Love Refound
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 27

The One of a Kind Wedding

I felt as if I was being exiled at Uncle Howie’s place.  Almost as soon as I arrived, both sets of parents, Uncle Howie and Mr. Robbie Nixon departed.   Uncle Howie reminded me, “The guys will call you when they want you to go to Summerhill.  Just do as they say.  They have expended a great deal of energy on this event.”

I was starting to get fidgety. It was a little after five when Trevor finally called, “Uncle Doug, it’s time to get dressed.  You need to wear your aqua outfit for the wedding.  Bring your blue outfit for the reception.  When you get here, go directly to the stable and Jeff will meet you there.”

I thought to myself, ‘I’m the person who just got my doctorate degree. Why is this fourteen year old ordering me around as if I were a puppet?’

I did as I was told and was surprised at how many cars were in the area.  Jeff was waiting for me when I arrived.  The King of the Horses as Cole had named him was saddled.  Jeff looked at me, “Uncle Doug, just relax.  Trevor, Trent and Cole have everything under control.”

I could hear the electronic keyboard playing, but I still was far enough away from the tent area so I couldn’t see what was happening.  I looked around the stable area and saw that Cracker Jack and General Beauregard were missing.  I could understand General Beauregard, but why Cracker Jack?

The person at the keyboard started to play Here Comes The Bride and Jeff led me and The King to the side of the makeshift altar.  When I was in place, Trevor started leading General Beauregard with Autumn in the saddle down the aisle, and the people who were assembled stood as they walked by. 

I don’t think anyone was prepared for what happened after Autumn was in place and the pastor motioned for the people to sit down.  The person at the keyboard started to play What Child Is This.  Trent arrived leading Cracker Jack with Cole in the saddle holding a little infant dressed in an aqua outfit.

Trent, Trevor and Jeff disappeared and I joined Autumn in front of Pastor Taylor.  The Pastor asked, “Who presents this couple to be wed?”

Cole spoke, “Benjamin Willingham Christiansen presents Miss Autumn April Summers and Mr. Douglas Lathrop Christiansen to be joined in marriage.”

Cole handed the two wedding bands to the Pastor and he performed the usually bit of do you take this man and this woman, but he had something further to say as he finished.  “There is one final hurdle to cross, before I can pronounce you man and wife.” 

Cole handed Benji to the Pastor “Do you Miss Autumn Summers and you Mr. Doug Christiansen take Benji to be your son to love and spoil rotten?  If so, say we do and we will.”

Autumn and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders but responded, “We do and we will.” 

Pastor Taylor handed Benji to Autumn and raised his hands, “Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Doug and Autumn Christiansen and their son, Benji.  Please greet them as they exit.  Oh, before I forget, I will be baptizing Benjamin at the eleven o’clock service tomorrow morning, in case you can come, and no, we don’t allow horses in our church.”

Autumn and I turned The King and General Beauregard around and started to turn down the aisle.  That’s when I realized that the President of the United States and his wife were there next to Uncle Howie.  I also saw that there was a television crew filming the wedding.  It was the same reporter who had covered the tornado and the finding of Benji.

When we arrived at the back of the tent, Trevor and Jeff were waiting for us.  Trevor took Benji so Autumn could dismount from General Beauregard.  Trevor put Benji in an infant seat so that the guests would be able to see him.  The two guys took the horses to the stable as Austin and Derek started to usher the guests out.  We formed a receiving line with both sets of parents.  The first persons to go through the line were President Osage and his wife.

The President shook my hand, “Doug, it sure has been a busy day for you.  Not only do you get your doctorate degree and get married to a beautiful young woman, you have a son faster than a rattlesnake can strike.  I’ll talk to you later.”

Mrs. Osage shook my hand, “I’ll have to say, Doug and Autumn, this has to be a one of a kind wedding.  I don’t know how you could come up with such an unique idea.”

“Mrs. Osage, believe it or not, four teenage guys planned and made the preparations for the wedding.  All Autumn and I did was choose the outfits and wedding bands.  We didn‘t even get to name our son.”

