Chapter 28: The Big Step

Finally, June 27 arrived. Tess and Ted had for some reason felt that it would be awkward to have sex the night before their wedding, and they had just shared a chaste kiss before falling asleep in the same bed, but separate from each other. Before that, they’d had dinner with Ted’s family, and Tess had met the infamous Cindy McNeill, who had come in spite of her rift with Ted. She tried to corner Ted the whole evening, but Sondra was a professional bodyguard and blocked her attempts, much to Ted’s amusement.

They woke early on that morning, both eager to jump that final hurdle, dressed methodically for the ceremony. Tess had no bridal gown, and Ted was wearing a nice, light grey suit, contrasting nicely with Tess’s floral print summer dress. They had insisted on a civil wedding, not having much use for organized religion and its representatives. Bowing to their wishes, Uncle Vincent had instead asked a retired State Court judge to preside over the ceremony in the garden behind his mansion, where the wedding dinner would be held, too. There would be tents in the garden in case of inclement weather, but the forecast for Philadelphia was sunny with temperature in the low nineties.

Once dressed, bride and groom had coffee with Joey’s family, but at ten-thirty, three limousines drove up to the houses, to convey them to the venue. Tess and Ted rode in the lead car, together with the best man, Staff Sergeant (ret.) Gus Halley, and Tess’s ‘best woman’, Holly Murdoch. The other bridesmaids including the surprise participant, Sam Manning, who had made the trip together with Lisa and Lorna. Tess called the passengers in that car Miles and More, eliciting some groans over the pun.

The third car held Joey’s family plus Eileen, while a fourth had been dispatched to pick up Maureen, Carla and newly minted Captain N’Gomo, PPD, who had promised to wear dress blues for the occasion, as had Uncle Fredo, also a captain with his own precinct now. Holly, sitting in the limo with Tess and Ted, was also in her Sioux Falls PD formal sergeant’s uniform.

They made it to the mansion with time to spare and made it a point to welcome their guests before the ceremony started. There were almost a dozen agents plus Lucille from the Philadelphia field office, but nobody from DC, not even Gordan. Tess felt a little hurt, but she knew how territorial his on-again fiancée was.

After all the greeting was over, it was time to start the ceremony. As specified by Ted and Tess, they had a ceremony light, no elaborate, self-composed vows, no flower girls. Still, they kept looking and smiling at each other through the ceremony, and when the judge declared them husband and wife, Ted surprised Tess by lifting her into his arms for their first kiss. He took his time, too, and when he set her back down, Tess was laughing happily.

“I love you, Theodore McNeill!” she proclaimed, for the whole wedding party to hear.

“And I love you, Teresa Maria McNeill,” Ted grinned back. Tess had decided to take Ted’s last name to show her commitment, but also her appreciation for Ted’s willingness to move to Philadelphia with her. She knew that her personality was sometimes too strong, and taking his name was meant to balance their relationship.

Then it was time to accept the felicitations of over sixty well wishers, led of course by the proud great uncle of the bride. Ted’s parents were next, and the hugs Tess received from her in-laws were heartfelt. On their heels came Sondra who almost squeezed Tess into a faint.