| Wes Boyd's Spearfish Lake Tales Contemporary Mainstream Books and Serials Online |
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| Wes Boyd's Spearfish Lake Tales Contemporary Mainstream Books and Serials Online |
Chapter 22
Duane awoke well before dawn under the influence of his internal clock, which was still set to river time; the alarm hadn’t come close to going off yet. Michelle was cuddled up close to him, and he lay awake just enjoying the moment. Right then, it seemed like a long time before he was going to be waking up next to her again. She was so quiet that it seemed like she was still asleep, and he didn’t want to interfere with that. There was a perfection to the moment so deep that he would have been happy if it had gone on forever.
Still, time was passing, and Duane was aware there was activity elsewhere in the house, so realized he had to be getting up. He was thinking about waking her up when he heard her whisper, “Duane?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, Duane. I’m really going to miss you.”
“I love you too, babe,” he whispered back. “I wish we could just stay like this, but I’m afraid we’ve got to get moving.”
“Yeah, I know,” she sighed. “We’re wasting time, and we aren’t even burning daylight yet. Go hit the bathroom, then let me at it.”
It was fine with him; he thought he might have been more awake than she was. As always, it didn’t take him a great deal of time for a quick shower, have a good shave, and the few other things that needed to be done. With everything completed, he went back to the bedroom, pulled on underwear and a robe, then went out to the kitchen to start the coffee if it wasn’t under way yet.
It turned out that it was; Rachel was up already and seemed to be ready to greet the day. Duane’s father was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to get up, or what,” he smiled.
“It would be a good morning to sleep in if there weren’t so many things to do,” Duane announced as he poured himself a cup. He took a taste; it was strong, if not exactly river strong.
“We’ve got a little time,” Rachel announced. “Not a lot, but a little. Duane, I’ve got a couple things to do. Finish your coffee, then start getting ready.”
“Guess you’re right,” he agreed as she headed toward her room.
“Nice lady,” Jason remarked. “Son, I’d have to observe that you’re marrying into an awful nice family.”
“I think so,” he agreed, taking another sip of his coffee. He lowered his voice and continued, “I wasn’t sure how my living with Michelle was going to go over with them, but they’ve treated me like part of the family since day one.”
“They seem to think a lot of you, and what’s more, seem to think that you are exactly who Michelle needed in her life. I’m sure I don’t have the reservations my father must have had when I married Jody, and I’d be damn surprised if things go wrong between you two the way they went wrong between us.”
“I would, too,” Duane said, feeling just a little angered to be reminded of his birth mother on this morning of all mornings – but he knew he shouldn’t say anything, since it had been his father who had his butt burned in the deal worse than anyone. “I still have a lot of doubts about how Michelle and I are going to get where we’re going, but I have no doubt we’re going to end up there.”
“You’re approaching the situation with a lot more maturity than I did,” Jason sighed, “and that goes for both of you. I think you’re going to make it work out, but it’s going to take the both of you working at it. If it’s any help, I think you’re ready to take this step.”
“I’m glad you think so,” Duane agreed. “I just wish I could see you and Vicky more, and that you’d been a little more a part of the process, but I guess that couldn’t be helped.”
“I understand,” his father replied. “You have to do what you have to do, and I first realized that when you and Cory started up the North Country Trail years ago. While I’m sorry I haven’t been more a part of it, I can’t say I’m disappointed in the kind of man my son turned out to be. In fact, I’m pretty proud of it.”
“Dad, I really appreciate hearing that,” Duane said. “Hopefully I’m going to be seeing a little more of you in the next few years than I have in the last few. Not all the details are in place yet, but it looks like Michelle and I aren’t going to be doing all the roaming we have in the past.”
“Having a family settles you down. Believe me, I know that from experience. Just do your best and there’s a good chance everything will work out.” Jason finished his coffee, then said. “I guess we’d better be getting you ready for your date with destiny. Time’s wasting.”
Duane took another sip of his coffee. “Nobody’s said anything about what I was supposed to be wearing, so I guess it’s slacks and a sport shirt. I didn’t figure river clothes would go over very well. I guess I’d better go get dressed.”
“Right,” Jason smiled. “Come on into our room. Vicky and Rachel are helping Michelle get ready, and I’ve been designated to get you ready.”
“My clothes are in my room,” Duane protested.
“Not now,” Jason smiled. “Come on, it’s supposed to be tradition that the groom doesn’t see the bride in her wedding dress until the altar. This wedding isn’t very traditional, but at least bits and pieces of it will be.”