Mrs. Osage laughed, “I think I need to hear the rest of the story, but that can wait until later.  Congratulations.”

When everyone finally had been through the line, Jeff escorted us to the head table.  “I’ll take care of Benji while you help yourselves at the buffet table.”

We went to get our food and had no more than sat down when I heard a voice, “What can I get you to drink, boss?”

“Clark, how did the guys rope you into helping?”

“Trent and Cole put us to work when we got here.  They needed someone as handsome as me and Andre, to tend the bar, since Austin and Derek were acting in the capacity as ushers.  They threatened to make sure I didn’t get hired if we didn’t do what they wanted.  Aren’t you going to introduce me to Mrs. Boss?”

After Clark had moved on, Autumn wanted to know who the guys were.  When I explained how I knew Clark and Andre, she laughed, “It’s a small world, isn’t it?”

We weren’t finished eating when it suddenly dawned on me that the tables had mysteriously appeared where the people had been sitting during the wedding ceremony and where they were now sitting talking and eating at tables.

Autumn leaned over to me, “Doug, did you know President Osage from before?”

“Autumn, I’m at a total loss as to why he and his wife are here.”

My mother heard the conversation, “Bart Osage and Howie roomed together for two years while they were at Harvard law school.  They have been good friends ever since then.  When Howie found out that Bart was giving the commencement speech at Georgia Tech, he contacted him and asked him to come to your wedding if he could.  They are a lovely couple.  It’s too bad they can’t spend the night here.”

Cole interrupted our conversation, “Mr. and Mrs. Christiansen, your presence is required at the cake table.”  He led us to a table with a four tier cake with two horses on top with a male and a female rider on them.  The female was holding a little bundle in her arm. 

Cole lifted the top tier off and put it in a box.  “We’ll freeze this so you can share it on your first anniversary and remember this evening.”

He handed a cake knife to Autumn, “Miss Autumn, please cut the traditional first piece and feed it to Mr. Doug.”

Autumn did as she was told.  She picked up a fork and fed me a piece, but Cole interrupted, “That’s not the way it’s done.  You gotta do it like this.”

He picked up the piece of cake pushed it at me making sure that some of the frosting fell on my shirt and then wiped his hands on Autumn’s sleeve, “I’m so sorry.  I guess you need to go change into your reception outfits.”

Cole looked at us, “Don’t blame me.  This was Trevor’s idea and I lost in the draw of the straws.”

Cole followed me to the changing room in the stable where I had hung my blue outfit.  He was carrying Benji.  He changed Benji’s diaper and outfit and fed him while I was changing.  When I had myself put together, I looked at Cole, “Do I look okay?”

Cole looked up from what he was doing with Benji, “Mr. C, I’d go to bed with you for a dime.  I would rather see you naked but I know that can’t happen.  You and Miss Autumn need to provide Benji with only the best.”

I was flabbergasted by the conversation, “Cole, did I just hear you tell me that you were gay?”

Cole stood, “Mr. C., I will neither confirm or deny that question for fear my answer might intimidate me.  We need to get back to the reception before people start to look for us.”

Cole’s comments were going to haunt me.

Cole had me carry Benji, who was now dressed in a royal blue outfit, back to the reception area.  When we were assembled, Trent took the microphone.  It is now time for traditional first dance.  Mr. and Mrs. C., all eyes are upon you.”

Autumn and I started to dance and we were interrupted by my mother and her father, followed shortly by Mrs. Summers and my father.  Trevor took the microphone.  “It’s now time for the $10.00 a dance with the new bride and groom, the new parents.  Jeff will be collecting for Mr. C. and I will be collecting for Miss Autumn.  They have agreed that whoever makes the most money doesn’t have to cook, do dishes or changes Benji’s dirty diapers for a month.”

The first persons in line were the Osages.  The president’s wife was a delight to talk to and she had all sorts of questions.  I don’t know how many people Autumn and I had danced with, but I was glad when the $10.00 a dance was over.

After the dance, Autumn and I walked around visiting people.  President Harder commented, “I suppose now you will be wanting a raise, since you lured the Osages to our little community.  You’ll probably need lots of money to pay for the affair.”

