{Do not play the song until you read, 'the music changed'. That's your cue to play the song.}
The next morning, Robert was one of the last to wake up. He was getting ready to go into Ruth's room to make sure her nerves were calmed down, but before he could Bindi said, "Oh no ya don't. You're not allowed to see the bride till the ceremony and make sure you have everything from here before we leave for the ceremony." Robert was going to protest, but knew Bindi was only trying to keep Ruth from having a stress overload. Chandler told Robert that Bindi told him, "I'm supposed to take you to the Photogallery first, then they'll follow with Ruth, so you don't see her." Chandler and Robert took his suit, and the rings out to Chandler's truck, they then left and headed to the Photogallery. Robert went to the office to put his suit on, Chandler had his on when Robert came out. Robert handed the rings to Chandler, then Chandler helped him put on a boutineer. Grace ran in and hugged her dad, she was wearing a cute little off white dress with a green sash. Chandler spun her around, then Robert picked her up and asked, "Are ya excited Grace?" She nodded and said, "I'm so excited."
She was let down, and she ran to her mom. Bindi looked at Chandler and said, "You both look great. Now Robert, turn around so you don't see Ruth, we're taking her to the office to get in her dress. No peeking, got it?" Robert turned around, and he waited till Bindi gave him the go ahead to turn around. He turned back around and saw Ruth's cousins and friends. Robert got a text from the minister that was going to do their wedding, he was sick. Luckily, Pastor Mike had worn a suit, so Robert asked him if he would officiate the ceremony. Pastor Mike agreed and took his place under the trellis next to Robert and Chandler. Ruth's sisters sat front row by Ruth's mom and Terri. Behind them were Ruth's cousins and some of Robert's friends were behind them, and lastly, Amanda, Tommy, and Andrew sat in the back row. Bindi was helping Ruth with her dress and hair, while everyone was waiting and speaking, somehow the paparazzi got in and started storming the wedding. Robert stood there as they asked questions, Chandler finally told them to leave, when they wouldn't, Chandler called together the zoo staff to get the Paparazzi out of the Photogallery and away from the wedding ceremony.
Music started playing, Grace walked down the aisle toward her dad while dropping flowers as she walked. Terri told her to sit with her when she reached the end of the aisle. Then, Bindi walked down the aisle in a beautiful sage green dress, and after she took her position by the trellis, across from Chandler, the music changed. Ruth appeared at the head of the aisle, everyone turned, and Amanda let out a 'woo'. Tommy and Andrew sat wide-eyed, as they looked at Ruth, trying to figure out how the girl they knew was now this beautiful bride standing before everyone. Robert, who had been looking at the floor, looked up, his breath hitched as he looked at her, and smiled as tears filled the brims of his eyes. Ruth was beautiful, even more so in the dress, with her hair down, her nails painted holding her bouquet, and she seemed to float as she walked toward Robert in her lacy, white flats.
She stopped in front of him as she reached the end of the aisle, then she whispered, "Don't cry, you'll make me cry." Robert couldn't help but to feel so blessed, which fit perfect with the song that was playing. They turned, faced Pastor Mike, then he had them face each other. They looked into each other's eyes lovingly as Pastor Mike read from 1 Corinthians 13, which is a description of what love is. It soon came time for them to exchange their vows, Robert listened as Ruth read hers, "Two of my favorite verses from the book of Ruth sums up so much of how I feel about you, Robert." He looked at her with the same tear filled eyes as she continued to read, "But Ruth replied, 'Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to seperate us.' With God's help, I promise to love you unconditionally, to respect and honor you as my husband, and to serve you with humility and grace. I vow to be your faithful companion and steadfast support, to pray for you and with you, to build a home where God's presence is felt in every corner. May our love be a reflection of God's love for us, enduring and pure, as we journey together in faith and devotion." Ruth's mom was crying, and everyone else in the room was practically in tears too. Ruth slide Robert's ring onto his finger, and Robert had take a deep breath to keep the tears from flowing as he looked at Ruth. She smiled at him as he read, "I, Robert, stand before God and our loved ones, to declare my love and commitment to you. I promise to love you as Christ loved the Church, to honor and cherish you as my beloved wife. To be your faithful and loving husband, to support you in times of joy and sorrow. With God's guidance, I will lead our family with wisdom, compassion, integrity, and strength, seeking his will in all things. I pledge to be your partner in prayer, your confident in times of trial, and your faithful companion throughout our journey. Together, we will build a life centered on faith, hope, and unconditional love." Ruth smiled while wiping a tear from her eye as he slide the ring onto her finger, and everyone else was really on the verge of tears now.
Pastor Mike finished the ceremony by saying, "These two whom God has brought together, let no man or woman, put asunder. Robert, you may kiss your bride." With that, Robert hugged her, put his palm on her cheek, and kissed her. Everyone cheered and clapped for them, Ruth's mom was still crying but clapping with everyone else. Robert and Ruth turned toward their friends and family, told them the reception would be at the Irwin house, as Robert raised their joined hands into the air as if to say, 'victory is ours'.
Robert and Ruth took Chandler's truck and the others rode in the car or got an uber. Robert and Ruth were the first ones back to the house, and they went inside. Ruth ran upstairs to change from her wedding dress into a shorter wedding/Party dress (model in this pic isn't Ruth) that she had bought the other day right after the spa treatments.
She was changing and put on a pair of special white converse high-tops, which she had embroidered herself a year ago, and her mom had brought them with her when they were decorating the day before. Robert had changed into a casual shirt and white shorts. She was getting ready to look at herself in the mirror when she was hugged from behind by Robert, he complimented, "You look beautiful, you know that?" She nodded, then said, "Come on, we gotta get the food out and put it outside and I'm gonna get the cake set up too."
