Until the Stars Fall From the Sky

by Mary Crawford

  Fortunately, I don’t seem any worse for the wear. Although Mindy is now worried that every cough, sneeze or burp is going to put me back in the hospital. She is now my constant companion. Gabriel must have sensed that I need a break, because he is allowing her to shoot endless questions at him about drawing and comic books and follow him around like a baby duckling.

  “Pipsqueak, are you hanging in there?” my dad asks as he stands behind me trying in vain to tame an errant curl in his newly trimmed hair.

  I reach up to tuck an artfully curled ringlet behind my ear, “Yes, I’m actually feeling fine. I’m really excited. I’m just nervous that I’m going to flub the vows.”

  “Girl!” Donda reprimands, “I told you to stop messing with your hair. You can’t improve on perfection, so just stop.”

  I look up at Donda, embarrassed to be caught fidgeting again. She looks stunning with the sun glinting off of the tiny star earrings adorning her delicate ears and her short severe hairstyle, highlighted by a swath of deep burgundy color that enhances her long neck and defined arms as she tucks another pearl pin in my hair. Initially, I had just assumed that Jeff would be doing my hair for the wedding, but so many people had superstitions that we decided that it would make everyone feel most comfortable to honor tradition. Therefore, Donda is handling my glamorizing as well as my maids of honor and Jeff is in charge of everyone else’s. “Donda you are right, I look like a vision. It’s better than anything I could have conjured up in my wildest imagination. Thank you so much for being my one woman styling team” I say as I gingerly hug her, trying not to disrupt anything.

  “Kiera, you are family now and I take care of my own. It’s really nothing. Who do you think taught that little brother of mine to do all of those cool things?” she answers with a wink and a smile. “Now, go talk to your dad. He seems ready to burst at the seams.”

  I go across the room to where my dad is staring pensively across the deck at the waves crashing on the beach. “Daddy?” I probe softly.

  My dad sinks down on a nearby ottoman as he cries, “Oh Pip, your mother would be so proud of you today. Before she got sick, she used to talk about what this day would be like and she was so excited about the years to come. I’m still angry that she took your legs from you, but please never doubt that she wanted the best for you.”

  “I know Daddy,” I reply, holding his hands tightly, hoping to convey the depth of my emotion, “the real villain here was the brain tumor and the rest of us paid an unforgivable price. Today is a really huge step in showing the world that in the end, villains don’t always win.”

  My dad gathers me into a careful hug as he murmurs in my ear, “Beautiful and smart. How did I get so amazingly lucky?”

  I pull away with a tearful smile as I whisper, “I guess I’m just blessed with great genes.”

  Mindy comes bursting into the room, her hair an elegant mixture of braids, curls, ribbons and small delicate flowers. “Come on, slow pokes!” she admonishes, “Mr. Jeff is waiting. Oh, I’m ‘upposed to give you this.” Mindy drops a small gift bag in my lap and starts to run toward the door. ”I gots to go line up with Gabriel, cause I’m the flower girl. Miss Heather, Miss Donda and Ms. Tara are supposed to be there too — the judge said,” Mindy directs with an air of authority.

  I laugh at her take-charge-style and how swiftly the adults around her snap to attention. I marvel at how quickly she has blossomed from the child, who a few months ago, couldn’t bear to make eye contact with anyone.

  “I’ll be right there Mindy Mouse,” I respond as I carefully open the gift from Jeff. I’m stunned to find pearl earrings embellished with polished jade. Attached is a simple card written in Jeff’s bold script.

  Pip,

  Today we are married and

  Together we will discover every day

  Until the stars fall from the sky.

  I’ll love you until…

  Your PC

  Wordlessly, I hand the card to my dad as I fumble to put the earrings in while my hands are shaking like a leaf.

  My dad whistles through his teeth as he reads the card, “Oh baby girl, I’d say you’ve got a keeper here — .”

  “Dad,” I interrupt, voicing my deepest fears, “I love him with my whole heart, but what if my love isn’t big enough for him? What if I’m not enough?”

