“Thank you, all, for everything, for being my sister and my friends. I love you so much.”
“Don’t start crying, you will ruin your face,” Bridget chided, but her own eyes were sparkling with unshed tears.
“Can I come in?” a male voice asked from the doorway.
“Yes, Charlie, just in time to stop the river of tears,” Lily replied to her husband.
Charlie Doherty stared at Kathleen, a large smile lighting up his face.
“You look stunning, Kathleen Collins. I am honored to give you away today.”
Kathleen smiled back, thankful this kind man who had done so much to help her family had agreed to walk her down the aisle. Father Nelson had helped prepare Richard for the wedding.
The women went ahead of them to the church, leaving her alone with Charlie for a few minutes.
“I hope you will be as happy as Lily and I are,” he said offering her his arm. She nodded, too choked up to speak. He escorted her out of the sanctuary into the waiting cab. Thankfully it was a beautiful winter’s day with the sun shining in a clear, blue sky. She glanced back at the home she had enjoyed for so long. She would live in Richard’s Brown house but would come back to the sanctuary often. Richard was happy for her to continue her work with the women and children of New York.
As they arrived at the church, they could hear the strains of the music playing. Charlie helped her out of the cab and walked her into the church. One last surprise awaited her. A group of children all dressed in their Sunday best stood waiting to walk up the aisle in front of her.
“Oh, my word, you are all here. I can’t believe it,” Tears came to her eyes, as she greeted Megan and Eileen, the twins bearing little resemblance to the young girls she had met at the Flemings. Sally and Lizzie were standing with her younger sister, Annie. Her brother Liam stood close to Kenny.
Kenny tugged at her arm and whispered, “They made Jack sit outside, but he’s happy. Granny Belbin gave him a big bone.”
“How does Jack like life in the country?” she asked Kenny.
“He loves it. He’s got a wife and a family of his own now. Mam says he can’t have any more children, though, as she doesn’t know where to put them all.”
Kathleen could hear Bridget saying that, but she knew her sister would give Kenny almost anything he wanted.
Charlie took her arm and walked her slowly to the front of the packed church. She could barely see for the tears of happiness flowing down her face. Everyone who meant anything to her seemed to be here. Dave Fleming, his son Colm, and the girls. Jacob, Lizzie’s older brother, sat with his adoptive parents. Carolyn and Geoff Rees beamed at her, as did Inspector Griffin and his wife. Cook, Jane, and the other members of the sanctuary team were sitting with Granny Belbin, who amazingly enough wasn’t wearing black. Tommy and Mini Mike were also wearing suits and looked so uncomfortable, she almost felt sorry for them. Shane sat beside Angel in the front row beside Bridget, Lily, and the rest of her family.
She walked to the altar, where Richard stood with Carl as his best man and Patrick, the orphan they planned on officially adopting once they got married. Despite his new clothes, Patrick looked exactly the same as the cheeky child who’d stolen her heart on the trip to find her brothers.
Father Nelson smiled and made jokes during the service as he married them. The words passed over her, and she couldn’t have repeated any of them, as Richard held her gaze. His hand was warm taking hers, yet sending shivers through her body. He was her husband.
The choir sang Silent Night, as they walked down the aisle husband and wife at last.
“Are you happy Mrs. Green?” he whispered.
She nodded, wishing he would kiss her. He seemed to read her mind, as his lips closed over hers in the lightest of kisses. Then holding hands, they left the church to head back to the sanctuary for the party.
“You look so happy, Kathleen. I am thrilled things worked out so well for you,” Lily said, as the women sat in the living room, the men having stayed in the dining room to enjoy the cigars Richard had provided. The children were all, thankfully, in bed asleep, even Grace and the twins.
“We have all come so far since that day we ran from Oaks’, a day we thought was the worst of our lives yet turned out to be a blessing,” Bridget said, a smile playing around her lips. Kathleen looked at her sister more closely. She had the feeling Bridget was hiding something.
“This place changed all of our lives for the better, and it’s all thanks to you, Lily Doherty,” Bella commented, shifting slightly in her seat.
“Carmel’s Mission is the success because of women like you. All of you. I am so proud to call you my friends, Bridget, Bella, and you, too, Angel. We miss you, but we know you are happy with our new friends in Riverside Springs. Kathleen, I know it’s selfish of me, but I am so glad Richard is staying on at his practice in New York. I would miss you too much if you went to live in Wyoming, too.”
“Richard is a city boy, and I guess I am a city girl, “Kathleen said, wondering if this bubble of happiness was ever going to burst. She had everything she wanted. She was the luckiest girl in the world.
“I think Carl, Kenny, and myself may try living in the city for a little while,” Bridget said, her face glowing.
“Why?” Lily asked, as Kathleen and Bella said, “What?”
“We think my new brother-in-law would be the best person to help Kenny’s brother or sister come into this world.” Bridget’s hands rested gently on her stomach.
“Bridget Collins, are you telling us you are having a baby?” Lily demanded, standing up to give Bridget a hug.
“It’s Bridget Watson, and, yes, I believe I am.”
Kathleen hugged her sister close.
“I hope you don’t think I ruined your day. I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t fair to steal your thunder on your wedding day. Only I am so excited I think I could burst,” Bridget spoke quickly.
“Of course, I don’t think that. I am thrilled. We all are. So, will you stay in New York or go back to Riverside Springs after the baby is born?”
“We will go back. Riverside Springs is our home, and Kenny has made so many new friends. But Carl insists Richard is the one to deliver the baby. He says I owe my life to Richard, and he is the only one he trusts to look after him. Richard is a very special man.”
“I do hope you are not trying to dispel any fears my wife may have, as it’s a bit too late for her to change her mind,” Richard joked, as the men joined them. Carl came to his wife’s side and sat beside her. Charlie took a seat beside Lily, while Brian, Bella, Shane, and Angel shared the sofa.
“Looks like there is no room for us, darling. Shall we go home?”
Blushing furiously, as her friends and family teased her, Kathleen looked into his eyes.
“Yes, please,” she said, rising on tippy toes to kiss him. “Thank you for making today the best day of my life,” she whispered into his ear.
“My pleasure. I love you, Kathleen Green,” he whispered back, before picking her up and carrying her out to the cab waiting to take them home.
Glossary
1.Afters - dessert, pudding.
2.Beak - nose
3.Cheeky - impudent or impertinent or brazen
4.Collect - get
5.Cockles – the core of one’s being, such as the cockles of the heart, as to warm my heart and make me feel good
6.Da - dad or daddy or father
7.Daft - to play the fool
8.Five pointer – someone from notorious five points area (19th century)
9.Fusspot – a fussy person
10.Het - angry
11.Keening - the action of wailing in grief for a dead person
12.Mam – mama or mother
13.Me - often used to mean my
14.Nuffink - nothing
15.Pride of place – the highest or first position or the most honored position in a room or the most important thing in a group of things
16.Queue - line
17.Shabbat - Sabbath
18.Somefink - something
19.Spartan – very basic with no luxuries
20.Ya - you
21.Yer - you are
Orphan Train Christmas Page 16
