Lucinda stood hand in hand with Aurelian in front of the minister, her dimple showing as she glanced sideways at the man who in a few minutes would be her husband. He looked quite handsome in his Sunday suit. And herself? Well, she wasn't wearing a white dress. In fact, she was wearing the same mulberry-colored dress she'd worn the day she first met Aurelian at church. But she felt as elegant as though she'd been wearing a custom-made dress from Mr. Pettigrew's shop.
Wyatt, Clara, and Jacob stood behind them as witnesses and family, but other than that the church was empty. A small wedding, just like she and Aurelian had discussed. Anyone else would have been welcome, but neither had seen a point to inviting people to what would likely be a very short ceremony.
She and Aurelian each already had wedding rings, so there was really no need to exchange rings, although they could do it just for ceremony's sake if the minister insisted. She squeezed Aurelian's hand to let him know she was excited -- if he couldn't tell from looking at her bright eyes and smile that wouldn't wipe itself away.
@ [Wayfarer
Well, yes, it had been rushed once both of them had made up their mind to get hitched, but Aurelian was fine with it. For one thing money was tight and not to be wasted on some big wedding. And secondly, this was the not the first wedding for either of them - a widow marrying a widower. Lucinda had been in complete accord with his sentiments on the event.
So there the two of them were in front of the minister, who had graciously agreed to such a service at very short notice. The man understood their situation. Strangely, Aurelian did not even feel any nerves over this marriage like when he had been a young man back in Pennsylvania. All he felt now was that he was fortunate to have found another woman who loved him and was willing to accept the oft difficult life of a farmer. He was also relieved that both his children, Clara and Wyatt, had taken to Lucinda. Clara wouldn't live with them of course, she was a married woman herself and would soon have a baby of her own. But Wyatt was now going to be dealing with a new mother figure, stepmother to be exact. Aurelian was confident they would get along fine. Lucinda was easy going and Wyatt was a good boy, rambunctious like most boys his age but that was to be expected.
He then felt Lucinda squeeze his hand, glanced her way, and smiled at her in a glance. Frankly, he hoped this ceremony was a quick one.
Yes I am Pastor and no that last sermon wasn't specifically about you.
Pastor Gideon Evans had officiated a large number of weddings over the years. Some of the couples had married for love, while others had done so because it was convenient or they were forced to. He knew that the couple standing in front hadn't been forced to the altar but he wasn't quite sure if it was for love or convenience that Aurelian Redmond had decided to marry again. The same went for Miss Dietrich, who had been in town for only a short time. Whatever the reason was, he hoped that the two of them succeeded in this new life they were about to begin together.
The ceremony was short since Aurelian and Miss Dietrich weren't too fussy about the length of it. What mattered that it contained all of the relevant words to make it legally binding. As he neared the end of the ceremony, he looked at both of the couples and smiled, "Now, we come to the exchanging of rings, I trust that both of you have come prepared."
Wouldn't you know it, the reverend expected them to exchange rings. With money as tight as it was currently for him, Aurelian did not buy Lucinda a ring and he couldn't even give her his first wife, Kathleen's, ring. He had given that to Jacob to put on Clara's hand at their sudden wedding. Well, they just would have to do something though not just stand there.
Aurelian looked to Lucinda even as he pulled off his own ring, "As you know I didn't get you anything. This'll fit you though, probably a little big but it'll do."
She held out her hand and he said the words, "With this ring I thee wed." It slid on easily.
Now going the other way was gonna be an issue. No way would Lucinda's ring fit on his bigger thicker finger. he smiled in amusement at the situation they found themselves in.
Lucinda bit her lip to hold back a laugh at the feeling of Aurelian's ring moving loosely around on her finger. She glanced at her own ring, which she'd slipped off her finger to help Aurelian, and then down at her almost-husband's hands and grinned again. They should have prepared for this. But with all the chaos in their lives at the moment, they couldn't be blamed for overlooking a small detail like the logistics of their wedding rings.
She was fully prepared to shove her ring onto whichever of Aurelian's fingers it happened to fit on, then realized that there was an easier solution. She slipped his ring off of her hand and replaced it on his ring finger. Grabbing his hands, she grinned up at him. "With this ring, I thee wed." She slid her own ring back onto the familiar place on her finger.