“Well, all right,” Duane sighed, expecting what was to come as he followed his father into the spare bedroom. Sure enough, there were two kilts with all the trimmings laid out on the bed. It was not terribly surprising; after all, he usually wore a kilt to greet the customers at Lee’s, but the last time he’d worn the whole outfit had been three winters before for Christmas dinner – the first occasion that Michelle had met his family.
“Lest ye wonder,” Jason smiled and said in his fake Scottish accent. “This ’twas Michelle’s idea as much as ’twas anyone else’s, so don’t be thinkin’ we’re pullin’ your leg or somethin.’ Even Pat and Rachel thought ’twas a fine idea indeed.”
“Well,” he sighed again, “I told them I’d be there with what I was told to wear, so I guess I’d better get started.”
It wasn’t a strange outfit to Duane – he’d worn it before, after all, if not very often. It was clear that there had been a little time taken to set up the whole range of attire chosen for him – as far as Duane knew his father must have brought it from Bradford with him. But a few details were new; Duane noted that his Iditarod Finisher belt buckle had been added, the first time he’d worn it since Bradford last spring. It didn’t take long to get everything on, including the sash and sporran. To add to the authenticity, there was a sheathed set of MacRae throwing knives in the garters of his stockings, and a dirk on the belt. After his father checked the details, Duane took a look in the mirror. At least he was going to look like his father’s son, he thought.
As he checked himself over one final time, there was a knocking on the door. “Are you two about ready?” Rachel called.
“Aye,” Jason replied. “Duane and I’ll be leavin’ directly, so the bride need not worry about bein’ seen.” He turned to his son and said, “I guess that means we’re to be gettin’ out of here. Let’s get some coffee to sip while we’re killin’ time.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Duane laughed. “But it sure looks like we’re going to be equipped to be killing a good deal more than time.”
“Aye, ’tis that indeed,” Jason grinned. The two of them topped off and covered foam cups of coffee in the kitchen, then went out to Jason and Vicky’s rental car for the short drive out to Yavapai Point, one of the finest overlooks of the Canyon.
There were a few cars in the parking lot when they got there, a little after five in the morning; watching the sun rise over the Canyon was an experience a lot of people enjoyed, and this was one of the best places to do it. It was not surprising that there were people there. Jason had obviously been there before, and had been briefed on what to do, so he led Duane along one of the trails down to the overlook, stopping well away from the main viewpoint. Off in the east the sky was light with the oncoming sun.
“Here’s as good a place to wait as any,” Jason commented. “You know, I’d never been here until a couple days ago, but it sure is easy to see why you like this place.”
“The funny part is that I’ve only been here at the point a couple times myself,” Duane said. “Usually when I’m staying with Pat and Rachel on breaks, there are too many other things to do. Most of what I know of this whole place is down on the river. But yeah, this is a heck of a view, at least when it’s light enough to see it.”
Father and son stood in the morning half-light and drank coffee, talking lightly. Duane hadn’t spent much time with his father in recent years, and it had been a long time since he’d felt this close to him; it was strange that the distance was going to be increasing with what was to happen in a few minutes. Presently, his father said, “I guess we’d better be going.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Duane nodded, throwing the cup into a nearby trash bin. Together they walked on around the trail; in a few minutes they met Crystal and Michelle at the junction of the path to the best overlook.
Even in the low light, Michelle looked strange – and awesome. He’d had no idea of what her wedding gown was going to look like – but even in the low light he could see that it was another MacRae tartan kilt, just like he was wearing. “Like it?” Michelle grinned. “We kind of thought that since I was going to be a MacRae I might as well look like it.”
“Aye,” Duane said in a touch of his father’s fake Scottish accent and grinning. “You’re lookin’ tha’ part, I ken.”
“Come on,” Crystal said. “We need to be getting down there.”
Duane took Michelle by the hand, and together they walked side by side down the path, his father and Crystal following close behind. They came around the final bend in the trail to where the darkened vista opened wide before them, and Michelle let out a quiet, “My God! I didn’t know Dad was going to do that!”
Duane didn’t need to ask what. Preach was standing near the edge of the void, Bible in hand; nearby was a group of musicians, carrying flutes, violins, clarinets, and other instruments. While some were in civilian clothes, three of them had on National Park Service uniforms, right down to the broad-brimmed hats. “What?” he whispered.
“I’ll tell you later if it doesn’t come out before then,” she whispered back.
