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A week before the weddings, Mr. and Mrs. Brookings arrived with Otis’s other two siblings, Mary and Carter, as Joshua and his family. Otis missed their arrival but greeted them as soon as he got back.
Joshua’s son, Andrew, ran up to Otis and jumped into his arms, causing him to drop his bag. “Unca Otis! I can say your name right now!”
Otis laughed and squeezed him tight. “I hear that. Good job! How are you?”
“Good.”
“Staying out of trouble?”
Andrew grinned. “No.”
Joshua laughed. “At least he’s honest about it.”
Otis looked around the full parlor, soaking in the sight of everybody. “It is so good to see you all again. How have you all been?” He sat down and put Andrew in his lap.
“I think we’ve all been good overall,” Mr. Brookings said. “The usual problems and illnesses, but nothing earth-shattering.”
Otis eyed his little brother. “Carter, stand up, please.”
His forehead wrinkled, but he did so. Otis set Andrew beside him, stood up, and took a few steps closer to Carter. “Nothing earth-shattering? How about my fourteen year old brother growing a foot taller than me and looking like a muscular giant?”
Carter laughed. “Maybe half a foot, but not a full foot taller. Not yet anyway.”
Otis playfully cuffed his ear. “You aren’t allowed to grow up that fast, you know.”
Carter crossed his arms. “Why not?”
Otis shrugged. “Because you are my little brother.”
“Give it up, Otis,” Joshua said. “It doesn’t work.”
“How would you know?” Mary asked. “You never had a younger brother.”
Joshua wiggled his eyebrows. “Because Matthew said the same thing to me when I saw him a few years ago.”
“Speaking of Matthew,” Mrs. Brookings said, “is there any chance Robert would want to see us while we are here?”
“I’m going out there tomorrow,” Otis said. “I’ll ask him. I think he would, since he’s reconciled with Matthew, but I don’t want to put words in his mouth, either.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” Otis answered. “Where is Auntie Ellie?”
Mary answered, “She decided to come down later so she wouldn’t have to miss too many days teaching.”
“Isn’t there someone who can teach for her?” Ellis asked.
“Yes,” Carter said. “But she hates to leave the children, even if it means she could see you three again.”
“Is she all right?” Olive asked. “That sounds like her, but also doesn’t sound like her.”
Mary laughed. “She’s been getting more and more persnickety about things, but otherwise she’s fine.”
“Let’s talk about other things, though,” Mrs. Brookings said. “Such as how each of you met your future spouses.”
“I’ll go first,” Ellis offered. “As you know, we came as a surprise to Otis, so we rode in on horses and he saw us. He gave us a tour of his house, office, the town, and we met almost everyone, including Sarah and her daughter, Jane. We met Sarah and Jane separately since Sarah was working as a nurse for Otis, and Jane stayed with an older woman during that time.
“When I met Sarah in Otis’s office, I thought she was pretty, but sad. I wanted to get a smile on her face somehow. Then I met Jane—the spitting image of her ma. Not much longer and I asked to court her. She was hesitant at first since she’s four years older than me, but I was adamant that I didn’t mind, and she finally gave in. The rest is history.”
“How sweet,” Mary said. “Did you get the smile on her face?”
“Yep,” Ellis said with a wink.
“She is a totally different woman than when I met her,” Otis said. “Sullen, quiet, and grieving. Now she’s happy, energetic, and talkative.”
“You’re next, big brother,” Carter said.
Otis sighed and pulled Andrew closer so he could hide behind him better. “I first met her at the dance for Amy’s wedding.”
Everybody stared at him.
“You’ve known her that long?” Olive asked. “I thought you were planning to marry in name only.”
“We are,” Otis said. “Notice the key words ‘first met.’” He told them the whole story of the dance and not seeing Mabel again until after her arrival in Colorado and about Tyrel’s idea.
Mary smirked. “I think you like her. Otherwise you wouldn’t be doing this for her.”
“Olive’s turn,” Otis said. Mary gave him a look that had the promise of more questions later. First goal of the week: avoid being alone with Mary.
Olive plucked aimlessly at her skirt. “I met Tyrel on our tour but didn’t take much notice of him until Sunday when we attended church in the general store.”
“What?” Mr. Brookings exclaimed.
Otis cleared his throat. “We don’t have a church building yet. Soon.”
Olive smiled. “To my surprise, the handsome young miner went up front, opened his Bible, and started preaching. At first I was simply surprised, then I really started listening to him and my surprise and admiration grew. He was eloquent and preached on a good topic everyone could learn from.
“I started observing him casually, but rarely speaking to him unless he came to talk to Otis, and I would invite him to dinner. After a while, he asked to court me, and Otis and I said yes.”
While Olive talked, Otis’s eyes kept drooping and he struggled to stay awake. When she finished, he yawned and stretched, trying not to hit Andrew. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to turn in.”
“It’s still early,” Carter said, glancing at the mantel clock. “It’s only three forty-five.”
Otis chuckled. “Early for you maybe, but a doctor needs to be available at all times of day or night, so sometimes I need to sleep when I have a few minutes to spare.”
Otis hugged everyone and went to bed. Two hours later, someone pounded on the door, and he had to leave. The house was strangely quiet and when he went to get his bag, he found a note.
We went to visit Tyrel, Mabel, Sarah, and Jane. Sleep well. The family.
Otis smiled and headed out to the house of the sick person.
