21

They arrived at the base chapel five minutes early, to be met by an honor guard of airmen extending from the lych-gate to the church door. The organ was playing and Lou leaned down to arrange Mum’s train, balancing on one crutch as she did so. She straightened up and caught hold of both crutches. She nodded to the chaplain and he went inside to tell Jack they had arrived.

The strains of “Olympic Spirit” by John Williams could be heard as the three Air Force trumpeters began to play. Ailsa and Staci set off up the aisle, their lilac dresses complementing the red and yellow flowers in their hair and bouquets. Jim glanced at Lou and she nodded.

Bill looked at Mum. “Ready?” he asked.

“No,” Mum replied, smiling nervously. “I’m terrified.” She paused for a bit. “I’m ready.”

Bill took her arm and led her up the aisle to where Jack and Sergeant Peterson, in dress uniform, waited. As they got halfway there, Jack turned and smiled at her.

Behind them, Lou propped her crutches up against the doorpost and walked up the aisle unaided. Jim stayed close by her side as planned in case she fell. And also as moral support in case she panicked again.

The marriage itself took place. When the chaplain said, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Bill placed Mum’s hand into Jack’s. They had chosen the traditional vows with Mum promising to obey Jack. (She had told him she had the easy end of the bargain. He had to promise to love her as Christ loved the church, i.e., to die for her. All she had to do was obey him.)

Lou wondered idly if she’d get sixteen husbands too when she got married. Four better, four worse, four richer, four poorer. On reflection, she’d just have eight—the better, richer ones. You could keep the worse and poorer ones.

Mum’s voice shook slightly as she reached the till death do us part phrase, as memories of Robert flashed through her mind. Jack looked Mum straight in the eyes as he promised to love and to cherish her, in sickness and in health, keeping only unto her as long as they both shall live. The next hymn was one of Mum’s favorites—“I Vow to Thee, My Country.” She had chosen it deliberately, as through her marriage she had become an American citizen.

The sermon was next, with the chaplain preaching on 1 Corinthians 13. The last hymn was “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” which both Jack and Mum liked. Lou managed to stand and sit the whole way through the service unaided, which she was quite impressed by. It was only when they went through to sign the register that anyone noticed she didn’t have her crutches with her.

Mum’s eyes lit up. “Where are your crutches?” she asked.

“They’re here somewhere. Wanted to surprise you.”

The organ struck up and Mum and Jack walked back down the aisle. Sergeant Peterson offered Lou his arm and they followed, with Staci, Jim, and Ailsa behind them. The bride and groom exited the chapel into the sunshine under an archway of swords. After the photos Lou retrieved her crutches and went over to Dr. Andrews. “Can I come and see you?” she asked.

“Sure, any time.”

“Tomorrow? I’ll get Jim to drive me over.”

“OK, around 1100.”

“See you then.”

The reception was held in the base mess. The meal was a sit-down hot dinner. When it was time for the speeches, Sergeant Peterson stood up. “I would like to thank you all for coming today,” he said. “Jack and I go way back. We first met at the Academy. We have been a lot of places together. Fought together, saved each other’s lives several times. Been best man at each other’s weddings, twice now for Jack. You could say we’ve done it all. Jack has had a difficult few years but he has come through it all.”

He smiled. “Jack has a terrible sense of humor, no sense of timing. In fact, I don’t know what anyone sees in him. But he is a good mate and he’s the sort of guy you can rely on in a crisis. He knows what to say, how to say, and when to say it. And then there’s his lovely wife, Nicky. What can I say? Beautiful, attractive, good looking, beautiful...did I mention how pretty she is? She can cook…”

He broke off as everyone laughed. “If I wasn’t already married perfectly happily to Cathy, with a beautiful daughter of my own, I might just have to fight you for her, mate. I have been asked to thank all the people who did the catering and served us. It was a lovely meal, so please show your appreciation for it.”

Applause and cheering resounded round the room. Sergeant Peterson said, “But I promised I wouldn’t go on too long. So I will let Jack speak now.”