Symbolically, it worked. Ceremonially, it worked. They'd "exchanged" rings, albeit with more fumbling than most couples probably had, but it was done. Now all they needed was Pastor Evan's final blessing on them, and they would officially be man and wife.
Yes I am Pastor and no that last sermon wasn't specifically about you.
Pastor Evans raised his eyebrows slightly as the couple before him exchanged rings. It was a novel way of doing what was required but it really didn't matter in the eyes of God as long as they at least they made a good attempt at it.
Looking at both Aurelian and Lucida, he smiled graciously, "Now, by the powers invested in me by the Territory of Montana and the Federal Government of the United States of America, I pronounced you both man and wife. May the good Lord bless and keep you in the coming years."
He turned to Aurelian, "You may now kiss the bride."
@ [Bailey] @ [Wayfarer
Aurelian had all he could do to not laugh out loud at Lucinda's clever manuver with the rings. Problem solved! He then looked to the minister expectantly, hoping all was in order. Turned out it was.
The couple listened then as he declared, "Now, by the powers invested in me by the Territory of Montana and the Federal Government of the United States of America, I pronounced you both man and wife. May the good Lord bless and keep you in the coming years."
"Yay!" Wyatt cried out then was elbowed by a frowning Clara.
Rev. Evans turned to Aurelian, "You may now kiss the bride."
"Gladly, sir," Aurelian grinned then turned, took his radiant bride in his arms, and gave Lucinda a deep but abbreviated kiss as afterall they were in public and the children were watching.
And it was official, with much less fuss and pomp than her first wedding -- which was nice, in a way. Lucinda beamed, struggling to hold in a laugh at Wyatt's relief that the ceremony was over. Or mostly over, anyway. There was just one more thing left for her and Aurelian to do: kiss.
And kiss her Aurelian did. Her knees wavered a little, but she held onto her new husband and returned his kiss with equal enthusiasm. She wished it would go on and on...and on, but they were in public. As she pulled away, grinning, she grabbed Aurelian's hand tightly.
"I'm glad we didn't elope. Imagine having to wait any longer for that kiss!" She stood on her toes to plant a kiss on Aurelian's cheek and wedged herself close to his side. "Let's greet your children."
"I'm glad we didn't elope. Imagine having to wait any longer for that kiss!" Lucinda stood on her toes to plant a kiss on Aurelian's cheek and wedged herself close to his side. "Let's greet your children."
"Elope? That is for silly young people. We are smarter than that...also older - the two go together I think," Aurelian was in a great mood, full of humor and yes, anticipation for this brand new life.
"Greet your children you say? Should that not be 'our children'? You are their step-mother now. It's all part of the marriage you know?" he pointed out.
Wyatt came up first, he was as dressed up as he ever got and had a wide grin plastered on his youthful features.
"So that was easy enough, huh, Pa? Are we going to celebrate now by going to eat at the hotel? I hear they got real good food," he asked eagerly.
Clara rolled her eyes, "Real expensive food, more likely."
Aurelian shrugged, glanced to Lucinda with a twinkle in his eye, "Since neither of us are up to cooking on this auspicious day, sure, what do you think, my dear? Splurge just this once on our big day?"
Wylers gaze switched toward his new stepmother.
"I've never been told I was wise, but I think I'm coming closer to it by marrying you," Lucinda said, nudging Aurelian. As they went to greet Clara and Wyatt, Aurelian corrected her on how she was referring to her new stepchildren.
She ducked her head, grinning sheepishly. "Of course they're mine, just differently." She would never expect Clara to call her "mother," and it felt like a bit of a reach even to think that Wyatt might someday call her that. He was young enough that he might one day, but she certainly wouldn't push the issue.
But the current issue was deciding whether to go to the hotel to eat. Lucinda could tell Wyatt wanted to eat at the hotel, but was thinking along the same lines as Clara. Should they be spending their money on eating out when they had other important things like the new barn to spend it on?
But...marriages didn't happen every day, and eating fancier food was always nice. Because she was still feeling giddy, she pretended to think for a moment. "Hm...I think I have some burned cornbread I could heat up for us. Or...I suppose we could eat at the hotel just this once."
She grinned at Wyatt. "How does that sound?"