Page 84 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
But when it was time for the ring-bearer to appear, there was no John-John to be seen, just the sound of frantic whispering in the back of the barn.
River glanced down at Nora, and she shrugged.
“I guess you can come too,” John-John’s voice squeaked suddenly.
A wave of chuckles moved across the space as the sweet little boy scampered forward carrying the pillow with the two rings on top of it, as well as one small, black kitten with golden eyes, who looked around in an irritated way, as if John-John were disturbing his nap.
“I put it down next to me, Aunt Nora,” John-John whispered loudly. “And Zachary went to sleep on it.”
“He just wanted to be part of things,” River told him, crouching down. “Just like you and Pixie. Right, Zachary?”
Zachary blinked his yellow eyes at River and leapt off the pillow, stalking back down the aisle through the rose petals all by himself as the whole crowd looked on in amusement.
“Great job, John-John,” River told the boy, hugging him close for a moment before straightening up. “Thank you for being our ring-bearer.”
He’s so good at rolling with the punches. He’s the perfect man to be in their lives.
Soon, the rings were on their fingers and the pastor was telling River he could kiss the bride.
It seemed a little strange to kiss in front of everyone, but River didn’t seem to feel shy when he swept her up in his arms and spun her around. Her hair formed a curtain that hid their sweet kiss from the world, and she felt so much happiness bubble up in her chest that it brought tears to her eyes.
When the ceremony was done, their friends and loved ones all approached. She had expected Pixie and John-John to be clinging to her side among so many new faces, but they were too busy chasing each other around the barn, stopping here and there to admire the lights and accept congratulations from people they had never met.
This is exactly where we’re meant to be…
Edward and Anita approached, and the four of them embraced.
“Thank you so much for playing for us,” Nora told them. “It was beautiful.”
“It was my farewell concert,” Edward told her with a smile. “I’m quitting in your honor. From now on, I’m going to spend my free time focusing on the things I like best.”
The way he smiled down at Anita and the way she smiled back at him made Nora more certain than ever that there would be another Young family wedding before too long.
We both ended up where we were meant to be.
“I want to dance with you, Nora,” River whispered to her as the music began. “But there’s someone I owe a dance to first.”
Nora nodded and smiled, expecting him to approach his mother.
But it was Pixie who he jogged up to, bowing.
She smiled radiantly up at him and accepted his invitation to stand on his feet and be danced around the barn.
“May I have this dance?” John-John asked Nora, tugging on her dress.
When she turned to him, he bowed as dramatically as River, and Nora found herself smiling like Pixie had.
“Yes,” she told him. “I would be honored.”
Everyone burst into spontaneous applause as the four of them took over the dance floor.
A few minutes later, River’s mom appeared.
“Pardon me,” she said. “May I cut in?”
“Of course,” Nora told her, as John-John laughed and took Mrs. Young’s hands.
Across the barn, River’s dad was now dancing with Pixie, leaving River free to approach Nora.
