Chapter 8

The Ceremony

Bar None Ranch near Sanderson Texas...

The sun was just peeking over the hills that formed the valley where the Miles grove sat. The chairs were filled with family and friends anxiously waiting for the ceremonies to begin. Tom Masters called for the candidates for handfasting and Jack, Beth, and Tammy along with two other couples came forward. Tom, dressed in his dark green robe, walked up to the first couple and spoke to the man and then the woman. After that they exchanged rings and as they slipped the rings on each others fingers Tom tied their hands together. He then pronounced them bound together for a year and a day. The couple kissed and walked away. Tom moved to the next couple and repeated the short but meaningful ceremony. Then he walked over and stood in front Jack, Beth, and Tammy and smiled. "So Jack, what do you say?"

"Beth and I love her," Jack was nervous and Tom was enjoying it immensely. Tom grinned and turned to Tammy, "Do you know what you're getting into?" Tammy winked at Tom, "Well if you know something that I don't, maybe you should tell me. I'm all ears." Clearly, Tammy was having fun with this too. Jack's face blanched white and Tom and Beth couldn't suppress their laughter,

"Don't panic Jack, we're just pulling your leg a bit." Tom laughed again when Jack sighed loudly, "Now, have you rings to exchange?"

Jack pulled out the rings that J. J. had made for them and handed them to Tom. Tom blessed the rings and then handed them back to Jack who slipped them on to Beth and Tammy's fingers. Jack and Beth had removed their wedding rings and now wore the new rings. The rings that Jack slid on to Beth and Tammy's fingers were actually three separate rings, each a different colour and shape but they meshed together to form one tri-colour ring. When all three of them had their rings on Tom bound all three of them by their right wrist. "You are bound for a year and a day. May the Gods and Goddesses bless you."

With the last of the engagements over with it was time for the weddings. George and D'Sandra would be first. D'Sandra walked down the aisle on Jack's arm. She was wearing a cream coloured dress and from the look in George's eyes he'd never seen her more beautiful. George was beaming as she walked towards him. He took her hand in his, "I love you D."

"I love you too George," D replied never taking her eyes off his. Tom performed the ceremony that they had planned, but they never took their eyes off of each other. When Tom pronounced them Husband and Wife they simply melted together. No one that saw them doubted their love for each other.

Next to be married was Nelda, Jim, and Sara. They walked down the aisle together and it was fitting in a way. There were no fathers to give away Sara and Nelda. The Phillips' were the only family that any of them had left. Jim had J. J. make another set of rings like the ones that Jack had. The three of them pledged their undying love to each other and to Meredith and any future children that they might have.

Don was struck by the change that had come over Nelda in the days since Jim and Sara had asked her to join their marriage. When Nelda had first come to the Hobbit Hole she was sullen and sad, rarely if ever smiling and when she did smile, it was only for Meredith. Now her face was aglow from morn till night and her lovely voice could be heard throughout the house singing. Millie said it was because her soul was free. The family had learned to accept Millie's knowledge as coming from a higher source. Tom bound their wrists and pronounced them a family.

With Jim's family finished, the day Don had long dreamed of was here at last. Don stood in front of Tom, with Tommy Ramos, Sam Dillon, Jake Jr., Jason Teal, and Jim, waiting for the loves of his life to come forward. The music started and Millie, Hanna, and Nicky led the way. Following them had been Ann's sisters and then Mary, Debbie, and Tammy Jons, their friends from Ft. Stockton, and Sherry White their friend from Sanderson and, of course, Sara and Nelda. Behind them were his brides. Rose and Amber each held one of Matt's arms. Jackie had Kim and Kiesha on his. Following them Sue was escorting Ann and last, but not least, Missy clinging to Jack's arm.

This had been the hardest part, for Missy alone had no one that she could call family. Repeated attempts to get her mother involved had ended in buckets of tears for Missy. The girls wanted to forego the escorts entirely but Missy wouldn't hear of it. She simply had asked Jack if he would stand in. The question had cracked Jack's iron façade. With tears in his eyes, he had wrapped her in his arms saying that he would be honoured to escort her and grateful if she would call him Dad. Once the girls were at the altar, they put Don in their centre. Don professed his love and gave his vow six times as did each of the girls. When they had exchanged rings, Don nodded to J. J. and he brought out a box. From this box Don removed a necklace and ring. Calling Millie, Hanna, and Nicky to them they gave them the rings to wear around their necks signifying that they were a part of this family as daughters. Anne then called her sisters up and each of them received a ring on a necklace signifying that they too were members of the family. With the last ceremony over, Tom invited the crowd to the feast.

As the crowd broke up four teens moved to the front to where Don and the girls were standing with their extended family. Sherry was the first to grab Don and hug him while Jason grabbed Rose and hugged her, "We're so happy for you," Jason said as he moved from Rose to Missy. Sherry motioned for her new friends to come closer, "Don I'd like for you to meet our new friends. This is Britney Johnson and her best friend Denise Waters. You know Britney's dad, he's the president of the Cattlemen's Association."

"Yeah, we met him at Scott and Angie's other place. Have you enjoyed your visit?" Don asked.

Britney smiled as Jason put his arm around her shoulders, "Well, when my dad was telling us about you I couldn't believe that six girls could love the same guy without there being lots of problems, but I understand now."

"Oh? Seeing is believing?" Don laughed.

Sherry and Denise moved in to bracket Jason and Britney, she kissed Jason then turned to face Don, "No, finding two very special people who can love Denise and I for who we are, that convinced me."

Don arched his eyebrows and grinned, "So next year will we be seeing your handfasting?"

Britney sighed, "You'd have seen it today but we'd never get all our parents onboard. I was surprised that dad wasn't against it, but just worried that we needed more time together."

"So you've told your dad?"

"Yeah, funny thing he got the biggest smile on his face and then he rushed off to talk to Scott about something and I haven't seen him since." Nicky walked up to Don wanting to be held and looking very tired. Britney caressed the child's face, "Well Congratulations on your wedding and your new family," Britney leaned in and kissed Nicky's cheek, "Bye sweetie."

Britney and her new friends turned and walked away. Kiesha walked up to Don and put her arm around her husband, "That didn't sound like the lost teen Steve Johnson was telling us about three weeks ago."

"No, it sure didn't. Do you think love made that big of a difference?" Don asked as he leaned in for a kiss.

"It did for me." Kiesha kissed Don, "Let's get these kids some food and then see if they'll go down for a nap."

Don and the girls walked over to the serving lines. Don found an empty table and put Nicky in one of the folding chairs, "Just wait here sweetie and I'll bring you a plate."

"Okay, Daddy," Nicky held her arms out knowing her new Daddy would give her a hug and a kiss and, while it was new and different having six mommies and a daddy that loved her and her two sisters, it was something they had quickly grown to love. Don hugged Nicky and as he did she whispered into his ear, "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Nicky," Don kissed her cheek, "Now let Daddy go get you something to eat." Don turned and saw Kiesha and Angie headed towards him both with two plates full of barbeque. The plates were set in front of the three little girls and Don as he sat watching them eat thinking about the changes that had occurred in his life in the past two months. The girls had been steadily gaining weight since becoming a part of Don's family. Technically the girls were under the guardianship of Jack and Beth, but there was never any doubt where they were going stay. Don's Uncle Jake had caught a dump truck load of grief over the three girls but Don and his wives were determined to make a real home filled with happy times for the newly orphaned kids.