***
“I still can’t believe all three of you are getting married the same day,” Mary said.
“You’ve been here for three days, and you knew about it before that,” Ellis said.
Mary smiled. “I know, but that doesn’t help it seem real.”
Ellis raised his eyebrows. “Why not?”
Otis laughed. “Because it’s hard to believe. Even for me.”
Olive walked into the room wearing her new green dress. “I wish Samantha was here.”
Mary hurried over and gave her a hug. “Why?”
“The dress doesn’t quite fit right, and she always knew exactly what to do with my hair.”
Mary took her arm and pulled her out of the room. “I’ve learned a thing or two lately.”
“You ready?” Carter asked them.
“No,” they answered together.
“At least you know your fiancée,” Otis muttered.
Ellis crossed his arms. “You’ll do fine. I can tell you like her. All you need to do is court her a bit, get to know her, and then you’ll have everything you need for your marriage.”
“What’s that song you like so much say?” Carter asked. He snapped his fingers as if it would help him remember. “Ah yes! ‘He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand.’ God’ll help you, too.”
Otis slapped Carter on the back. “Thank you.”
Someone knocked on the back door.
“Who is it?” Otis asked.
“Daniel and Joshua,” came the reply.
Otis opened the door.
Joshua looked him and Ellis up and down. “You two look purty spiffy.”
“Thanks,” Ellis said.
“Are you ready for this?” Mr. Brookings asked.
“Definitely,” Ellis said.
Otis shook his head. “Not at all.”
Mr. Brookings laughed. “Why aren’t you ready, Otis?”
Otis shrugged. “I’m just not.” He turned and went to his office. He looked around and tried to find something out of place, but he had it too well organized.
A throat cleared behind Otis, and he started and spun. “Joshua! You shouldn’t startle people like that.”
“Sorry. What’s wrong?”
Otis sat on one of the beds. “I don’t know. I guess I’m getting cold feet. I know it’s the right thing to do and believe God is leading me to marry Mabel, but I’m also afraid we’re rushing into it too fast.”
Joshua sat next to him. “I had the opposite problem because I had to wait so long to marry Priss so she and Grace would be safe from Ross, but I think it’s a good thing you are hesitant in this. It means you will be more open to God’s will in your future with Mabel.”
Otis ran his fingers through his hair. “Thanks. I’ll try to remember that.”
“We need to go,” Olive said from the doorway.
Otis jumped down and patted his hair so it wouldn’t be sticking up. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Joshua slapped his back. “Good for you. Let’s go to the wedding.”
***
An hour later, Otis stood with Tyrel, Ellis, and two other grooms as they waited for their brides. They came all in a line together, all wearing beautiful dresses, but only one caught Otis’s eye. A ray of sunlight glinted off her curly red hair as the sun streamed through the front window.
Otis smiled at the cautious smile on her face. He wanted to reassure her that this was a good thing—a right thing—they were doing. But how could he when he wasn’t sure himself?
They glided up the makeshift aisle to their respective grooms. When Mabel’s hand met his, her hand trembled. The pastor said something, but Otis didn’t hear a word of it. His full attention was on Mabel and her beauty. How had he gotten so lucky and unlucky at the same time?
Otis had never been good at cultivating even a friendship. Why did he think it was a good idea to get married to anyone? Mabel already had close friendships with people here and she had only been in town a few months. Would this marriage really work?
Otis swallowed and leaned closer to her so no one else could hear what he said. “You are beautiful.”
She looked up at him. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Are we doing the right thing?”
“I hope so.”
It eventually came to their turn to exchange vows, and Otis and Mabel did the simplest ones he had. He felt like a liar as he promised to love and cherish her, but the words still managed to come out.
Otis knew he would take care of her and would possibly love her someday as well, but he didn’t yet. The wedding finally ended and all five grooms were told to kiss their brides. Otis hesitated, but Mabel didn’t. She put her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers to press her lips to his.
They both stepped back at the same time.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t want my only kiss to be his.”
Otis squeezed her hand. “No apology is needed.”
“But you were supposed to lead.”
Otis shrugged. “Oh well. Next time.”
Her eyes widened and then snapped back to a normal size when the pastor announced, “It is my pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Rock Baldwin, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Miller, and Mr. and Mrs. Tyrel Colton.”
Everyone clapped as they left. Otis shook many hands in the next hour or so. By the time the last person disappeared down the street, his hand and arm hurt and his voice was almost gone. He looked around and saw only Mabel, Tyrel, Olive, Sarah, and Ellis.
“Congratulations,” Otis said. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go home.”
Olive leaned against Tyrel. “Me, too.”
They all hugged and went their separate ways. Mabel put some cold sandwiches on the table when they arrived at home and Otis was about to take his first bite when he remembered Mary, Carter, Aunt Eleanor, Mr. and Mrs. Brookings, and Joshua and his family. Where were they? He asked Mabel if she knew.
“I heard them make arrangements to stay in other places for a couple days until they leave.”
Otis let out a long breath. “Good. I didn’t even think about the after wedding lodging.”
“Me, either. Although, they could have stayed here. It’s not like we got married for real and need a lot of time alone.”
Otis nodded. “I’ll go find them tomorrow and tell them that.”
They finished eating in silence. “I’m exhausted,” he said. “Do you mind?”
“No. I’ll clean the dishes and go to bed, too.”
“Goodnight, Mabel.”
“Goodnight, Otis.”