The Journal: Crimson Skies: (The Journal Book 3) Read Free Page A

specially made by a stained glass artist the year my
mother died,” I explained to Kathy. “He inlaid dried Bleeding Heart
flowers that were picked from the plant my father gave my mother
for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.” I opened the box to
reveal my parents’ wedding bands. “I know Mother’s ring fits me,
perhaps Dad’s will fit Mark.”
    “What a lovely gesture,” Kathy said, taking
the rings from me. “Don’t worry, I won’t lose them. I want to
polish them up.” She left me to finish combing my hair.
     
    At three thirty, our guests started arriving.
Amanda took over arranging things on the food table, while Kathy
kept me in the greenhouse so Mark could shower and change
clothes.
    “Keeping Mark and I apart is silly, Kathy!
We’ve been living together for the last two weeks,” I said, pacing,
and then sitting on the bench by the fish pond, the water gurgling
happily from the full batteries. There has fortunately been enough
sunlight that the solar panels have kept the batteries charged.
    “Tough!” she said. “Stay here. I have
something for you I need to get from the car.” She left, leaving
the door open. The breeze it brought in was welcomed and it helped
to soothe my growing anxiety.
    When she returned, she had a bouquet of
flowers! It was made up of a hodgepodge of baby’s breath, zinnia in
bright yellow, wild ox-eyed daisies, blue forget-me-nots, and a
single rose. The combination was stunning, and I almost cried over
her thoughtfulness.
    At four o’clock sharp, she let me out of the
greenhouse to greet my guests and my soon to be husband.
     
    “You look stunning,” Mark said as he took my
hand and walked with me to where our friends and family waited with
Pastor Carolyn.
    When we said our vows, Mark added some of his
own. “And I promise to never, ever leave you. It’s until death do
us part. Now that I’ve said that in front of everyone, you will
have to believe me.”
    When Carolyn called for rings, Mark looked
panic stricken.
    “Don’t worry, Mark, we got it covered, I hope
yours fits,” I whispered to him. Jacob walked up to Carolyn and
held out his hands. The newly polished gold rings sparkled in the
sunlight.
    “Anything you would like to say about these
rings, Allexa?” Carolyn asked.
    I turned to my new husband and said “These
are my parents’ wedding rings. I think they would be very pleased
that you and I are now going to wear them.” I slid my father’s ring
onto Mark’s finger to find a perfect fit. He took the other ring
from Jacob and placed it on my finger.
    “I now pronounce you man and wife,” Pastor
Carolyn announced proudly.
     
    “It was all lovely, though I hadn’t expected
for us to make such a big deal over getting married,” I confessed
to Mark as we accepted a glass of wine from Bob.
    “I think it was just enough, Allex,” Mark
said, giving me yet another kiss. “Your family and friends wanted
this, and who are we to deny them?”
    Right before we were ready to start our
buffet feast, which included a wedding cake Kathy had made and
decorated with fresh nasturtiums, a vehicle was heard coming down
the road. The military Humvee came to a stop across from our
group.
    Both the driver’s door and the passenger side
opened at the same time. The driver stepped out, holding a rifle,
while the passenger walked around the vehicle and came up to
us.
    “Good afternoon, everyone, I’m Captain
Andrews of the United States Army,” he introduced himself. “This
looks like a celebration of some sort.”
    “It’s a wedding, Captain. Can we help you?” I
said, noting something about him was familiar.
    “Congratulations to the happy couple,” he
said. “I’ve come to Moose Creek to see if there is anyone who needs
assistance in relocating to Marquette.”
    “I don’t think there is anyone left in Moose
Creek, Captain. I believe any survivors have already moved to
town,” Anna said.
    “What about everyone here?” he