The Firefighter's Redemption - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Two Years Later…
‘The dogs look brilliant.’ Esme clapped her hands in delight.
‘You look brilliant!’ Margaret enthused with equal glee.
‘We all look brilliant! But mostly you.’ Esme took Margaret’s hands in hers and stood back admiring the silk and tulle wedding dress that she was wearing. ‘I can’t believe it took you two so long to finally walk down the aisle.’
Margaret cackled. ‘You’re the one who told me to take my time!’
Esme grinned sheepishly. ‘I was a bit overprotective, wasn’t I?’
Margaret pinched a bit of air between her fingers, then squished it. ‘A little bit. But it’s all been worth the wait.’ They both looked up as the church clock chimed eleven.
‘You ready to become Mrs Scott Campbell?’
‘That’ll be Mrs Margaret Campbell to you, thank you very much.’
‘Course it will,’ Esme said, tears glassing over her eyes. ‘Course it will.’
The dogs with heather and rose boutonnières pinned to their collars led the way as Esme and then Margaret entered the candelit stone chapel she and Scott had agreed was the perfect place to exchange vows.
As she walked down the aisle, her hand tucked in her father’s arm, her eyes were glued to the man she couldn’t wait to call her husband. She should be looking at her guests and beaming in anticipation. Everyone was there from Heatherglen. Scott’s ambo crew. Charles, Flora, Lyle and all the rest of the staff from the medical and veterinary clinics. Her family. Her sister, fresh from uni with not one but two degrees and a plan to continue her studies as a medical doctor.
When she reached Scott, her father lifted her veil and gave her a kiss on her cheek. He turned to Scott with a twinkle in his eye and said sternly, ‘I would ask you to take care of our wee lassie here, but I know you’ll be taking care of each other from here on out.’
‘Aye, Mr Murray. That we will.’ Scott took her hand in his and leant in to give her a kiss until the vicar reminded them they hadn’t quite reached that part yet.
The rest of the ceremony passed in a dream. They exchanged vows they’d written themselves. Vows of love and commitment that brought tears to each of their eyes. Words she knew they would cherish forever and that would render their love unbreakable. They’d been through the worst, and now, at long last, they were ready to embark on the rest of their lives together.
‘Are you ready to kiss the bride?’ asked the vicar.
‘Never been more ready in my life,’ Scott said, already leaning forward to give Margaret a kiss that would bind them together, finally, for a lifetime.
THE END