Forever (24 page)

Scott descended down the steps, across the stage and down the front steps. He reached the bottom just as Ray and Roni turned from the left aisle toward him. As they reached Scott, Ray stopped and kissed Roni on the cheek. She hugged him.

“Thank you Daddy,” she said, trying not to cry.

Ray looked at Scott. “Take good care of her, son.”

“I always will,” Scott said. He turned to Roni. “Well, ready?”

“Yep.
Let’s do it.”

They joined hands and went up the stairs.

“Scott and Roni have elected to write their own vows,” Pastor
Jackson said. “May we have the rings?”

Brooke and Rick placed the wedding bands on a small pillow. Pastor said a prayer over them, and turned to Scott.

“Scott, take the ring and place it on Roni’s finger and then you may begin.”

Scott took the band with three small diamonds across it and slid it on Roni’s finger, up against her engagement ring. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

“A little over a year ago, I was lost and alone. I didn’t know where I was going, I didn’t know what would happen, and I was scared.

“But one cold and snowy night, a friend came to me. My friend listened to my fears and held me and let me know I wasn’t alone. My friend saved me that night.

“A few months later, when I was at my lowest point, I received a letter from my friend. She told me she missed me and was worried about me and she wanted me to be OK, and she really cared about me. My friend saved me again.

“My friend and I have been together ever since that time. We have shared so much, and we have so much more to share.

“So tonight, one this eve of a new year, I, Scott Alan Mitchell, take you, my friend, my partner and my love, to be my wife; to share my life with you and share yours with me. I take you to join me on a life-long adventure; we may not know where it goes and we may not know what will happen, but as long as we’re together, we don’t have to be scared.

So, my friend, Roni Rae McIntyre, tonight I will marry you. Forever.

Roni stared at him, her mouth open. “Wow,” she said dreamily.

“Roni, if you accept these vows Scott has made to you, respond by saying “I do.”

“Oh, yeah,” she said, catching breath. “I do.”

“Roni take the ring and place it on Scott’s finger, and you may begin.”

She took the ring and put it on his finger. He smiled down at her.

For a long time, I didn’t trust in things like love. I knew people fell in love and I knew they were happy, but I had come to feel that it might not ever happen to me, just because, well, maybe I didn’t deserve it. Love seemed like a dark place, and I’m scared of the dark.

But one night I took a chance on love. That really wasn’t what it started out to be; it was just being a friend. But I suddenly realized that more than love, I felt trust. But there was so much that was unknown yet, and it was dark there and I’m scared of the dark.

But one night, you called me collect and you told me you loved me. And we talked about trust and forever and Kansas and everything else. You made me believe and you made me hope. And you saved me from the darkness.

And now it’s been a year and it’s our wedding day. A lot has happened in a year, and I know there are probably people who think this is too fast. But it’s not; you’re my best friend, my soul mate and my one true love. You’re the person I trust and believe in more than anyone else in the world. And for as long as we’ve known each other, it has been that way.

So, my friend, Scott Alan Mitchell, tonight I, Roni Rae McIntyre, will marry you. Forever.

“Scott, if you accept these vows Roni has made to you, respond by saying “I do.”

“I most certainly do,” Scott said.

Although they were supposed to kneel in prayer, Scott had a change in plans.

“I’ll be right back.”

He turned and went down the front stairs and over to the piano. Joanie grabbed a tall stool from behind her and set it in front of the baby grand, then grabbed Scott’s 12-string; the one he was playing when he proposed.

“A wise man once said that marrying for love is important, but the best marriages are the ones where two best friends marry. Well, we just did that.”

He looked up and smiled at Roni. She smiled back, with a tear rolling down her cheek.

“And even though we decided not to get each other gifts today, well, I’ve been playing around with these ideas for a while, and Joanie helped me put it to music. This is called, ‘There Wasn’t a Me Before You.’

“And it’s for my beautiful wife, Roni.”

As he started playing the first few notes Roni put her hand to her mouth, then over her heart.

I love to wake up and look across the pillow

And see you there beside me asleep.

It’s the moment my mind knows

That I’m not still dreaming,

The moment I know I’m with you.

There wasn’t a me before you.

That man was somebody else.

The man that I was didn’t start being me,

Until he had finally found you.

I love to look up and see your eyes smile

And know that they’re smiling for me

It’s the moment my heart knows

That it is now beating,

The moment I know it’s all true.

There wasn’t
a me before you.

That man was somebody else.

The man that I was didn’t start being me,

Until he had finally found you.

There were so many things that happened before,

Things that I just can’t recall.

‘Cause if they happened before you, they didn’t happen to me.

That would have been somebody else.

I love to wake up and look across the pillow

And see you there beside me asleep.

Because now my heart knows, now my mind knows

This dream has come true

The dream that has brought me to you.

There wasn’t a me before you.

That man was somebody else.

The man that I was didn’t start being me,

Until he had finally found you.

The crowd jumped to its feet and cheered. Scott leaned the guitar against the piano and gave Joanie a hug. Then he jogged back up the stairs to his new wife. She shook her head and smiled.

“OK, I’m back,” he said. “You may proceed, Pastor.”

After prayer, they stood up and held hands.

“By the power invested in me by God’s Holy Church and the State of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Pastor said in his booming voice. “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”

He looked at Scott and smiled. “You may kiss the bride.”

Roni wrapped her arms around Scott’s neck and they kissed. Pastor’s authoritative voice could be heard over the cheers of friends and family.

“It is my pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Scott Mitchell!”

It was nearly 2 AM. As they stood in front of the big mirror in the bridal suite of the Howard Johnson’s just off of 40/287 in Wild Horse, Scott wrapped his arms around Roni’s waist.

A peaceful silence filled the room after the rush of the wedding, dinner and dance.

“It was beautiful, Cowgirl,” Scott said. “The dance, the
balloon drop…”

“Winning the Bluebonnet Bowl pool for $50,” Roni added.

“It was all beautiful,” Scott continued. “I guess the next thing is real life.”

“Not tonight, not tomorrow,” Roni said. “We have tomorrow to sleep in and make love and open presents and Monday to watch bowl games, and get ready to go to Dillon. Then we have to get you ready for football. But this is ours. And love you so much. And I am so glad I’m Mrs. Scott Mitchell.”

“And I am so glad I’m Mr. Roni McIntyre.”

“C’mon Footer.
Make love to me. Forever.”

“Forever,” he said.

###

Thanks for reading the
beginning of Scott and Roni’s story.

There are two more
books to come and I hope you’ll like them even more.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve
enjoyed writing it.

This is my first try at a novel and it has been a labor of love.

And it has all been done without the benefit of wizards, zombies, mermaids, werewolves or vampires!

About the author
:

Jeff Holmes is a life-long writer, career jo
urnalist and educator and first-time novelist. He is an Iowa native and lives there today with his wife Angie, son Sage and kitties Figgy and Cleo. Scott and Roni’s story has been in his mind for 35 years and he can’t wait to tell their next chapter in life!