Chapter 26
Remy stared at the tall man who stood toward the back of the bridal room. She felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs.
Avery.
Dressed in a suit and tie and not in his gray Confederate uniform.
Avery.
More than a hundred miles away from Gettysburg.
“He came back yesterday,” Lucy gently explained to Remy.
She turned to look at Lucy, whose face was alight with joy.
“He managed to find Jesse before he left for Maryland, so Jesse brought him here. Oh, Remy, it was killing me not to tell you sooner, but he wanted to get all cleaned up for you. That, and he insisted on not disrupting the wedding and wanted to wait until after the ceremony to tell you.”
Lucy put a gentle hand on Remy's back to steady her. Good thing, because Remy truly felt like she might faint. She looked over at Avery's handsome smiling face.
“Is…is it true?” Oh, dear God, please don't let this be a dream. Please, I can't bear to wake up and find this isn't real.
“She doesn't believe us, Avery,” Lucy said with a happy laugh. “I guess we better prove it to her.”
Lucy walked toward Avery, her wedding gown rustling. She held up her hand to him the same way she had when they were trying to prove to Remy that Avery was a ghost. Avery grinned at Lucy, then slapped her hand hard in a high-five.
It made noise when he touched her, Remy thought as she stood there, trembling.
“Ow!” Lucy said with a giggle.
“Sorry, me sweet girl!” Avery said. He grabbed Lucy's hand and kissed it, making an exaggerated smacking sound with his mouth on her hand.
“Oh, my God!” Remy cried, putting her hand over her mouth.
Lucy rushed to her side and said, “It's true, Remy. He's alive, and he's here to stay. Now it's your turn to touch him!”
Lucy squealed with excitement, then gathered her skirts and rushed out of the room, shutting the door behind her to give them some privacy.
Remy stared at Avery, afraid to move at first. If she tried to touch him and her hand went right through him, she knew her heart would never recover.
“Come to me, darling,” Avery said, opening his arms. “I need to hold you.”
Remy walked over to him on rubbery legs, feeling like she could collapse at any moment. She stood right before him, still afraid that this was all a dream.
He's breathing. I can hear him breathing.
She carefully reached up and touched his shoulder and made solid contact with his strong, muscular build.
“Avery!” Remy cried as she threw her arms around him. He was so big that she couldn’t reach all the way around his back. He wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tight as if he would never let go.
“Remy, Remy,” Avery murmured in her ear as he held her, rubbing her back.
Remy closed her eyes and let the sensation of his touch overwhelm her, body and soul. They held each other for a moment, then Avery pulled back slightly so he could look at her.
Avery gazed deeply into her eyes and said, “My God, how I love you, Remy.”
He tenderly cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. She let out a soft moan and felt her knees buckle slightly beneath her. His mouth still on hers, Avery put his arm around her back and gripped her tight. Remy ran her fingers through his soft hair as they kissed.
Avery forced himself to come up for air, then gazed down at her. “You all right? You look a bit pale.”
“Y-yes. I'm okay,” Remy said softly. He smiled down at her, then lifted his right hand and gently touched her cheek the way he often had as a ghost. She braced herself for the chill out of sheer habit, but his hand was warm. She let out a soft, happy sigh. "Avery…how?"
Avery's face broke into the most wonderful, happy smile. “Oh, Remy,” Avery said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I saw me daughter!”
Remy's eyes opened wide. “You saw Charlotte?”
“Yes. She came to see me at Little Round Top. Stepped out of the portal, straight from heaven. Oh, Remy, she looked so beautiful. She was all grown up! And happy. She looked so happy!”
Tears fell from Avery's eyes, and Remy tenderly wiped them away with the back of her hand. “She pretty much told me to quit my nonsense and go be happy already!”
Remy laughed, reveling in the look of joy on Avery's face. She had never seen him look so peaceful.
Avery ran his fingers through Remy's hair. “Oh, she thinks the world of you, Remy.”
“Really?” Remy asked, thrilled that someone so dear to Avery approved of her.
“Oh, yes. Said she'd love to have you as a stepmother!”
Remy put her hand over her heart and said, “Oh, I'm so honored.”
Avery smiled. “She said she knows how much you love me, and she knew what was in my heart. Charlotte knew I wanted to stay, but she knew I couldn’t do it without her blessin'. Remy, it was Ellis who sent her to me.”
Remy gasped.
“It's all because of you. If you hadn't been so kind to him, I might not be standin' here with me arms around you right now.”
She pictured the look of determination on Ellis's face when he pledged to find a way to bring Avery home to her. My God, he actually did it.