When we stopped to talk to Tom and Penny who were sitting with the Longworths, Leonora and Mrs. Mitchell.  Tom laughed, “We had to come clean to Georgia to meet the President and we work in D. C..  The President asked that we contact his chief of staff when we get back to D. C.  I suppose you will want a commission for helping us get better jobs.  I guess you’ll need the money to pay for this shindig.”

Adrian and Spring were sitting with the Pearsons and Winters, Mrs. Pearson looked at me and laughed, “I have to hand it to you two.  When you plan to do something, you don’t leave any stones unturned. Do you?  How many people could get the President of the United States to attend their wedding?”

It was almost eleven o’clock when we heard a strange sound.  It sounded as if aliens were approaching.  We could hear the horses complaining.  The Osages came to Autumn and me and hugged us, “Thanks for permitting to us to come to your wedding.  It was so different than most things we get invited to.”

The President challenged me, “I’m thinking that you and your gang will be prepping Benji to take my job as soon as he can walk and talk.  Doug and Autumn, you have some very loyal supporters in those four young men who planned this affair.  I’m sure that I will be hearing about one or more of them in the future.”

Everyone watched as the helicopter took off with the President and his wife and the two Secret Service men who had accompanied them.  That was the signal for everyone to leave.

After Autumn and I said goodnight to the last of the guests, including our parents.  I looked around to see who was still there.  Cole, Trent, Derek, Austin, Andre and Clark were loading the last of the chairs and tables onto three trucks, and several young men, whom I didn't know, had the altar and the bar in their truck.  The D. J. was just pulling away in his van.  The only thing that was still standing was the tent and the lights.

Trent looked at  Autumn and me, “We’ll take care of the rest tomorrow after church when it’s light.”

Trevor and Jeff came out of the house and Trevor announced, “Mr. and Mrs. C., we put all of the baby gifts and cards in the dining room.  There is quite a bit of money in the box from the dance and I’m guessing that some of the envelopes probably have money as well.  Benji has been changed, fed and is sleeping in his crib.  His christening outfit is ready for you to put on him in the morning”

I looked at the guys, “Speaking of money, how much do we owe you guys for everything and to whom do we pay it?”

Cole put up his hand, “Mr. and Mrs. C., everything has been paid for, so therefore you owe nothing.  We are not at liberty to divulge who paid for it, but I will say it was not any of us.”

Autumn started to laugh, “Cole, surely you’re kidding?”

Trent answered, “No, Cole was serious.  Pastor Taylor would like for you to be at the church at ten in the morning so he can talk to you before he baptizes Benji.”

Autumn looked at me, “Trent and Cole, you will be there to act as Benji's godfathers, of course.”

Cole started to say something, but Trent punched his arm and shook his head no.

Trevor added, “Miss Spring said they would be back in time for the christening ceremony.  They are spending the night at the Winters’ house.  Mr. C., we already put Benji’s car seat in your car.  Come on guys, let’s bust out of this place and go get some decent food.  Clark, you did steal some of the bubbly for us, did you not?”

The guys all hugged us as they went to get into the trucks.  Jeff went with Trent and Trev with Cole.   We watched as the caravan pulled away from Summerhill.  I looked Autumn, “Well, Mrs. C., I guess we need to go check on our son.  I still haven’t seen the nursery now that it’s finished.”

Autumn laughed, “You’re not going to believe it.  Benji even has designer curtains made by Cole’s grandmother.”

When we walked into the nursery, I was speechless.  I looked around, “There’s no question that this is a boy’s room.  I guess the guys are positive that Benji is going to be a football player.  I guess we need to leave the door open so we can hear him if he starts to fuss.”

To be continued...

Editor's notes:  I can't believe how smoothly everything went.  That was a beautiful wedding.  Doug and Autumn make a very nice couple, don't they?

 It was a very sweet touch that Benji was made part of the wedding. 

Benji seems to be a very nice little fellow. 

There aren't too many people who can say that the President and his wife came to their wedding.  I want more chapters very soon, please!

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 06/19/09