He finally found it and ripped off the blindfold in triumph. He shot it into the group of single guys where it was caught by Gina's brother Kyle.After a long series of goodbyes and many hugs, Henry and Timber were ready to leave. They separated from the crowd and slipped into Henry's grandfather's black and white 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sports Coupé, and drove away into the night.

  "So, Mrs. Santelli," said Henry. "Are you ready to begin your own happily ever after?"

  "My happily ever after began the moment you told me you love me."

  "Well, I still love you. More now than I did then."

  "I love you too, Henry," said Timber. "I will always love you."