Chapter 66
Grant
Grant was nervous the day of the wedding. It was early fall of the next year, and there was a slight chill in the air. Since they were having the ceremony in the garden, Grant was glad it wasn’t too hot outside. The sun was shining, and the women were wearing furs. His uniform was wool, so he was glad for the chill.
While Grant was struggling to dress, Carter and Mark stepped into the room.
“Need some help, cuz?” Carter asked.
“That would be great, actually,” he said, gesturing to his pants. Carter ignored him and passed out glasses of whiskey.
“That’s not helping, Carter,” Mark said. He clipped on Grant’s shirt stays and made sure everything was straight then helped him into the heavy dark-blue pants.
“How’s business?” Carter asked while he made sure Grant’s shirt was neat.
“I’m glad I transitioned out of sales and more into managing those huge contracts. Even though it’s a lot of work, it’s nowhere near as stressful as sales. Have you figured out what you’re going to do about your career?”
“I’m not sure,” Mark said.
“I’m sure. I’m out in two months, if everything goes smoothly,” Carter said.
“Which it won’t,” Grant said, watching Carter finish Grant’s whiskey after drinking his own.
“You need to slow down,” Mark admonished.
“Where are you guys going to move after the honeymoon?” Mark asked.
“Here, I guess,” Grant answered.
“Here? It’s going to be crowded. My mom and dad are moving here too. They’re renovating their house.”
“Well, this place is plenty big. Neither Kate nor I has time to manage our own household. Plus, we’d be over here all the time, anyway. Might as well.”
“I’ll move here too,” Carter said, pouring himself another glass of whiskey. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“That’s going to be… interesting,” Mark said, taking both the glass and the bottle away from Carter. “I think maybe I will renew my contract if this is what I have to look forward to.”
“No!” said Grant as Mark helped him with his jacket. “You have to come work at the company. There’s always new tech to develop.”
“I’ll think about it,” Mark said, straightening Grant’s medals and ribbons.
Mark clasped the Medal of Honor around his neck, and Carter handed him his saber.
“Spit polish, Sergeant!” he said as Jack and Walter came into the room, beaming.
“You look so handsome.”
Jack patted him on the back. “I’d hug you, but I think Mark and Stefan would kill me if I wrinkled your uniform.”
They walked out into the garden. Grant breathed in the scent of fall as he looked around at all their friends and family that had joined together to watch the couple say their vows.
The music started, and Grant escorted Nancy down the aisle. His adoptive parents were not invited to the wedding. He had given the guards strict instructions not to let them in if they did decide to show up.
Gus, ribbons and flowers tied around his neck, was the ring bearer. He held a little pillow in his mouth that had the wedding rings lightly sewn on. Grant had been training him to walk down the path and stop right at his feet. When confronted with all the people, however, the corgi looked as if he was going to forget all his training and start wandering. Grant whistled, and Gus gamely walked down the path, looking from side to side at all the well-dressed wedding guests.
Grant took the rings from the dog when he sat at his feet. When the quartet started playing the processional, Gus jumped up. Kate was about to arrive.