“Well, Rick, what are you waiting for? Whistle if you can,” Paul told him.
So Rick whistled as loud as he could. Then from both sides of the house, they could hear something happening. Katie and Melissa just looked at each other. Neither of them had any idea as to what was about to happen.
Then from each side of the house, there appeared two white horses followed by two more, then two more and then two more, then came the coaches all done in white with polished brass trim.
Katie’s and Melissa’s mouths just dropped open. There before them were two white coaches that were simply beyond belief. Like something out of a fairy tale. Each of them were being pulled by eight giant white stallions.
Sitting up in the front seat was little Katie in one of the coaches while Aunt Elizabeth rode in the other. As the coaches pulled to a stop, little Katie jumped down from the first coach and ran up to her cousin.
“What do you think? Aren’t they simply beautiful?” she asked her cousin.
But Katie and Melissa were speechless as they slowly walked down the steps and approached the huge white horses that pulled the coaches. Their men followed them. None of them said a word.
Paul looked over at Grady. “I told you that they would like them,” he said.
“Sir, I think you just became a part of this family,” Grady told him.
“That’s a good thing, right?” he asked with a smile as he stepped down from the porch and walked up behind the two silent women.
“Well, do you like them? I mean they should make your wedding special, shouldn’t they?” he asked.
The two women turned in unison, and tears were flowing down their faces. Without warning, Paul King was being hugged to death by both women.
Grady looked over at Mary. “I think your brother just became Uncle Paul. You don’t mind that, do you, Aunt Mary?” he asked her.
She just looked at him and smiled. There were tears in her eyes as well.
“Well, are any of you going to say something, or do you all plan on standing there and never say as much as a thank you?” Elizabeth asked them.
“I don’t know what to say. This is a shock to say the least. They’re simply beautiful,” Mike answered.
The two girls released Paul from their death hugs and took a few steps back. Their eyes went from him to the horses back to him.
“Where did you ever find these? I can’t believe this! You just made our wedding the Wedding of All Weddings,” Katie told him as she tried to wipe away the tears.
“I agree. I don’t know what to say, really. I never expected this, not in my wildest dreams,” Melissa told him.
“Well, it wasn’t all me. I mean, it was Mary’s idea. I asked her what would make it the ultimate wedding, and this is what she came up with. So you should be thanking her, not me,” he told them.
Little Katie tugged on Katie’s arm. Katie reached down and scooped up her cousin into her arms.
“Did you see me?” she asked her cousin.
“I did. You looked like a little princess arriving at her palace,” Katie told her.
“Hey, and what do I look like?” Aunt Elizabeth asked her from her perch up in her coach.
“You? You look like a queen,” Melissa told her.
“Well, what are you all waiting for? Climb up there and take a ride,” Mary told them.
So Mike and the two Katies climbed up into one coach while Melissa and Rick climbed up and took their seats next to Elizabeth.
The driver of Katie’s coach turned and looked at Katie. “Where to, miss?” he asked.
“Doesn’t matter. Anywhere you like, my dear sir,” she told him.
The driver snapped the reins, and the coach started moving. The other coach followed.
Every girl dreams of being a princess, and right there in those coaches, Katie and Melissa were indeed living that dream.
Michael leaned toward the driver. “Excuse me, sir, but do you think we can go twice around the park?” he asked him.
“As you wish, sir,” the driver answered as he steered the giant team of horses out of the gate and headed toward the park.
The looks that they got from the people in town was as if their loyal subjects waving to their queen. And Katie and Melissa played the part well as they waved back to their loyal subjects.
The people of the town were in a state of utter shock as they watched the giant horses prancing in unison, their hoofs clacking down against the hardened dirt in perfect rhythm, announcing their arrival to the world long before they got there. Several kids that were playing in the park dropped what they were doing and ran to greet the arriving coaches.
Katie and Melissa were on the top of their world. Paul and Mary had outdone themselves, and neither girl would ever let them forget it. Ever!
As the two carriages pulled through the gate, the smiles of Katie and Melissa could be seen all the way back up to the house. Little Katie, right along with the rest of the passengers, was just as happy, but it was the two future brides that really mattered the most. And those two were indeed happy, to say the least.
Paul met one of the carriages as Grady met the other. As they helped the passengers down, each of them received hugs and kisses from the women and handshakes from the two menfolk.
As the two groups joined together to make one, Mary asked them, “Well, what did you think of my idea?” A few seconds later, she was swarmed by two very grateful and ecstatic women. “Well I guess this means you like it, I take it?” she asked them.
“Like it? I love it! It’s utterly fantastic! I never thought about anything like this. I don’t know how to thank you,” Katie told her.
Melissa had too many tears rolling down her face to answer. But Mary got the answer she was looking for when she looked into her eyes.
“Well, when Paul told me about your wedding, I knew that we had to do something special. After all, Jack was my friend too. So since Jack was almost like family to me, I figured why the hell not. You only get married once, right, so ya might as well do it right the first time,” she told them.
“Yeah, but because of you and your bother’s generosity, everyone is going to remember what happens here on Saturday. I mean they’ll never forget it, ever. And we owe it all to the two of you,” Katie told her.
