Rating: PG
Summary: The bride and groom do some thinking while walking down the aisle.
Disclaimer: The characters of Scarecrow & Mrs. King are property of Shoot the Moon and Warner Brothers. The story is a figment of my imagination and is used solely for entertainment purposes.
Notes: A big thanks to my beta reader, LizzyKL, for giving me the go ahead.
Feedback: Definitely – good or bad – either on list or by private email.
It was a beautiful spring afternoon in Washington, DC. The trees were starting to bud and the flowers were just beginning to show their colors. It was a storybook day for a wedding.
The bride stood in the back of the church waiting for her cue to walk down the aisle. ‘I can’t believe that I’m going to be getting married in a couple of minutes,’ she thought wistfully. She gazed down the white runner towards the front of the church where her groom waited anxiously for her. ‘Look how handsome he is in his tux. I’m really a lucky woman to have him. I’ve waited my whole life for someone like him. He treats me so good and makes me feel special.’
The groom tugged at the collar of his shirt. ‘Is it getting a little warm in here? I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I’ve overcome my fear of commitment and I’ve learned that there are much more important things in life that my job. She has made me realize that.’ He looked at the double doors in back of the church. Peeking over the heads of the bridesmaids as they made their way down the aisle, he tried to catch a glimpse of his soon to be wife.
‘Oh God, this is it,’ she thought with a bit of terror as she heard the opening strains of “The Wedding March.” ‘I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was a little girl.’
Noticing the woman to his left wasn’t moving, Billy Melrose smiled and gave her a little nudge. “They’re playing our song. Are you ready?” he teased one of his best agents.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. I want to thank you again for walking me down the aisle. Since my father can’t be here, you are the next best thing. You’ve been like a father to me all these years and I want you to know that I really appreciate it.” She leaned over and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
“It was my pleasure. Now let’s get going before your groom runs back here to see what’s keeping us.”
The church attendant opened the double doors, and they started their journey. The crowd in the church stood and watched as the very nervous bride and her boss made their way down the center aisle.
‘She looks like an angel floating towards me.’ She didn’t let him see her dress before this moment. She gave him some excuse about it being bad luck and considering their line of work, he didn’t want to risk it. ‘I hope that trouble loses us for a while. It’ll be nice to have some time to ourselves in the beginning without one of us getting caught in some kind of international problem. Then we’ll have to help the boys get used to us being together as well.’ Looking to his left, he glanced at Philip and Jamie. They both looked very uncomfortable in their tuxes. They shuffled from left foot to right foot, not quite knowing how to stand in such nice clothes. It was quite a change from their normal attire of jeans and t-shirts. He was happy that he was able to have both of them serve as his best man.
She held on to Billy’s arm a little tighter at the sight of the man waiting for her up ahead. ‘At least I’m not the only nervous one,’ she noted. She watched him rub his hands together, almost as if he didn’t know what to do with them. ‘Only a few more steps until I become a married woman.’
Their eyes locked and it was as if they could see into each other’s mind and see what they were thinking. There was a lot of uncertainty, but also a lot of love.
‘I hope I can be a good step-parent to the boys.’
‘I hope our jobs don’t come between us.’
‘Who would’ve thought that we’d end up together?’
‘Who would’ve thought that I’d marry a spy?…oops, intelligence agent.’
‘I’m so glad that Fate smiled upon that day.’
‘I’m so glad that we realized what we have.’
Finally, Billy stood between the bride and groom at the front of the church. Smiling, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and gave her hand to the man on his right. “Take good care of her.”
Remembering that day in the school’s gymnasium during that whole Estocian Prime Minister murder cover-up when they first met, he realized he would do anything for her, just as she had done for him and his sons. “I will, Sir. Forever. Thank you.”
Grasping hands, they smiled at each other and slowly walked up the stairs to stand in front of the priest.
The priest began the ceremony, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join this man, Joseph King, and this woman, Francine Desmond, into the bonds of holy matrimony.”
As the priest continued to speak, Amanda Stetson glanced directly across the couple and saw her husband standing behind her sons. Giving him a smile and wink, she was glad that Joe and Francine had found the happiness that she and Lee had. Blowing a kiss to his beautiful wife, he thought to himself, “Well, I guess we are pretty good matchmakers.” He turned his attention back to the ceremony and began to look forward to the reception when he could slow dance with his wife.
END