MAKING IT OFFICIAL
by
RM
Chapter 19
THE CHAPTERS
“Joe, I think you better get the doctor. Caren and I are not getting married. Neither of us will make it to the church since the doctors aren’t going to discharge us today.”
“Who said we were going to the church?”
Frank closed his eyes in frustration and stifled a groan at the game his brother was playing. He stopped suddenly and thought about the question Joe had asked. Who said we were going to the church?
He slowly opened his eyes and gazed at his grinning brother. He knew Joe had made it possible.
“Where is the wedding taking place?” Joe asked slowly.
“Right here in the hospital.”
Frank’s mouth fell open. “How did you manage that?”
“Well, I know how much you wanted to marry Caren and I saw the disappointment in your eyes when you realized that it wasn’t going to happen with you both in the hospital…”
“Take a breath, Joe, before you pass out.”
“Sorry, I’m just a little excited.”
“I can see that,” Frank said. “Go on.”
“So, with some help we got permission to use the chapel; for the ceremony and part of the cafeteria for the reception. That way you’ll both still be here under doctor’s observation like they want and get married like you want.”
Frank was shocked by Joe’s thoughtfulness. He had honestly thought they would be rescheduling the wedding to a later date, but his brother had come up with a way for them to get married. He couldn’t believe it was going to finally happen.
“Joe, I don’t know what to say. I never expected this.”
“There’s nothing to say.” Joe grinned at his brother. “The only thing we need to do is get ready for the wedding. It’ll be starting soon.”
“That’s a good idea, but I don’t have anything to wear.”
Joe moved toward the door. “Don’t worry. I’ve taken care of everything.”
Joe opened the door to reveal Fenton standing there with his tuxedo.
Frank smiled. It was going to turn out to be a great day.
* * * * *
An hour later, Frank was being wheeled down to the chapel. Dr. Alexander had stopped by and insisted Frank remain in the wheelchair until the start of the ceremony and then afterward as a precautionary measure. Frank wasn’t about to argue. Even as excited as he was about the ceremony, Frank was just exhausted and knew standing during the ceremony was going to be a challenge in itself.
In his room, Fenton and Joe had helped him get into his tuxedo. It was uncomfortable to wear, but he did get it on, all but the tie. He wasn’t about to tie it around his neck.
Entering the chapel, he saw all of their friends and families had gathered for the occasion. He smiled at them as he was wheeled to the front. He greeted the minister that agreed to marry them and thanked him for coming to the new location.
As he turned the chair around, the music began to play and he saw his mother making her way down the aisle. She had slipped into a blue dress that matched the blue in her eyes. She smiled as she reached the front row and sat down beside his father.
He watched as Melissa Anderson made her way to the front, smiling happily and dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. He knew this was going to be an emotional moment.
Once Melissa was seated, Vanessa came down the aisle toward them. She was dressed in a red dress that accentuated every curve. Frank glanced up at Joe’s face and saw the big grin there. He knew Joe was deeply in love with Vanessa.
The doors closed and then the wedding march began. As the guests stood, and turned to the back, Frank also stood up, unsteadily. Once he was upright, he seemed to quickly get his balance.
He looked down the aisle and watched as the doors opened. Frank fought for breath as he watched his bride make her way toward him on the arm of her father.
Caren looked beautiful to him in her spaghetti strapped A-line wedding dress that just touched the floor. With the thin veil covering her head, she looked like an angel.
When Caren and Richard reached the front, Frank shook Richard’s hand.
“Protect her,” Richard said quietly.
“With my life,” Frank promised.
As Richard stepped back, Frank felt Caren slide her arm through his and they turned to face the minister.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.” He paused. “Who gives this woman to his man?”
There was silence. Frank and Caren turned to look at Richard, wondering why he wasn’t saying anything. They watched as Melissa nudged him.
“Her mother and I,” Richard finally said.
Frank and Caren turned back to the minister as he continued. Frank had a feeling Richard was having a hard time watching his only daughter get married.
“Please face each other, holding hands.”
Frank watched Caren hand her bouquet of roses to Vanessa before doing as the minister asked.
“Do you, Frank, take Caren to be your wife?”
“I do.”
“Do you, Caren, take Frank to be your husband?”
“I do.”
“Please repeat these vows after me,” the minister began. “I Franklin Edward Hardy, take you Caren Elizabeth Anderson, to be my wife.”
“I, Franklin Edward Hardy, take you Caren Elizabeth Anderson, to be my wife,” Frank repeated. “To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”
“Caren, repeat after me,” the minister said.
“I, Caren Elizabeth Anderson, take you Franklin Edward Hardy, as my husband,” Caren said. “To have and to hold, in sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”
“The rings please.”
Frank turned to Joe and took the ring his brother offered him. He then turned back to Caren.
“Frank, place the ring on her finger and said, ‘With this ring, I thee wed’.”
Frank slid the ring over her knuckle and said, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Caren, place the ring on his finger and say ‘With this ring, I thee wed’.”
Caren slid the ring on his finger with a shaking hand. “Wit this ring, I thee wed.”
“By the power vested in my, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister said. “You may now kiss the bride.”
Frank reached up and lifted the veil from Caren’s face. He could see the tears welling up in her eyes. He knew they were happy tears. He gently cupped her face in his hand. He whispered, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He leaned in and their lips met. He was barely aware of the applause coming from the guests. The only thing that mattered was that he and Caren were officially husband and wife.
The minister cleared his throat after a moment and the two of them looked at him. Frank said softly, “Sorry.”
“That’s all right,” the minister replied with a smile. He then looked at all the guests. “It is my pleasure to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hardy.”
Frank and Caren turned to face everyone as the applause erupted again. Frank watched as Caren took her bouquet from Vanessa and together they made their way to the chapel entrance before they would go to the hospital cafeteria for the reception.
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Disclaimer
The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.