Page 52 of A Wedding in the Bay

He smiled, reflecting that nerves must just come with the territory. After all, he was about to make a vow that he intended to keep for the rest of his life. It was a very big deal, and perhaps his body couldn’t help feeling nervous about something that was that big of a deal.

He had no reservations, however. He couldn’t wait to marry Josie and begin their life together. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining coming home to her every day and going to sleep with her every night. He smiled again, feeling a glowing feeling in his chest.

“How are you feeling?”

Wesley turned as Dane stepped into the room. He grinned at him, taking another deep breath.

“Like I’m made of pinwheels and it’s a very windy day. Is that how you felt at your wedding?”

“Oh, for sure.” His friend grinned back at him. “Just wait until you see her walk down the aisle. Do you think you’re going to be a smiler or a crier?”

Wesley chuckled. “We’ll have to wait and see.” The thought of Josie walking down the aisle in her wedding dress filled him with butterflies.

“Are you ready to get out there? Your parents are asking to see you.”

“Oh, really?” His heart leapt up. “Yeah, I’m ready. I’ll come out there now.”

It felt strange, to hear his parents referred to as a unit like that. They’d been divorced for a long time now, but he was thrilled that they’d both agreed to come to the wedding. He’d known right away that his mother would be there, but it meant a lot to him that his father was there too, even though he and his father were still working on repairing their relationship.

He and Dane walked out into the hallway, toward the foyer of the church. He could see guests gathered there talking, and he grinned. All of his and Josie’s friends were there, as well as most of their family members. He caught sight of his mother and father—not standing together, but standing near each other. Both of them were smiling—and he sighed in relief when he saw that things seemed to be amiable enough between them.

His mother hurried forward, along with Wesley’s stepfather. Wesley gave her a big hug, and he could feel her crying a little.

“Don’t cry yet, Mom,” he teased. “The ceremony hasn’t even started.”

She wiped away a couple of tears, laughing, as Wesley’s stepfather shook his hand warmly. He caught up with the two of them for a couple of minutes, and then he saw his father trying to catch his eye.

“I’ll talk to you two again after the ceremony,” he said. “I want to talk to Dad for a minute.”

“Of course, darling,” his mother said, kissing his cheek. She squeezed his hand. “We’ll go sit down right away.”

Wesley looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realized with a jolt that the ceremony was going to start in another five minutes. His heart pulsed with excitement.

“See you in there,” he said, his voice shaking a bit, then walked across the room to his father.

“Hey there, son,” his father said gruffly, grasping his hand with a firm grip. “Good to see you.”

“Good to see you too, Dad,” he replied, smiling. “Thanks for being here.”

His father nodded, looking as though he wasn’t quite sure what to say. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m sure about her if that’s what you mean,” Wesley replied, chuckling. “I can’t wait to marry her.”

His father nodded. “Oh, I just meant nerves. I know you’re sure about her. I support that. I really believe you’ve found the one. She seems like a wonderful girl.”

Wesley smiled, feeling his heart lift up at his father’s words. It felt good to have his father’s blessing over his marriage. And he agreed wholeheartedly with his father’s words. Josie was the one for him. “Thanks, Dad.”

“But it’s still okay if you’re nervous. What you’re about to do is a big deal.”

“I have to agree with you there,” he said, grinning. “But I’m ready. I’m excited to marry her and put in the work of building a relationship with her. A lasting, lifelong relationship.”

“The hardest kind, but the most rewarding kind,” his father said, nodding.

Wesley wondered if his father regretted divorcing Wesley’s mother, and he wondered if he would ever reach a point in their relationship where he felt comfortable asking him about that. He hoped so.

“There’s that wedding planner again,” Wesley’s dad said, nodding toward a woman buzzing around in high heels, who was starting to gesture people through a doorway into the sanctuary. “Looks like it’s time to get in there.”

“Looks like it.” Wesley took a deep breath and grinned at his father. “Want to go in there with me?”

---