“She’s your whore, and you intended to bring her on our honeymoon!” Her voice grew louder.
“There won’t be any honeymoon,” Michael announced, and pulled Heidi to him. “Not with him, anyway.”
Clarence yanked back. “Yes, there is.”
“No there isn’t.” Michael and Clarence stood nose-to-nose.
The Pastor withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped his forehead. He cleared his throat. “Perhaps we could all move to my office?”
Everyone ignored him.
Michael cupped Heidi’s face in his hands, while Clarence pulled her arm, his hand clamped around her wrist.
“Let go, Clarence!” Heidi snarled, attempting to tug her hand free.
Michael moved to block Clarence. “Honey, your mother showed me the letter. I talked to Uncle Jesse, and he doesn’t care. Do you hear me? He doesn’t care.”
Heidi ran her tongue around her dry lips. “He doesn’t care?” she responded with a shaky voice, hope soaring in her heart.
“No.” He pulled her closer, stepping on Clarence’s foot.
“Ouch.”
Michael dug the heel of his shoe in, and twisted. “He said nothing was more important than love.” He caressed her cheek. “And Heidi Lester, I love you.”
“Oh Michael.” Her voice caught. “I love you, too.”
The Pastor fidgeted, looking from side to side as if to escape.
Putting all his weight onto Clarence’s foot, Michael glared in his direction. “Let her go. Now.”
Clarence released Heidi’s hand, and Michael scooped her up in his arms and hurried from the altar. When they passed Papa, his jaw practically touching his chin, and Mother, her eyes sparkling with tears, Michael mouthed thank you. Heidi tossed her broken bouquet to her mother, and slid her arms around Michael’s neck. His mouth covered hers and they continued down the aisle.
Once at the back of the church, Michael pulled his lips from hers, and set her on her feet. “Never again in my whole life do I want to repeat the horrors of this morning.”
“Me, neither.” She shuddered.
He kissed her briefly on the forehead. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Michael strode back to where they’d left the wide-eyed Pastor and Clarence in the sanctuary. “Excuse me, sir,” he said to the Pastor. Then he turned and drew his arm back, and slammed his fist into Clarence’s face, knocking him backwards to land on his rear end. Blood spurted from his nose. “The only reason I’m not beating the hell out of you is because we’re in church.”
He nodded to the Pastor, straightened his jacket, and headed to where Heidi stood, hugging her middle, and laughing.
Mrs. Manfred ran forward, glaring at Michael, and knelt in front of Clarence. He shoved her flutteri
ng hands away.
Tears of happiness spilled from Heidi’s eyes, and ran down her heated cheeks. Mother approached, and enveloped her in an embrace. “I’m so happy for you.” She released her, and held her at arm’s length. “You really do have a knight in shining armor.”
Michael joined them and slid his arm around Mother’s shoulders. “Wait until you see the horse this knight in shining armor rescued his damsel with.”
Papa smiled brightly after winking at Heidi, then shook Michael’s hand. “Young man, I’m assuming someone will explain everything to me one day. But since my wife and daughter are smiling for the first time in weeks, I’m mighty glad to see you.”
Turning back to Heidi, he drew her into his arms, and kissed her cheek. “My dear, I can see you’re finally happy.” He placed Heidi’s hand in Michael’s, and murmured, “Welcome to the family, son.”
Papa stood on tip-toe and addressed the guests leaving the church. “Everyone, please join us as planned, for the wedding breakfast turned into an engagement party for my beautiful daughter, and Michael Henderson, a pharmacist from the fine town of Guthrie.”
Heidi and Michael climbed into the back of Papa’s buggy, waving at the crowd, who continued to mumble to each other, shaking their heads at the turn of events.