“Be-before she left…” Avery struggled to go on, his tears flowing again. “I got to hold her. I got to hold me little girl again!” He broke down sobbing, and Remy pulled him close to her.
“Oh, Avery, I’m so glad.” Remy held him close until he was calm again. She rested her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. And that was when she heard it.
His heartbeat. Remy pressed her ear to his chest and listened.
When she lifted her head, Avery said, “A chuisle.”
My pulse.
* * *
Remy and Avery eventually emerged from the bridal room and joined the reception. Lucy politely excused herself from the group of relatives she had been visiting with and rushed over to Remy.
“You okay?” Lucy asked Remy.
“Oh, my God!” Remy exclaimed and threw her arms around Lucy. They hugged each other and laughed, both trying not to cry.
“It was making me crazy not to tell you before the wedding!” Lucy said. “I about fainted when I saw him arrive with Jesse yesterday.”
Remy punched Lucy on the shoulder. “And you kept sayin’ we were gonna have to show Avery pictures of me in my dress when we got back.”
Lucy giggled. “I know, and I’m such a terrible liar. I was afraid I was gonna blow the whole thing.”
Avery tenderly stroked Remy's face. “I was goin' crazy, too.
Believe me. I just couldn't bear to disrupt their weddin' day any more than I already have.
I thought it best to wait at least 'til after they were safely married off!
I was at the wedding, though. Hidin' in the back.” Avery smiled at Lucy.
“Such a lovely ceremony. You looked so beautiful, Lucy, but I confess I could hardly take me eyes off Remy. I wanted to charge right up that aisle, I did!”
Remy laughed and put her arm around Avery.
“Your attention please!” boomed the DJ from the dance floor.
“It can’t be time to cut the cake already!” Lucy exclaimed.
“The groom has requested another special dance with his lovely bride!” the man said into the microphone. Sure enough, Jesse was standing on the dance floor, grinning at her.
“Oh, Jesse,” Lucy whined. “What did you do?”
Jesse looked irresistibly handsome in his tuxedo as he extended his hand to her, and Lucy found that boyish grin of his irresistible as always. She pasted a smile on her face and headed to the dance floor. I thought the dancing all by ourselves part was over, she grumbled inwardly.
“I'm gonna kill you, Spenser,” Lucy said, smiling through gritted teeth.
“This is a special song dedicated to Lucy by her new husband,” the DJ said.
Jesse held up his arm dramatically, and Lucy put her hand in his, ready to dance to whatever song he had selected.
Lucy laughed heartily when the song began to play.
It was “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” an upbeat song that held special meaning to both of them.
Those closest to the couple knew that Jesse called Lucy his honorary Yellow Rose of Texas, and anyone who had heard Jesse speak could tell he was from the Southern state.
Jesse grinned at Lucy and, as always, she felt swept away in his arms. It wasn't so long ago that they had danced to this song on the Gettysburg College lawn, only then they had danced without being able to touch each other.
Now, as Jesse eagerly spun her around the dance floor, she found it easy to forget that anyone else was watching.
Her face was flushed with happiness, and the way she freely danced with Jesse was truly a testament to the strength of her love for him.
Only Jesse could make her forget her inhibitions and truly dance as if no one was watching.
In that moment, it was just Lucy dancing with Jesse, her soulmate and the love of her life.
At the end of the song, Jesse dipped her down low to a loud round of applause.
Jesse pulled her to her feet and kissed her.
“I love you, Jesse.”
“I love you, too, my beautiful rose.”
“Jesse, may I please have the next dance?” Lucy's mother Caroline asked as she walked toward the two of them.
“Why, Ma'am, I'd be delighted!” Jesse said, bowing to her. Caroline laughed, finding his charms as irresistible as Lucy did. Jesse took her hand and led her to the dance floor as Lucy watched proudly.
“Since Jesse is busy dancin' with another woman, may I dance with you?” came a deep male voice just behind Lucy.
She turned to see Avery offering his hand.
“Oh, Avery, I would love that,” Lucy said, happily taking his hand. How strange and wonderful it was to be able to touch her dear friend!
As they danced together, Lucy saw Remy watching, her pretty blue eyes lit up with happiness. Next to her new husband, Avery's return to life was the most beautiful wedding gift Lucy could have asked for. When the dance ended, Avery tenderly kissed Lucy's cheek and returned to Remy's side.
Caroline and Jesse walked up to Lucy after they were done with their sweet dance together. Caroline looked at Jesse, her eyes full of concern.