Creation Ranch 20

Their was a wedding in Creation Ranch, Eric and Lora, as the new creation takes place.

Chapter 20: Wedding

In the beginning Sheriff Warren Fom fired a shot from a high caliber rifle and my body was destroyed at the open doors of the fort in Creation Ranch.

Then Fom shot himself in the head and his body fell next to mine in that same field; mine unlike his disappeared unnoticed by anyone at the scene. Fom’s did not. No one touched it. No one did anything to it. The animals, birds, wolves, bears, worms, insects and yes, even the dogs stayed away from the carcass which lay untouched to the day it became desolate earth, and a fence was placed around it and no living thing has ever lived there; even quack grass will not grow there, and so it will be as a reminder to Sheriff Fom.

Eric kicked his heels to the left side first and then the right beginning the laughter inside the fort where everyone including Hap and Tom watched the couple walk toward the fort without a care feeling perfectly safe as the Ghalbans simply looked on.

Someone in the crowd in the fort yelled, “Hey, you two! When are you going to get married?”

Lora looked at Eric, who was fit as a fiddle, and Eric looked at Lora, who was the same and they smiled first Lora, then Eric.

“Why not now?” someone else yelled, “It would certainly mark the occasion!”

Eric said, “Lora will you be my lawfully wedded wife now?”

She looked at him without indecision and replied, “Yes, Eric, I will, right now if you want?”

“That was sure a whole lot easier than the getting here,” he laughed and headed toward Tom, who was awaiting their decision like everyone else. “Tom?” he said.

“Yes, Eric, I would be honored to stand up with you?”

Lora turned to Lois and said, “Would you?”

Lois immediate ran off and for a short time it was unclear whether she would be the bride’s maid. She returned with two veils, one white, which she put on Lora, and one blue, which she put on her own head even though it was too small and kept falling off.

Just then Lois caught sight of Zoe, and looking to Lora she turned and shouted, “Zoe! Please do perform the marriage! It is your duty, don’t you think?”

Zoe turned knowing everyone knew or at least suspected she was gay and looking around at the crowd decided that the majority didn’t care before she nodded. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Tom turned to Eli when he came to congratulate him, “You can be the ring bearer. I know you’re a little old for the job but neither one of them has any young kin. I bet they would be happy if you did it.”

So Eli ran to Lois and told her what Tom had said, and Lois asked Lora and Eric right in front of Eli if it would be okay, and they stood silent a moment before Eric said, “The ring is in Tom’s trousers. Bring it.”

At first no one understood what was going on concerning the ring but Eric. Then Tom caught on and brightening reached in his front pocket and digging out the ring presented it to Eli with pride. “Don’t lose it, you little … piece of pumpkin pie.”

Eli smiled a very big smile, a smile so large it almost hurt his face to allow it to take place the way he wanted it.

So, they were married and when Zoe asked who has the ring it was Eli and not Tom who had it, and after it was handed then to Tom, Tom handed it with unadulterated joy to Eric his old rival. Then Eric took it and placed it on Lora’s ring finger.

But, as Lora intended to say, “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” she instead said what I wanted her to not understanding what was going on, “You are now married, may no one ever break this union for as long as you live. Kiss the bride.”

Eric and Lora both looked at Zoe who shrugged her shoulders and whispered, “The Deag?”

Then Eric took Lora in his arms and kissed her in full view of his and her family, their friends and, yes; also me.

Everyone in the crowd rushed forward to get to shake the couples’ hands when all of a sudden Hap yelled, “Make way! Make way for the newlyweds. Make way!” as Eric and Lora took the hint and ran behind him to Zola’s master bedroom which was a showpiece now to new members, along with Lois who had never seen it before.

Arriving before the couple Lois stood in awe of the amazing golden room with its four poster bed, and full sized sunken bath made of pure ivory. She had no idea Zola had been that rich. So, she asked Tom how he had earned such wealth.

“Ewodo didn’t have any use for it anymore, so it was sort of donated,” he replied.

Lois was amazed and still stood gazing at the furniture when the newlyweds arrive, both of them taken aback at the rooms’ beauty also.

“Excuse us Lois?” Eric said.

Lois found herself jealous of Lora for a moment and barely managed the single civil word, “Sure,” as she started to walk way. Then catching herself she turned on the couple intending to apologize when she saw them embracing and kissing in a way she had not seen even them do such a thing before. She blushed. She smiled. Then she ran from the room for reasons I don’t think need be discussed herein. They were married after all.

Thus Lois sat on the steps to Zola’s house, alone and perhaps a little depressed when Hap spied her and began walking toward her, noticing she seemed to be looking in a different direction. He kept walking until he was able to see what his ex was looking at; Tom was swarmed with a bunch of females and only a short time after Hap saw him did he manage to break free and head in Lois’ direction.

“Good evening Lois,” Tom said, “it is a beautiful evening.”

“Yes, it is Mr. Havoll,” she said.

“Mr. Havoll? After all we have been through together?” he said and sat down beside her asking, “May I?”

She rose.

“Is there a problem, Lois? I-I didn’t mean to be too forward?” he said.

“It … it’s just that I don’t want you to have any trouble with Hap?”

“Hap?” he laughed. “Why would Hap be any trouble to me now?”

“If I know him, he’ll use the fact me and him were common law married to try and swindle you, even if he only sees us together.”

Just then Hap walked into the light of the house.

He said, “Evening. Tom. Lois. Ain’t it wonderful what happened? I mean, about the Deag and all? I know I, for one, am going straight from this day on. I never heard the Deag when Fom shot him say a damn thing, but everything he had to say was loud and clear to me too. Don’t worry, Lois, you’re free! In fact I apologize for all the wrong things I did to you. I wish you could have loved me. But you never did in spite of all my efforts to force you to, and you never will. I see that now. I just hope you can forgive me, and wish you all the happiness you want in the future. But, if anything should ever change just remember . . . Aw hell, nothing changes that much!”