Everyone was finally to the house and were getting ready to sit down at the lovely table, which had been set by Bindi and Terri before they left this morning (the lights are strung from tree to tree instead of dangling). Everyone sat down, visited and music was playing in the lightly in the background. Grace had been taken by her mom to have her dress changed before she ate, but after that she was running all over. The food was delicious, then Robert and Ruth cut the cake while some were chanting 'wear the cake'. She had warned him before everyone had got to the house, that if he rubbed cake all over her face, he would regret it. Ruth gave Robert a look that said, 'If you shove this cake all over my face, I will chase you down and cover your face in it.' They fed each other a small piece of cake, and Robert, being the prankster he is, smeared a bite of frosting on Ruth's face. She took a step backward before grabbing a handful of cake, which had been a piece she had cut for someone, and as he began to run from her, she chased him. Luckily for her, he tripped on one of the dog bones laying out in the yard, she caught him and she covered his face with the cake she had in her hand. Everyone was laughing and having a wonderful time, they laughed together, as he stood up. Ruth wiped his face from the cake and then she said, "I had warned you before everyone got here and before you got me." He smiled, hugged her again, and they stared at the fun everyone was having.
Ruth's cousins and friends came to them and said they had to go to catch their flights back home. She hugged them all, and Robert thanked them for coming. Robert and Ruth had their stuff packed already for their honeymoon, and they had a flight to catch in several hours too. After everyone had left, Robert, Ruth, Chandler, Bindi, Terri, Ruth's mom and sisters, they began cleanup. After everything was cleaned up, Robert brought down their luggage and put them in the back of Chandler's truck. Chandler was gonna drive them to the airport, so when the time came they said their goodbyes to Terri, Bindi, Grace, Ruth's mom, and sisters. Grace cried as they drove away, and before long they were dropped off at the airport by Chandler, where he said his 'goodbye' to them, then he got in his truck and headed back to the house. At the airport, Robert took Ruth's luggage and pulled it for her, along with his own. Their checked their bags, then they walked and got to their gate. While they were waiting till boarding, Robert and Ruth were holding hands and praying for a safe flight. During their prayer, someone had taken a picture of Robert and Ruth praying together, then posted it to social media.
Before long, the news media was coming out of the woodwork to see who the girl was with Robert, seeing as the last they knew Robert had been dating Rory Buckley, but the girl in the photo wasn't her, and they thought Robert and the girl in the photo looked to be a little close. Robert was sitting, waiting for Ruth to return from the bathroom, when the paparazzi cornered him. He sat unresponsive as the asked him question after question, about his relationship with Rory, and if he was just having a passing fancy with the girl in the picture. Ruth had heard everything they were saying, and she looked at Robert knowing that comment set him off. He stood up, grabbed the guy that said it, and was ready to knock the guy out, when Ruth ran over and said, "Robert, please don't do this. If you do that, it'll just give them something bad to write about you, please just let him go." Robert reluctantly let the reporter go, but then the reporter remarked, "I guess this little fancy is more important for him to please than his girlfriend, Rory." Robert turned back around ready to punch the guy, right in the nose, but Ruth was one step ahead of Robert. He turned around in time to see Ruth walk up to the reporter and say in a very stern tone, "I'm not his fancy, and I'd appreciate it if you'd quit referring to me as such. By the way, there's an old motto, 'ladies don't start fights, but they can end them,' and because I'm a lady, I'm going to overlook your rudeness. And furthermore, in the future when referring to me, you may refer to me as Mrs. Robert Irwin. Do I make myself clear?" she asked them. They all nodded, not daring to say one more word to offend her. She then replied in a sweeter but sarcastic tone, "Now, if you all don't object, we have a plane to catch for our honeymoon. Have a good evening. Goodbye."
Robert was astounded, the reporters and paparazzi were in awe of Ruth. They stood there, almost spell bound by the young woman. Ruth turned back to her husband, smiled, and said in a sweet voice, "Come on Robert, we don't want to miss our flight." He nodded while chuckling, then they got in line, and boarded the plane. They got their seats, and Robert had a funny look on his face as he sat next to Ruth. She looked at him and asked, "What?" He replied, "Nothin', it's just, I've never seen that side of you before." She smiled and said, "Well dear, you've only been around me for three and a half weeks, I wasn't pushed at anytime in front of you by the media. Not only that, but I'm getting tired, we've had a long day, and they were damping my mood." He smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders, she leaned her head over onto his side and before long she was fast asleep. He leaned his head on hers and prayed a heartfelt thanks to God for the woman he could now call his wife. Before long, the plane landed and everyone departed from the plane. Robert and Ruth were now wandering around in the airport baggage claim area looking for their luggage. They got the suitcases, then headed to get a taxi to go to their hotel. They got to the hotel, went to their honeymoon suite, and went into the room. As soon as they entered, all Ruth saw was the bed. She headed straight for it, she jumped and face planted onto the bed. She laid there, Robert walked in and seen her laying there motionless. He walked around the bed and saw her sleeping face. She had fallen asleep in her dress, unwilling to confront sleep any longer than she had too. Robert smiled, leaned down, planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, and whispered, "You sleep darling, you'll need it for walking around tomorrow." Robert had the whole honeymoon planned based on how well he knew Ruth. She liked sightseeing, hiking, and adventure, but he didn't realize that she was so tired that she would go to sleep in her dress.
Hey everyone, Whew! That was a long chapter, over 2700 words, but you made it to the end of it. Hope you enjoy the last 5 chapters. Thanks for reading! - GodLover