  My dad clasps my hands in his large gnarled hands — randomly I note that his fingernails are spotless and I don’t ever remember seeing them that clean since the day my mom died — and he looks me in the eyes. “Kiera, honey, only you two can answer that question for sure. However, when you look ten, or twenty or forty years down the road, how do you envision your life?”

  I sniff, trying hard not to cry and ruin several hours of Donda’s hard work as I reply without any second thoughts, “I’m side by side with Jeff and the girls are ours.”

  My dad nods with approval, “Well, there you go then. That tells me everything I need to know. You might not be as eloquent as your young man, but you don’t know the meaning of the word quit. If you can’t get something done one way, you just attack it from a different angle until you get it accomplished. If you’ve decided that a happy marriage and family are what you are going to have, I have no doubt you’ll put in your fair share,” my dad advises. “But, what really convinces me that this is going to work is that you are able to let Jeff help you. For a child whose favorite phrase was ‘I do it myself!’, that kind of natural partnership says more than fancy poetry ever could.”

  I squeeze my dad’s hands and blink away tears. He is right. Jeff and I are an amazing team and the connection between us was present even before we met. I’m just letting my own insecurities give me the jitters. “Daddy, are you ready to officially turn your Pipsqueak into Mrs. Pip?” I ask with a smile.

  “With pleasure,” my dad says as he spins my chair out of the room with a flourish.

  Gwendolyn has turned William and Isobel’s deck into a garden paradise. There are roses, carnations, and ferns everywhere I look. As I look briefly at the guests assembled, I am surprised to see some of my coworkers and some of the nurses that cared for the girls and most shocking, Sam, the little boy I rescued at the lake.

  I watch as Heather and Tyler walk down the aisle together. Heather looks like a movie star as her burgundy halter dress floats around her shapely calves and her golden curls frame her face. As her stiletto catches in the decking, Ty slips his arm around her waist to steady her and as he does so, he whispers in her ear, “Easy, Gidget we’re not in any hurry to get to that aisle just yet. I’m an old fashioned kind of guy. I’d like a right and proper date first.”

  The rows that are within earshot titter with laughter and Heather blushes a deep red. This is interesting. In all the years I’ve known Heather, I’ve never seen anything or anyone ruffle her feathers. Now it seems Ty has done it at least twice. Not to be outdone, she whispers, “Does your ego get a bit heavy there, Cowboy?”

  He cocks an eyebrow at her as he murmurs under his breath, “No, Heather, that wasn’t ego talkin’, I was merely statin’ a fact.”

  Heather gives me an exaggerated eye roll and stares straight ahead.

  Tara is next in her striking blue dress, from the front, this dress is demure, but the back has a plunging neckline with an intricate lace panel. Right now, she is so preoccupied with keeping Becca calm that she has forgotten her discomfort about wearing a dress. When it quickly becomes apparent that the Princess Peanut is not happy riding in her makeshift coach — a lace and pearl encrusted vintage red-flyer — Tara scoops Becca up and rests her on her hip as she walks slowly up the aisle swaying her hips in an effort to soothe the fussy baby.

  Tara reaches the front of the aisle and shyly smiles at the piano player; he stumbles and plays a sour note. A murmur of understanding passes through the crowd as everyone seems to understand his lapse in concentration.

  Mindy is hopping up and down in the back of the room trying to see what happened. “Is it my turn yet?” she
asks anxiously.

  “Not quite, Mindy Mouse,” I whisper, “Miss Donda has to light candles first, remember?”

  Mindy turns to Donda as she is struggling to light the torch in the slight breeze and asks in an urgent whisper, “Miss Donda? Can you hurry up? I want it to be my turn.”

  Gabriel lays a hand on her shoulder and says softly, “Little Bit, if you’re patient, I’ll show you how to shoot baskets later.”

  Mindy’s eyes widen and her body freezes practically mid-hop. “Really?” she probes, “you’re gonna teach me to play basketball like a fifth grader? You’re not just trickin?”

  Gabriel shrugs as he answers, “Sure. Why not? You already jump high.”

  The look of total adoration and hero worship, Gabriel receives is worthy of a fairy tale and is enough to make him squirm and turn the tips of his ears red. “Mindy, I think it’s our turn to go. Do you remember what you need to do?” he asks as he tucks some hair behind her ear.

