With the help of the helicopter crews, we carried as many chairs from the reception area that we had set up at the airstrip to the wedding area.
Once Mike changed into his suit he turned extremely nervous. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to marry Brandy, but now it was happening, and he also knew that shortly after, both would be flying off to the other side of the world.
The Melrose’s and us were the last to arrive at the wedding site, and we drove up in the Mustang. I was amazed at how Kim, Mia, Angela, and of course Brandy arranged everything. They had the guys act as ushers, but with the limited chairs, they were used for mainly the family, the ladies and the older people that arrived. Everyone else stood.
Jim and Bob came up with a last-minute surprise as they had their men line up like an honor guard between the tent Brandy and her father would come out of to the arch where they would take their vows.
We had a bit of a surprise that the ladies had kept to themselves. For the wedding march, Mia actually sang the words to it. I think many were shocked as they didn’t even realize that it had words. There was no music of course, but with Mia’s beautiful voice, it wasn’t needed. I found out later that they all came up with the idea when Mia remembered that one of Kim’s romance novels that she had read since being here, had the words in it.
First Lulu came walking out of the tent carrying a basket of flower petals. Lulu was so cute in her dress, and it was the first time we had seen her in one. With the grin on her face, you would’ve thought it was Lulu’s ceremony.
When Brandy walked out of the tent with her father, she was beautiful, and I don’t think she quit smiling through the entire ceremony. When Mike saw her, I honestly believe that all of his nervousness disappeared.
Virginia did an outstanding job officiating the wedding and used a pretty conventional ceremony. But what I loved was her emphasis on their love and becoming one flesh when God blesses a marriage.
Of course, Robert was standing next to Mike as Best Man, and Brandy was standing next to Carmen’s grave marker and picture.
I know it’s ridiculous and strictly my imagination, but I could almost see a smile come over Carmen's face. The picture Kim mounted was from one of her hairstyle shoots, where she didn’t necessarily have a smile on her face but it was one of those perfect pictures where you could almost imagine any expression.
When the ceremony was over with, and they kissed, the entire crowd cheered loud enough that I’m sure the people manning the roadblocks could hear it.
The reception was great. Jake, Mo, and Brian did an outstanding job on cooking the steer, and Sarah and Angela did an tremendous job on the cake, especially when you consider they had to make it one layer at a time in the camp oven.
Kim and Mia did make up two different punches. One for the kids and those that didn’t or couldn’t drink any alcohol, which the pilots were not happy about, and of course a spiked version as well. Even in the cooler temperature the block ice that Kim had made up, using bowls, melted pretty quickly but no one cared.
Jim had a big surprise for Brandy and Mike. I don’t know how he got his hands on it, but he gave them a bottle of Champagne which we used for toasts. Unfortunately, there was just enough for Mike, Brandy, and the families but everyone else joined in the toast using the punch.
Mia then started singing, “I don’t wanna miss a thing,” and of course, trying to stay as traditional as possible, Brandy made Mike get up and dance with her. Then halfway through the song, Kim and I and the Melrose’s joined in.
After a few hours though, the inevitable finally came up. It was time for them to leave. When the announcement was made, all the guests headed to their homes after saying their goodbyes to everyone that was leaving. Mike was thanked over and over by so many of them for helping set up the roadblocks and making the area safer. Brandy was hugged so many times but especially by those that actually received medical care from her.
Brandy started crying a couple of times realizing that they were leaving and once again, you could see Mike’s uncertainty as he felt he was walking out on us. But deep down he knew we wanted them to be safe, and he wanted to do it for Brandy’s sake.
You could tell that Laura and all the kids, including Santiago’s girls, were scared. Even though they had all witnessed some of the hell of this new world, they felt safe in our community and had adjusted to the new life. But now they were going to a place they knew nothing about, except for what they saw on television before the EMP.
Saying goodbye for Red, was one of the hardest, as not only did he feel like he was walking out on his brothers but Wit and him were so close and he was starting to realize that he may never see him again. He had to reunite with his family, there was no doubt about it, but still, he felt he was abandoning another part of his family.
Even though we really hadn’t known Santiago that long, everything in this new world seemed to be accelerated and he also felt as though he was abandoning us.
