Epilogue
Pulling Zoie and her adopted puppy, Darlin’, in a white wooden wagon, Maggie dropped flower petals with her free hand as she walked down the church’s aisle. So far baby and puppy were cooperating, but Maggie didn’t expect that to last the entire ceremony.
Sarah’s dad, Ben, Cole, and Andrew waited at the front of the auditorium.
She took her place next to Janie B, who Amy had also asked to be a bridesmaid.
The music changed to the bridal march. Everyone stood and turned to face the back of the auditorium where Amy stood next to Walker, her arm linked with his.
As she’d once threatened, Amy had reminded Walker that a bride’s wedding day should be everything she’d ever dreamed of.
Then, she’d asked him if he’d give her away because him walking her down the aisle to the man she loved was her dream wedding.
Maggie had bawled. Walker might have, too, although he’d denied it later.
“Who gives this woman to be wed?” Sarah’s dad asked.
“I do,” Walker answered, then took a place next to the other groomsmen.
Amy and Ben exchanged their vows. Just before Pastor Smith announced them husband and wife, Darlin’ jumped out of the wagon and tugged on Janie B’s bridesmaid dress.
Smiling, she scooped up the puppy, whispered, “Hello, Darlin’,” then shushed the puppy while Pastor Smith carried on with the service.
With the puppy out of the wagon, Zoie had had enough of sitting in it, too, and held her hands up, squeezing her little finger for Maggie to pick her up.
Maggie knelt, then picked up Zoie, kissing her cheek. Zoie kissed her back.
Heart full and not quite able to believe all the wonderful things that had happened over the past few months such as having her name cleared, getting her wings back, and being Lukas’s pilot for his newly established iSecure headquarters, Maggie glanced toward Walker, and found that he was watching her instead of Amy and Ben.
Their eyes meeting, he winked. Heart full, Maggie winked back.
The darkness still crept in at times, robbing her of sleep and filling her mind with nightmares.
They happened less frequently, though. And, when she woke, she consoled herself with the knowledge that she’d been a victim of the crash just as the three soldiers who’d died.
There had been nothing she could have done to have prevented what had happened.
As for the three soldiers, she’d used part of her confidentiality money to set up memorial scholarships in each one’s hometown.
Knowing their memory would live on in some small way eased the ache inside her.
Or maybe it was just being in Pine Hill that had eased the pain that had flowed through her being, bringing in sunshine where darkness had reigned. Pine Hill and it’s wonderful people and crazy Christmas traditions. She couldn’t wait to see what they did next.
“You may now kiss your bride,” Sarah’s dad told Ben.
Without hesitation Ben did just that, dipping Amy back and kissing her with the reverence of a man who’d just married the woman he planned to treasure for the rest of his days.
Hand in hand, Ben and Amy left the church sanctuary to the applause of their guests.
Next, Walker linked his arm with her to walk her down the aisle.
The wedding reception was in the church community room.
The Butterflies had taken great pride in transforming it into exactly what Amy envisioned.
Miraculously, they’d even enlisted the HoneyBs help.
Currently, Maybelle held Jeannie in her lap, Janie B had Zoie, and Rosie was loving on Darlin’, and all the women were chatting. Pine Hill sure loved love.
Sitting at the table with Walker, Maggie glanced over at him and smiled. “Today was a good day, exactly what Amy said she wanted.”
“The main thing she wanted was Ben waiting for her at the end of the aisle.”
“No worries there. He’s completely besotted with your sister. All these years of looking for the one, and finally finding Amy, it’s really quite romantic when you think about it.”
“I’d rather not.” But Walker was smiling as he said it. “Speaking of romantic, I need to see your foot.”
Maggie frowned. “Here? That’s not happening, Walker Mathieson.”
“Let me see your foot, princess,” he repeated, only this time he’d knelt in front of her.
“Walker?” Maggie gasped as he slipped her shoe off her foot. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing if this fits.” But rather than holding a glass slipper, he held a diamond ring. He made a pretense of putting it on her toe. “Hmm. Doesn’t seem to. Guess I’ll have to keep looking.”
“Don’t you dare,” Maggie warned, fighting back tears as Walker took her hand into his and gently slid the ring onto her finger.
“Hmmm, a perfect fit. Guess you’re the one for me after all.” Bowing, he kissed her hand right beneath where the ring encircled her finger. “Marry me, princess. Be my wife and Zoie’s mother. We love you.”
Maggie’s heart threatened to burst free from her chest as she reached out to cup his face. “For the record, asking to see a woman’s foot may be the worst way to propose ever.”
“Does that mean your answer is no?”
“Oh, my answer is definitely yes.” Maggie leaned forward and kissed him. “I love you, Walker.”
“Right back atcha, princess,” Walker told her, standing and pulling her to her feet. He lifted her hand again, smiling as he stared at where his ring told the world that she was his. “You know that the story goes that we’re going to have our real life happy-ever-after.”
“I’ve heard that.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, Maggie stretched to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his lips. “I’ve complete faith that any love story that started with a prince, a princess, the most adorable pumpkin ever, and Butterfly fairy godmothers can only end with happy-ever-after.”
And it did.
The End