“Yeah and when some gal decides to get married in the future, they’ll have our wedding to look back on. Because on Saturday, we’ll be setting a whole new standard for the ultimate dream wedding,” Melissa added.
“Hey, you know what will add that finishing touch to your wedding?” Elizabeth asked them. “I mean, it won’t outshine a carriage that’s being drawn by eight giant white stallions, not by a long shot, but it would add just a dash of class to it?”
“What’s that?” Mary asked.
“Get the girls one of those fancy fringed umbrellas that they used to use. That would just add icing to the cake,” she told them.
“Yeah, just an added dash of class. I like it. What about you, Mel, do you like her idea?” Katie asked.
“I think it’s a swell idea. Just a little touch of the south. That’s all we need,” Melissa answered with smile.
“Well, with two of the most beautiful brides of the south and these fine carriages, coupled to those fine horses, what else do you need? I mean, really, Grady already told me that the four of you have been working late into the night to get your vows done. And I’m sure that with that much dedication, they have to be the vows of all vows,” Mary told them.
“Would you like to hear them?” Melissa asked her.
“I’d love to. But don’t you want to save them for the ceremony itself?” she asked her.
“Well, it’s not like you’re going to print them in the local paper if we read them to ya, are ya? And besides, we need an outside opinion,” Katie asked her.
“Okay, but I promise not to print them, not until after the ceremony anyways. Okay?” she told them as she started laughing.
“Ha ha, very funny. Come on inside, and tell us what
you think,” Katie said as she led the group through the screen door. Paul stopped and looked at Grady.
“You coming in?” he asked him.
“Naw, you go ahead though, I’ve heard them about a million times. They’re quite good in fact, but I’ll just hang out here,” he told him.
“Okay, I’ll be right back. I’ve got to hear these,” Paul said as he walked into the house.
Grady was busy admiring the craftsmanship that went into the building of these fine carriages. According to Paul, they had been built back in the early to mid-1800s and more than likely up in New England somewhere.
They had been commissioned for some royal family’s visit, but he didn’t know who they were or even if they had ever showed up. Anyway, they were now the property of some private collector that Paul knew personally.
Grady was admiring how the builder had brought every piece of wood up to the next for an exact fit. There was no skimping here. No, sir, these were built with love and affection for the builder’s craft. Every bolt, every screw was done in polished brass. These carriages were well over one hundred years old, and there wasn’t as much as a scratch in either of these carriages. From the step plates up to the handles, everything shined as if they were made just yesterday. And the upholstery, how perfect was that. Done in a dark blood-red maroon color, it was very well done indeed. He reached up and felt the material. It was tough yet soft to the touch. As he climbed up into the coach, he realized that the design had allowed for ease of access. In or out, it would be effortless. Even for a woman, he supposed. As he sat down and leaned back, his entire body sank into the padding of the seats. Oh, this was nice, really nice. And as he looked down, he noticed that a foldaway footrest was attached to the back of the front seat. A simple touch of the foot against the rest, and it unfolded. A very simple polished pole was all it was. But it was the quality of its craftsmanship that caught Grady’s admiration the most.
Both carriages were done all in white with hand-painted maroon pin-stripping accenting the carriage’s design. Yes, the person or people that had built these fine carriages loved the work, and it showed in every nook and corner of each coach.
As Grady climbed down, he couldn’t help but admire the riggings of the horses. Normally, they would have been done in black. Only because it was easier to maintain and clean. But not these, no, sir. They were done in the same color as the upholstery had been done in. And you could see the quality of the leather that they had used. Anyone looking at these fine pieces of workmanship just had to appreciate the amount of time and devotion that went into the construction of these fine carriages.
He wondered if his daughter, or anyone else for that matter, had taken the time to really look at them the same way he had. He doubted it very seriously. But then again, they had been all caught up in the moment, so he would excuse them for being blind to the craftsmanship that went into these carriages so long ago. But at least he had taken the time to notice and admire them, and to Grady, that was all that really mattered.
Little Katie walked up behind Grady. “Uncle Grady, what are you looking at?” she asked.
Grady jumped a little bit when she spoke. He turned to face the bright-eyed little girl standing before him. “Just admiring the craftsmanship of these coaches,” he told her.
“I’m sorry for scaring you,” she told him.
“Aw, it’s okay. Just got lost in the moment, is all. Didn’t hear ya walk up behind me. So what are you doing?” he asked her.
“Waiting for my cousin. I talked to my daddy last night, and I want to tell her what he said,” she answered.
“Really? Can you tell me what he said?” Grady asked.
“Sure, I guess. He told me that he’s happy. He said that his funeral was the best tribute that he could have asked for. He also said that he was watching over me. He made me cry. I never talked to him before,” she told him as she wiped her eyes.
“Well, I’d tell ya one thing. Your daddy loved you, sweetheart. Even if he never met you, he still loved you. That’s just how your dad was,” he told her.
“I know, and I love him too. But I don’t want my mom to go there. I want her here, Uncle Grady,” she told him.
