She watched as Carey slipped the ring on her finger, words still eluding her. Then she placed a hand on each of Carey's cheeks and leaned over for a kiss. "I love you," she whispered, just before their lips met. "I love you."

Barbara started to applaud, and Richard and Sue joined in. Carey turned to them, her face flushed. She looked back to Grace. "That's what I get for proposing in front of an audience."

Barbara smiled and rested her hand on top of Richard's. "Now that she's accepted, all that's left is to do the planning and have the wedding." She looked at Carey. "Then you two can worry about giving me grandchildren."

Grace and Carey shared equally shocked looks. "Grandchildren?" they said in unison.

"Do I have to guess what you're thinking about?" Carey asked when Grace adjusted her pillow for the fourth time in ten minutes.

"We've never talked about having children," Grace said. "Do you want children?"

Carey looked at the clock. "Not bad. One-thirty. I'm surprised you cracked so early."

"So do you?"

"What do you want?" Carey countered, lying on her back and pulling Grace closer.

"Well, since I figured I'd never have sex with a man, children didn't seem to be in my future. Maybe someday, I guess." She kissed Carey's shoulder. "I'm not in any hurry."

"Good, because there's no way we can afford a baby," Carey said. "Not with me giving up my job to move to the cottage."

Grace nodded and snuggled down in her pillow, then lifted her hand to look at her ring again.

“Hey," Carey said softly when she saw new tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Happy tears," Grace said, looking at the ring on her finger. "It's so beautiful."

Carey turned on her side, propping herself up on one elbow. "I'm happy you like it."

"This is why you were asking me all those questions at the mall that day, isn't it?"

"Guilty as charged," Carey said, kissing Grace's shoulder. "Couldn't give my future bride a ring she wouldn't like, could I?"

"I love you so much."

"I love you too, Grace," she said, eminently pleased with herself.

"There's just one thing."

The self-satisfied smile dropped. "What?"

"I have to take it off from time to time," Grace said.

Carey shook her head. "Why?"

"Well," Grace said, pushing Carey down onto the bed. "You see, that's my left hand and that's the one I use..." She pressed her thigh between Carey's legs. "Unless you don't want me to do that anymore."

"Use your right hand," Carey suggested.

"I do better with my left hand," Grace said, reaching into Carey's pajama bottoms. "That way I can kiss you and still have my thumb..." Carey gasped as Grace made contact."...there."

"I thought you were tired," Carey said, her legs parting in conflict to her words.

"And I don't know why you bother wearing clothes to bed," Grace said, never ceasing with her gentle stroking. "Hmm, feels like I struck oil."

"You always do when you do that," Carey said, reaching up to caress Grace's breast. "Come here."

Giving the sensitive area a final caress, the young woman snuggled into the crook of her lover's arm. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Grace said, sighing contentedly. "I love you."

"That goes both ways," Carey said, taking advantage of their positions, she kissed the top of Grace's head. "I love you too."

"You have to get out here," Gage said impatiently. "In a minute," Carey said, rinsing her mouth...again. "Come on, you big coward."

"You're not helping me," Carey said, shutting the water off and drying her face.

"I think you've got puking down to a science," Sue said from the other side of the door.

Carey looked at her face in the mirror and groaned. "Whose idea was this anyway?"

"Yours."

"Don't remind me," Carey said, slowly straightening up and opening the bathroom door. "I look like hell."

"Nothing a little makeup couldn't fix," Sue said, guiding Carey to the chair.

"I don't do makeup."

"You do today or Grace will think she's marrying a raccoon."

"Who is it?"

"Your father."

"Just a minute, Dad," Grace said, taking the tuxedo shirt off the hanger and putting it on. "Okay."

"Just checking to see if you need any help," he said.

"Yeah." She pointed at the cufflinks on the dresser. "I can't make my fingers work today."

"It's nerves," he said.

"I don't have any nerves left," she said, holding her arm out so he could fasten the cufflink. "I was up most of the night worrying."

"Don't worry," he said as he secured another fastener. "She's here."

