by CJ Murphy
Excitement coursed through her. “Thanks, Terry, talk to you in a few.” She disconnected the call, looked over at Wunder, and waited.
“I wonder, since everybody says that’s the best thing since sliced bread, what do you reckon was the best thing before sliced bread?” He went back to the engine block.
Val glanced at Bobeye who was doing his best to stifle a chuckle. Shaking her head, she went back to sanding.
Chapter Twenty-Four
THREE WEEKS LATER, VAL waited at the back of the chairs lined up among the trees in the play area of the Cool Springs Store. They’d set the wedding near the big steam engine adjacent to the water wheel. Laurel, Beth, and Ree were inside the store. Marion and John had ridden in for the occasion. Ree closed the place for the entire day so they could do food preparation for the reception and no one had to work the evening shift at the diner. They’d put up road signs all around the area about the store being closed for a private event, alerting those passing through. They’d even advertised it in the paper and posted notices on the community bulletin boards.
The store had only been closed three times since Ree had owned it. The first time was after her husband had been killed and the other two times were for the funerals of her daughters. Ree was happy, for once, to be closing for a joyful occasion. Most everyone from the area was aware that Laurel Stemple was marrying the woman from Seattle who’d stopped there almost five years ago and stolen her heart.
Val’s mother straightened the black bow tie at her neck and ran her hands down Val’s silk lapels. “You look handsome, my dear, even if you are wearing blue jeans.” Amanda smiled. “Grandmother Magnusson would have been thrilled to be here.”
“I feel her here.” Val pulled out the tin of peppermint balm and smoothed some over her lips. “And this,” Val held up the tin, “makes me feel like she is.” She reached out and hugged her mother. It was unusual for them to display any kind of affection, but Val wanted her to know how happy she was for her to be there. For the briefest second, she felt her mother stiffen, and then finally relax into the embrace.
“I can still see the tomboy running into the house with her camera, excited to have me send the film off to be printed.”
Val laughed at the memory. “Thank you for being here, Mother.”
“Oh, Valkyrie, I know I haven’t been the mother you needed or deserved. Somehow, we’ve found our way back. I’m grateful that you still let me be a part of your life. Almost losing you twice made me realize how precious you are to me. I’m sorry for all those years we spent at odds.” Amanda’s eyes misted.
Val looked into her mother’s eyes, her own eyes watering a bit. “I am too, Mother. The past is just that. I’m glad you’re here.”
Jo wheeled up beside her. “It’s time.”
The music started and Val’s heart raced. Soon, she would stand in front of her friends and family waiting on the woman who had made this miracle possible.
***
Laurel grinned as Beth fussed with the hem of her wedding dress. The dress was a simple ivory eyelet design that fell softly on Laurel’s shoulders, tapering in at her waist and then flowing down to just above her knees. Her long hair was pinned up, chestnut ringlets falling around her face and neck.
Laurel looked up at her grandmother who stood close to tears. Her heart melted, and she felt her chest grow tight.
“Not sure where that little girl went who’d sit at my side for hours listening ta my stories. Seems like yesterday she was runnin’ through the yard at dark catchin’ lighting bugs in a mason jar.” She reached into the pocket of her dress, pulled out a delicate handkerchief and wiped at a tear threatening to escape. “I declare, I might be a bit partial, but you’re the most beautiful young lady I’ve ever seen. I love ya honey, and I couldn’t be happier to be here to walk ya down the aisle.”
“Gram, I don’t know that I’ve ever been this nervous in my life.”
“Do ya love her?”
“Oh God, with all my heart.”
“Do ya want to be with her for the rest of your days?”
Laurel’s face beamed with happiness. “Without a doubt.”
“Do you believe she loves ya?”
“Unconditionally.”
Ree scoffed and reached out to hold Laurel’s hands in hers. “Then that’s as clear as mud. I could see why ya’d be nervous. Honey, she loves ya and thinks ya hung the moon and stars. Perfectly good reasons to be nervous.” Ree looked at her granddaughter and shook her head.
