Capítulo 21: Elizabeth's Blessed Event
Joe darts toward the woods. "Rachel, Rachel," he screams, running deeper into the forest. Hearing Joe's voice, Rachel hobbles towards him. "Over here." Rachel grimaces from the pain as she walks through the thick brush. Gritting her teeth, she continues. "I'm over here," Rachel repeats. Her pain becomes so overwhelming she grabs a tree for support. Seeing Joe, she yells, "Go to your left." Finding his beautiful wife propped against an oak, Joe darts to her. "I thought I lost you," he blubbers, scooping her into his arms. His athletic body trembles as he pulls her against him. Joe glances at the clear afternoon skies and softly whispers, "Thank you." He hugs Rachel again. I was so afraid I lost you, afraid that..." Horrid thoughts flash through his mind; he pushes them aside. Joe wipes a tear from his cheek and continues. "I love you, Rachel, more than you'll ever know. You're my world, my reason for being. I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened to you." He sobs.
"And I love you, Joe, forever and always with all my heart, she says, holding him tighter.
The bright afternoon sun peeks through the clouds. Birds chirp softly in the distance like nature is rejoicing over a love that was always meant to be.
"You two lovebirds make me sick," Romero growls, rolling his eyes.
Rachel laughs as she takes a step back. She wipes the moisture from her face and says, "Joe, meet Santiago Romero."
He looks over to find a plump, well-dressed gentleman handcuffed to a sizeable blossoming cherry tree. Its bright pink leaves add vibrant color to the otherwise homogenous forest.
"I tried to bring him in, but my ankle hurts so bad I had to stop. So, I decided to handcuff him to the tree and wait."
"Yeah, and because of your lame-brained idea, I have bugs crawling all over me," he says, trying to shake the creepy crawlers off him.
"You're damn lucky she didn't shoot your sorry ass."
"I did." Rachel points to his wounded extremity.
Joe sees blood dripping from his leg.
"That's the only reason she caught me," Romero snarls.
"How did you survive the explosion, Rachel?"
"We fell into a ditch right before it happened." She glances at her swollen extremity. "I think I twisted my ankle in the process."
"Your clumsiness probably saved your life."
"Lucky me," Romero says, rolling his eyes.
***
The breeze blows gently on a warm summer's day. The heavenly scent of flowers drifts through the tepid air as an abundance of guests crowds through the arched doorways into the floral-laden cathedral.
The extraordinary forty-eight-foot structure utilizes a unique crisscross design. Its sturdy frame supports over four hundred windows and six thousand square feet of glass. A thick metal roof covers the structure with a row of windows in the center. Wooden benches with navy blue seats are on either side. Gold-colored lights shaped like a cross hang from the dark oak wall between them. Ruby-colored satin covers the original stone floor. The exquisite runway leads to a beautiful array of floral bouquets. Three small steps lead to a grand stage. There's an oak podium in the center. Two giant ferns are adjacent to it. An organ is off to the left.
Joe glances around at the mass of happy citizens. I'm so glad things worked out the way they did. He and his officers worked round the clock until Romero and all his crew were behind bars. They're now serving ten years or more in the state pen. His old pal from IAB will never see the light of day again, which couldn't please Joe more. He turns towards his wife and says, "She'd still be on the run if it weren't for all your hard work."
Rachel's eyes twinkle when she gazes up at her handsome man. "I'm just doing my job, captain."
He strums his finger down the side of her face. "You're amazing; you know that?"
She pokes his chest. "You better not forget it either, bud."
"I won't, believe me, I won't." You won't let me. Joe thinks. Glancing towards the front, he finds John anxiously fidgeting around. Joe then recalls how nervous he was on their wedding day. He looks over at his wife and smiles. What you're going through now is so well worth it. Trust me, it is.
John is to the right of the platform with his brother Jack by his side. Both are wearing freshly pressed royal blue suits with a baby blue shirt underneath. There's a red carnation in their breast pockets, their black dress shoes polished.
"This is your last seconds of freedom, bro."
"I know, I know." John scans the growing crowd and then anxiously shifts his weight.
"You're not chickening out on me, are you?"
