It was a beautiful wedding. The winery was decked out to the nines, with floral arches covered in pink roses; the cobblestone walkway leading to the alter, where the wedding arch flowed with white satin and roses. Sloane and Gloria were the perfect couple. She, in her modern ivory and pearl dress; he, in his understated jet-black tux with narrow lapels; they were every wedding planner’s dream pair. Even Nathan cried.
After the ceremony, and the reception, Nathan took his grandson, Sloane, aside to ask him for a favor. The request he made gave Sloane pause. He hesitated. His grandfather had tears rolling down his cheeks, so he couldn’t refuse. When the reception was over, the couple did the traditional walk through the double row of family and friends blowing bubbles at them, then boarded their car, festooned with “Just Married” and dragging cans tied to the bumper and drove off to start their honeymoon. Just a little side trip first. Grampa’s house.
“Thank you, both, for agreeing to this.” Nathan said.
He led them, and the mother of the bride, Sara, into the house and down the hall to the bedroom. The mirror sat in the corner, adorned with a new piece of duct tape on the lower left corner. The room was bright and freshly cleaned, with a tripod set up across the room from the mirror.
“Grampa, I know this is important to you, but you’ve got to admit: it’s kinda weird.” Sloane said. His new bride scolded him with a glance before adding for him,
“But I’m sure Nana would love that you wanted to include her. I know she’d love this.” Her smile reassured Nathan that Sloane had made a wonderful choice.
The old man just positioned the bride and groom in front of the mirror, facing it first. He moved the camera and checked the angle before answering them.
“I just know that Grace wouldn’t have missed seeing your wedding for anything. I just want her to know she was a part of it all. “His tears still trickled down his cheek as he spoke. The camera clicked as he took a few shots, repositioned them, then took a few more. Then he set the timer and, after looking through the viewfinder one last time, took a spot in between the new couple, trying not to cry as he smiled. They took a few shots, then Nathan motioned for Sara to join them, all facing the camera, with the mirror behind them. “Dad” Sara said “You look awesome today. Your tie is absolutely perfect. How long did it take you to get that Windsor knot so squared away?”
Her dad smiled. “You know I could never get these things right. That was your mother’s forte. She just seemed to have a talent for things like that.” They tried to look pretty and natural as the camera clicked away, capturing the day Grace’s grandson was wed. What else was captured that day, only Grace and Nathan knew.
Grace and Nathan’s tears fell quietly upon the carpet in front of the mirror. They both smiled.
Rolling Stones 