The Last Hour (Thompson Sisters) by Sheehan-Miles, Charles (reading well .txt) 📕

“No. Tomorrow is all yours ... don’t even tell anyone. I’ll send out an email on Monday.”

Alexandra’s eyes widened. “You’re going to tell everybody by email?”

“I guess I could post the pictures on Facebook and let them figure it out?”

Her phone beeped, and she pulled it out of her purse. “Come on. They’re here.”

I checked my makeup one last time, then said, “Okay.” I don’t think she could hear me, because I was suddenly as scared as I’ve ever been in my life. Alexandra took my hand, then opened the dressing room door, and led me down the hall.

It was, of course, the City Clerk’s offices, but it couldn’t have been any grander if it was the biggest cathedral in Europe. Because standing at the end of the hall, waiting for me, was Ray. I walked, slowly, feeling as if I were floating, until I was face to face with him. His eyes widened as I approached.

He wore his dress uniform, dark blue, almost black. A blue knitted rope circled under his right shoulder and through the epaulet, and beneath that, over his pocket, were two rectangular ribbons. On his collar were two gold disks, one with the legend U.S., the other with the symbol of two crossed rifles. I recognized that, the crossed infantry rifles were on half of his t-shirts. Both gold disks were mounted on blue disks behind them.

On his left breast he wore one of the two decorations I recognized, the one he prized above all others: the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, a silver rifle mounted on a blue field with a circled wreath behind it. Below that, his medals: the Purple Heart ribbon, and next to that a bunch of others I didn’t know. I’d ask him later. The bright yellow Sergeant’s chevrons marked both arms. He wore white gloves.

I swallowed. I’d never seen Ray in his dress uniform. It was ... almost overpowering. I just ... wanted to touch him. Right now. I reached out, with both hands, and took his. He was smiling, and I was too.

A sweet lady from the city clerk’s office asked, “Would you like to get a couple of pictures before we get started?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Alexandra gave a camera to the woman, who shot half a dozen pictures of the four of us, Dylan standing next to Ray, Alexandra beside me. Then she handed the camera back, and said, “Let’s get started then.”

I didn’t hear her next words, because my eyes were fixed on Ray. He was looking at me, his eyes wide and a soft smile on his lips, just barely revealing his teeth. I licked my lips, and, unconsciously I think, he did the same. I felt like I was swimming in his eyes.

I did catch it when the lady from the clerk’s office said, “Well then. Sergeant Raymond Calhoun Sherman, do you take Carrie Anne Adelina Thompson to be your lawful wedded wife?”

“I do,” he said, his voice tender.

“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?”

“I do,” he said. And now he was smiling, a broad, happy smile, and his eyes were still fixed on mine.

My heart was thumping so loud they probably heard me three blocks away as she said, “Carrie Anne Adelina Thompson, do you take Raymond Calhoun Sherman as your lawful wedded husband?”

I couldn’t stop myself. Tears, big fat happy, wonderful tears, started rolling down my face. I was such a geek sometimes. “I do,” I said. My cheeks felt like rubber, I was smiling so widely.

“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?”

I nodded, probably flinging little tears all over his uniform, and said, “Yes, I do.”

“Are you ready to say the vows you’ve written?”

We both nodded.

“Raymond, go ahead.”

He took a breath, and said, slowly, “Carrie, before these witnesses, I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you, with all your strengths and weaknesses, as I offer my own strengths and weaknesses to you. I … will turn to you when I’m in need ... and will give help when you need it. I choose you as my partner, as the person with whom I’ll spend my life.”

And then he slipped a ring on my finger, next to the engagement ring he’d bought only yesterday.

By this time I couldn’t breathe, because tears were freely running down my face and my nose was getting clogged up. I sniffed, and then said, “Ray. Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both live. I take you with all your strengths and weaknesses, and offer you my own. I will turn to you in need, and offer help when you need it. You’re my partner, the person with whom I choose to spend my life.”

I took his hand and pushed the ring onto his finger.

The clerk smiled and said, “Carrie and Ray, in so much as you have agreed to live together in matrimony, and have promised your love in front of these witnesses, by the power invested in me by the State of New York, I declare you to be husband and wife.”

I couldn’t stop crying! But then she said, “You may kiss the bride,” and Ray swept forward, his arms around me, and our lips touched, a perfect connection between us. I felt as light and as beautiful as I’d ever felt in my life. Everything in the room narrowed down to a tiny circle, a tiny protective circle, where the two of us were safe and warm and protected together.

They’re coming (Ray)

As Dylan placed the ring on Alex’s finger, I couldn’t help but glance past them to Carrie, who stood just opposite me in the Maid of Honor’s spot. Neither of us was wearing our rings, but she gave me a secret smile, and I knew what