"I know she's here," Grace said. "I think it's silly we can't see each other."

"You two are the ones that wanted so much tradition," he said.

Grace picked up the pale blue bow tie and faced the mirror. "Daddy?

Were you nervous on your wedding day?"

"Let me," he said, reaching from behind to help her with the tie. "I was absolutely petrified," he said. "Almost passed out before the minister could finish."

"Oh, don't say that," Grace said, picking up the white cummerbund. Her father chuckled. "You'll do just fine," he said.

There was a knock at the door. "Grace?"

Grace froze. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't know she was coming."

"Don't worry about me, pumpkin. I don't mind her being here, as long as you're okay with it."

Grace shrugged her shoulders. "I'm okay, I guess."

"You're sure? Because I'll be happy to escort her out of here if that's what you want."

"I'm sure."

He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, but she said she was okay.

Reluctantly he turned and opened the door. "Hello, Edna."

"Richard," Grace's mother said. "I'd like to talk to my daughter."

"Our daughter," he said. "Grace, I'll be downstairs if you need me."

Grace hugged him. "Thanks Dad."

"Careful," he said. "You don't want to show up at the altar all wrinkled." He left, closing the door behind him.

"A tuxedo?"

"You know I hate dresses," Grace said, picking up the vest and slipping it over her shoulders.

"Well at least button it properly," her mother said, shooing Grace's hands out of the way. "I know how nervous a bride is," she said as she straightened out Grace's vest. "My hands were shaking so bad your grandmother had to button up my dress."

"How did you know about this?" Grace asked.

"You did put an announcement in the paper," Edna said, finishing the last button. "There."

"Tell me you didn't bring him."

"He's not here," her mother said. "He dropped me off and I'll call him to come back to get me."

"I so do not need this today," Grace said, turning away to check her appearance in the mirror.

"Grace, do you want me to leave?"

Tugging her vest, Grace shook her head. "You're here. Oh God, you're going to end up sitting next to Dad and Barbara." She turned around and looked at her mother. "Please tell me you can get along with him today."

"Of course I can," Edna said. "Grace..."

"No." Grace reached for her jacket. "Not a word about it. Not today."

"You stand next to me and don't you dare let me fall," Carey said.

"Don't worry," Sue said. "I'll be the perfect best man, or best woman as the case may be."

Carey pulled on her collar. "Why haven't they started the music yet?"

"They are playing music."

"You know what I mean," Carey said. "Here Comes the Bride.'

"When Grace comes out. Calm down."

"I can't," Carey said. "I keep having visions of her riding away on Jan's motorcycle."

"She's not going to run away," Sue said. "Now stop it before you give yourself a stroke."

"Why did we pick such a hot day?"

"The day's not hot, you are," Sue said. "It's not like anything's going to change between you. You've been living with her for how long now?"

"Living with her isn't the same as a marrying her," Carey said just as the organist changed the music. "Oh God, she's coming." The temperature seemed to jump even higher as beads of sweat broke out along her forehead and a buzzing sound filled her ears. "Sue..."

"Don't you dare wimp out on me now," Sue said, gripping her nervous friend's shoulders. "Carey, breathe."

"Look at her," Carey whispered as Grace walked down the aisle, her arm entwined with Richard's. "She's so beautiful."

"And I'm sure she's thinking the same thing about you."

Their eyes met and the nervousness that had so consumed Carey suddenly dissipated, replaced with a calm peace. This was right. This was what was meant to be. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and reached for her bride's hand.

"You're not going to pass out on me, are you?" Grace asked softly, squeezing their joined hands.

"I hope not."

"Good, because I feel like I might," Grace said. "All these years, I always wondered if a day like this would come and now it's here."

"I love you," Carey said, bringing their joined hands to her lips.

"Thanks for not giving up on me."

"You were worth waiting for."

"Ready?" the minister asked, giving the couple a gentle smile.

"For the rest of my life," Carey said.

"For the rest of our lives," Grace corrected. They faced the minister as they would the rest of their lives...together.

THE END