Bird answered truthfully, “Really, thanks are to Cody and Sunny.”
Mrs. Pierson’s sons helped her back to her chair and elevated her ankle on a bale of straw. People began to mill around.
Tom had parked and was walking toward them quickly.
Bird knew that she needed to hold the crowd’s attention. She said, with excitement in her voice, “Folks, please stay where you are because something else is about to happen. A big surprise.”
People murmured and whispered to each other.
“What are you talking about, Bird?” asked Paul.
Bird smiled mysteriously. “You have no idea how special this night will become. May I introduce Reverend Tom Francis.”
Tom stepped up onto a bale. He held a large black leather folder, and he had changed into his black robe and white collar. He appeared very different than when in his hydro work clothes.
“Thank you, Bird. Good evening to you all. I am here to perform a sacred and beautiful ceremony. Will Ms. Hannah Bradley and Dr. Paul Daniels come forward?”
Hannah and Paul were astounded. “What are you up to, Bird?” asked Hannah.
“Is it what I think it is?” Paul wanted to know.
Bird nodded. “Is it okay with you two? Because if it isn’t …”
“Yes. It is. It is more than okay.” Hannah smoothed her hair off her face with her gloved hands and dusted off her coat.
Paul said, “It is a dream come true. We’ll get the marriage licence first thing next week.” He took Hannah’s hand tightly in his. Together they stepped forward.
“I need Mrs. Eva Gilmour, and her daughters, Ms. Alberta and Ms. Julia Simms. I also need …” Tom paused and motioned to Bird to come closer. “Who should be the groomsmen?” he whispered in her ear.
Bird didn’t hesitate. “Stuart Gilmour and Alec Daniels.”
“I also need Stuart Gilmour and Alec Daniels. Please come up here!”
As the wedding party assembled, Bird snuck down to talk to Mrs. Pierson. “Can we borrow one of your beautiful rings?” she asked. Mrs. Pierson always wore five or six. “I’ll bring it right back.”
“Of course, dear! But do not return it. I want this to be Hannah’s wedding ring, and I’ll tell her to leave it to you when she dies.” She had already twisted a ring off her knobby finger, and now she placed the antique in Bird’s palm.
“You knew, didn’t you? That there’d be a wedding?”
“You can’t fool an old fooler,” Mrs. Pierson laughed, then added, “You must only fool people for good reasons, not for bad.”
As soon as Cliff had realized what was happening, he’d hurried back to his house and returned with a music system. It was an old cassette player and an even older speaker, but when he turned it on, the music quality was surprisingly good. The first song he played was by the Beatles: “When I’m Sixty-Four.”
Hannah and Paul laughed. Hannah said, “Well, I guess that’s pretty close.” They began to waltz to the song.
Reverend Francis called it to a halt. “Not yet! We dance after the vows, not before. And whatever you do, don’t kiss the bride!”
Chaos followed, and Bird realized that she needed to get people organized. She placed Hannah and Paul together in the middle, in front of Tom Francis, with their backs to the fire. She asked Eva to stand at Hannah’s right side, with Julia on Eva’s right.
Eva whispered, “I can’t believe I’m Hannah’s matron of honour in this outfit!”
Bird chuckled. “You’ve never looked better.” She adjusted an earflap as if it were an expensive fascinator. “Love the hat.” Then, Bird looked directly at her mother. “Are you okay, Mom?”
“I’m okay. And so happy that my big sister is marrying such a good man.” She touched Bird’s cheek. “Can we talk later?”
Bird gulped with surprise. This was new territory for their relationship. She nodded with apprehension. “Okay. Later.”
She moved Stuart to stand beside Paul’s left, and she put Mrs. Pierson’s ring in his hand. “Don’t lose it,” she cautioned. “It’s Mrs. Pierson’s.” Stuart nodded solemnly.
Beside him on his left, already in place, Alec stood grinning. “Beat you to it!” he joked. “You’re such a boss. I like it.”
