Shifted By The Winds (73 page)

Marietta smiled radiantly, took a deep breath, and walked slowly down the stairs. As soon as she reached the bottom, she took the arm Thomas offered, her heart pounding wildly.

She caught her breath as she entered the room, but the only thing she saw was Jeremy standing tall next to the Christmas tree, his blond hair gleaming in the candlelight, and his eyes full of love as he watched her move toward him. She had waited for this moment for so long. She never could have dreamed she would find someone as wonderful as the man who stood before her. She knew their future held many question marks, but the certainty of their love would see them through whatever awaited.

Thomas put her hand in Jeremy’s and then turned and nodded to Abby again. Abby smiled and broke once more into the wedding march.

Marietta tore her eyes away from Jeremy just long enough to peek at Matthew’s face. His smile faded into a look of confusion. Marietta blinked back tears. This night was going to be even more perfect than she had envisioned.

Matthew swung his head to look at Abby. Why was she playing the march again? Why was Thomas leaving the room again, and why was the minister not stepping up to begin to speak? He gazed around the room. They all seemed to be waiting for something.

He caught a glimpse of Carrie’s grinning face at the door, but it disappeared as fast as it had appeared. Wasn’t she coming in for the wedding?

Robert appeared at his side. “Care to join me?”

Matthew stared at him. “Join you where?”

Robert gripped his arm and pulled him from his seat. “Follow me, old man.”

Matthew shook his head and obeyed, completely perplexed as to why they were moving up to stand beside the tree. He looked at Abby again. She was gazing back at him with a look of so much love and happiness that it caused his heart to swell, even though he had no idea why. Then she tilted her head as the music faded away.

Matthew gasped when his eyes turned toward the parlor door. Janie was standing in the arch, her arm tucked through Thomas’; glowing in the most beautiful wedding gown he had ever seen. He stared at her dumbly, his brain refusing to process what he was seeing.

“Ready to get married?” Robert said.

Matthew swung his head to stare at his friend. The calm assurance radiating from Robert’s face told him he wasn’t just imagining this. When he looked toward the door again, Janie was moving toward him, her eyes bright with so much love that he could suddenly hardly breathe. He felt his face explode into a wide grin, but he was still uncertain that some part of what was happening wasn’t actually fantasy.

Matthew watched as Thomas released Janie’s arm and slid it through his own. Her touch broke through his shocked stupor. He released the breath he had been holding ever since he had seen her at the door.

“Marry me?” Janie whispered up to him.

“Oh, yes…” Matthew murmured as the fog of fantasy lifted and swirled from the room.

The minister cleared his throat. “Now that we’re all here…”

Laughter swelled through the room before silence draped it once more. The only sound was the crackling of the fireplace.

Suddenly Amber started waving her arm wildly. She had insisted on standing beside the window. “It’s snowing! You got your wish, Marietta. You, too, Janie! It’s snowing!”

Matthew threw his head back in a joyful laugh as both Janie and Marietta gave a cry of delight.

The minister grinned. “Now that we’re all here, and now that the snow has arrived…”

Carrie caught Felicia’s eyes from across the room. “I told you,” she mouthed.

The minister’s voice filled the room. “Jeremy, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

“I will,” Jeremy replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Then the minister turned to Matthew. “Matthew, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

Matthew smiled down at Janie. “I will.” His voice rang through the room with complete joy.

Carrie stood back and gazed around the room. These people were her family. Every single one of them—whether related or not—they were family.

Her eyes rested on Matthew and Janie first. She didn’t think she had ever seen more joy on anyone’s face than she saw on Matthew’s. Until she had talked to Janie on the porch, she had given up hope of her surprise becoming a reality. It was amazing how fast someone could be prepared to be married. Janie had laughed with delight when Carrie had pulled out her wedding dress—the same one they had chosen together for her and Robert’s wedding. Rose had fixed her hair, while Amber and Felicia hastily constructed a ring of greenery for the headpiece Carrie had found in a trunk in the attic. She didn’t know how far it went back in her family, but the delicate lace had looked ethereal on Janie’s soft brown hair.

Jeremy and Marietta glowed just as brightly. Their eyes never left each other as they waltzed around the room Abby was filling with music. Carrie’s thoughts were interrupted when Amber came running into the room.

“It’s snowing real hard, everybody. Come look!”

Felicia laughed and dashed from the room. “Come on, everybody! The first snowfall came just for the wedding. Come look!”

Everyone moved out onto the porch, grabbing coats as they pushed forward to catch the first snowfall of the year. The early snowflakes had been tiny. Now, huge flakes were falling. Within minutes, the ground was blanketed with a layer of white. The snow would be deep before this storm was over. The minister, determined to be with his family for Christmas, had already left. Carrie knew there was plenty of time for him to arrive home safely. He was probably already hunkered down around his fire.

Amber, Felicia, Dwane and John ran down the stairs, grabbed hands, and began to twirl around in the snow, their heads lifted so their tongues could catch the flakes.

Robert moved up next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I’m thinking I am the luckiest, most blessed woman in the whole world,” Carrie replied around the huge lump of joy in her throat. “And I believe 1867 is going to be a remarkable year.”

Rose and Moses stepped up beside them.

Moses nodded, his face content as he watched the children play. “It is going to be a remarkable year,” he agreed. “We will keep moving forward.”

Rose nodded. “Always forward,” she echoed.

Carrie smiled as she laid her head on Robert’s shoulder. “Always forward,” she agreed.

Always forward.

The End

The Bregdan Principle
 

Every life that has been lived until today is a part of the woven
braid of life.
 

It takes every person’s story to create history.

Your life will help determine the course of history.
 

You may think you don’t have much of an impact.
 

You do.
 

Every action you take will reflect in someone else’s life.
 

Someone else’s decisions.
 

Someone else’s future.
 

Both good and bad.

The Bregdan Chronicles

Storm Clouds Rolling In 
1860 – 1861