Angel In The Saloon (Brides of Glory Gulch) (31 page)

Paul remembered the treasure he had placed in his
pocket near his heart earlier that morning. He retrieved the hair ribbon and
placed it in her hand. “I missed you so much, and whenever my heart ached to be
with you I would touch that ribbon, and somehow I felt you near me.”

“Oh, Paul. I don’t think you could ever know how much
I love you.” She kissed him.

“Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a hug left for an
old friend, would you?” Jeremiah said as if to break up the intensity of the
reunion.

“Jeremiah? Of course. Come over here.” She gave him a
fond bear hug. “I should have known you would come too. Thank you for taking
care of my Paul for me. You’re the best friend anyone could ever have.”

Before he let her go, he kissed her on the head and
looked impishly toward Paul. “Hey, you heard her, I’m her best friend. And
after all, I’m relieved she’s alive too.”

The three left the clinic to check into a hotel and
get something to eat. The men had missed lunch and were now ravenous.

Paul noticed a tremendous difference in Amelia’s
strides as she attempted to maneuver without her cane. She lacked confidence
without it. He didn’t like her having to grope around a room with her hands out
in front of her as she searched for objects and still bumped into shorter
pieces of furniture. Even with her arm tucked safely under his, she often flung
her free arm out in front of her as if she thought he would bang her into a
wall or a person or something. He made a mental note to have another one made
for her immediately when they arrived back in Glory Gulch.

The group decided over dinner that Paul would remain
with the ladies in Glenwood Springs, since Amelia refused to leave without her aunt
and Paul refused to leave Amelia. Jeremiah would head back to Glory Gulch in
the morning, first sending a telegram to advise Alister Jackson of the mix-up,
and then he would stop by and explain to him personally in further detail what
had transpired.

Amelia lingered in Paul’s arms at the door to her room
that night. H stroked her hair and kissed her head, wishing to remain in her embrace
forever.

“Soon, my fair Angel, we’ll never have to separate
like this again.”

The day of the wedding arrived with a flurry of
snowflakes dancing and twirling outside the icy window pane of Amelia’s cozy
room and with a flutter of emotions inside the Silver Slipper Saloon.

The events of the last year were continually toppling
out of her mind, reminding her of the old life she left behind and the new one
she found here at Glory Gulch. Her mind was filled with her mother, her aunt,
her father, Paul.   

She had been resistant of her aunt long before her
arrival, but she had now grown to love and appreciate Corrin Dannon, and she wished
she didn’t have to leave just yet. Even though her marriage wouldn’t prevent
them from visiting with each other, she knew that it would never be the same,
and she missed her already.

Surprisingly, she would miss this room over the Saloon.
Four months ago, she wouldn’t have dreamed that she would be longing to stay
there just a little longer. This was her home and she would miss the
familiarity of her own room and the inviting warmth of Corrin’s parlor where
she spent countless hours reading or talking with her aunt or entertaining
guests.

Then there was the kitchen with its gushing water pump,
it’s seemingly endless bowls of fresh fruits and vegetables and a myriad of
fond conversations around the table. The kitchen was where she first met Paul. Her
emotions were definitely not jumbled when it came to her deep and ardent love
for him. She desired to spend the rest of her days as his wife, to never again
be left alone in an isolated room, a solitary figure with secret blazing
passions for him burning in her heart into the deep recesses of the night. She
longed to hold him and to be lost in his embrace, with his muscular arms
forever surrounding her in an envelope of his love and devotion to her.

“Sweetie, aren’t you ready yet? Here, let me help you.”
Corrin was undaunted by the crutches she had to use since the accident. She
still managed to get around the Saloon with some degree of ease, poise and
dignity. After all, Corrin Dannon was always a lady.

She slipped Amelia’s gown over her head and carefully
guided her arms into the sleeves, and then fastened the long row of buttons up
the back of the dress.