“I get it, Gram, I’ve never been so sure of anything. My lingering doubts about my health, Val’s devotion and what it all means, are gone. Today I’ll say ‘I do’ to the woman I love more than I knew was possible.”
Ree released her hands and held out her arm to Laurel, as they headed to the door. “Times a wastin’ so let’s get this shindig started. I’ve got dancing to do afterward.”
Laurel looked at her grandmother who’d raised her to be the woman she was and said a silent prayer of thanks that she was still here today to walk her down the aisle. She kissed her temple as she threaded her arm through the one that had held her as a child. “Lead on, Gram.”
***
Val took her mother’s arm as the quartet from Aurora Celtic played “Aurora Morning.” Allie, Aaron, and Andru walked down the aisle with Wunder with Liz behind them, spreading mountain laurel all the way to the altar. Val thought the boys looked adorable in their blue jeans and bow ties. Jo wheeled down the aisle with Beth at her side and they took their places. Val escorted her mother to her seat in the front row and took her place beside Jo, who’d used her chair modifications to stand at Val’s side. She could feel the butterflies fluttering through her stomach and pulled at her collar. She couldn’t wait to see Laurel, who’d forbidden her to even peak at her dress before the wedding.
“Don’t lock your knees. You’ll faint,” Jo chided.
Val shook her head. “How would you know, goofball?”
“Just trust me. I almost fainted watching Liz walk down the aisle to me and was mighty grateful for this chair to hold me up. You go down and I’m taking pictures, Jarhead.”
The music changed to John Legend’s “All of Me” as those in attendance got to their feet. Val got her first look at her bride to be and felt her knees go weak. Laurel stared back at her with a wide smile and a twinkle in her eyes so bright, it could outshine the stars. Her dress was perfectly tailored for her gorgeous figure. Val watched as she came closer, holding on to Ree who was sporting an equally wide smile. The glisten in her eyes almost broke Val. She staggered ever so slightly and felt Jo beside her.
“Told ya,” Jo said, putting a hand on Val’s back to steady her.
As the music played, Laurel walked arm in arm with her grandmother until they reached the altar. Ree put Laurel’s hand in Val’s and pulled both women down for a kiss. She turned and took her seat.
Fallon’s wife, Lindsey, was performing the ceremony and looked at both women. “We’re gathered here together to join Laurel Anastasia Stemple and Valkyrie Vör Magnusson in holy matrimony. To seal their bonds of commitment and devotion by the giving and receiving of rings. The words they will speak and the observance of those who will bear witness to this day, will stand forever in time as a turning point for them both. No longer will they travel life’s road alone. Hand in hand, they’ll greet each moment knowing they have someone to lean on.”
Val looked at Laurel and was barely able to draw a full breath. Even though she could hear Lindsey, her voice sounded a million miles away. All she could see was the beautiful woman before her, about to become her wife. A gentle squeeze of Laurel’s hand brought Val back to the present just in time.
Lindsey looked to those in attendance. “Laurel and Val have chosen their own vows.” She stepped back.
Laurel drew in a deep breath. Her voice trembled. “Val, they say that to appreciate what you have, you must let go of what you have lost. For a long time, I thought it unfair to take someone’s
heart if there was a chance I’d break it by dying. You made me realize that if you don’t live, you’re already dying each day. You made me see a future, a life of love and passion. I’ll love you in this life and whatever life comes next with all my heart. To you, I give my solemn vow to love, honor, and cherish you, in sickness and in health.” She turned to Beth and took the ring from her. She slipped the wide gold band, embossed with mountains and the sun, on the ring finger of Val’s left hand. “With this ring, I bind my heart and soul to you.”
Val turned to Jo who winked at her and handed her Laurel’s wedding band. She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves and remember all the things she wanted to say. “Laurel, family is an interesting word. There’s family that you are born into,” she paused and looked at her mother and smiled, “and family you choose.” She looked over to Ree, and then turned back to Laurel. “I’m grateful to have both. I’ve seen sunrises on the east coast and sunsets on the west, so magnificent in color, they would rival any artists painting. I’ve seen triumph and tragedy in a land far away. I’ve had hopes and dreams realized and dashed. I’ve seen love in the faces of families all over. I never realized how badly I needed my own family until I met you and Ree. You also helped build the bridge between my mother and me. I fall asleep each night secure in the thought that I’m loved beyond what I ever deserved. I rise each morning with a fire inside of me that no cold can drive out, because it’s fed by your love and the family we’ve made.” She slipped the matching gold band onto Laurel’s ring finger. “To you I give my solemn vow to love, honor, and cherish you, in sickness and in health. With this ring, I bind my heart and soul to you.”
