Chapter 17 - The Autumn Wedding
The wedding took place in October, right as the leaves across Ohio turned a brilliant shade of gold and amber.
It wasn't held in a grand cathedral or a sterile hotel ballroom. It was held in the courtyard of Grace’s Hearth, with the doors thrown wide open to the street, welcoming neighbors, regular customers, family, and friends.
Elena Moretti sat in the front row, looking radiant in a cream silk jacket, her eyes bright with pride as she watched her son wait at the altar.
Marcus Vance served as the best man, wearing a remarkably uncomfortable boutonniere that he adjusted every thirty seconds.
When Grace walked down the makeshift aisle wearing a stunning, elegant ivory lace gown designed by an independent local artist, the murmur of appreciation from the crowd was genuine and warm.
She didn't look like a maid trying to fit into an elite world. She looked like a queen stepping into a kingdom she had built with her own two hands.
Dante met her at the altar, taking her hands in his.
They didn't recite traditional vows written by lawyers or dictated by social expectations. They spoke their own words—promises of honesty, resilience, mutual respect, and unconditional love through every fire life might send their way.
May you like
When the minister pronounced them husband and wife, the cheers from the crowd echoed down Broad Street, joined by the honking horns of delivery trucks and the ringing bells of the bakery.
As Dante pulled Grace into a deep, lingering kiss, the entire street seemed to celebrate with them.