As they walked closer, they could see several of their friends standing around. Al and Karin were there, along with Jeff and Dan from the office. Vicky, Pat, and Rachel were in the crowd; Michael and Alana were there, and so were Barbie and the rest of the Gold Team. There were not many others, except for a few bemused tourists standing around – this was supposed to be a small, informal wedding, after all.
With no further talk, Duane and Michelle walked up to Preach, with Crystal on Michelle’s flank, and Duane’s father at his side. “Good morning,” Preach smiled. “I suppose we might as well get started.” With that, he nodded to a tall, older man in a Park Service uniform, who was rather incongruously carrying a violin. Duane recognized him, although he didn’t know the man well – he was Grant Horwath, the superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park!
The ranger nodded back, glanced at his watch, and held up a single finger. Everyone waited in silence for a period that might have been seconds, and might have been minutes. Finally, Horwath tapped his finger on his violin a few times, and one of the women started playing her clarinet, so softly and gently that even a few feet away Duane could barely hear it.
Special note to online readers: do yourself a HUGE favor and click on this link and read the next few paragraphs with the music playing in the background. Imagine yourself right there, right then. This is the scene for Duane and Michelle's wedding!
After almost a minute of the clarinet solo, one of the woman rangers picked up a piccolo and chirped out a solo that made Duane think of birds singing in the early morning of the Canyon. It was the kind of thing that he would hear before the burner roared to life for making coffee. By then, he had recognized what was being played as music for his wedding: the “Sunrise” movement of Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite, being played at the most appropriate possible place and time for it!
Helpless to stop, Duane turned his head to the right to watch the brightening eastern sky, hardly noticing that Michelle, standing to his right, had done the same thing, as had probably most of the others listening. It was getting brighter out there, and the sky was casting more light down into the Canyon, not yet washing away the darkness but giving a little texture to it. The sun was about to rise, almost but not quite there yet, as the music rose in intensity. Then, with a suddenness that was almost shocking, the music took on some liveliness that had been missing previously just as the first spot of the rising sun poked above a distant mesa.
The injection of the direct light of the tiny bit of the sun into the morning half-light was so intense as to be indescribable, and Duane couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. As much as he had been in the Grand Canyon, he’d spent almost all of it deep in the Canyon only rarely being able to see the glory of a sunrise over it, showing the immensity of the vast chasm.
As more of the sun rose over the mesa, the music rose in intensity, and rose again. The versions of “Sunrise” that Duane had heard in the past had involved a full orchestra, but the handful of musicians were doing well with it. In fact, they were doing so well that he thought that every orchestral version of it he’d hear for the rest of his life couldn’t come close to matching it.
More and more of the sun rose, and the power and the glory of the music rose with it. If anyone were able to tear their eyes away from the sight of the rising sun, they would have seen the light forcing its way down into the Canyon, bringing brightness to where there had been shadow, and giving the remaining shadows depth and clarity and contrast.
As the lower limb of the sun was getting close to clearing the distant horizon, the music reached a crescendo of glorious grandeur, reflecting the full light of day. The sky was lighter now, and the Canyon no longer a formless, darkened void, but an immense vista that was real and yet surreal at the same time.
The music rose to its final glory, representing the full light of day, and then, after one final, rapturous burst, came to a sudden stop, leaving nothing but silence surrounding the small group standing there. Duane felt the urge to applaud, but knew this wasn’t the place or time. He knew, though, that he’d remember this moment for the rest of his life.
After a long moment of silence, Preach said so softly that only the few around could have heard, “No sermon I could write could come close to that.”
Duane heartily agreed, but again knew this wasn’t the time to say so. Preach paused for a moment as if to seek inspiration, then said more loudly, “We are gathered here together to celebrate the dawning of a new day for Duane and Michelle. It is a day that has been long in coming, but it comes in a glory that is so grand that we can hardly do justice to it.
“Most of us here know the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon well, but sometimes we forget that it is but a small part of the Grand Canyon. There is an immensity and a wholeness to it that surpasses that of the river, and there are times that we need to be reminded of it.
“It is easy for us to see our lives something like that river, restricted to a channel, a little oblivious to the lives of each other, of the world around us. But there are times we must remind ourselves that our lives are more than just that single river, and that we are but a part of the whole of God’s creation. When the time comes in our lives that we join our life with another, we begin to see that the world consists of more than ourselves. It is then that two lives must make one that is greater than the sum of its parts, to create a wider vista in our lives.”