Bird winked at him, and then spoke to Tom. “Okay, Reverend Francis, get going!” She slipped in to take her place at Julia’s right.
He opened his folder and began to read. “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony. It is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, and solemnly. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
There was complete silence as he looked around expectantly. Bird noted that there was always a little suspense at this time of a wedding service.
“Hi, Bird!” yelled a little voice.
“Hi, Henry!” she whispered back.
“Henry!” whispered Luke loudly. “You’re not supposed to talk!” Their mother laughed as she hugged her boys.
Reverend Francis began to speak again. “We are here today to witness the joining in marriage of Paul Daniels and Hannah Bradley. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which this man and this woman begin their life together, in one of the holiest of bonds.”
He paused for effect. “This is a beginning and a continuation of their growth as individuals. With mutual care, respect, responsibility, and knowledge comes the affirmation of each one’s own life, happiness, growth, and freedom. With respect for individual boundaries comes the freedom to love unconditionally. The emotional safety of a loving relationship becomes the fertile soil of continued growth. With care and responsibility toward self and one another comes the potential for full and happy lives.”
Bird leaned forward and said to Reverend Francis, “Are we doing the long or the short version?”
The reverend looked startled. He leafed through the pages and skipped forward.
“Do you, Paul Daniels, take Hannah Bradley to be your wife?”
Paul gazed at Hannah with glowing eyes. “I will.”
“Do you wish to say anything at this time?”
“Yes, I do. I’ve been practising my vows for a long time. I wrote them down but don’t happen to have them with me.” He patted his pockets just in case. “I’ll try my best.”
People chuckled, but grew quiet as Paul took both of Hannah’s hands in his. “Hannah, you are my world. I love you, I cherish you, I cannot live without you. I will be there with you in good times and in bad. I will protect you and comfort you and honour you always.” His eyes were full of love. “In fact … nothing makes any sense without you. I vow to be the best I can be for you, for as long as we both shall live.”
Hannah wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and snuffled.
The Reverend said, “Do you, Hannah Bradley, take Paul Daniels to be your husband?”
Hannah nodded and smiled, then croaked loudly, “Yes!”
Everyone laughed with delight at her enthusiasm.
Reverend Francis waved his hands and hushed them. “Do you wish to say anything at this time?”
Hannah sniffed, and inhaled deeply. “Yes. I do. Thank you.” Her mouth quivered. “I haven’t practised, so I hope this comes out right.” She squared her shoulders. “Paul, you taught me what love means. I didn’t know. I didn’t know what it was and really, I didn’t know I needed it. So I pushed it away. I guess … I guess I was guarding myself, maybe from hurt, and protecting myself. But you were patient, Paul. You stayed. And you taught me. So now … now I belong with you. And I promise to be my best self and to give you my best self, for as long as we both shall live.”
Paul and Hannah hugged each other for a long moment.
The reverend asked, “
Is there a ring?”
Bird nodded and pointed to Stuart, who held it up.
Reverend Francis motioned to Stuart to give the ring to Paul, and he cleared his throat. “Paul, say after me …”
Paul politely raised a hand. He said, “I’d like to do this, thank you. I’ve practised this part, too.” He faced Hannah and said earnestly, “The shape of a ring has no beginning and no end, which makes it a symbol of eternity. A wedding ring is a symbol of love. Therefore, I give you this ring as a token of my love, for all eternity. Hannah, with this ring I thee wed.” Paul gently slipped Mrs. Pierson’s ring on Hannah’s finger.
Tears flowed down Hannah’s face. She was overwhelmed with emotion. Bird thought she wouldn’t be able to continue.
But Hannah surprised her. She held Paul’s gaze and haltingly said, “Paul, I, I don’t have a ring to give you. But … I give you my heart … and my mind … and my whole self. You are my only love, and my best friend. You are my … confidant and my consoler. With my … soul, I thee wed.”
