Chapter 14
Trying to stay calm, Raven started blowing on her hands to dry them. She followed Drake’s mom over to the side of the main sanctuary doors that were closed. She stood next to the wall so she couldn’t see in when they did open. She felt sick. Oh, please Lord don’t let me throw up. One of the doors opened and a cold sweat broke out. It’s just Drake standing in there waiting on me. The other door beside it opened and like the other door, the agent locked it open. Raven froze. Her hands started to shake.
Feeling a tug on her arm, Raven looked down and saw Madeline standing there, her arms crossed. “You don’t look so well.”
Mary rushed over, “Hush, Madeline, she’s just nervous. She will do fine. Raven, you are a beautiful bride, I can’t wait until you’re my official daughter.” Kissing her on her cheek, Mary tried to calm her new daughter who looked ready to faint, or throw up, she couldn’t quite tell. “Listen, you look so gorgeous. My son is going to flip when he sees you. Your dress is perfect, soft, simple and elegant. Remember, when Drake tried to help us and we kept yelling at him to stay out while the dress shop was there? Well, each time he snuck back in he kept looking at this dress. He couldn’t take his eyes off of it.” She grabbed her daughter-in-law’s hands, “Just as he will not be able to take his eyes off of you. You have nothing to be nervous about, nor worry about. He loves you, and he is waiting for you in there to be his wife, his First Lady.”
“I don’t feel so well.” Her hand rushed to her mouth and she started to frantically search for a trash can.
“Hey, come on Sweetie. You’re fine. Just breathe.” Zeak stepped over to her, and grabbed her hand away from her mouth. His voice was encouraging as he subtly started to lead her back to the doors. “Look at my eyes. You’re fine. Breathe. You know if it makes you feel any better, Drake is in there about to pass out himself. It’s pretty funny because his lead agent keeps moving forward with smelling salts in his hands. Then after he sends him away, Drake looks to those doors right there like he’s going to spring through them to grab you, so let’s start this. Okay? Before he creates a scene. He’s waited a very long time for this.”
Raven nodded. Then shook her head no.
“Mommy.” Tugging her arm down, Madeline impatiently waited for her attention.
Raven kept looking to Zeak shaking her head no. “I just want Drake. Not First Lad...”
Zeak held her hands, and smiled, “Then go in there and get him.”
Madeline tugged on Raven’s arm again, yelling. “Mommy!” This time she was tapping her foot, and holding her matching bouquet, a cluster of white roses and one small red one in the center of it, firmly tucked under her arm like the butt of a shotgun.
Jerking out of her anxiety, Raven bent down to her and tried to smile, “Yes?”
Madeline went up on her tippy toes and looked deeply into her dark blue eyes. A few seconds later, she satisfactorily smiled a huge smile. Her brown eyes, so much like her dad’s, shone with pure joy as she screamed her delight, “YES! Yes, YES! My new mommy’s eyes are happy again!” She marched over and stood directly in the middle of the open doors and looked back to Raven while she pointed to her dad down the aisle, “I told you my daddy would make your eyes all better again! Just like in the picture, Jake! Wow, she’s beautiful with her smiling eyes. Okay, stop trying to throw up back here, let’s go. It’s about time you became my mom because I need a sister. I’m so tired of just having a bossy brother!” The whole church’s laughter shook the rafters as the little girl didn’t even wait for the music to start, but marched down the aisle with her head held high.
Raven wavered. That sounded like a lot more than just family, and a few friends. She looked helplessly to his mom, “How...ho...how many people?”
She guiltily looked at Raven. “I better run in there and strap Madeline to her seat before Drake physically gags her.” With that she rushed into the Sanctuary.
“Come on, Raven, I’ll help you to the door.”
“Zeak.”
“Yes?”
“If I don’t remember to thank you. Thank you. You always seem to be there when I need something, or...”
“Hey. Stop. You are going to make me cry and this is a very special day.” He carefully put down her veil and straightened it. “Now, as your point agent, follow my orders. Let’s go.”
She smiled, and followed him. She took a step inside the sanctuary and the room rushed to their feet. A wave of light headedness rushed over her, her fingers dug deep into Zeak’s arm.
He squirmed and whispered, “You’re hurting me.”
She couldn’t believe it. Everyone she seemed to know from the service was standing on her side of the church, smiling. Eric and Hannah waved. And dear Mrs. Travers was already crying with delight. Oh, could she really do this? She grabbed her mouth...
“Look to Drake, Raven. Just look to Drake and you will be fine.”
Her eyes shot to the front of the church next to their Pastor. Drake took a step down and then stopped. Her chest constricted, his black tailored suit emphasized his fit physique, his black cowboy boots were perfectly shined for her. His silky red shirt, open at the neck and devoid of any tie, perfectly matched the color of the center rose in her bouquet. His eyes captivated her, he looked her up and down. A huge knowing smile lifted his mouth, and he slowly started walking towards her. With every step he took she felt the tug of a string on her, pulling her towards him with just his eyes and strong desire. All that suddenly mattered to her was him, her groom. Her love.
He finally reached her, and his hands came around her as they had so many times before and he lifted her into his sheltering arms. His lips whispered through her veil, “You are so beautiful. I knew that was the dress. My Bride.” His possessiveness made her long even deeper for him.
“I love you, Drake.”
He smiled and winked at her, “I love you, Raven.”
“Now why did they cover her face up like that? Come on, we got to see those smiling...”
Drake’s face flamed red, as the church uproariously clapped. “My mom had better keep her gagged, or I will.”
Raven giggled.
Carefully placing her down at the foot of the altar, Drake’s hands shook slightly as he began to lift her veil. He prayed for strength, and that the words he was supposed to say to her would be able to flow through him from her father.
“Finall...” Madeline’s mouth was covered again. Her grandma tried to give her the sternest face.
Straightening the veil behind her, he looked deeply into her eyes, and leaned slightly forward, his finger caressing under her chin. “Your father told me to tell you on your wedding day, that he loves you, and has always cherished you, and he knows you are the most beautiful bride in the world. You are to enjoy your very special day with me, the start of a new chapter of our lives together. Don’t wish him here, don’t wish him away from where he is, because he is right where he needs and wants to be, in the arms of His Savior. As you enjoy your day and new life, he is enjoying it with you because you are a part of him. And he is praising Jesus all the more that this has happened. He loves you and is so very proud of you.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks, and his bride gulped back her sob. She closed her eyes, fighting against her tears.
Tenderly, he leaned in, “I love you, Raven Rose Somers. And I praise the Lord for your father. May I always honor him as I strive to be a good husband to you. I owe so much to him. He has raised the most perfect bride, the most perfect wife, all for me. You. But above all, may I honor the Lord because He is your Creator. And, you are so precious to me, I love you.” Sealing his statement with a delicate kiss, the church clapped.
Carefully wiping her tears away, Drake then turned and wiped his own. He firmly held his bride in his arms, as he turned to their pastor.
“Dad, you are supposed to keep her smiling, not crying. Men!” Madeline r
olled her eyes as her father glared at her and pointed for her to zip it.
When the congregation stopped laughing, Pastor Cline motioned for them to be seated. Then chuckling, he looked to Drake and Raven, “Let us begin...”