“I know, sweetheart. I really do. But sometimes, we’re not given a choice in these matters. So we have to put our faith in God. And as much as it might hurt, your mom will be a lot better off. Trust me,” he told her.
“How can she be better off if she’s not here with me?” she asked.
“Well, what I meant was since your mom is so sick, she’s in a lot of pain. She tries to hide it, especially from you. But I can see it in her eyes. So when she gets to heaven, her pain will be gone. You might still feel the pain of your loss, but hers will be gone forever. Do you understand?” he asked her.
“I think so. So in order for Mom’s pain to go away, we have to have pain? Is that right?” she asked him.
“Well, I never really thought of it that way, but, yes, that’s right,” he told her.
“Gee, this dying and heaven stuff is hard to understand, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Yeah, even for adults,” he told her.
“Uncle Grady, am I going to die too?” she asked him.
Oh, this was going to be a hard question to answer, Grady thought to himself. “Yes, dear. Unfortunately, everyone dies. Everyone. But it’s not a matter as to when you die, what’s important is how you live your life.”
“Why is that so important?” she asked him.
“Because how you live your life, regardless of how long or short it is, will determine what people think of you and how they remember you. If you think back to your dad’s funeral, you’ll remember how many people were friends of your dad and how many of them miss him. That’s because of the way your dad lived,” he explained to her.
“Oh, I see it now. So if you’re mean to everyone, then nobody will remember you. Is that it?” she asked.
“No, it isn’t. Because if you’re mean to everyone, then after you’re gone, that’s all that they’ll remember about you. How mean he was? I remember him being mean to everyone all the time. Now is that how you would want to be remembered?” he asked her.
“Oh, no, Uncle Grady. I want to be remembered just like my dad was,” she answered.
“Then I suggest that you try to live like your dad did. Treat everyone as you would want them to treat you, regardless if they do or don’t. And never ask anyone to do anything that you yourself wouldn’t do. Live like that, and you’ll be pretty safe,” he told her.
“Gee, Uncle Grady, you make it sound as easy,” she replied.
“Oh, it is. But you’ll have to deal with the temptations that will lurk around every corner. Pay them no mind, and stick to the values that your mom has taught you, and you’ll be all right,” he told her.
“Speaking of my mom, can I ask you for your help? I mean, if you’re not too busy after the wedding, that is,” she asked him.
“Honey, I’m never too busy when it comes to you, so what do you need?” he asked her. He wasn’t sure what she wanted, but he never, not once, thought that she would ask this.
“Before my mom dies, can her and I have just one day to ourselves? Just me and her. Maybe we can go to a movie show or something like that. I don’t mean to push you guys aside, but I’d just like to have one final special day where it’s just me and her. Could we do that?” she asked her uncle.
Grady just stared down at that blonde, blue-eyed beauty that was staring up at him. What he really wanted to do was to cry.
“Katie, yes, my dear, there are certain things that a little girl has to have permission to do. Like riding the horses or going to the park, things like that. But certainly, asking for some time alone with your mom isn’t one of those. What in the world made you think that you had to ask for time alone with your mom?” he asked her.
“Well, I don’t want you to be mad or anything,” she answered.
“I won’t be mad. I promise. Go ahead and tell me, what
made you think that you had to ask for time alone with your mom?” he told her.
“Well, when Mom is sitting on her bed, I try to talk with her, and then you guys walk in. When Mom is sitting on the front porch, I try to talk to her but you guys show up. I mean, I understand why and everything. But every time I try to be alone with her, someone shows up, and then Mom starts talking to them. It’s like I’m not even there anymore,” she told him.
“Oh my god! I never realized that we were doing that. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. We never meant to intrude into your time alone with your mom. I tell ya what, if you can get your mom to go to the movie house with you, I’ll pay for it. Heck, I might even toss in a trip to the soda fountain or the ice cream parlor. All on me, okay? It will be my way of saying I’m sorry. And next time you’re alone with your mom, I promise you that nobody will interrupt you. Okay?” Grady asked her.
“Thanks, Uncle Grady, you’re the greatest uncle ever. I just knew that you would understand,” she told him as she gave him a great big hug.
He returned the hug. “You’re welcome, sweetheart, but never be afraid of voicing your opinion, dear. Right or wrong, you have every right to have them heard by everyone. Just think what would have happened if you hadn’t told me and your mom went to be with your dad. You would have been upset because you never got to have your free time with her. And that, my dear, would be simply terrible and totally unacceptable. And inexcusable too, I might add,” he told her.
“So what you’re saying is if I don’t like something or I think it’s wrong, I should bring it to your attention? Is that what you’re telling me, Uncle Grady?” she asked him.
“That’s right,” he told her.
“Regardless of what it is?” she asked.
“Okay, wait a second now. I see a question forming here. What don’t you like?” he asked her.
“Vegetables?” she said with a very questionable look on her face.
“Okay vegetables are not included in this. You have to eat your veggies. They’re good for you,” he told her.
“I didn’t think it would work, but I tried anyways, didn’t I?” she asked him.
Hearts of Grey Page 41
