A Time in Heaven (30 page)

With the arrival of the evening, Jim had made a roaring fire in the fireplace, and Katie had prepared dinner.  The other men went upstairs and made sure the bedrooms were ready for guests.  They all made sure that Jesse rested in the big chair in the lobby.  Sadie didn’t stray very far from his side.

It was early evening when Jesse asked for help to get to the bedroom. With Jesse resting in his own bed, they all decided to turn in
.
Sleep
that night
came easy since they were all
worn-out
from the day’s activities.

Jesse woke in the early morning hours with Katie sitting up in bed watching him. 
With the light from the full moon shining in on her, he thought she looked like an angel.  He saw that she had tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” He asked her.

“Absolutely nothing,” she said as she lay down beside him. “I was just here counting my blessings.  I found that I have more than I could count.” She kissed Jesse.

He took her hand and gently placed it over his heart. “You know this will always belong to you?” They kissed again
. Katie snuggled beside Jesse,
and
they both
fell asleep.

In the late afternoon
the next day
, Jesse was feeling pretty good
.  Katie was napping on the couch.  He quietly went to her and kissed her in his favorite place.  She woke with a smile on her face.  “What are you up to, Jess?”   He had the widest grin on his face. 
She told him in a scolding way,
“Ah, no.  You just got out of the hospital. There will be none of
that
.”
She shook her finger at him.
Jesse just laughed.

Jim
was standing outside the dining room.  Jesse looked to him. 
Jim
gave the thumbs up.  Jesse took Katie by the hand and led her into the dining
room.  It was decorated like a
sophisticated
wedding chapel.
There were flowers lining a path of white satin which led to an elegant archway decorated
with
roses and baby’s breathe.
Katie put her hand over her mouth in amazement.  “Jess
this is beautiful but
, we already said our vows, remember?”

“We are married in every way possible, except legally.  Remember I told you that for Heaven to be ours, we had to sign the papers?  For everything to be complete
and legal, you have to
be
declared
Mrs. Jesse Danvers
by the state of Alaska
. So Katie Danvers, will you marry me again?”  He tried to get down on one knee, but he was too stiff and sore
.
He grimaced as he stood up.
So, he
did a little curtsy and
kissed her hand.

“Oh. You know I will.”  Katie said and then she giggled. 
She looked around at the
decorations in the normally
plain dining room.
“Jesse, this place is just
stunning
! 
Jim
?”

Jesse nodded and Katie went to give Jim a kiss on the cheek.  “Thank you so much for everything you have done for us.”

Jim
introduced them to one of the
men, which
had been unloading the plane
,
as a justice of the peace.
Only now he was dressed in a suit and tie.
He had Katie and Jesse stand under the archway in the midst of the wedding decorations.  The ceremony was performed by the book.  Katie and Jesse had already proclaimed their love and commitment that day last summer in the meadow.  They were pronounced man and wife in the state of Alaska.  The papers were signed and Heaven was theirs.

“I’ll make sure these are filed as soon as we get back,” the man that performed the ceremony
informed
Jesse.  He looked at
Jim
.  “Did you say the plane was coming for us day after tomorrow?”
 
Jim
nodded.

Katie looked at Jesse.  “The Otter is ours.
” He told her.
“
We won’t be stranded again.  We can come and go as we please.” 

Katie responded, “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

Jesse looked outside.  The sun would be setting soon.  “Let’s go for a walk to the dock and see the sun go down.”

The air
had a chill on this October twelfth
evening as they walked to the dock.  The sun over their shoulders was making the water of the bay glow with red, orange and yellow.  As they stood on the dock
with Sadie sitting at their feet, they
could hear the wolves howling not far away.  Jesse looked at Katie in the fading light, “Welcome home, Babe.”  He kissed her between her breasts. She took his face in her hands and lifted it until their eyes met.  The
y
kissed.