Lindsey stepped back to them and wrapped their crossed hands with a wide navy-blue ribbon, trimmed in gold. “This tie isn’t the one that binds you to one another. It’s merely a symbol of the vows you’ve made. Love binds you together. As your hands are bound, now your hearts are also. Your hands are crossed as symbol of infinity. The life energy flows out of one and into the other and back again, continuously. What has been bound together by love cannot be torn apart. By the powers vested in me by the State of West Virginia and by the constitution of the United States, I now pronounce Val and Laurel wed. You may seal your vows with a kiss.”
“Thank God,” Val said, stepping forward and drawing Laurel into her arms. Their lips met in a passionate kiss interrupted by wolf whistle calls from the crowd. Shouts of congratulatory joy rose from those gathered, along with loud clapping of hands and Jo’s ear-piercing whistle.
Val tucked Laurel’s left hand into the crook of her arm and led her back down the aisle between their friends and family. Reaching the last row, Val kissed Laurel and turned to the crowd. “Come on everyone, the party’s just getting started. You’re all welcome to join us in the tent set up out back.”
Laurel and Val positioned themselves at the entrance to the tent so they could greet those in attendance and accept their congratulations. As each person filed past, the words of wisdom and happiness filled them both. The meet and greet finished, Val cleared her throat. “Laurel and I thank you all for being here. Please feel free to dig into the buffet while we take some photos.”
There had been another photographer hired to take pictures of the ceremony and the reception, but Val had asked Jenny to take a few personal photos, too. Jenny was just as proficient with a camera as Val. They posed for family pictures with Ree and Val’s mother, including the wedding party. The others went back inside and the couple took a few simple shots gazing at each other, the rings on their hands, and a simple kiss. Val picked Laurel up and swung her around filled with pure love and tremendous joy.
Laurel squealed. “Val, put me down!”
Ignoring Laurel’s protests, Val continued to hold her, one arm around her back and the other under her knees, cradling her like a precious gift. “Not a chance, my love. You belong in my arms.”
Jenny’s shutter clicked rapidly, capturing every unscripted moment. They stood on the front porch of the store to snap a shot of the quirky Cool Springs sign.
Laurel cupped Val’s chin. “You tear that shoulder up again, and I’ll kill you.”
“I’ll die a happily married woman.” Val squeezed Laurel tighter.
They finished the photo session, and grabbed plates of their own. Val had only been able to manage a few pieces of toast for breakfast because her nervous stomach had threatened a revolt at anything beyond that and coffee. Starving and looking forward to sitting down, the couple found a seat with Ree in the middle of the crowd. The local fire department roasted a pig for the large BBQ style buffet, and Ree and the twins had prepared an array of side dishes from baked to green beans, wilted lettuce salad with hot bacon dressing, potato salad, biscuits, and an assortment of desserts. They’d catered the cake out and had a special cake topper ordered with one figure wearing a motorcycle jacket and the other an apron. Aurora Celtic was playing for entertainment after the meal, so Val encouraged them to eat with the guests. After Val finished eating, she made her way around the crowd, making sure to thank everyone for coming. She looked up and saw Laurel waving for her to come to the front.
“Hi, baby,” Laurel said, kissing her.
“Hello, my gorgeous wife. What can I do for you?”
“It’s time for the toasts and to cut the cake.”
Val beamed. “Okay.”
Jo rolled up beside Val and used her chair to stand up. She raised her glass and began to speak. “I met Val several years ago, as we both were recovering at Bethesda. To be honest, she was probably ready to kill me, because I forced her to get up and chase me around the wards. I knew she had so much more life to live. I remember the day I was positive Val was in love. She stopped at our place after one of her cross-country rides and all she could talk about was this little store that served the best chilidogs she’d ever eaten. She also told me there was a woman there who was like warm sunshine.”
