A tapestry of golds and oranges clinging to the limbs of the many trees surrounded the gazebo. Two symmetrical rows of jubilantly carved jack-o’-lanterns stretched from the gazebo steps all the way to the front porch and all along the banisters of both. With the aid of Artemis’s concentration, two ropes woven completely with black eyed Susan’s, sunflowers, and yellow snapdragons hovered above the pumpkin lined path. This was the bride’s walk, the walk she had waited her lifetime to make.
Seth stood under the wood-tiled roof of the gazebo, fidgeting nervously until Jasont’e Barstow nudged him to be still. Jason’te, member of the Council of Witches, was also a resident of nearby Birmingham and had come down to officiate the ceremony as a favor to Olympia.
Four stone benches in front of the gazebo, two on the left, two on the right, were in place to house the family of the bride and groom. Being both a part of the same family made things difficult to split, but it was decided that Olympia and the aunts would sit on the first bench of Seth’s side, with Salem and Arielle on the second row. On Yasmine’s side would house Howard, Zelda, Fable, Beryl, and Queen Ursula. Placed on the borders of the gazebo steps were picture frames housing photos of Sinclair, David, Michael, Larry, and Seth’s biological grandfather John Windham. At the edge of the gathering sat Jason’te’s daughter Brenda, playing a harp.
As the calm, cool breeze blew past, sweeping up fallen leaves here and there, the harpist began to play as Yasmine appeared on the porch steps. Howard stood beside her, beaming with pride as if she were his very own daughter. Behind them fluttered the shadow.
“This is it, Nacaria,” Yasmine whispered. “You’re about to be my mother-in-law.”
Nacaria’s silhouetted hand outstretched along the plank board wall. Yasmine pressed her own against it. For a moment it felt like a blessing from the unseen guest. Yasmine kissed the wall where the shadow’s cheek might have been.
Seth took one look at his bride on the porch and told himself that he should never forget this moment. Never forget how beautiful she looked. Yasmine had always been pretty in his eyes, even when she was his irritating pest of a cousin, but this woman standing on the back porch about to walk down the aisle to marry him—this woman was exquisite. Salem had wrapped her hair in bright pastel flowers. Olympia had made a veil to match the wedding dress. The lace of the veil matched the intricate lace overlay of the silky white dress. Yasmine looked so different. He looked at her with a pride he had never felt before. It was then when Seth realized this marriage was more than a uniting of their hearts, it was also a cleansing of who they had been to one another in the past and a redefining of what they would be moving forward. This was his wife.
Yasmine made her way across the yard, guided by Howard. They reached the path flanked with jack-o-lanterns and the hovering cords of flowers. Slowly they walked the aisle as guests looked on, taking in the breathtaking sight of her. At the end of the aisle Howard declared his giving of Yasmine in marriage to Seth and took his seat up front. Seth and Yasmine faced Jason’te and took their vows.
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“Yasmine, I promise to love you, cherish you, remain faithful in body and mind to you. I will stand in front of you in times of trouble and behind you in times of encouragement. I looked for love in a lot of places in my life. Imagine how surprised I was to learn that I only had to turn around to find it. It was standing beside me the whole time.”
Yasmine’s vows were simple, “I have loved only once, with my entire soul, for all of my life.”
“May all the elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water bond these two together for the rest of time. It is the Natural Order of things for life to flourish. Love is one of the greatest lifeforms there are. May the love these two young people share encompass them for all time.”
Seth kissed his bride to the cheers of all those around.
“I present to you,” Jason’te announced. “Mr. and Mrs. Seth Blanchard. Blessed be.”
Guests wandered around the lawns of Blanchard House partaking of the delicious spread Artemis, and her workers from the restaurant, had prepared. It was a perfect afternoon. Olympia took solace in the knowledge that her grandson had chosen well for his mate. Salem stood watching her brother and new sister-in-law laugh together as they crammed cake into each other’s mouths. David would have enjoyed seeing Seth so happy. The thought comforted her rather than making her sad. A lot of changes had come over the last several months. She had lost family, and she’d gained family. She turned to look at everyone she loved mingling before the house. It was then when she observed the shadow on the back porch. Her mother’s shadow. It seemed to be waving. Who is she waving at?
The wind blew Salem’s auburn strands over her face. She lifted a hand to swipe them away, turning out of the direction of the breeze. It was then she saw. Saw what her mother’s spirit was most likely waving towards. He was standing in the field, far away from the lawn of the house. Only Salem saw him, and perhaps Nacaria. Xander Obreiggon was there, watching from the field. He had come to see the wedding. Salem felt a lump come up in her throat. A deep sadness crept up as she watched their father standing alone, uninvited but unable to miss such an important milestone. It then occurred to Salem that this might not be the only time Xander Obreiggon had done this. How many moments of importance had he witnessed from a respectful distance? Had he also seen her get married all those years ago? Had he popped into the hospital nursery to look down upon his only grandson when Michael was born? Her father possessed the ability to will himself to any destination he desired by mere thought. She smiled at the idea that perhaps her father had never been such a stranger to their lives after all.
Salem turned to signal Arielle to join her but was happy to see Arielle already walking her way, with Seth in tow, holding her hand. They had seen him too. They joined Salem at the edge of the lawn. The three siblings looked out across the field at their father. Arielle raised her hand to throw a kiss she’d blown him. Xander reached up to catch it in his hand. Lowering his arm back to his side, he simply stood there, watching his children.
Arielle laid her head on Seth’s shoulder and squeezed his arm with her fingers, “He came to see his only son get married.”
Seth Blanchard continued to stare ahead, watching the man in the field. His father. Their father. Seth wrapped his arms around both of his sisters and smiled Xander’s way. It was much too great a distance for his father to see, but somehow Seth knew his father was smiling back. Smiling at the sight of his three children together. Seth, Salem, and Arielle remained in place, arm in arm, staring across the field until their father evaporated into the breeze, back to the world he belonged to, leaving them to theirs.
THE END
The Blanchard Witches: Prodigal Daughters. Posting soon.
Who ended up being your favorite character so far?
