[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.She winked at him.“Paige says we’ll be headed to some tropical island.”Shaking his head, Nolan opened the door.“Feel that? Pack for that or a little cooler.I’m not sure of exact temperatures, but I do know it’ll be pretty cold.”~*~*~*~Three days later, Grace awoke feeling refreshed for the first time in months.With all preparation for the food being handled by the local catering company, Grace spent leisurely days searching for just the right gifts, shopping for a few new outfits to take on her honeymoon and choosing flower arrangements.Nolan hired a chamber group to play at the reception, and before Grace realized what had happened, she had a marvelous group playing for her wedding.All that remained was for Grace to pack for her trip and to get the house ready to close up for two weeks.As she folded a new sweater into her suitcase, she heard a tentative knock.Grace eagerly welcomed Verily into the house, chattering all the while about her preparations.Noting that he seemed to be on a “mission,” Grace sat next to him on her couch and listened as he explained his visit.“Miss Grace, honey, I had to come see you before your weddin’.I’ve watched you grow into a fine woman and nothing pleases me more than to see you married to a good man like Mr.Burke.My Marlee never had much that was really special, but after we were married for about twenty years, I decided to save up enough to buy her something nice for our fiftieth anniversary.She got the cancer about five years too early, so I took what I’d saved and went and bought her the prettiest thing I could find with it.Marlee wore it until the day she died.I wanted you to have it.”Grace’s eyes filled with tears as Verily handed her a hand carved jeweler’s box.When she lifted the lid, she gasped at the lovely bracelet of hand knotted pearls that lay on a bed of velvet.“They’re exquisite, Verily! Thank you!”Her beloved neighbor beamed.As he showed her how to operate the unusual clasp on the little string of pearls, Grace remembered the many lessons she’d learned at his side.Verily had been the only one able to convince her to try to ride a bicycle and the first person to come to Grace’s rescue when a large mastiff “attacked” Grace at age five and attempted death by slobber.“Verily, have I ever told you how much you’ve meant to me all of these years? You taught me the names of all the trees and flowers when I was eight, you listened to me cry when Paige and I had that awful argument in junior high, and you were at the hospital with me while Dad and Craig buried Mom.You’ve been the grandfather that I didn’t really have, and I want to thank you.”Overcome with emotion, her lifelong friend simply took her hands in his as he struggled to speak.Finally, Verily Wirth chose to pray.Grace sat in a contemplative silence as Verily walked to Nolan’s house to offer similar words of encouragement and support.“Lord, you’ve blessed me in so many ways.I’ll never be able to express my gratitude enough.I can’t believe he picked me.”~*~*~*~“And then I’ll ask you if you’ll love, honor, and the rest—you’ll be encouraged to kiss and then…”Before the minister could continue, Nolan kissed Grace lightly on the nose.“Will that do?”A titter of laughter rippled through the room as they skipped down the aisle like children at a Maypole.The wedding party left to attend the rehearsal dinner while Grace and Nolan took one last look at the church before the minister locked the doors.“One more day, Grace.I was beginning to fear it would never come.”Chapter Thirty-TwoFebruary“Will you, Nolan, promise to honor, cherish, and love Grace as Christ loved the church? Will you be faithful to her in word, deed, and thought for as long as you both shall live?” Nolan’s reply resounded proudly throughout the church.Turning to Grace, the minister smiled and spoke.“Will you, Grace, promise to love, honor, respect, and submit to Nolan, as our Lord bids us to in His Word? Will you be faithful to him in word, deed, and thought for as long as you both shall live?”Grace’s “I will” was strong and confident.They exchanged their rings, kissed, and the minister spoke the words that the congregation waited eagerly to hear.“It is my privilege to be the first to introduce to you, Mr.and Mrs.Burke.”Grace startled as the skirl of a lone bagpiper in the corner of the room began to draw the plaintive tones of “Amazing Grace” from his instrument.Nolan’s grin, combined with Grace’s rosy cheeks, sent a low chuckle throughout the crowd.As the music swelled, tears formed in Grace’s eyes and only willpower held them back.Bagpipes always tugged at Grace’s heart in a way she never quite understood.The couple meandered their way down the aisle, stopping to hug and accept congratulations from those who sat along the aisle.It was a custom at The Assembly to greet as many people as possible on the way down the aisle to reduce the time and wait in the receiving line.Those already greeted were ushered directly to their seats and encouraged to enjoy a few appetizers while Grace and Nolan greeted everyone else.After the final posed photographs, Grace and Nolan hurried into the reception hall to begin the festivities.A cheer rose as the couple entered, and Nolan smiled to see Grace’s blush [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]