For the third time, the gazebo at the Weaver farmstead was decorated for a wedding. From the window of her room on the second floor, Summer, dressed in a white silk gown, watched her father approach the house driving a black barouche pulled by two Belgian horses. She and David had arrived at the farm a week ago with Timmy and Nicole.
A year had passed since they’d moved to North Carolina, bringing significant changes in their lives. She and David had been appointed legal guardians for Timmy and Nicole, and a few weeks ago, they’d also accepted permanent appointments at The Crossroads.
Their dreams to place The Crossroads on a self-supporting basis hadn’t yet materialized although the newsletter had prompted a few people to make sizeable contributions to the school. They’d accepted the appointments on faith just as Edna and their siblings had done. Once she and David had made the decision to marry and to stay at The Crossroads, Summer had never looked back.
In the distance, Summer could see the cemetery where Bert and Spring were buried. Did they know that today she and David were getting married and that they’d agreed to carry on the work at The Crossroads? She believed they did.
The day before, she and David had walked with Timmy and Nicole to the cemetery, and they’d all knelt beside the graves of Bert and Spring to make their final goodbyes. It had been a tearful time for the four of them but, after a good cry, even the children seemed ready to cut their ties with the past.
A knock sounded at the door and Summer forgot the past to rejoice in the present. The time for reminiscing was over. Her sister, Autumn, entered with Timmy and Nicole in tow.
“Oh,” Nicole breathed. “You’re so pretty, Auntie. No wonder Uncle David loves you so much.”
Summer and Autumn exchanged amused glances, but Summer’s eyes brightened with tenderness and love, when Nicole said, “We’ll always remember Mommy and Daddy, but Timmy and me…well, now that you and Uncle David are getting married, would it be all right if we call you Mom and Dad?”
“We want to be your kids,” Timmy added.
Summer’s voluminous skirt swirled around her when she knelt and gathered the two children into her arms. “There’s nothing we’d like better. We already think of you as our children, but we’ll make it legal so you’ll have the right to call us Mom and Dad.”
She and David had talked about adopting the children, but they hadn’t wanted to supplant Spring and Bert in the children’s memories. But since Nicole and Timmy had taken the initiative, they’d go ahead immediately with adoption procedures.
“Time to go,” Landon Weaver called through the open window.
Autumn helped Summer to stand and arranged the long skirt behind her sister. Summer took the hands of Nicole and Timmy and started down the broad stairway.
They joined Landon in the barouche, and in a short time reached the flower-decorated gazebo. Summer took Landon’s arm, and her attention focused on David standing a few feet away, his brown eyes alight with pleasure and tenderness. They exchanged secret smiles, and eagerness marked Summer’s steps as she moved to his side. She had another promise to make and to keep.