"Of Magic & Mistletoe", by Gratiana Lovelace (2020); (Completed)

Ch. 08 Epilogue: Wedding love and family joy

"Of Magic & Mistletoe", Ch. 08 Epilogue: Wedding love and family joy, 
by Gratiana Lovelace, December 31, 2020 (Post #1357)

(All rights reserved; An original story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2020)
[(1) cover story]

Author's content note: My 2020 Christmas short story here is a gentle romance mostly rated G for all, with some dramatic moments. I will serialize my story here and on my Wattpad site. I'll continue with publishing new chapters almost every day through New Year's Eve. I hope that you enjoy my new story.

Illustrations: I cast my stories as I write them, with Richard Armitage as Luke Wharton, Erin Krakow as Diana Groves, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benjy Groves, Helen Hayes as Martha Lesley, Anna Knyazeva as Heidi Wharton, Betty White as Granny Wilma Wharton, and others as noted in the references.

Ch. 08 Epilogue: Wedding love and family joy

Luke and Diana share their wedding news with their immediate families and friends Sunday evening of December 26, 2010—which for Diana and Benjy, also includes their neighbor and one of Diana's Care Receivers friends, Martha Lesley. Everyone is ecstatic and eager to help Luke and Diana fast track their wedding for not quite a full two weeks hence on a Saturday, January 7th, 2011.

So on Monday, December 27th, Diana informs the Hampton Heights apartment complex that she is tendering her resignation as a Care Giver due to her upcoming marriage and possibly returning to school to get her Master's degree in gerontology starting in the Spring of 2011. They are understanding and grateful that Diana is actually giving them two weeks notice, when not every employee does that. They and her Care Receivers will miss Diana's caring heart and kindness—as Diana will miss her Care Receivers.

Then later on that Monday, Luke & Heidi pick up Diana & Benjy at their apartment for the quick trip to the County Clerk's Office for Luke and Diana to fill out their wedding license registration form. And Luke and Diana are quite amused when Benjy logically answers the Marriage License Clerk's question for Luke and Diana, of if they were already related as a family?

Benjy: "No! That's why my Mommy Diana and Heidi's Daddy Luke are getting married—so that we will make a family."

Heidi: Little Heidi adds gleefully, almost chirping. "After we're married, I will have a new Mommy and Benjy will have a new Daddy."

And of course, the Clerk had seen Luke's and Diana's marriage license registration form's written responses of marital status, with them each being widowed. So she smiles cordially at them and their kids and wishing them every happiness and a wonderful new life together.

That evening, the soon to be new Wharton family has dinner out—at the family friendly Bob Evan's Restaurant again—before returning Diana and Benjy back to their apartment. While the kids play with some big block wooden puzzles after dinner, Luke and Diana sit off to the side on her couch and chat a bit more about wedding planning.

Diana: "Luke, I know we have an appointment tomorrow morning with your Pastor Carl Olsen at the Lutheran Church, but I realized today in talking with Martha and several of my Care Receivers about their attending our wedding, that transporting them to a Church and possibly a separate reception site will be a challenge for them."

Luke: "Yet, you look like you might have a solution." Luke smiles at their ability to give and take on decisions big and small.

Diana: "Yes. Each apartment building in the complex has its own laundry and community rooms." Diana gazes up at Luke with a hopeful expression on her face.