Paul liked her hair down with just enough of it pulled
back so as not to obstruct her ‘Angel face’. So Corrin combed her niece’s hair
again for the third time and pulled it back with ivory combs on the sides,
leaving the rest to spill freely down the length of her back.

She fastened the lace veil on top of Amelia’s head
with hatpins and drew the front lace away from Amelia’s face. Corrin backed
away to scrutinize her niece, wanting to make sure nothing was forgotten and
that everything was flawless. After fussing with the hem, a sleeve, the veil,
she stood back again for another overall look at the bride.

“Well, Aunt Corrin. How do I look?”

“Oh, Sweetie,” she gushed. “Paul is right. He
is
marrying an angel.” She embraced her. “I’m so proud of you, my darling daughter.”

“Aunt Corrin, I want to say so much to you, to thank
you for opening your home and your heart to me, for your love, for being a
mother to me when I needed one the most.”

“Oh, Honey. It’s I who have so much to be thankful for.
You’ve completely changed my life, you know. You’ve taught this old,
hard-hearted woman how to love again. You’ve been my joy and have made me so
happy.” Corrin pulled back, brushed away Amelia’s tears as well as her own,
smiled, and announced, “It’s time to go, Sweetie. We’re already late.”

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Paul’s fingers got tangled up in his tie. He had done
this a thousand times before, but for some reason, today, when he wanted
everything to be so perfect, the tie just wouldn’t cooperate. Maybe choosing to
get ready in the pastor’s office wasn’t such a good idea, he thought. The
lighting wasn’t as good here as it was in his bedroom at home.

“Here, let me help you with that.” Jeremiah turned
Paul around by the shoulders, untied the unsightly bow and retied it.

“Thanks. I guess I’m just a little nervous.”

“A
little
nervous?” He chuckled.

Paul relaxed somewhat as he gave his best man a
sarcastic look. Jeremiah stepped back to survey his handiwork and nodded his
head in approval. “Looks great.”

“Are you sure?” Paul fidgeted with the tie again.

“Leave it alone. It’s fine. Maybe you should take a
few deep breaths or something. You look as tense and tight as a telegraph wire.”

“Is she here yet?” Paul peeked out the door into the
sanctuary for the fourth time.

Jeremiah smiled at his friend. He couldn’t remember
ever seeing him like this before--- excited, nervous, restless, and fidgety. Usually
Paul was so sure of himself, always confident and in control. He was quick to
make up his mind and slow to change it. He admired his friend. Always had. Since
spending the days of their youth together, the two lives had become interwoven
like the sturdy threads on a carpet. To pull them apart would destroy what they
were, useless alone. Paul was his support, his confidant, his brother. He was
there when his parents died and helped him take care of Aaron and helped him
get his logging business started and saw it grow. There could never be a
greater friend to him than Paul Strupel. He watched Paul pick up a book from
the pastor’s desk and replace it, then walk over to a portrait and gaze at it,
not really seeing the face in the picture. Then he returned to peer out the
door into the church, and then checked his watch for the hundredth time. Jeremiah
thought the groom looked very handsome in his gray trousers and black morning
coat. He wished Amelia could actually see the fine man she was going to marry. But
then again, she probably saw him more clearly than anyone with sight.

“It’s late. Why isn’t she here?” Paul fussed with his
tie again. “What if something happened? Maybe she slipped on the ice. What if
she changed her mind?”

“What if you just sit down and stop making me crazy. She’s
coming. I think women are just born with this annoying habit of always being
late. Relax. She’ll be here any time now.”

He watched Paul try to make himself comfortable in the
Pastor’s wooden desk chair, but he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. He sat
back and allowed his arms to relax on the armrests of the chair. Then he
shifted forward, resting his elbows on his knees, wringing his hands.

Jeremiah thought that underneath that fidgeting,
restless man was someone he could look up to. He had seen his friend go through
many transitions in his lifetime, but the last one seemed to be the most
difficult of all for him to understand. He saw Paul’s countenance change this
past year since he found faith in God. But it was more than a mere belief in
God, for Jeremiah himself believed the existence of a god. He almost felt his
presence on a clear summer’s day up on the tall mountains.

