Sarah cuddled Orson close, but he was fussy after a whole day inside.

She couldn’t say she blamed him. Since arriving back at the farm, they’d been spoiled with outdoor activities. They had only been gone a few weeks, but everyone fawned over him like they hadn’t seen him in years. She was willing to bet that no city baby had ever been on more hayrides or apple picks.

But most of today had been spent setting up the big tables in the downstairs of the octagonal barn. Kate had baked and cooked up a storm along with about a dozen family members assisting, shouting out instructions about how to set up the dining area to anyone who would listen.

When Sarah agreed to a simple wedding on the farm she expected it would actually be simple - just those of them who were already there throwing a quick wedding and maybe ordering a pizza afterward so Kate wouldn’t have to cook.

But from the moment she’d agreed to it, the whole family had been barreling non-stop toward something more like an event at Martha Stewart’s estate.

The tables were set with beautiful dishes that had been handmade by various Harkness kids over the years in the local elementary school’s third grade art class.

The hutch full of these dishes was a striking testament to how many misunderstood shifter children had been fostered on the farm. Kate caught Sarah gazing at the stacks of plates, teary-eyed.

“I know, honey,” Kate said gruffly. “Can you imagine how much I miss them all?”

Sarah burst into tears and Kate caught her up in one of her rib-crushingly satisfying hugs.

“They all come back to see me eventually,” Kate said with a smile in her voice. “Your fiancé included. Though I think he owes me some flatware.”

“I’ll make you a plate, Kate,” Max yelled from the other room where he was stirring something on the stove as Darcy chopped mushrooms next to him.

“Just don’t burn those onions and we’ll consider ourselves even for now,” Kate hollered back.

Darcy laughed her head off and the others joined in, and the day rolled on.

The moon was high in the sky and the stars were twinkling by the time they all began to gather under the sycamores.

Sarah, Orson and Mandy waited in the farmhouse kitchen. It was old-fashioned to make Max wait to see her when they had literally cooked their wedding feast together, but somehow the traditional thing felt just right tonight.

Darcy was a bouncer at the Stackhouse Casino in Philly and had to dress in formal wear each night for work. Earlier in the afternoon she had loaned Sarah one of her more modest white evening gowns for the wedding.

Sarah was shorter than Darcy and had curves where Darcy had muscles. Somehow the dress looked completely different on her and just right for a farmhouse wedding.

“That’s amazing,” Sarah had murmured into the mirror.

“No,” Finn said from the doorway, with his arm around Darcy.

Darcy nodded in a smug way. “It’s magic.”

As Sarah, Mandy and Orson waited in the kitchen, there was a knock at the door and Mandy went to see who it was.

“Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds,” Mandy’s voice carried into the kitchen.

Sarah stepped in with Orson, excited but a little nervous to meet Max’s parents. She wasn’t sure they were going to make it, after their flight was delayed for some bad weather.

Max was going to be so pleased.

Sarah had offered to postpone the ceremony, but Max wouldn’t hear of it, insisting his parents would be mortified if they thought everyone was waiting just for them.

“Sarah?” Mrs. Reynolds asked.

“Yes,” Sarah said.

“Well, if you’re going to run off like Cinderella again, I hope you’ll let us have a look at our grandson first,” Mr. Reynolds quipped.

“Hugh,” Mrs. Reynolds scolded, giving him a good shove.

“Sorry, couldn’t resist,” Mr. Reynolds winked, rubbing his arm.

Mandy laughed.

Orson chuckled and held out a hand, fingers wiggling, to his grandparents.

“Oh,” Mrs. Reynolds sighed.

Just then the back door slammed.

“Are you ready?” Hannah asked, panting.

“Yes,” Mandy said. “She’s ready.”

“We’d better get out there, Hugh,” Mrs. Reynolds said. “I don’t suppose you need someone to hold the little fellow while you get married?”

Sarah looked helplessly to her sister who had been looking forward to holding Orson during the ceremony as the unofficial baby-sitter-of-honor.

“That was going to be my job,” Mandy said smoothly. “But frankly I’m exhausted. Let’s grab a seat together in case he fusses.”

Mrs. Reynolds clapped her hands with delight.

“I love you, buddy,” Sarah whispered into Orson’s warm little fluff of hair.