Chapter Four  

"Frank...you'll stand here," Pastor Glenn said, indicating to Frank to stand in front of him, to his left.  "Jake—beside Frank, then Cody and Jason. 

The Reverend Glenn Winslow stood before the small group of people in the wedding party.  He was delighted to be performing the ceremony joining Caitlin and Frank in Holy Matrimony.  He knew Caitlin's father, Shane, would have been pleased with her choice.  Frank Donovan was a good man, and by all accounts, he loved Caitlin deeply. 

"Now, the Bride's Maids and the Matron of Honor will come down the isle."  He smiled.  "For tonight's sake, just pretend there's an isle.  The chairs will be in place Saturday morning."

Monica walked down the isle first, with Alex following a moment later.  Misty bent to tell her children to behave and walk down the isle when it was their turn, making sure Devon knew it was his responsibility to get Daisy to the altar.

When Misty reached the altar, Pastor Glenn announced the ring bearer and flower girl.  Caitlin and Misty laughed as Daisy toddled unsteadily beside her older brother, Devon.  Daisy hadn't been walking long, so her little steps were wobbly, but her brother made sure she didn't fall as she tossed rose petals on the ground.  When the darling little redhead reached the altar, she grinned.  "Daddy!" she cried, as she broke away from her brother and ran to Jason.

Pastor Glenn chuckled loudly as he positioned Daisy by her mother and Devon in front of Jake.  Frank watched with amusement as Daisy found her way back to her father and the plump Reverend laughed and tossed up his hands.  He could see the laughter in Caitlin's eyes as she said to Misty, "At least she made it down the isle.  She can stand wherever she wants."

"The Wedding March plays and the bride and father come down the isle."

Caitlin smiled warmly as she took the arm of the town's Sheriff, Peter McClain.  He was one of her father's dearest friends and Caitlin could think of no one else she'd rather have give her away in marriage in her father's place.  She clutched the bouquet of peach and pink ribbons Elena had made for the rehearsal.  She walked slowly down the isle, her eyes fixed on her future husband, and she wondered if he was nervous standing up there on display.  He was a very private man and really wanted to elope, but he didn't want to disappoint her.  So, he gave in when Caitlin had asked for a small wedding ceremony.

Jake leaned in and whispered something to Frank that made him smile and took the nervous edge off him.  Caitlin was glad he chose Jake as his best man; he seemed to know the right things to say to him.

Peter gave Caitlin up to Frank when they reached the altar. She smiled warmly at her intended when he placed his arm around her waist.  "Now, turn and face me," Pastor Glenn instructed.  "I will say the initial remarks of the ceremony, Peter will give away the bride and then the bride and groom will face each other for the wedding and ring vows. Then the pronouncement, a prayer, the kiss and then I will introduce the newly wedded couple to the guests and then the recessional."

"Well, that's quick and to the point," Cody laughed.

"I hate to disappointed you, son," Pastor Glenn said.  "But the actual ceremony will not be this quick."

"Come on, Cody," Caitlin teased.  "It won't be that bad.  Now, let's go eat."  She ushered him to the picnic table Mrs. Redman had laid out with various kinds of food. 

"Food, yeah, I like that," he winked and headed to the table.

Caitlin had just turned to talk to Frank when Misty approached.  "Mom's taking the kids home with her and Jason is going to go back to your house with Frank, so it'll just be us girls for the bridal shower."

"Ooh, fun," Frank said with amusement.

"Oh, it's sure to be," Alex said slyly.

"This is so much fun," Caitlin said, forgetting her glass, she tipped the Champaign bottle back and took another sip.  Open boxes of lingerie surrounded the chair she sat in.  "You guys didn't have to do all this.  I told you...no gifts."

Alex and Monica smiled.  "We have one more gift for you.  It should be here shortly."

"Speaking of gifts," Caitlin said as rifled through her purse.  "Here's a little something for you."  She handed each of them a small box that contained a diamond choker and earrings.

"Oh, Caity," Alex exclaimed.  "These are beautiful, but we can't accept these."

Caitlin held up her hand.  "Nonsense.  I want you to have them."

A knock sounded at the door.  Alex and Monica grinned at each other while Misty, giggling along the way, went to open the door.

Caitlin watched with interest as a handsome police officer strolled into the room, followed by Misty.   He handed Misty a cassette and she took it over to her entertainment center and popped it into the cassette player.

"Miss Caitlin Whitfield, I have been ordered to place you under arrest," he told her as he handcuffed her wrists together, "for the felony of...love."

