If I had to get married again, I think maybe I’d like a wedding like this.<\/p>\n
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><\/p>\n
It was, Molly thought, the perfect winter\u2019s day for a wedding. Overnight, snow had fallen in a soft white blanket that covered Carter\u2019s Cove in pristine white, like a bridal veil. She and Schrodinger stood with the Trio and the rest of the wedding guests outside the small woodland chapel that her friends Mark and Charlotte had chosen to say their vows to each other. Located on the outskirts of Carter\u2019s Cove, the Chapel of the Pines was currently decked with holly, ivy and pine boughs and silver bells. Inside, Mrs. Asher was playing \u201cWhite Christmas\u201d on the pipe organ while they waited for the bride to arrive.<\/p>\n
Molly stole a look at Mark, looking nervously handsome in his black tuxedo, white shirt and dark green vest and bow tie. His groomsmen and the ring bearer flanked him, all dressed the same except for the fact that Mark\u2019s vest and tie were shot through with silver snowflakes. White corsages tied with silver ribbons adorned their coats.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t they look handsome?\u201d she murmured to Sue, who nodded.<\/p>\n
Then, through the last notes of the pipe organ, she heard bells. Jingle bells, attached to horses\u2019 collars. She and the rest of the crowd turned towards the field next to the chapel, where four white horses pulled a gaily-bedecked sleigh over the fresh snow. Inside the sleigh, the bride and her four bridesmaids snuggled under white fleece blankets, but Molly had to laugh at Charlotte\u2019s little niece, the flower girl, who was seated up next to the driver, waving enthusiastically to the crowd, the white ribbons woven into her dark hair flying in the wind.<\/p>\n
The sleigh drew up to the chapel door, and the driver stopped the horses. The groomsmen stepped up one at a time to offer their arms to their chosen bridesmaid, who stepped out of the sleigh dressed in beautiful dark green and silver cloaks. Mark lifted down the flower girl, who made everyone laugh by taking the reluctant ring bearer by the arm.<\/p>\n
Then he turned to Charlotte, who was waiting in the sleigh, her wedding dress covered by a white and silver cloak, and lifted her into his arms. He set her down on the pathway to the chapel, took her chin in his hand and tilted her head up for one last sweet kiss before they entered the chapel arm in arm. Molly sniffled a little, tearing up already.<\/p>\n
The guests followed the couple in, taking seats on either side of the small church as Charlotte and Mark made their way up the aisle to where Father Christopher stood waiting for them behind an altar decked with more holly, ivy and evergreen. All the bridesmaids and the flower girl carried white fur muffs instead of flowers, and all of them looked radiantly happy.<\/p>\n
Father Christopher smiled down at Charlotte and Mark as they stepped up to the altar, and raised his arms out to welcome them. Mrs. Asher finished playing \u201cHere Comes the Bride\u201d just as Charlotte turned and handed her muff to her maid of honor.<\/p>\n
\u201cDearly beloved\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Charlotte and Mark had chosen a short, sweet ceremony, in no small part because the Chapel in the Woods was picturesque but not heated, and they didn\u2019t want to keep their guests in the cold for too long. Father Christopher took their vows, they exchanged rings and a kiss, and then it was over. They walked down the aisle to Mrs. Asher\u2019s rendition of \u201cAll I want for Christmas is You\u201d on the pipe organ, and out into the sleigh.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d Sue said, tugging Molly\u2019s sleeve. \u201cI\u2019m cold and need to get into the warmth of the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n
Molly was only too happy to follow her and everyone else out of the chapel. The hall was only a few hundred yards down the street, so rather than try and drive, they linked arms and strolled down, Schrodinger sticking close beside them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWasn\u2019t that beautiful?\u201d Sue said, sighing. \u201cSo romantic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yes,\u201d Molly said. \u201cIt was perfect.\u201d Except for the fact that Drew isn\u2019t here,<\/em> she added privately.<\/p>\n Schrodinger glanced up at her, but didn\u2019t say anything, and she gave him a smile. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d she said out loud. \u201cI\u2019m okay.\u201d<\/p>\n Sue started to say something else, but then they were at the steps of the reception hall, along with all the other guests, and there wasn\u2019t time. They checked their coats at the coat check and then entered into the warm hall, where they were met with cups of steaming hot cider.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, what a nice touch!\u201d Molly said, taking two and leading Schrodinger and Sue over to their table. The cider was served in wide latte mugs, and she set one down for the CrossCat, who huffed across it to cool it before sticking his tongue in. Charlotte had put Molly, Sue and Schrodinger with the rest of the Trio, Steve and Luke from the Station. And there was one open seat, one that Molly tried very hard not to look at throughout the meal.<\/p>\n Drew\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n She cradled another cup of cider in her hands, trying very hard to ignore the empty chair beside her as she looked around the hall at the people dancing. It was full of people, not only from the Cove but from several of the towns connected to the Cove by the Gate, and not all of them were human. Mark was a lawyer that specialized in inter-Realm transactions, and many of his clients were there. Charlotte was a traveling nurse practitioner for Carter Cove\u2019s clinic, and she too had many friends who were from the Realms around the Cove. It\u2019s too bad Old Man Winter can\u2019t see this<\/em>, she thought, sipping her cider. If this isn\u2019t a sign of the Cove bringing people together, I don\u2019t know what is.