Page 33 of Her Candy Cane Cowboy
In the wagon wearing a beautiful smile and carrying my heart is the woman I can’t believe chose to be with me. Her dress is a simple white one with a blue sash on the waist that my mother made for her. Tiny white flowers are braided in her hair.
It’s taking all my strength not to hit my knees. I feel like that every time I see her. Like I want to go face down on the ground and pour out my gratitude that I’m going to spend my life with this woman.
My father’s hand settles on my shoulder, and he gives it a squeeze.
In a front row seat, my mother already has tears on her face. My brother Ridge hands her a tissue.
The wedding song begins as Ronald takes his daughter’s hand and helps her down from the wagon. She doesn’t know yet what her mother left behind for her, and I figure once that’s shared, I’ll also have to wipe away tears.
They walk slowly along the aisle to the flower arch and when they reach the end instead of putting her hand in mine like Ginger expects, Ronald turns his daughter toward him.
He pulls a pair of glasses from his pocket, puts them on and takes a letter out. He clears his throat. “Your mom wrote this and told me to keep up with it. And…anyway, here it is.
He begins to read out loud,
“My darling daughter, it’s your wedding day. I’ll bet it’s as beautiful as you are. I’m hoping that day is full of sunshine and happiness. Have a dance with your new husband. Live a happy life. Give your someday children a kiss from me and tell them grandma loves them. And know that I will always, always watch over you.
Love you for all eternity,
Mom”
He folds the letter with trembling fingers. Ginger cries along with her dad and they share a long hug.
Everyone in the audience is crying.
There’s a tight squeeze in my heart for the bittersweet moment this must be for my woman. If I had the ability, I’d erase the past and bring her mom back for her.
Ronald’s cheeks puff out on a hard exhale, and he takes his daughter by the hand and links mine with hers. He covers both our hands with his. “Be good to each other every day. I love you.”
He moves to stand beside her.
I wipe away Ginger’s tears and speak a few words of comfort to her. Then the officiant begins the ceremony to unite me and my bride. I can’t tear my attention away from the beautiful woman with me.
“The rings,” my dad says and I realize I was caught in a daze.
I take the box he hands me and open it. To go with her mother’s ring, I had a wedding band created that matches the same design.
Ginger passes her bouquet of wildflowers to her father and holds out her hand. She bites her trembling lip as I put the ring on her finger. Then she takes a ring box from her father and removes a wedding band.
“It has a special inscription,” she says in a low voice, angling it so I can read it.
My candy cane cowboy, I love you, is on the inside of the band along with today’s date.
I chuckle and hold out my hand so she can slip it on, and we share a smile at the private joke.
The officiant announces we’re now husband and wife.
I kiss Ginger for the first time as her husband and a well of emotion bubbles within me. A fierce determination to protect her, to give her joy and hope and all the love she can handle.
Everyone is clapping and cheering for us as we pull apart.
My parents are directing the photographer to take more pictures and I’m so damn happy I think my heart can’t hold anything more.
“Okay, what’s next?” I hear my father ask.
He’s looking at the photographer, but I lean close to Ginger’s ear and whisper. “What’s next? The honeymoon for this lucky groom.”
She smiles and whispers back, “And this lucky bride.”