“After meeting Laurel for the first time, I knew exactly what she meant. Laurel and Val, I wish you both a lifetime of love, happiness, and the laughter to see you through any storm.” Jo looked to Liz who handed her a basket with three items. “The Italian in me, and at a threat from Noni Romano, blesses your marriage with the following. The bread is so that you will never know hunger. The salt is so your marriage will always have flavor, and lastly the wine is so that you will celebrate your whole life through. Laurel, good luck with this one. You’ve got your work cut out for you. Val, even a blind dog finds a bone every once in a while, and Jarhead, somehow, you and I managed to do just that.” Jo raised her champagne glass. “Salute!”
Val turned and hugged Jo, with Laurel following suit. “Thanks, Dogface,” Val whispered to her friend. She was grateful for Jo to see her at this stage in her life knowing she’d witnessed a big part of the worst of it. Now she got to see the best of it.
Beth stood and wiped tears from her eyes. She reached for Laurel’s hand. “How do I even begin? Laurel and I have been like sisters for over twenty years. We’ve laughed more times than we can count. We’ve shared our ups and downs, our heartaches, and our most incredible moments. There’s no one I trust or love more. You made me a part of your family and now you’ve expanded it by taking the biggest leap of faith in your life. I know you have a lifetime of adventures yet to come with Val at your side. You will always have each other. Val, I trust you with my sister and best friend. I know you’ll keep her safe and protected. I know you’ll love her, and be in love with her for the rest of time. I’ve watched this love grow for five years, waiting for one of you to wake up and realize what was right in front of you. I’m grateful we don’t have to wait any longer.” Beth turned to the crowd laughing. “Raise your glasses in a toast to Laurel and Val.”
Cheers went up throughout the crowd as they toasted the couple. After the toast, they cut the cake and both sweetly fed the other a small piece without smearing it on each other’s face, although Val did put a little bit of icing on Laurel’s lips so she coul
d kiss it off. The band began to play, and the couple took to the floor. For their wedding dance, Val and Laurel had asked the band to play Stevie Nicks and Don Henley’s Leather and Lace. As the voices crooned about being lovers forever, Val pulled Laurel close to her and held her left hand to her chest as they danced, occasionally kissing her bride. Even with her prosthetic, Val was a good dancer. The two women melted into each other.
Val whispered, “Hi there, Mrs. Magnusson-Stemple, how do you feel?”
“Magnusson-Stemple, huh?”
“I’ve thought a lot about it. It’s you that has the deep roots here where we will make our home. If someday we decide it’s time for kids, I want them to have the Stemple name.”
Laurel buried her face in Val’s neck, tears trickling from her eyes. “Good thing I don’t wear mascara, because it would be running down my face. Have I told you how much I love you?”
Val kissed her. “Yes, but I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”
Their wedding dance ended, and Val took Laurel over to her grandmother so that they could share a dance. Val reached out her hand for her mother’s. Amanda blushed and then stepped into her arms.
“It was a beautiful ceremony, Valkyrie. You’re lucky to have found your soul mate,” Amanda said as they danced.
“That I am, Mother. I’m glad you enjoyed the wedding.”
Amanda leaned back to take in Val’s wide smile. “I enjoy seeing you so happy, that’s all a parent could ask for their child.”
“I’m happy, Mother.”
Val looked over at her wife dancing hand in hand with Ree. Their smiles were wide, and she could tell Ree was having a great time. The band had struck up Patsy Cline’s “Walking after Midnight.” It was quite a sight to see Ree kicking up her heels and spinning out on her granddaughter’s arm.
They invited the crowd to join them and soon everyone was doing the ’Electric Slide’ and a few other group dances. They delighted in the sight of the three musketeers holding hands and dancing in a circle, shirttails untucked. Val helped Allie dance on the top of her shoes while Wunder and the boys danced with Laurel. Jo had Liz in her lap, spinning around the floor.
