Dan
I was going to Karen and Keith's Wedding.
I entered the venue.
Keith was standing at the altar.
Lucas and Nathan were standing with him.
I sat in my seat on the right side next to Mom and Dad.
Peyton walked down the aisle.
"Deb isn't coming?"
"I don't think so."
She stood on the other side of the altar.
Haley walked down the aisle.
She stood on the other side of the altar next to Peyton.
"Please rise for the Bride."
All of us stood up as the Wedding March started.
Everybody laughed as Lucas ran back up the aisle.
"Well, officiant guy told me I was supposed to be up there."
He looped his arm with Karen's.
She looked gorgeous in her dress.
Lucas walked down the aisle with Karen.
"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"
"I do."
He put her hand in his.
Lucas stood back in his place next to Nathan.
Haley took Karen's bouquet from her.
"Thanks." She thanked her.
"Yeah."
Karen and Keith joined hands.
"Welcome to you all. I'm honored to be presiding over the Wedding of Keith Scott and Karen Roe. Although I don't know them well, I know that this is a good match. How do I know that? Well..."
The Priest cleared his throat.
"Because of you, because of all of you. Looking out at their friends and their family..."
Deb slid in the seat next to me.
Luther was snoring.
Brooke nudged him, waking him up.
"And seeing the joy on all your faces, seeing how happy you are for them, tells me everything I need to know. It tells me that these two people deserve to be together. They deserve to be happy and fulfilled. And they deserve a long life together. And now to the standard housekeeping."
They smiled at each other.
"Does anyone have just cause why these two should not be married? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
Nobody moved.
"Now, I understand you've written your own vows."
"Oh, uh... Yes. I, um... Wrote mine." Karen said.
"Um... I tried to write mine. Um... But then I realized that I didn't need to." Keith said.
"Um... My entire life has been marked by two things. The first one is change. From when I was a kid to when I was an adult, things were always changing. But no matter how different things became or what new challenges I had to face, I always had the other thing that my life was marked by. And that's you. You've always been there. As a friend, as a partner, as the love of my life. You're my home, Karen. And that's one thing that will never change."
Karen smiled at Keith.
"That was really nice." She commented.
He smiled.
"I don't just want to marry you to wake up to you everyday or be with you forever. I want to marry you because Marriage is hard, raising kids is hard, debt, bills, relatives, jobs, and blending two families and lives is hard and you're the person I want to go through bad times with. Life is never going to magically be all butterflies and rainbows just because you marry your soulmate. Life is hard and I want to marry you and love you everyday through every bump in the road. I want to marry you to be your rock through every curve ball and to look at you when everything else is falling apart. I don't want to marry you because it's cute and exciting. I want to marry you because it's real and hard work and a lifetime of ups and downs with you is worth every second of it."
"And now, the moment we've all been waiting for."
The Priest turned his attention to Karen.
"Karen, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do." She answered.
Keith slid the silver Wedding band on her left ring finger.
The Priest turned his attention to him.
"And Keith, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded Wife?"
"I do." Keith answered.
Karen slid a black Wedding band on his left ring finger.
They smiled at each other.
"By the power vested in me by the State of North Carolina, I now pronounce you, Keith, and you, Karen... Husband and Wife. You may kiss your Bride."
Karen laughed as they kissed.
"Whoo-hoo!" Lucas cheered.
All of us cheered and applauded for them.
They turned around to face us.
"It's my great honor to pronounce to you and present to you Mr. and Mrs. Keith Scott."
They walked up the aisle together.
Lucas and Haley looped their arms together.
They walked up the aisle together.
Nathan and Peyton looped their arms together.
They walked up the aisle together.
Lucas and Keith hugged.
"Oh, it's about time."
Karen laughed.
He was walking in between them.
Lucas and Keith were talking.
"Keith has something of Lucas's you never will." Deb pointed out.
"What is that?"
"His heart. His trust. His unconditional love. And Keith returns it. Like a father should."
I stared after her.
Nathan laughed.
"Man, I love your Mom. Her, Karen, and Haley are the only ones who will stand up to him." Skills told him.
"I know. Every other female is scared of him."
"The father-son Basketball game is coming up."
"Yup."
"And now he can't complain to you about anything."
"Yeah."