While Brandy and Mike were changing, we said our goodbyes to the Melroses. Bill assured us that he wouldn’t give up on working on a way for all of us to eventually leave, and promised he would make all the arrangements once he found a way to get it approved by the Australian government.
I then pulled Bill to the side, “Listen, I just want you to know that all of those that are going with you are very special to us. Red is highly trained and most of them have specialties that could be a valuable asset to anyone. I don’t know what they have in mind but… well, I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you think you can…….”
He smiles an interrupted, “Hey, I know what you’re asking. Trust me, we’ll make sure they’re ok. You don’t have to worry about it.”
“Thanks! That means a lot.”
We also said our goodbyes to Jim’s crews, Bob, Virginia, and of course Jim and thanked them for everything they did for us. We may see Jim and his crew again, but we had to remember that they could get their orders at any time.
When all of us said our goodbyes to Mike and Brandy, no one had a dry eye. Even Mike who was downright crying.
When Brandy and Mike changed, they automatically put on their sidearms, as except for today, none of us went any place without them but when Bob saw them wearing them, with regret, he stated that they wouldn’t be allowed to take them, as civilians weren’t allowed to carry firearms on base. He added, even if he got it authorized, it didn’t matter as they would only be on base until late this evening when they would be departing for Australia through some connecting military flights.
I wasn’t surprised that Santiago didn’t have a weapon on him, but I was very surprised that Red didn’t.
I could see that Brandy and Mike felt uncomfortable going unarmed, but I remarked, “Here let me have those,” and I took their sidearms into the house where I grabbed both Mike’s and my Keltec P32’s and placed them into a under the waistband type concealment holsters. I had bought one for both of us a couple of years earlier to use as a pocket emergency backup gun. They’re very small pocket guns and were only .32 caliber, but they were very easy to hide and great for up close shots.
When I walked back out, after talking for a few more minutes, it was time for them to leave.
Everyone had to hug one more time, and when I walked up to Mike to give him a hug, I reached down with my left hand, slipping the gun and holster under his pants waistline. He looked down and then back at me and smiled.
I then whispered, “You may have to end up ditching them at some point and I hope you won’t need them, but it doesn’t hurt, just in case.”
He whispered back, “Thank you. That does make me feel better.”
I then gave Brandy a hug and did the same. I was a little worried about her reaction when I was basically sticking my hand into her pants, but obviously, she trusted me and just glanced down long enough see what it was. She then looked me in the eyes and smiled and winked.
When I gave Red a hug, I told him that I had given each of them a
Keltec just in case, and apologized for not having another one.
He smiled, “Don’t worry about it. I figured they would have this policy, so I hid my handgun with my clothes. If they discover it, I’ll just say I forgot. The most they’ll do is confiscate it.”
We walked everyone to the birds as Jonas had already fired his Apache up and was lifting off to perform his normal security sweep.
If this was the tribulation as we believed, sooner than later, it would spread worldwide. But for now, Mike, Brandy, Red, Santiago, Laura, and their children were going back to a little bit of sanity and hopefully to a place where they would escape the hell that was getting worse and right outside our perimeter.
Except for those that were leaving, the rest of us stopped short of the takeoff area but as Jim was helping Brandy into the Blackhawk, she suddenly ran back to Kim and I and embraced us one last time, saying “I just had to thank you one last time. I love you guys, and I promise I’ll make sure dad finds a way to come back and pick up everyone. Please be safe. She then gave us both another hug and ran back to the chopper.
We all stood there in silence watching part of our family fly off to begin their new lives. Kim, put her arms around me and cried but didn’t say a word.
As a leader, we were losing four very important assets. A registered nurse, our head of security, our mechanic, and one of our construction people, but at least they were going to a safer place,… at least for a while.
As a father, I was saying goodbye to my son and his wife, probably never seeing them again.
Final Comments:
Thank you for reading “Into the Apocalypse (Revised Edition)-A Novel of Tribulation and Survival-The Tears of Ephraim: Book 2.”
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Please watch for book three of our four-book series, “Facing the Apocalypse- The Tears of Ephraim: Book 3,” where several answers will be revealed.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
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