There was a sigh of approval as Hannah raised herself on her toes, and Paul leaned down slightly. They kissed each other tenderly and lengthily.
“Not yet!” Tom Francis said, but as the kiss continued, he was drowned out by gales of laughter. He quickly shouted, “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!”
With perfect timing, Fred rolled up in his truck with Cliff on the flatbed. They came to a stop beside the wedding party, lifted down a table with a white tablecloth, and then unloaded two heavy boxes.
Cliff hollered, “Champagne on ice! Come, bring your cup or find a used one! Let’s drink to the health and happiness of the newly married couple.”
Hannah winked at Bird. “Now, this is the right occasion.”
The party began. Music blared from the little speaker hooked up to the generator, and people danced and sang along to the familiar tunes of the Rolling Stones, John Denver, the Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Three Dog Night, Queen, Eric Clapton, Carole King, and CCR, all picked by Cliff in a tribute to Hannah and Paul’s generation.
Bird was pleased to see her mother, Eva, and Stuart dancing closely to “Rocky Mountain High.” She made a wish that Eva would figure out how to trust people and somehow, someday, let go of the past. As she was making the wish, Eva caught her eye. She whispered something in Stuart’s ear. Stuart nodded and looked at Bird. Eva walked toward her. Bird stayed where she was, unsure of what would follow, alert that Eva could erupt at any minute.
“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a present, Bird.” Her mother’s eyes dropped to the ground. “I’m sorry about a lot of things.” She looked up again. For the first time she could remember, Bird saw openness, honesty, and kindness in them. “Bird, I have a lot to make up for. Can we start again, if you’ll forgive me?”
Bird nodded cautiously. “Yes, I’d like that, Mom, if we can start again. And I’m sorry for a whole lot of things, too. Like dressing up in the red sheet at dinner and mimicking you. That was awful. It started the whole thing.”
Eva put her hand out and took Bird’s. “If it did, I’m grateful to you. I’m glad it’s finally out in the open.” She held out her hand and opened her fingers. On her palm rested a shiny object, twinkling in the light of the fire. “Please accept this, my remarkable, brave daughter. Merry Christmas. May we have many more.”
Bird was astonished. She lifted it off her mother’s hand and gasped. It was a brooch with a rearing horse on it, made of silver. “This is beautiful!”
“Your father gave it to me on our very first date. I want you to have it.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Bird was overwhelmed with gratitude and didn’t know how to express herself. “I’ll put it in a very special place for safekeeping, Mom. I’ll keep it forever.”
Eva’s bottom lip quivered. Tears were ready to drop from her eyes. “I have much work to do to make up for everything, Bird. I know that. And I won’t be perfect, believe me, but I vow to try.”
Bird sniffed and nodded. “I’ll try, too. And, Mom? You’re the one who’s brave. I didn’t know about Granddad.”
Eva said, “I never knew how to talk about it. It had to come out. And however that happened, I’m glad it did.” She turned and slid into Stuart’s welcoming arms. Stuart gave Bird a grateful look, and Eva smiled at her. “I love you, Bird,” she said as they danced away.
Bird and Alec sat together on a bale of straw off to the side and watched as people enjoyed themselves.
“She told me she loved me,” said Bird. “Twice in one day.”
“You told me.” He took her hand and traced the veins on the back of it. “Three times.”
“But all my life …”
“I know, Bird. She’s been a wreck.” Alec shook his head slowly. “This is hard. You can’t expect her to change into a nice person overnight. It won’t be easy, but I’ll be right here for you every step.”
“I know you will. Alec, what if you’d agreed that we should be just friends?”
He laughed. “No chance. But you were right that some people will judge.”
“And you were right that we shouldn’t care what they think.”
He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “This is the best wedding ever. Look at how much fun people are having. Young and old, dancing and laughing.”