There was a moment of silence. Duane bowed his head, even though he wasn’t very religious and knew that Michelle wasn’t – but there was an underlying belief there, as well as a respect for Preach’s beliefs. He knew he wasn’t going to disrespect those beliefs, or he wouldn’t have asked Preach to do the service in the first place.
“Dearly beloved,” Preach said as he opened the Bible to a marked page, “we are gathered together in the sight of God and in the presence of this company to join together Duane and Michelle in holy matrimony. Marriage is an honorable estate, instituted of God, and signifying unto us the mystical union which exists between Christ and His church. It is therefore not to be entered into unadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons come now to be joined.”
He turned to Duane and Michelle and said, “I require and charge you both, as you stand in the presence of God, that having duly considered the holy covenant you are about to make, you do now declare before this company your pledge of faith, each to the other. Be well assured that if these solemn vows are kept inviolate, as God’s Word demands, and if steadfastly you endeavor to do the will of your heavenly Father, God will bless your marriage, will grant you fulfillment in it, and will establish your home in peace.”
Preach turned to Duane and said, “Will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep only unto her so long as you both shall live?”
“I will,” Duane said solemnly. He’d heard the words before, but now they carried a weight with them he’d never understood until this instant. This wasn’t fooling around, wasn’t a “trial marriage,” wasn’t living together like they’d done up till now. This was for keeps.
“Michelle,” Preach went on, “will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep only unto him so long as you both shall live?”
“I will,” she said softly.
Preach looked out at those gathered around. “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
“Her mother and I do,” Pat replied.
“Repeat after me,” Preach said, turning to Duane. “I, Duane, take you Michelle, to be my wedded wife,”
“I, Duane, take you Michelle, to be my wedded wife,”
“To have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.”
Duane repeated the words, again feeling their ancient power, and Preach went on, “To love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge you my faith.”
Again, Duane repeated the words, feeling them intensely as he did so.
Preach turned to Michelle. “I, Michelle, take you Duane, to be my wedded husband.”
Duane could see that she was looking right at him as she repeated, “I, Michelle, take you Duane, to be my wedded husband.”
“To have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.”
She repeated Preach’s words, still not taking her eyes off of Duane. “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.”
“To love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge you my faith.”
Duane could feel the faith and the power in her words as she finished repeating, “To love and to cherish, till death do us part, and thereto I pledge you my faith.”
Preach turned to the small group standing around. Duane had noticed a few tourists watching respectfully from a short distance away, but otherwise paid no attention to them. Preach went on, “The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in holy matrimony, through the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us pray.
“Bless, O Lord, the giving of these rings, that they who wear them may abide in thy peace, and continue in Thy favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Several “Amens” were heard throughout the little knot of people standing around; Duane noticed that one of them came from Crystal. Just at that moment, Duane felt his father press a ring into his hand. It was something that he hadn’t even thought about, and had no idea where it had come from. At least someone had been thinking, he realized gratefully. He’d have to find out who it was and thank them for it.
“Repeat after me,” Preach said. “In token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed.”
“In token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed,” Duane said, placing the ring on Michelle’s outstretched finger. It slid on easily, but seemed to fit well; she had to have been involved, he thought.
Preach turned to Michelle and prompted her with the words, and she repeated, ““In token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed,” and placed a ring on Duane’s ring finger. Once again, he had no idea where it had come from, but he noticed that the two rings seemed to match.
Not even looking at the Bible that was open in his hands, Preach spoke directly to Duane and Michelle. “In First Corinthians thirteen, verses one through thirteen, the Bible reads, ‘If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I am nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. Now these three remain; faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.’”
Preach turned to the little knot of people standing around and said, “For as much as Duane and Michelle have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have pledged their faith each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings; I pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder.”
He paused for a moment, then said, “Let us pray. O Eternal God, creator and preserver of all, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life: Send Thy blessing upon this man and this woman, whom we bless in Thy name; that they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to Thy laws. Look graciously upon them, that they may love, honor and cherish each other, and so live together in thy faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and a place of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Again, there was a small chorus of Amens, a little louder this time. He turned to Duane and Michelle and concluded, “May God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless, preserve and keep you; the Lord look graciously with His favor upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and love that you may so live together in this life that in the world to come you may have life everlasting. Duane, you may kiss your bride.”
“With great pleasure,” he said, leaning over to plant a kiss on her lips. It was just a brief one, but there was a power there he had never felt before.
Finally, they broke apart, and Preach reached out to turn them toward the crowd. “It is with great honor and pleasure,” he said, “that at this moment I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Duane MacRae.”
