First dance

"Part of verb-loving Henry had been making good on a promise. We'd both enjoyed learning to dance together in the evenings. All he'd really needed had been confidence. We'd avoided both toes and rhythmi-collies, and it had been wonderful to have the rest of the family join in when they could too.

And then it was Thursday. The circled date on the calendar when I would marry my betrothed. My beloved. My hero. My everything.

No document could make me any more secure than his arm around me as I woke. No pronouncement could make me any more certain. Neither a homily nor a blessing could teach me anything I didn't already know. The evening was just a public declaration of commitments we'd already made. Nothing was about to change. Everything was about to change."