you in the back of the head or on the shoulder, you knew it was on purpose.”
More laughing from the crowd.
“Mister can throw a rope like no one I’ve ever seen,” Judge continued, his voice taking on a sober quality. “He’s always been too big for this world, and my greatest regret is that I tried to tether him to it. When he left for Oklahoma, I was the last to know. He literally told me on his way out of town. I was devastated, thinking I’d driven him away from Shiloh Ridge, away from all he held dear. He’s since assured me and reassured me that it wasn’t my fault, that I was right, and that he’s glad he went, but I endured many restless nights praying for him. I know he does the same for me, though we’ve not always been our best selves with each other.”
He cleared his throat. “Mister is forgiving, thoughtful, and talented,” he said. “His determination is to be admired, and I’m lucky to count him—and Libby—as friends.”
“Thank you,” Mister said, and Judge lowered the mic and stepped right around the altar to hug his brother. They both came away with wet eyes, and Libby quickly wiped hers too.
“Can I say something?” Mister asked.
“It’s your wedding,” Judge said, handing him the mic. Mister stood on the wrong side of the altar and met Libby’s eye, and then looked out at the vast crowd of people who’d gathered. When the dining barn was full, they could feed three hundred people. There were easily that many people here tonight.
“I was not always the easiest person to live with,” he said. “I had a lot of growing up to do, and I’m sure I still do. Judge is usually the one who gives all the good advice at weddings, but I said something to him once that I think would be perfect for the theme of my wedding.” He swallowed, and Libby saw every one of his nerves.
“When I left for Oklahoma, I apologized to Judge, not only for the things I’d done wrong, but for all the time I wasted by not apologizing. So if there’s someone that needs to hear the words, I’m sorry, please say them. Don’t let another minute, hour, or day go by with that between you. It’s a waste. There’s so much more to be had out there, and while my family has said kind things about me, they could’ve just as easily said the bad things too. But I don’t like shying away from hard conversations. So I hope to be able to apologize to Libby when I do something wrong or bad, as I’m sure I will. And I hope she’ll forgive me. If you have someone in your life that needs an apology, go to them and freely give it.”
He nodded and handed the mic back to Judge, saying, “That’s all.”
“That was perfect,” Judge said. “And what I was going to say is now really lame.” He chuckled. “So let’s just get this marriage done, shall we?” He drew a deep breath and looked at Libby. “Unless Libby has something to say.”
Libby absolutely did not have anything to say, and she shook her head.
“Okay,” Judge said. “Liberty Denise Bellamore, do you give yourself to Michael Mister Ranza Glover, to be his lawfully wedded wife, with love, devotion, and fidelity?”
“Yes, I do,” Libby said.
“Michael Mister Ranza Glover, do you take unto yourself, Liberty Denise Bellamore, to be your lawfully wedded wife, and pledge to her to be her lawfully wedded husband, with love, devotion, and fidelity?”
“Heck yes, I do,” Mister said, all of his boyish charms shining through. He laughed next, along with several others, and as Judge pronounced them husband and wife, Mister reached up and tossed his cowboy hat high into the air, and shouted, “Yeehaw!” before he took her into his arms, dipped her, and kissed her.
His wife.
Libby was now Mister’s wife, and she had never been happier.
Chapter 17
Etta reached for another segment of Hailey’s hair, the soft, fine quality of it slipping right through her fingers. Still, she managed to get it into the braid and tucked under the next piece. “What kind of cake do you want for your birthday?”
“Yellow,” she said. “Daddy makes this one out of a box. I think it’s just called yellow.” Hailey looked up from the tablet Etta had put on the bathroom counter in front of her. “Is that a type of cake?”
“Yes,” Etta said, though she would