No, what Paul and Amelia had was different. They
seemed to actually
know
God. And their lives reflected the sincerity of
their convictions. Jeremiah decided that what they had was real. He respected
them and even envied them. They were so happy. It was as if their faith in God
made them more complete human beings.  Through their steadfastness in the face
of many dangers and hardships, he had become acutely aware of his own
inadequacies to cope with some of life’s most difficult problems. And he also
became aware of the emptiness in his heart. Even though he had lived a
basically good life, he knew he wasn’t perfect. He knew he was a sinner and
didn’t deserve to be in the same room with his two wonderful, Christian friends.
Paul and he had basically lived the same life, yet his friend was free of
bitterness and anger. He had no emptiness inside, despite the harshness of the
trials that befell him this past year.

This time it was Jeremiah who peeked out the door. The
church was full of happy, talking guests, donning their best wedding attire. He
didn’t see or any sign of Amelia or Corrin. The ceremony should have started
ten minutes ago. The Pastor was heading toward the study.

“Well, men. We can get started as soon as the bride
arrives.”

Jeremiah rolled his eyes. The Pastor’s comment was
certainly not going to help the nervous groom.

“Have you heard anything from them yet?” Paul asked
the Pastor. “Is there something preventing them from coming?”

“I’ll tell you what, Paul. Why don’t I send a messenger
over to the Saloon to check on the bride’s progress?”

“That’s a great idea. In fact, why don’t
I
go?”
Paul was about to head out the back door when Jeremiah grabbed his arm.

“Oh, no you don’t! You’re not supposed to see the
bride before the ceremony. Bad luck, or something like that. Anyway, you’ll get
your shoes wet. It took me all afternoon to get you into shape for this wedding
and you’re not going to ruin my handiwork now.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll have a bridal report to you in no
time.” The Pastor headed out the door into the church.

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Jeremiah had arranged for a covered sleigh to first
direct the bride to the church and back for the reception, and then to escort
the newlywed couple to Paul’s house to begin their honeymoon. Corrin looked out
the window of Amelia’s room.

“The carriage is waiting for us.”

She took hold of her niece’s arm and began to lead her
out the door, but Amelia stopped walking.

“What is it, Honey. Are you feeling all right?” Corrin
was only mildly concerned, for she had witnessed many brides getting cold feet
right before their weddings. She knew it always passed.

“Yes, I’m feeling fine.”

“Then, what is it?”

“Aunt Corrin . . .” Amelia hugged her Aunt. “I love
you.”

There came a knock at the door.

Corrin was annoyed that an interruption would come at
that particular moment in time. “Who is it?”

“Ma’am, it’s me, Cassie McCormack. The Pastor sent me
over here to see if everything is all right.” Corrin opened the door and the
young girl continued, “The wedding was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago
and everyone was worried that something happened. Oh, Miss Jackson!  You’re the
most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen in my whole life!”

“Thank you, Cassie.” Amelia smiled.

“Tell Mr. Strupel that Miss Jackson is fine. We are just
running a little late. Tell him that she will not marry him until everything is
just perfect for him. We’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. Thank you,
Cassie”

She closed the door and resumed hugging her sweet
daughter until she felt her relax in her arms.

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Miss McCormack couldn’t find the Pastor. Assuming he
would be in his office, she tapped lightly on the door which promptly opened
and an anxious groom was staring back at her.

“I’m supposed to tell you that Miss Jackson is fine,
just running a little late. And. . . .” She paused a moment as if to think of
the exact words she wished to convey. “Oh, yes. I’m supposed to tell you that
Miss Jackson will not marry you until she thinks everything is just perfect for
you which will take about fifteen more minutes.” The young girl beamed at Paul,
having accurately accomplished her task of delivering the message to the groom.