  “Duh!” Mindy retorts, “I’m not a baby. I know lots of things. I escapeded a kidnapper and rescued my baby sister all by myself. I think I can throw some flower thingies.”

  Gabriel touches her arm and gently says, “Relax, Little Bit, I was only asking if your nerves are under control. I am so nervous, I’m about to drop this pillow.”

  Mindy giggles as she responds, “No way! You can’t do that. Your job is way more important than mine. They hafta have the rings. They can’t get married without them,” she announces as she chucks the rose petals up the aisle in one large arch and drags Gabriel down to the front.

  “Hold on Little Bit,” Gabriel gasps as he struggles to keep up with Mindy while balancing the delicate pillow, ”I told you I am nervous, I didn’t say I was really going to drop the pillow, but I will if you race me.”

  Mindy slows down, but still grips his hand tightly as she announces in a loud stage whisper that I can easily hear clear down the aisle. “Mr. Jeff, we brought the rings. Gabe was ascared, but I helped him. So, you can get married now, okay?” The whole audience broke out into light laughter except Gabe, who was glaring at her.

  Jeff chuckles as he walks Mindy over to where the Girlfriend Posse is standing and he kneels down and fixes a flower in her hair as he replies, “Well, Princess, I appreciate the help, but I think Gabriel would have done okay on his own. I think I should probably wait until my bride shows up to get married, don’t you think?” After dropping Gabriel off in front of Donda and giving him a discrete fist-bump, he slowly turns and looks down the aisle toward me.

  As our eyes meet, the energy in the room changes. It is almost as if the world has fallen away and I can feel him touching my soul. I feel my whole body vibrate with anticipation, yet I’m completely at peace. I watch as tears gather in Jeff’s eyes and he swallows hard. My dad lifts my veil just enough to kiss my cheek, then lets it flutter back in place. “Go get your Prince Charming, Pipsqueak. It’s clear your heart belongs to him, so you might as well make it official.”

  “It’s true Daddy,” I agree wiping away tears. “My heart does belong to him now. But, the reason it was in such good shape for me to give to him is because my heart belonged to you first.”

  Chapter 29: Jeff

  Kiera is everything I always dreamed about and so much more I couldn’t guess that I would want or need. She is clearly my everything. I wish my grandparents were alive to see this. While my Grandfather would be proud of my professional accomplishments, I think this would mean far more to him. As I catch her gaze, it’s as heart stopping as it was the first time we met. I have to catch my breath because the energy that flows between us seems to suck all of the oxygen out of the room. The connection between us is so strong that it almost feels physical. I see her smile at me and take a deep breath. I watch as Denny kisses her cheek and they both dab away tears.

  The piano player begins playing the traditional wedding march. My eyes don’t leave Pip. Of all the looks I’ve seen her in; this is by far my favorite. She is in an ivory lace dress that gently hugs her curves while appearing demure. For now, her face is partially obscured by a crystal-embedded veil, but she still looks exquisite. “You look beautiful, Pip. I love you,” I whisper as she hands her bouquet to Heather.

  “Thank you, PC,” she replies, “I love you too and you are looking rather dashing yourself.”

  William clears his throat as he says with a wide grin, “I hate to interrupt this love-fest, but I do believe we have some official business to attend to.”

  I flush a little as I answer, “By all means Sir, let’s get this show on the road.”

  He nails me with a glance, but proceeds in a deep voice as I hold Kiera’s hand, which is trembling slightly — or maybe it’s mine. My heart is beating so fast that I am tempted to fall back into my old habit of playing a role to calm my nerves, but I don’t want to close down my emotions. I want to remember every second of this day so that one day I can tell my kids and grandkids about the day I married my everything.

  “Friend’s and family of Jeff and Kiera, we are gathered here to support their decision to formalize their declarations of love in front of God and all of the people that are important to them,” William announces. “I was privileged to be present at one of their earliest dates and I could tell that their relationship was going to be something special even then. Since I have known Kiera since before she could talk, I’m thrilled to help her commemorate her vows to this extraordinary young man. I envision for this couple the kind of epic love story I have with my wife, Isobel. If they can cling to each other in times of trouble and celebrate shared victories, still remain breathless when the other enters a room and remember that words have the power to both destroy souls or move mountains, I’m sure they will be hosting anniversary parties for years to come.”