“Yeah. It’s very cool,” agreed Bird. “Weren’t their vows amazing? Aunt Hannah was crying. Paul was crying.”
“You’ll have to call him Uncle Paul, now.”
“You’re right. Aunt Hannah and Uncle Paul.” She could get used to that. “I loved their wedding.”
“You did that, Bird.”
“Yeah, I guess I did. I’m more surprised than anyone.”
“How did you even think of it?”
“I wouldn’t have if Tom the hydro man weren’t also the pastor of Mrs. Pierson’s church.”
“Do you think he really is?”
“What? You think he’s a fraud?”
“Just saying.”
Bird’s eyes flicked back and forth with doubt. “He said he was a pastor.”
“Do you believe everything you hear?”
“Mrs. Pierson recognized him!”
Alec’s eyes danced. “The only thing we know for sure is that Mrs. Pierson’s glasses are broken. She’s blind as a bat.”
“I hate you, Alec Daniels!” Bird and Alec fell into each other’s arms, laughing. They couldn’t help but find each other’s lips.
9
The Christmas Miracle
Star of wonder, star of light,
Star of royal beauty bright.
One kiss led to another. Alec and Bird felt magnetized, stuck together timelessly and blissfully. Bird wanted this embrace to last forever.
Bird girl. Emergency.
Cody? Not now.
The pond. NOW!
Bird jumped up from the bale of straw, knocking Alec backward to the ground.
“What!?” he yelled.
“Alec, the pond! Come with me!”
“What’s up?”
Bird was gone. She ran as fast as she could. Weaving in and out of dancing couples, pushing down chairs, and leaping over straw bales, Bird elbowed her way past the big bonfire and straight to the pond.
Cody, I’m here.
Bird heard nothing back from him. She peered closely at the ice-covered pond and all around it.
Lucky came running with his nose to the ground. His tail was between his legs.
Lucky? What’s wrong?
I lost him. Lost him. Little boy. Boy. Lucky pawed frantically at the ice at the edge of the pond and opened up some water.
Bird was horrified as it dawned on her that there was a boy under the ice. And from the way the ice splintered as Lucky clawed, the ice was soft, and the boy had f
allen through. But where?
Distraught, Bird tried to pick up a signal from the boy as she frenetically looked for a clue. The pond was small. The weather change had made the snow around the pond mushy, and there were frozen reeds and bushes around it. It was hard to get a good look at where the child might have gone in.
Over there. She saw tracks. A line of small boot prints had sunk into the soft ice very slightly, where a child might have crossed the pond. They were covered by canine prints. Cody had tracked him. She followed the prints with her eyes. There! A hole!
Alec arrived, puffing.
“Alec! A kid is under there. We have to get him out. Get help!”
Without a word, Alec spun around and ran, calling, “Help! Help! A child fell through the ice!”
Bird rushed to the hole. It was at the far edge of the pond. She imagined the child’s panic. He would be fighting for air and struggling to get out from under the ice.
Lucky kept up his frantic scratching.
Lucky, come over here.
He’s not there now, not now.
Where is he?
Lucky sat up and sniffed in great concentration. I do not know, not know. He resumed his digging.
Cody? Where are you?
There was no communication from the small coyote.
Bird grabbed a thick fallen branch from the ground and began to pound at the ice. She thumped as hard as she could, hoping to crack it open.
Fred arrived with a spade. He began to chop and hack. Alberta. A child is under there?
Yes. Cody called to me less than a minute ago.
Cliff backed his truck up so he’d be ready to pull the child out. He attached a sturdy rope to the undercarriage and threw the other end to Fred. Fred nodded, understanding the intent.
Paul and Stuart came armed with whatever they could grab and pitched in, striking at the ice with great force. Alec, Tom, and Bob whacked at it with iron T-bars. Cliff handed ice picks to the Pierson men with their sons, who went at it with a vengeance, doing some serious damage to the icy surface.
Christmas at Saddle Creek Page 10