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou look like you\u2019re thinking too hard for a party,\u201d a voice said in her ear, and Molly turned as Pavel slid into Drew\u2019s empty seat, looking very smug.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not much of a party for me,\u201d she admitted.<\/p>\n He grinned and leaned over to whisper in her ear, \u201cTake a walk outside, around to the back of the hall. It might get better.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly looked suspiciously at him, and he winked at her before turning to Lai, who had just slid into her seat and raised an eyebrow to him. \u201cWho\u2019s this?\u201d Lai asked Molly.<\/p>\n \u201cCaptain Pavel Chekov, of the Heart\u2019s Desire,\u201d Molly said, getting up. \u201cPavel, this is my friend Lai Zhao.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? A captain?\u201d Lai turned her full attention to Pavel, who got up and bowed extravagantly to her. Molly looked around, saw Schrodinger dancing with the flower girl, and took advantage of the fact that no one was watching her to slip out the side door.<\/p>\n It was cold outside, but she hadn\u2019t wanted to waste time getting her jacket. Molly wrapped her arms around herself and walked carefully around to the back of the hall. There was a small path that led out into the woods. Looking down the path, she thought she saw movement.<\/p>\n Intrigued, she started down the path. Music from the hall behind her wafted on the still air, broken only by the crunching of her feet in the new snow. About fifty yards from the hall, the path widened into a small clearing. And there, in the middle of the clearing, stood\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cDrew!\u201d<\/p>\n Molly flung herself into his arms, unable to believe he was really there. But his arms tightened around her, warm and real, and his lips met hers in the sweetest kiss she\u2019d ever tasted. It was him. He was really there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve missed you,\u201d he murmured when the kiss broke. \u201cI\u2019ve missed you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe too,\u201d Molly said, snuggling into his embrace. Then another thought hit her, and she drew back slightly, alarmed. \u201cWhat are you doing here? What if Old Man Winter finds out?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not going to,\u201d Drew assured her, pulling her close again. Not that she fought him that hard; his coat covered her arms as she hugged him, shivering slightly. \u201cWhere is your coat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to answer questions about getting it,\u201d Molly said, laying her cheek against his chest. \u201cSo I didn\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/p>\n The music coming out of the hall changed from a fast dance tune to a slow dance, and Molly didn\u2019t resist as Drew began to dance with her. Out in the clearing, under a dark sky that began to drop gentle snowflakes around them in a lace curtain, they danced, enjoying each other\u2019s company in silence.<\/p>\n One slow song segued into another, then another. Then Drew sighed regretfully. \u201cI\u2019ve got to go, love.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d Molly stepped back from him, trying not to cry or beg him to stay. \u201cI\u2019m glad you came.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGive Schrodinger my love, and tell Mark and Charlotte congratulations for me.\u201d Drew leaned in and gave her one more hard kiss. \u201cStay strong. We\u2019ll convince him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you\u2019ll be home for Christmas?\u201d Molly asked, catching hold of his shirt. \u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I have to have Pavel kidnap you from your house, we\u2019ll be together for Christmas,\u201d Drew said, grinning. \u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to hold you to that.\u201d<\/p>\n She watched as he strode off through the woods, heading back to the Snow Queen\u2019s cottage and Old Man Winter. She watched, until she couldn\u2019t see him anymore, and then she slowly retraced her steps back to the hall.<\/p>\n Pavel was gone by the time she got there, and so was Lai, to her intense amusement. But there was a small box in front of her seat, and Schrodinger was sitting in his seat, radiating concern.<\/p>\n You went for a walk without your coat?<\/em> He looked over at her. Why?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI needed some air,\u201d Molly replied, scrubbing at the goosebumps on her arms. \u201cThat was all.\u201d She picked up the box and opened the top.<\/p>\n Schrodinger leaned over, sniffed her and then looked up, his eyes wide.<\/p>\n \u201cNot a word,\u201d she warned him, taking the little silver and white ball from the box. \u201cI mean it, Schrodinger. I went for a walk. That was it.\u201d<\/p>\n There was no note with this ball. There didn\u2019t need to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If I had to get married again, I think maybe I’d like a wedding like this. <><><><><><><><><><><><><> It was, Molly thought, the perfect winter\u2019s day for a wedding. Overnight, snow had fallen in a soft white blanket that covered Carter\u2019s Cove in pristine white, like a bridal veil. She and Schrodinger stood with the Trio …<\/p>\n