The next morning, Bryan awoke to the sounds and smells of someone cooking breakfast in the kitchen. He looked at his chair, parked next to the bed, and wished he was able to transfer himself into it. But his arms were not strong enough and his left arm was still giving him trouble. Instead, he watched out the window and waited for someone to come and get him.

Half an hour later, Nedra peeked her head in the door and found Bryan wide awake.

“Oh, you were so quiet, I thought you were still sleeping.”

“Nope, just waiting,” he smiled.

“You hungry?” she asked.

Bryan took a big whiff of the sausage, eggs, and pancakes. “Starving,” he said.

Nedra lifted Bryan with ease and placed him in his wheelchair.

“That’s very interesting to watch, you know,” came Randy’s voice from the doorway.

Nedra spun around. “What is?” she asked.

“Watching you, my little five foot nothing sister lift a big, heavy, what are you? Six foot one? Six foot two?” he asked, turning toward Bryan.

“I’m six feet exactly.”

“Watching you lift this big six foot man out of bed as if he weighed nothing.”

“It just comes with the job title,” Nedra shrugged.

“So to be a nurse, do you have to take a weight lifting class as a prerequisite? Is part of the interview process to see how much you can bench?”

“Ha ha,” Nedra said, rolling her eyes as she and Bryan pushed past him.

Randy chuckled. “Help yourselves to breakfast,” he said. “Cynthia made plenty.”

“Where is she?” Bryan asked.

“She had to stop in at work for a few hours. She’ll be back this afternoon. Tell me what’s on the agenda today. I’m at your disposal,” he said to Nedra.

Nedra started listing off errands and tasks that needed to be performed before the wedding as she piled a plate high with food.

“Aren’t you going to get any for Bryan?” Randy teased.

“This isn’t all for me,” Nedra replied. “We’ve found it’s easier to just share a plate, since I’m feeding both of us anyway.” She pulled out one of the wooden chairs beneath the small kitchen table. She removed the chair next to it and pushed Bryan into the empty spot. Once seated, she scooped a forkful of eggs and, pinching her nose with the other hand, fed them to Bryan. She fed herself a bite of pancake before giving Bryan another bite of eggs, trying not to gag. Randy watched in interest as she rotated back and forth, a bite for Bryan, then a bite for herself.

“If you hate eggs so much, why do you even have them on your plate?”

Nedra shrugged. “Because they’re Bryan’s favorite.” She scooped another mouthful of soft, syrupy pancake. “Why don’t you call mom and see if she needs any help with the reception?” Nedra suggested.

“Okay.” Randy nodded his head and stood, lifting his phone off the receiver.

Breakfast was peaceful and quiet, but once it was over, Nedra had them dashing all over Oakland for last minute items. By the time they met up with both families for a special dinner that evening, they were exhausted.

Nedra went around the table, making introductions. “This is my mom Jane, my brother Randy, his wife Cynthia, and two of my bridesmaids. This is Marsha. I’ve known her family for several years now. I lived with them for awhile in college, so they are like a second family to me. And this is my good friend Carol. We grew up together. Then we have Bryan’s best man, Greg, who are childhood friends as well. These are Bryan’s sisters: Becky, Glenda, Brenda, and Jenny. And Bryan’s mom, Carol Jean, and his dad, Glenn. Phew!” she said, sitting back down. “Did I get everybody?”

Dinner was fairly quiet, considering the large group that had gathered. Bryan’s family was still recovering from their long drive and given the age differences between their families, there wasn’t a whole lot in common to talk about.

“How do you think it’s going?” Bryan whispered to Nedra as she fed him another bite.

She glanced at Greg and Marsha, who were laughing about something. Becky seemed to be having a good conversation with Randy and Cynthia, while Brenda listened in and occasionally nodded. Glenda and Jenny were perfecting their skills with getting a metal spoon to hang from their noses. Nedra noticed Carol Jean and Jane had their heads close together, whispering about something. When they glanced in her direction and then put their heads together again, she got nervous.

