Mitch smiled at her, his heart surely about to burst. He adjusted the leashes in his hand, finding it so difficult to breathe with all these eyes on him. He’d made a terrible mistake by wanting the dogs to walk him down the aisle.
Go, he told himself.You have nowhere to go but forward.
His father had told him that often enough that it got Mitch to take the first step. He had no idea if any music played, but many people he passed signedHello, Mitch, to him as he went by.
Someone had definitely instructed them in that, but Mitch didn’t care. He was proud of who he was—a Deaf cowboy, running an Academy and resource center for the Deaf and hard of hearing.
They continued to lift their hands to their temples, then swish it out, away from their heads.
Hello.
He had a name-sign for himself, so people didn’t have to finger-spell each letter of his name. He’d chosen it while in college, after consulting with his parents via video call. See, the Glovers had a sign of family solidarity, where they made a fist and pressed it to their hearts to show those they loved that they stood behind them.
Mitch had chosen something similar, proud to be a Glover. His name sign was the letter M in ASL, which was the first three fingers folded over the thumb. Instead of pressing that to his chest, which would hide the M, he’d chosen to press the thumb-side of his hand to his chest and pull it out a few inches.
Someone had definitely taught the crowd that—probably his momma—because so many people knew his name sign. He signedHelloback to Finn and Edith, who sat on the end of a row with Harry, Angel, Paul, and Brielle a bit further down.
He paused there and drew Finn into a hearty hug. The man had beenso goodto Mitch, always including him, though Mitch didn’t technically own a ranch in Three Rivers. He hugged Edith too, and passed the dogs to Finn so he could embrace Angel, Henry, Paul, and Brielle.
Back in the aisle, he got the dogs situated again, keeping one hand free to sign to JJ and Conrad Walker, the triplets, Brandon Rhinehart and his new girlfriend, Lenore, and Dawson and Caroline. They sat with Uncle Duke and Arizona, and Mitch paused again, tears filling his eyes.
Zona grabbed onto him, her voice rumbling in her chest as she spoke to him, words he couldn’t hear but which he could absolutely feel. She pulled back, nodded at him, and glanced toward the altar.
His father had stepped out from the front row, and he said, “You can’t stop and hug everyone, boy. There’ll be time for that later.”
Mitch nodded, swiped quickly at his eyes, and continued down the aisle. He wanted to stop and hug Tyson Greene, who looked absolutely miserable standing with his parents. He wanted to catch up with Leon Blythe, an old college friend who’d made the trip to Three Rivers from Virginia for this wedding.
The love contained under these tents ballooned, completely overwhelming him and making his father’s prayer come true, as Mitch finally arrived at the altar. He passed the leashes of his beloved dogs to his father, who got them all to settle down at his feet while Mitch faced his mother.
Momma, he said, and nothing else needed to be said. She enfolded him in a hug that none other could rival. He clutched her, this woman who had loved him beyond measure, encouraged him in all things, and always expected greatness from him.
She stepped back, tears in her eyes as she said,My precious son, how I love you. I’m so happy for you and Lacy today.
Mitch nodded, and she took her place behind the altar while Mitch turned to face the way he’d just come. His sister, Melissa, stood there now, a pretty bouquet of white roses standing out against her dark blue dress.
She came down the aisle alone, with Jacob behind her. Chaz came next, followed by Lacy’s mother, and finally, Link.
Mitch took a few seconds to hug each of them when they reached him, signing with them and telling them how much he loved them. Finally, when they’d all filed to the side, Mitch looked down the aisle again, this time finding Lacy standing there, her arm linked through her father’s.
Mitch forgot how to breathe. He blinked, sure his eyes had malfunctioned.
For Lacy wore a radiant dress of flowing white silk that moved like water as she took the first step forward. Over her shoulders lay a fur stole in snowy, blinding white, and she looked like a winter princess.
She wore her golden hair swept up in an elegant style with small white flowers tucked among the strands. Her blue-green eyes sparkled and her smile would render any man mute.
She also carried a bouquet of purely white flowers in a mix of varieties, the darker greenery inside making a sophisticated statement, but Mitch barely noticed anything except the pureness she emanated.
Beautiful,he signed, and Lacy’s gaze found his and held, and in that moment, everything else faded away. The crowd, the decorations, the tents, his enormous family—none of it mattered except the woman walking toward him with love shining in her eyes.
When she reached the archway, her father placed her hand in Mitch’s with a gentle smile.Take care of her,he signed.
Always,Mitch promised, his hands moving with complete certainty. He leaned forward and touched his lips to Lacy’s, completely forgetting where he stood.
She allowed it, but quickly turned toward the altar. Mitch moved with her, so glad he didn’t have to hide his feelings anymore. His momma shone like all the stars in the sky as she lifted her hands and started to speak.
“What a beautiful couple,” she said. “I count myself lucky to be here today to witness the union of my son, Mitchell Lawrence Glover, to the woman he loves so dearly, Lacy Marie Hayes.”
She took a moment to look at Mitch and then Lacy, and Mitch tightened his arm against Lacy’s, shifting his feet closer to her.
