Book 1 - Back of the Shadows

Chapter Thirty

Wedding Day

Ben paces the room of the hotel ready to get this day started. He's waited his entire life for this moment with her. When it is time to go, Ben pulls Gunnar to the side to give him a hug.

"Your dad would be so proud of the man you have become," Ben starts.

"I don't know about that, I hope so, but what I do know is this, my mom has literally waited her entire life for this day. She may never say it out loud and will never ask more of someone but all of this," he says waving his hands around. "This, here today, is something she has dreamed up. Don't ever let her down,"

"That is a promise, this is all my dream too," Ben says.

"Good, now we are past the weirdness, let me go get your girl," Gunnar says.

Ben smiles really big and Gunnar laughs hard at him.

"We will see you guys there!" Ben says.

True to Summer's word she has planned every detail. She knows Sadie through and through that today is a small reminder that love and kindness is all that they want in their lives. Celebrating love in the simplest form. Everyone is at a local hotel getting ready. Sadie is sitting with her girls and looks around feeling incredibly blessed with the group of women that she is surrounded by. Summer, Everett, Jessie, and little Allie. Charlie will meet everyone at the land later with a few of the friends they have invited for the service. They only wanted the people they could trust to know and come. There are several coworkers and just a few other friends.

A knock at the door startles Sadie back to reality.

"Who is it?" Summer yells at the door.

"Gunnar, I got something for Mom," He says.

As summer opens the door with a smile, there stands the biggest part of Sadie's life. Her biggest supporter.

"Mom you look amazing!" he says.

"Thank you," She says. "You look amazing as well!"

"You ready?" Gunnar asks her.

"Yeah, did Ben get my gift?" She asks.

"Yeah he loved the engraved watch," Gunnar says. "Almost cried from what you wrote. It almost got weird."

The watch simply said, "Here's to count the minutes to forever". She left a note that said see you at 1430hrs.

"That is what I was going for, the tears factor," Sadie said laughing.

"He has a gift for you," Gunnar says holding out a jewelry box.

As she opens it she smiles at the small star-shaped necklace with a single diamond. It's the note that sits with it that causes her to tear up.

"My love, my light, my everything. today we will officially be husband and wife but always remember that our love started more than 17 years ago. Through every up and down the remaining constant was the love we silently had for each other. Now I can say to the world I love you. The first night of camping, laying with you in the hammock, you just looked over the lake. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and it all reminded me of the North Star. How when lost you find your way by the North Star. You are my home, you are my north star. I love you, Ben"

"Oh my god," Sadie says, trying to hold tears back.

Gunnar gives Sadie a sweet hug and true to Gunnar form; "Everyone is crying and getting emotional is weird! Come on, let's get you married.

Sadie just nods her head in agreement and they get into the waiting vehicles heading to the land. Driving up it's even more beautiful. There are large sheer drapes that fall along with the trees and white lanterns that are full of flowers that line around them. This is more than Sadie ever expected to see the people she loves the most in one location to witness her happiness. All she needs is them. Ben, Gunnar, Hudson, and Everett. She can see Ben with the biggest smile on his face talking with Hudson and a few friends and the guys are dressed in navy blue pants, white button-up shirts with a blue vest. Ben has his sleeves rolled up and you can see his tattoos wrapped around his arms.