"No, No, it's nothing like that. I'm just afraid I will forget what to say."
Jack chuckles. "You always have been the jitter type. I'm not sure how you manage in court."
"Notes, bro, lots and lots of notes."
"Great minds think alike." Chuckling, Jack pulls index cards from his pocket and hands them to him.
A puzzled look crosses his face. "What's this?"
"A cheat sheet in case you forget your vows. And I'll be by your side to nudge you along when you screw up."
John snatches them out of his hands. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, pal."
Jack laughs. "What are big brothers for." He glances around. You two picked a beautiful place."
"Thorncrown Chapel is Elizabeth's idea. She said she's always dreamed about having her wedding here."
He gazes out the window to the lush forest surrounding them. "I can see why Elizabeth fell in love."
John looks up to find his daughter strolling down the aisle. He thought she would hate the idea of him getting married again, but to his surprise, she asked what took him so long instead. John recalls what his daughter had said.
"I could see it in your eyes at the wreck, Dad. The nurse could see it, too. She said she was surprised when you told her you weren't a couple, with all the chemistry between you."
They saw what I felt.
The wedding march begins. Everyone stands and turns towards the bride. Oohing erupts among the crowd.
John discovers Elizabeth's beautiful face in the doorway when he glances up. His stomach tightens, and his heart flutters in his chest. I never thought I'd ever find true love again. His first wife passed when his daughter was just an infant. John dated through the years, but he'd put a wall between them or push them away when things became too serious. He tried to do the same with Elizabeth but quickly discovered he couldn't shake her no matter how hard he tried.
Nudging John's elbow, Jack leans in and says, "You're lucky I didn't see her first." Growing up, Jack would try to steal any girl John brought home.
"I would've fought you for this one, bro."
Jack laughs. "I bet you would put up a hell of a fight too."
John chuckles, "You know it."
Elizabeth's full-length gown is porcelain white. Chantelle lace drapes across the neckline and the back. An elegant embroidered design extends the entire length of her gown. The dress drapes down, cascading across the ground around her.
A diamond-studded headdress pulls her dark hair tight against her head. The long, chocolate-brown strands draw into a bun at the nape of her neck.
Her father intertwines her arm with his. Precious memories flash through his mind as he gazes at the breathtaking young woman before him. It seems like I was holding her for the first time only yesterday. He pictures the beautiful day in his mind. Oh, where did all the time go? Fred wipes a tear from his cheek. "You look beautiful, honey." He sniffles.
"You promised you wouldn't cry, Dad." He's actually her foster dad, but he's been more of a dad to her than anyone in her life. From her preschool graduation to her first marriage, he's been to every monumental event in her life. Abby lost contact with him briefly when they moved her to another foster home and again when she was on the run. Thelma was able to locate him. Then she offered to pay for his plane ticket so he could be a part of her special day.
"I'm losing my baby girl again." Tears stream down his pale face.
"I'll always be your little girl," she sniffles.
He wraps his arms around her. "I love you, Elizabeth, and I'm always here for you no matter what." They had a long discussion about her choices, running from the mob and the law. She'd promised to ask for help instead of trying to take care of everything alone.
"I'll always love you too."
He dries his face. "Are you ready, sweetheart?"
She glances towards the crowd. She then sees John smiling at her. Her heart flutters in her chest. "I'm ready."
"I'm very proud of you, Elizabeth. Despite all the hard knocks life has thrown your way, you've turned out to be an exceptional young woman."
"Thank you."
After the most agonizing few minutes of his life, reliving precious memories with every step, he hands Elizabeth to the groom. John starts to turn. Fred grabs his hand, pulls him close, and whispers, "You better take good care of her." He squeezes John's hand.
John grimaces from the pain. "I... I will, sir."
Fred tightens his grip. "See to it that you do." He gives the groom a warning glare.
John gulps. "I promise."
A tall gorilla of a man watches the beautiful gathering from afar. Anger surges through every fiber of his being when he sees Elizabeth in the church entryway. His fury increases when he sees how happy she is. Clenching his jaw, he growls, "You sent my pals to prison, so now it's time for you and all your beloved to pay."
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