Jack got up. He took out a huge pad of paper from his pocket and began to read it. “My wife and I...” Rapturous applause drowned him out. “My wife and I,” he began, again stopped by cheers and stamping. “My...” he tried again, but once more he was drowned out. He turned to Mum and grinned. “I give up,” he said and sat down.

“Speech,” someone called.

“I tried,” Jack answered.

Sergeant Peterson tapped his glass. “Let the man speak. It may be his last chance to ever get the final word in.”

Jack stood again. “My wife and I,” he paused, but this time, there was silence. He grinned. “Thank you for coming today to share this occasion with us. My life changed abruptly on a June day last year, when I met a young girl in Cornwall. When I ran in to the same girl again on Grand Turk, I knew it was no coincidence, especially when the papers had just printed the story of three missing teens. I contacted her mother and formed a deep friendship with her. When we discovered traces of the missing children, she came over here and the rest, as they say, is history. Things change, usually when you least expect them to. Happiness lurks around the corner of the darkest tunnel.”

He turned to his wife. “Nicky, you have made me the happiest man alive. I thought that I was destined to stay on my own, but here I am now. With a beautiful wife and a daughter that any man would be proud to call his own. Even though the adoption papers haven’t come through yet, I can’t wait until I can officially call Lou my daughter. I guess I have Lou to thank the most. If it wasn’t for her messing up a simple shopping trip, as she put it, and rolling a whole load of tin cans down the hill at me, I wouldn‘t be here now. So would you please raise your glasses to the one person responsible for us being here today? Our daughter, Lou.”

“Lou,” came the response.

“She’s also asked to say a few words.”

Lou pushed slowly to her feet. “A few words…” She sat down again.

Jack groaned. “Is that it?”

She laughed and stood again. “Sorry, couldn’t resist that one. It’s usually the father of the bride next,” she said. “But hopefully you’ll settle for daughter of the bride and groom instead. Not sure I want to take the blame for the fact we are here today. OK, I messed up a simple shopping trip and dropped a whole bag of tinned stuff on Jack’s feet. If I hadn’t done that, we never would have met Jack and he wouldn’t have met my mother and we would all be somewhere else right now. Actually, we’d probably be dead…Or I would be at least.”

She paused. “Seriously. It began with Jim leaving to find his parents. Bill and Di were caught up in the Philippines tsunami and when the search for them was called off, Jim went looking for them. Staci and I stowed away and many things went wrong because of that. We learnt the hard way that running away doesn’t solve problems. It just creates bigger ones. However, our story has a happy ending. We found Ailsa and we brought together two people who would otherwise never have met. So let’s raise our glasses and drink a toast to the bride and groom.”

“The bride and groom,” came the response.

Lou looked at Jack. “And I just have one more thing to say to you…” She paused for effect, hoping he’d like his wedding present. “Dad…”

Jack’s eyes widened in delight and his smile turned into a full grin. “What’s that, daughter?”

“You better look after Mum or else.”

“Or else what?”

She winked. “I might run away again…”

Jack and Mum burst out laughing.

Lou grinned. “Oh, and Jim wanted the final word. As always.”

Jim got to his feet. “We know you said you didn’t want a honeymoon, but we decided you should. You need to start your marriage on your own, rather than here with us. We’re quite happy to lock ourselves in our rooms if you don’t trust us not to run away. Failing that, Mum and Dad will stay until you get back.” He paused and reached into his jacket pocket. He handed Jack an envelope. “This is from all of us.”

Jack gave it to Mum. “Did you know about this, Nicky?”

“No.” She opened the envelope and took out airline tickets. She opened them. “Two-weeks, all-expenses-paid trip to La Palma,” she said. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have.”

“Yes, we should,” Lou said.

Jack smiled. “Thank you. We’re not packed though,” he said.

Lou grinned. “Yes, you are,” she said. “Suitcases are in the car. Change of clothes is in the car as well. We are experts in secrets. Bill said he’ll drive you to the airport after the reception.”

Mum looked at Bill.

He grinned. “Don’t worry about the kids. They won’t even breathe without permission the whole two weeks.”