  “Who gives this lovely woman’s hand in marriage?” William asks Denny.

  Denny chokes up as he answers, “I do and I know if cancer hadn’t taken Karen, she would have given her blessing too.” Denny folds back Kiera’s veil and kisses her on the cheek as he whispers, “I’m so proud of you, Pipsqueak. Go be happy.”

  I look over at Kiera and tears are streaming down her face. I remove a white cotton handkerchief from my breast pocket and hand it to her with a gentle smile. She turns her wheelchair and I pivot on the small stool that I’m sitting on. Now, we are sitting face-to-face and holding hands.

  “While I’m at it, does anyone have any objections to this wedding?” Former Justice Gardner looks very intimidating even without robes as he waits a few seconds for a response. “No objections? Great! I’d hate to have to throw around my influence to get someone to change their mind.” He winks at the guests and they laugh.

  William looks directly at Kiera and asks, “Kiera Celeste Ashley, do you take Jeffery Charles Whitaker to be your husband? Do you promise to love him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health and to form an unbreakable bond built on friendship and respect?”

  Kiera looks at me for a long beat. I think my heart is going to stop and I have to remind myself to breathe. She gives me a dazzling smile and squeezes my hands gently as she proclaims, “Yes, absolutely, without question.”

  I sag a little in relief as William chuckles and quips “Well, I guess that’s clear enough.” He winks at me as he continues, “Jeffery Charles Whitaker, do you take Kiera Celeste Ashley to be your wife? Do you promise to love her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health and to form an unbreakable bond built on friendship and respect?”

  “Yes, your Honor, I do.” I answer as I interlace our fingers.

  William smirks as he replies, “Son, I’m going to let that one slide since I’m here in an official capacity; but as a family friend, I expect you to call me William.

  “Okay, sir,” I stammer reflexively and I stare helplessly at Kiera.

  William looks at Denny as he remarks, “There are some fine manners drilled into this one. Kiera chose well.”

  Kiera just grins at me and whispers, “I tol
d you he likes you.”

  William lightly clears his throat as he announces, “Kiera and Jeff have crafted their own ring ceremony, so I’m going to let them share that with you. However, I want to share an observation with you. Both of them asked their families to take the rings in for engraving as a surprise to the other and they independently chose the same inscription. To me this shows that their marriage is about a meeting of hearts and minds. Kiera, would you like to start?”

  Kiera breathes deeply and grips my hands in a death grip as she starts speaking, her voice full of emotion. “Jeff, you are everything that I have always dreamed of, but never dared hoped to have. For most of my life, I’ve been on the outside looking in. I’ve watched others around me enjoy the simple joys of life — like flirting over a cup of coffee, snuggling on the couch or having a sweet, sexy slow dance. While I was always happy for my friends, there was a deep sadness that it may never happen for me. I’ve never told you this, but I almost didn’t go on that fateful boating trip. I was afraid that pedal boating was going to be one more activity that I watched from the sidelines and felt somehow ‘less than’. However, it took only one brief encounter across the lake and you pulled me off those sidelines forever. It’s as if we were a key and lock searching for each other across time. Meeting you has unlocked parts of my heart and soul and given me peace. Because of you, I feel brave, strong and sexy.”

  She pauses and looks at Denny as she says, “Sorry, Daddy…”

  Denny laughs as he remarks, “Don’t be sorry. I’ve been trying to tell you you’re a knockout for years, but you never listen to me.”

  Kiera blushes deeply as she continues tearfully, “Jeff, our life has been crazy since the moment we met. Yet, with each challenge we face, we grow stronger. You told me before we even had our first formal date that you’d like to prove to me that you’d love me until the stars fall from the sky. Although at first, I was scared to believe, you have demonstrated in big ways and small that you love me. So, for me this ring is a tangible sign of my love for you.”