“Oh dear, I better see what they’re up to,” she sighed as she got to her feet.

“Who?” Bryan asked, his gaze following Nedra as she strolled around the table and landed beside their mothers.

“So what are you talking about?” Nedra asked, attempting to play it cool.

“You, actually,” Jane said with her brightest smile.

“Only good things, I hope.” Nedra tried to smile casually, but it looked more like she was gritting her teeth.

“We were just saying how this is going to be a very…different marriage,” Carol Jean said.

“And that you can’t run it,” Jane added.

Nedra could feel her cheeks burning a little. “We had this conversation already, Mom.”

“I know we did, dear, but as it turns out, your mother-in-law and I have a lot of the same concerns. You are a very take-charge kind of person and, well, frankly, kind of bossy.”

Nedra’s cheeks were boiling now, but she didn’t want to lose her temper in front of everyone, especially when they were supposed to be celebrating. After a few deep breaths, she finally spoke.

“Bryan is a grown man.” Nedra put up her hand to stop Carol Jean, who opened her mouth to protest. “He may only be nineteen, but he’s not a typical nineteen. He grew up really fast in that hospital bed. He is perfectly capable of making his own decisions, and I know he wouldn’t stand for a woman who wanted to just run the marriage. We work together as a team, as a partnership. We always have, and we always will. That is what marriage is all about.”

Nedra returned to her seat beside Bryan and reached for his hand.

“What happened?” Bryan asked. “It looked like you were either going to cry or throw something at them.”

“I wanted to do both! But I kept my cool, and hopefully they understand us now and how we view this marriage.”

***

The next morning, clad in her beautiful, long, white gown, Nedra carefully knelt beside the soft, white altar. Bryan’s chair was pushed up against the other side as close as it could get. He also wore white. With his arms resting on the altar, Bryan and Nedra held hands and stared into each other’s eyes as the officiator spoke. Bryan could barely hear what the man was saying, he was so focused on the amazing woman across from him. Who else would have taken on such a difficult responsibility from the start? She viewed him as a partner and not a patient.

As Bryan stared into her luminescent green eyes, her whole soul radiated back. They were both inviting and filled with love. They glistened in the light from the chandelier above their heads. A single tear slowly trickled down her cheek. Bryan wished more than anything that he had the ability to reach up and wipe that tear away, to show her that he could be there for her physically as well as mentally. At least he could still wrap his arms around her, and he hoped that would never change.

Nedra seemed to be smirking at Bryan and that’s when he realized the officiator had asked him a question.

Bryan grinned. “Sorry,” he said, “I was getting lost in my bride’s eyes.”

“You have all of eternity for that.” The old man’s eyes crinkled as he spoke. “But for this part, I need you to look at me.”

The guests in the small room chuckled. Bryan smiled. Looking straight into the old man’s wise, soulful eyes, he said, “Okay, I’m all yours.”

This resulted in another round of quiet laughter.

Bryan continued to look into the officiator’s kind eyes, unblinking as he spoke. He didn’t want to miss any more questions. When the time came, he said his part, his heart burning with joy as he listened to the same words being spoken to Nedra. His breath caught for a brief moment as he waited for her to also agree. She did with gusto, and Bryan and everyone else in the room snickered. When he announced the couple was married and invited to kiss, Bryan and Nedra did, again with gusto.

Nedra carefully stood, straightening out her gown, and then she and Bryan were congratulated and hugged by their close family and friends. Shortly after, they all moved outside for some pictures in the bright sunshine. It didn’t take long before their cheeks were tired and sore from smiling so much.

Since the wedding took place in Oakland, there wasn’t much time to spare after pictures. Everyone had to load up into their cars and then drive the hour and a half to Sacramento for the reception.

The reception that night was simple, yet elegant. Jane had paid for everything, while Nyla very generously planned the whole event. As Nedra looked around the beautifully decorated room, she knew her trust in them had not been in vain.