At his signal, Misty pressed play and the fake policeman began to dance for Caitlin, shaking and gyrating all around the room.  While Monica, Alex and Misty urged him on; Caitlin was wide-eyed with wonder as he began to strip off his clothes.

When he straddled the chair she was sitting on, undulating his briefly clad hips in front of her face, she slid down the chair between his legs to escape from the embarrassing situation.

"Oh, Caity!" Monica exclaimed watching Caitlin crawl away from the dancer.  "Relax and enjoy it! He's beautiful."

Caitlin shook her head, laughing.  "Sorry, Monica, but..." She reached out with her hands still shackled for the Champaign bottle Monica held and took a large swallow. "He doesn't hold a candle to Frank."

Whoops abound.  "Oh, Frankie!  Wherefore art thou, Frankie!" Alex misquoted badly and more laughter ensued.

Monica stumbled over to the dancer.  "Okay, big boy.  Fun's over, come with me and I'll pay you."

"1 a.m.," Frank said to no one in particular.

"What?" Jake asked, looking up from the television.

"What are you people watching?" Frank asked curiously when he saw strange little pigmy like creatures flying around the screen.

"The Mummy Returns," Cody said.  "Hey, you kinda look like that Ardeth guy...in a strange way."

"Where you going, Frank?" Jason asked as Frank headed toward the door.

"Nowhere.  Just need to get out for a while," he answered without looking back.

"Okay.  Tell Misty I'll be home as soon as this movie is over," he said with a chuckle.

A few short minutes later, Donovan pulled into the Asher's driveway.  The lights were on and he could hear music coming from the house.  When no one answered the doorbell, he turned the knob...unlocked.  He ventured into the foyer, but didn't see anyone nearby. 

Sounds from the den caused him to turn left instead of heading toward the living room, where he knew the ladies would be gathered.  As he drew closer, he was fearful of what he would find.  The noises were sexual and if his people had anything to do with getting Caitlin drunk enough to sleep with another man...

No, he couldn't look.  The thought alone was painful enough; the sight of her with another man would kill him.  Onward he moved, against his better judgment, until he was just outside the door.

"Come on, my dark beauty," he heard a man's voice say,  "Ride your stallion home!"

"Oh, yeah, honey.  I'm gonna make you beg."

Monica!  Frank blinked in disbelief.  He never thought Monica would be the one-night-stand kind of person.  He shook his head and hurried toward the living room wondering how he was going to look Monica in the eye after overhearing her and her "stallion". 

He could hear the other three women's voices over the music as he approached the living room.  "Okay, Caity," he heard Alex say. "Confes'n time.  Ol' Cold-as-steel Don'van must be a damn good lover if that yummmy dancer didn't getchoo hot!"  Giggles and laughter and a few hiccups.  They were stone drunk and he did not like where this conversation was going.

Before he could enter the room he heard Caitlin's reply.  "I dunno, Alex.  I have no one to compare him with."

"Excuse me?" That was Alex.

"Frank's the only man I've been with."

"Wow!" Alex again.

"Uh-huh.  An' there's no one else I wanna be with; he's heav'n and earth and everything in between."

"Aww....that's so sweet." Alex and Misty in unison.

"Yep, he's that, too.  An' I wish he was here right now, cuz I'm gettin' sleepy and I wanna go to bed." 

He couldn't help but grin.  Even when she was inebriated, she knew just what to say.  He decided he'd eavesdropped enough and entered the room.

"Don'van!" Alex shouted drunkenly.  "We were jus' talkin' 'boutchoo."

"I'll bet you were," he said holding back a grin.  "Angel, you're drunk."

"Me?" Caitlin asked, eyes wide with innocence as she held her still shackled arms out to him.

"What the?" he started to ask and Alex and Misty cracked up laughing.

He shook his head and reached into his pocket for the handcuff key he always carried with him and removed the 'cuffs from Caitlin's wrists.  "I'd hate to see what trouble you would have gotten into if I hadn't come to get you," he playfully scolded his fiancé.

"Are we going home now?" Caitlin asked when Donovan lifted her into his arms.

"Yes, angel," he said and kissed her on the forehead.  "You're going to hate yourself in the morning."

"Why?  What did I do?"

He chuckled.  "Oh, nothing.  Let's get you home."  He stopped and faced Alex and Misty.  "Jason will be home soon.  You might want to get that dancer out of your den."  When Misty and Alex looked at each other, he added, "Just give him another ten minutes, first."  Grinning, he took Caitlin home.