by Kim O'Brien
Watching, Laney’s heart lifted in response. If she hadn’t retrieved the wrong note that day in church, none of this would have happened. She closed her eyes, filled with a profound sense of love of God and gratitude and a commitment to give back as many of the blessings she’d received as possible.
Mrs. Gibson waved gaily as she left the store with the gerbil secured in a pet box. Laney, still lost in the wonder of it all, did not notice the top of the gerbil cage was wide open.
Epilogue
One year later
A soft breeze lifted Laney’s veil and stirred the rose petals under her feet as she walked slowly to the man waiting for her by the edge of the church’s pond. Although most of the town had gathered to witness her wedding, she had eyes only for Ty.
No music played, no bridesmaids preceded her, and no flash of any camera recorded the moment. She’d wanted it simple with none of the frills or pressures of a formal wedding, and that was just what she had.
Step by step she moved closer to Ty. As the distance between them lessened, the smile on her face widened. It wasn’t that he looked so handsome in his policeman’s dress uniform or with the sheriff’s badge glimmering on his chest. It was the simple things—the sprig of wildflowers pinned to his lapel, the expression in his eyes, the smile that promised a life of good times and difficult ones—that melted her heart.
Oh, Gertha Williams had tried to talk her out of having the wedding here in front of the church pond. The church secretary had struggled not to appear appalled. “Wouldn’t you be much more comfortable,” she’d said, “in our new church?”
Laney had thanked her for her concern but held fast to her desire to marry Ty in the place where it all had begun. Gertha hadn’t been the only one to question Laney’s wedding plans. “What do you mean?” her father had said. “You’re going to take out a full-page ad in the Daily Destiny instead of sending out wedding invitations?”
Even her friends had been slightly baffled.
“What are you going to do if it rains?” June had asked.
Laney had simply smiled. In the end, June had pinned her hair up in a soft bun guaranteed to survive any kind of weather.
Angel, stationed at Ty’s feet, wagged his tail as Laney approached. He made a handsome ring bearer, she thought. His long hair had been brushed until it gleamed. One of her father’s last acts as sheriff had been to award the papillon with a specially designed coat that identified the dog as a canine officer. On that coat her father had pinned a medal of valor for Angel’s role in preventing the school shooting.
Finally Laney reached her destination. Her throat tightened as Ty lifted the veil from her face.
Someone in the audience sighed. She saw in Ty’s eyes that he thought she was beautiful. And beyond that she felt the connection between them, so deep and strong it could only be a gift from God.
In the distance, sunlight broke into millions of pieces and danced atop the smooth surface of the pond. Somewhere along the banks a frog hopped into the pond and broke the silence with a loud plop.
“I guess that means we should get started,” Pastor Bruce said. He smiled as several people chuckled.
As she reached for Ty’s hands, Laney thought how right it all seemed. Everything was in harmony, from the frogs in the pond to the breeze on her cheeks.
Ty looked deeply into her eyes and spoke the age-old vows. As he slipped the gold band onto her finger, Laney felt a sense of wonder spreading through her.
And then it was her turn to say the words that meant so much. With calm hands, she put Ty’s ring on his finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Pastor Bruce declared.
The guests began to applaud as Laney lifted her face to meet Ty’s kiss. He was so tall that she had to tilt her head way back. Her veil started to slip, but Ty steadied it before it fell.
“Congratulations,” Pastor Bruce said warmly.
Turning, Laney met Pastor Bruce’s gaze. He grinned and seemed so pleased that she couldn’t help but recall the last time he’d looked at her and Ty that way.
“Congratulations,” he’d said, returning their papers to them. “You’ve passed the premarital exam.”
And best of all, Laney recalled, smiling, they only had to take the test once.
About the Author
KIM O’BRIEN grew up in Bronxville, New York, with her family and many pets—fish, cats, dogs, gerbils, guinea pigs, parakeets, and even a big thoroughbred horse named Pops. She worked for many years as a writer, editor, and speechwriter for IBM in New York. She holds a masters of fine arts in writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York and is active in the Fellowship of The Woodlands church. She lives in The Woodlands, Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and, of course, pets.
Dedication
To Mike, Beth, and Maggie, who make my world a pretty great place to be, and to our heavenly Father, who makes all things possible.
A note from the Author:
I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:
Kim O’Brien
Author Relations
PO Box 719
Uhrichsville, OH 44683