It was a wedding that the town of Heywood would remember for years. The majestic old Star Inn was opened up for the whole town.
The day was decent enough that the crowd could spill over into the town square. Mandy and Cart didn’t get married in front of the fireplace; instead she decided to marry him outside on the front porch so everyone could be there. They got married just before sunset, which was the middle of the afternoon this time of year.
She wore a white coat with a fur collar and Cart wore his only suit and his best Tony Lama boots.
The pastor of the church she and Cart had grown up in stood on the ground while Mandy and the love of her life stood up on the steps, looking out over the people she’d known all her life and missed so badly.
When Cart slipped the wedding ring on her finger, just above the engagement ring she’d only been wearing for five days, and kissed her hand right where the rings rested, she couldn’t contain the smile or the tears.
She put a ring on him just as surely and he smiled. They were both thrilled to be making this commitment to each other.
Once the vows were spoken, the town folks cheered and were all invited inside.
There was a meal spread out on the dining room table and hundreds of people trooped through to have a bit of cake or a plate of sandwiches and salads. Angel had outdone herself and Mandy had worked hard at her side.
The town’s only bakery had managed a beautiful cake and the people at the café around the corner from the inn had pitched in to make sure there was food for everyone. Some folks milled around inside: others wished Mandy and Cart well and headed home. There were folks in the gazebo and sitting on the porch.
Inside in the warmth Mandy had taken off her coat and stood in the tea-length white velvet dress she’d found in the town’s single dress shop. She and Cart stood in the foyer and shook hands and smiled. It wasn’t just a wonderful wedding; it was a wonderful welcome home.
The evening wore on and the party only got livelier. Soon enough midnight was upon them all. When Mandy heard the yells of “Happy New Year!” she let Cart pull her close and kiss away years of loneliness and pain for the last time.
Someone managed some fireworks in the park and, for a while, the festivities whirled around boisterously. But finally everyone went home.
Mandy and Cart would spend the night at the inn and settle into his ranch house tomorrow.
As he towed her into her rooms and swung the door shut on the long day, Cart tugged off his tie and tossed his suit coat on the couch and pulled Mandy into his arms. “I thought they’d never leave.”
She laughed. “I know.”
“Are you going to be okay out at my house, Mandy?” Cart pulled her close. “I know how much you love this old place, and you’ve just now come home to it. If you want to stay in here we can; I can drive out to my place to work.”
She touched her fingers to his lips. “I’ve been so homesick all these years, but when we spoke our vows I realized that it wasn’t this old mansion I’ve missed all these years. At least that’s not what was at the heart of my loneliness. What I was missing was family, home, love. What I missed was being welcome. My home is wherever you are, Cart. You are who I’ll cling to, not an inn, no matter how beautiful. If I’m in your arms, I’m home.”
He held her tight for a long moment.
She whispered, “It was a wonderful day. Such a perfect way to end this year and begin the next.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Cart’s warm breath tickled her ear, sending warmth all through her. “I think we can begin this year a little more perfectly than this.”
Cart kissed her so passionately she forgot all about the wedding and let herself be carried away by his love.
Finally, after all this time, Mandy at last found there was room at the inn.