Blurred Horizons

Ben never imagined that he'd be walking his own mother down the aisle. Emily and Scarlett had tied her fiery red hair back into an elegant braid with ivory ribbons. Ben watched as they helped her put on her veil, both smiling and chattering excitedly. Gigi was sitting on the floor by Mary's feet, bedecked in rosy pink and playing with a piece of ribbon.

"It's almost time," Ben said. Emily and Scarlett did a final check of their handiwork and then congratulated Mary for about the five hundredth time. Emily planted a kiss on her cheek and Scarlett scooped up Gigi, who was the designated flower girl. Emily had been tinkering with some newfangled device to keep the flowers in the garden growing even in the dead of an English winter and so they had no shortage of pink and white rose petals. Ben couldn't help but smile and feel a burst of almost giddy love seeing his mother, little sister, wife and daughter all looking beautiful and laughing together.

"Why do you have that goofy look on your face?" Emily asked.

"Just wondering how I got so lucky," he replied. He hugged Emily and kissed Scarlett as they filed out of the room. He tickled Gigi and she giggled. When they wee gone he glanced at Mary, who was staring nervously at herself in the full length mirror.

"Stop worrying," Ben said, coming up to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"What if he regrets coming back? What if he gets cold feet and-"

"Mother," Ben laughed. "You look beautiful. Any man would chop off his right arm for the chance to marry you. Trust me, he's not going to regret anything. He never stopped loving you."

Mary turned and hugged him. "You're so much like him. It amazes me."

"Well we're pretty amazing men," Ben agreed and she laughed. Ben linked his arm with hers.

"It's time." He led her out into the hall and toward the main chapel. The ceremony was being held in a small church similar to the one they had planned to get married in when they were young. It was simple but lovely, with a sweeping view of the sea outside and a stained glass window spilling jewel colored light over the altar. The only people in attendance were the Weldon family, Percy and Edmund. Bartimus was going to officiate and was standing at the altar with Thomas. Everyone turned to look as the door opened and Ben led Mary inside. Emily and Scarlett were the bridesmaids, standing across from Thomas and beaming in their pale blue dresses. Gigi was sitting in Edmund's lap and she bounced excitedly when she saw Ben and Mary.

"Daaa!" she cooed, reaching towards them. Mary smiled. Ben kissed her cheek and went to stand across from Scarlett, next to Thomas. Emily caught his eye and gave him a dazzling smile.

"I know the two of you have been waiting twenty-five years for this day, so I'll spare you any long winded speeches," Bartimus said. "I just want to say how happy I am for you all. Mary and Ben became part of our family and it gives me nothing but joy that you've all found each other."

"Oh stop it, Bartimus," Mary chided. "I swore I wasn't going to cry until at least halfway through."

Everyone laughed softly but she wasn't the only one tearing up. Emily had to swipe at her eyes, as did Tessa Weldon and all her daughters-in-law. Even Edmund looked a bit emotional. Gigi squirmed in his lap, determined to get to the altar.

"Let the angel up," Mary said, laughing. Edmund smiled and released his wriggling granddaughter, who immediately toddled clumsily up to her grandma. Mary scooped her up and held her while Bartimus went through the their vows. When he pronounced them husband and wife Mary handed Gigi to Scarlett and pulled Thomas into a kiss while everyone clapped and surged up to hug them. They returned to the Weldon house where Emily had arranged for a certifiable feast to be prepared and then dismissed the kitchen staff for the rest of the day so that no one outside the family would see Scarlett and Ben.

There was plenty of champagne and an enormous layer cake. It probably weighed more than Gigi. Ben shook his head and hugged his sister.

"You've outdone yourself, Em. How'd you pull all this off in less than a week?"

"Because I'm just that good," she said seriously. The wedding date had fallen on New Years Eve, which was no doubt intentional on Emily's part. Ben thought it was fitting. After cutting the cake they gathered in the Weldon's ballroom for Thomas and Mary's first dance. They whispered and laughed together through the whole thing.

"Son claims second dance," Ben said. "If you don't mind my cutting in."

Thomas bowed, turning Mary over to Ben.

"How does it feel to finally be Mrs. Mary Cole?" Ben asked.

"It feels perfect. It happened a little later than I had hoped, but better late than never. We're going to Italy for the honeymoon."

"Just like you always wanted." Ben smiled.

"My darling boy," Mary murmured. "Thank you, for giving me this perfect family."

"You deserve it." He relinquished his mother back to Thomas and felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down to find Gigi, her face smeared with frosting. With her frilly pink dress and the pink bows in her hair the frosting sever to make her look like a little pastry herself.

"Now you've gone and made a mess of yourself," Ben laughed. She tried to toddle away, squealing with laughter as Ben tried to catch her. He let her stay ahead of him for a while, until she finally lost her balance and fell forward.

"I've got you now, you little escape artist." Ben scooped her up and spun her around. She giggled wildly and Ben found a napkin to wipe the frosting off of her face. Gigi pointed to where Thomas and Mary were dancing and looked up at Ben.

"Do you want Daddy to dance with you?" Ben asked. Gigi pointed again and he laughed, setting her down so her feet rested on top of his, bending down to waltz with her. He heard a tinkling laugh and looked up to see Scarlett watching them.

"We've been spotted," he told Gigi. He straightened to face Scarlett. "I hope you don't mind that I'm dancing with a beautiful brunette," he said. He pulled her closer and kissed her. Gigi reached up and tugged impatiently at the hem of his shirt and Scarlett laughed again.

"Demanding little monster," she said fondly.

"I wonder where she gets that from," Ben remarked and Scarlett swatted his arm. They stayed up past midnight to ring in the new year, and even though she was fascinated by the festivities Gigi fell fast asleep in the middle of a giggle as Emily blew kisses on her cheek. They returned to their room at the Triggs house, laying Gigi in her crib. He wrapped an arm around Scarlett and danced around the room with her in the lamplight until they both toppled into bed and fell asleep.

.::.::.::.

Mary and Thomas left the next day for their honeymoon and it was time for Ben and Scarlett to leave as well. Mary hugged Ben tightly; Thomas needed to fairly pry her off of him.

"I want to thank you," Thomas said. Ben shook his head.

"No, I want to thank you. I've never seen my mother this happy."

Thomas glanced over to where Mary was hugging Emily goodbye and his face immediately took on that soft, faraway look that Ben was familiar with. It was the same look he gave Scarlett.

"I've never been this happy either," Thomas said. No one was happy about parting with Gigi and she seemed to revel in all the attention and kisses she received. Ben promised they'd try to visit again soon. As he and Scarlett boarded the ship, he gave his family a final glance, watching them all standing on the docks in the early morning fog and waving at him.

"This isn't how I pictured my life ending up," he told her. "But I wouldn't have it any other way. And I owe a lot of it to you. Thank you for kidnapping me."

Scarlett laughed. "It was my pleasure."

The Spirit sailed into the mist and Ben lost sight of his family. But for the first time it was truly whole and he knew he didn't need to worry about them.

"Why are you smiling so much?" Scarlett asked.

Ben looked at her holding Gigi, their matching blue eyes watching him. He walked over and kissed Scarlett, taking Gigi in his arms.

"Because right now," he said, "I have absolutely no reason not to."