𝗣 𝗬 𝗥 𝗢 𝗠 𝗔 𝗡 𝗜 𝗔 | BOOK THREE

T H I R T Y

[graham eaton]

Rory stands at the Alter with his wife, smiling at her with great compassion, a fire burning in his chest as he stares at the brunette woman of his dreams who finally agreed to be his bride. Rory Williams is a forty-four-year-old man, two years younger than my father, and the Chief of the Fire Department, a job he does well with calculated risks and pre-meditated actions. Rory's bride is a beautiful thirty-nine-year-old woman, Elaine Harper, with two beautiful children from her previous marriage to Rory's best friend, Thomas, before he died five years ago in a house fire while Elaine was pregnant with their youngest daughter, Helen. Helen, five years old, stands beside her older sister, June, a ten year old girl who resembles her mother entirely, with hints of her father within her. I've seen Thomas's picture hanging up in the station and I remember meeting him when I was younger. He always a friend of my Father's seeing as they usually ran into each other at the scene of a fire. They even became such close friends that they occasionally went fishing together on their weekends off. Beside the copy of Thomas's obituary is the award named after him—The Thomas Harper award for valor and courage in the face of danger. This award goes to the family members of a deceased fighter in our squadron who willingly gave their life in the line of service. Beside Thomas's picture is Atticus's as well as a copy of the news reports about him and his injuries and sacrifices from the day he was injured. Beside those is an award named after him. The Atticus Eaton award for strength and honor in the line of duty when presented with a challenge. This award is given to a firefighter who knowingly risked their life to do what is right for the community. This award represents that you have been injured for your career and are still around to tell the tale—that is a strong soldier in the fight. I stand beside my Father in the line of Rory's groomsmen, smiling at the bride and groom. My father leans over, an eyebrow raised.

"Did you see how short Livia's dress is?" He asks, nodding to my sister in the audience.

She wears a thigh high, skintight dress with a loose top and tight ruffled bottom. Her straps are spaghetti straps, barely thick enough to hold her top onto her chest. I look back at him and clear my throat quietly.

"Who in the Hell let her leave the house dressed like that?" I whisper.

He shrugs, looking back at Rory and his beautiful bride.

"Beats me," He says. "Your mother said 'she's eighteen, it's time we let her make her own choices.' What a load of crap."

I laugh quietly and try to stay as quiet as possible. I focus on Rory and the laughter is suppressed.

"Elaine, from the moment I met you the day of your wedding to Thomas, I knew you were the kindest, most beautiful woman I had ever met. I was jealous that my best friend was taking you from the market for himself, but I knew that you would be happy with the good man that Thomas was. When we both lost Thomas five years ago, I saw how distraught you were and knew that you couldn't raise a newborn baby by yourself or your five year old little girl either. When you asked for my help, I was elated to get the chance to see you again. You brought some sense of joy back into the world, a joy I had lost when I lost Thomas. When you told me that you loved me late last year, I knew, without a doubt, that I had to have the honor of being your husband. And when you said yes to my proposal, the rest of the world finally made sense again. Thank you for giving me a chance to give you some sense of joy again, even as unfortunate the circumstances were that brought us together." Rory says to his bride.

Elaine's eyes fill with tears and she sighs, a sad but happy sigh, remembering the past, but joyful for the future. Rory approaches Helen and June, crouching before them.

"I know that I am not your father, and I will never fully fill that hole in your hearts that you feel when you think of him. But, I hope that one day, you will come to live me as much as I love you. From now on, you are not 'Elaine's daughters' you are my Step-daughters. You are family. And I hope that one day you are comfortable enough to look at me as your father figure." He says.

June runs into his arms and squeezes him tightly.

"Thank you, Daddy," She says, hugging him tightly.

Helen follows and Rory is squeezed in between these two beautiful little girls who trust him with their whole hearts. Rory nods at them and returns to his spot before Elaine.

"Rory, when you came to me that night and told me that Thomas had passed away, I hated you. I blamed you for months until I realized that there was nothing you could've done in the moment to save him. When you came to me and told me that you wanted to help me raise my girls, I was relieved. It was a chance to learn who you were and how great of a man you really were. I may have lost my Thomas, but his kindness lives on in you. His love and joy and compassion lives on in you. Sure, you have your rough edges, but we all do. You helped me through the hardest time of my life. You were there when I woke in the morning, forgetting that he was gone. And when I remembered, you were there to remind me that he was always with me. Thank you for giving me the honor of being the woman you wake up to in the morning and helping raise my children. We all are so eternally grateful." She says.

I think of Jolene and exhale sharply. So many things I would say to her if I could.

"Then, by the power invested in me by God and the state of Illinois, I pronounce you man and wife.

Rory takes her face in his hands and kisses her, smiling at her. They embrace warmly and the audience applauds loudly. I look into the audience and my heart stops in my chest.