It was half past four in the afternoon. Eva stood in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her hair was neatly arranged. Her makeup done. She smoothed a hand across the fall of her dress. It fit perfectly. Everything was ready. She was ready. In a few hours, she would finally be married to Mason. Just the thought of it brought a smile to her lips.

But then her smile faded. She turned from the mirror and moved towards the window, reaching out to press back the lace curtains as they ruffled in the breeze. There was her grief again. Visiting like an old friend. A familiar sadness that welled up without warning. She had felt it at the edge of her heart the last few days.

Her dad was gone. There was no one to give her away. She would walk down the aisle alone. He would never see her in her wedding dress. He would never meet the man she had chosen to marry. He would never dance with her again. It was an old ache, but there it was on her wedding day, as fresh as the daisies in her bridal bouquet.

She missed him. She would always miss him. She would always want him to still be with her. She would never get over his loss. It would never be okay.

Eva looked out the window towards the small family plot where her parents were buried. The willow tree beside their graves had grown, its leaves and branches offering shade and shelter below. It was a beautiful spot. A fitting resting place for them. It was worthy of them. Of all they had done for her.

Beyond the graves, the wheat fields lay out like a carpet, stretching into the distance. In July, the sun was turning the wheat from green to gold. Eva watched as a breeze sent a wave rolling through the fields with a sound like the sea. Her father toiled in those fields. They were the lifeblood of her family. Her father?s legacy. Her father?s gift to his children.

Eva stepped away from the window. Her bridal bouquet rested on the bed. A simple arrangement of cheerful daisies, tied in ribbon. She picked it up and then turned to look at her reflection again. It was good. But something was missing. She glanced towards the window once more, then set down the bouquet. She slipped out of her bridal shoes, and quickly put sneakers on beneath her dress.

As the screen door slammed behind her, Eva heard her sister-in-law calling out in protest. She ignored it, holding up the skirt of her dress as she hurried out towards the fields. She didn?t care if it got a little dirty at the bottom. No one would notice. At the edge of the lower field, Eva opened the pen knife she had brought with her, and carefully cut a handful of wheat. Once she decided it was enough, she carried it back towards the house.

When she looked at her reflection in the mirror again, she had added the stalks of wheat to her bridal bouquet, the wheat mixed in with the happy daisies, the ribbon carefully retied. She looked at herself and then nodded in approval. This was better. This was right. Now her father would be with her. Now her father would walk down the aisle with her.

?You look... beautiful.? Lucien stood in Eva?s childhood bedroom, his smile softening as he looked at her in her wedding dress. ?Absolutely beautiful.?

A blush rose into her cheeks. ?Thank you.? She stepped towards him, leaning to kiss his cheek. ?And thank you for coming.?

?I wouldn't miss this for anything.? He bowed down to greet her with a kiss as well, careful not to muss her hair or makeup. ?Mason is a lucky man.? He smiled, looking at her once more. ?How are you feeling??

?Happy.? She smiled, then laughed, a little embarrassed at her answer. She turned and gestured to the armchair by the open window. ?Why don't you sit down? Would you like a drink??

He took a seat on the edge of the armchair Eva indicated, then held up his hand. ?No, I'm fine, really.? His eyes were bright and shining, reflecting his smile as he looked at her. ?Are you nervous? Do you need anything??

?No?? She laughed and shook her head. ?I mean, I am nervous, but I think... I think it's good nerves, you know??

He smiled and nodded. ?Yes, I know.?

She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him. ?I wasn't... for a long time, I wasn't sure if this was ever going to happen for me. Then I met Mason... and it just... it changed. Everything.?

?It was a long, hard road for you,? he mused, then smiled once more. ?Seeing you this happy? words don't adequately speak to how happy I am to see you happy.?

Eva looked away for a moment to get a hold of her emotions. Then she got to her feet, moving once more to the desk. ?I have something for you.?

?You're the bride remember? You aren't supposed to be getting anything for anyone, you are supposed to be getting things.?

?Yeah well, Meredith told me that it was traditional to get gifts for the wedding party.? She pulled open a desk drawer and glanced at him with a smile. ?And you're my wedding party.? From the drawer she pulled a long narrow wooden box, rather old-looking with a brass clasp. A little envelope rested on top of the box, and she carried both towards him. Her voice softened as she offered the gift to him. ?Thank you for standing for me.?

"It is completely unnecessary," he started to reply. He reached up to accept the card and box, his hand resting on hers, and he smiled at her. ?It is my honor to stand for you, M'friend.? He ran his fingers over the box, then opened it carefully.

Inside was an antique brass spyglass, with dark brown leather accents. It was worn, but in good condition. And the widest part had recently been engraved with Lucien?s initials, to match the scrollwork already along the line of the scope.

?Geesumpetes... it's... stunning?? he whispered under his breath. He ran his fingers over his initials, then reached for the card. It read simply, Lucien, my friend, so that you always see what?s ahead. With love, E.

He drew a deep breath, carefully returning the antique spyglass to the box carefully and then setting down the card. He reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to it, then stood up to brush a kiss to her cheek. ?Thank you, M'friend.?

She kept a hold of his hand as he stood, and continued to hold it after his kiss. She wanted to say more, more than what the card said, more than what the gift could say. She wanted to say how much his friendship had meant to her, how he made her feel strong again when she'd been feeling weak, how he gave her a safe place to run when she was scared, how he was a warm embrace when she was most lonely. But she had never been very good with words, and although she was thinking all of those things, she couldn't say them. So she hoped the gift was enough, she hoped the gift would say it for her. She smiled softly, gave his hand a squeeze, and then let it go.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze in return, and then when she let go of his hand, he sat back down. The gift spoke volumes and touched him deeply. And that was plain on his features as his fingers brushed over the case. The card, he tucked safely in his breast pocket. It took a few moments for him to find his voice once more. ?Thank you? for the gift of your friendship all these years, for the privilege of sharing openly with you, and for the honor of sharing your life with you.?

Eva smiled at him, and nodded. It was about all she could manage. It was, and would continue to be, an emotional day for her. ?Lucien, do you remember that bargain we struck in the inn so many years ago? When we had nearly just met??

?You are taxing an old man's memory,? he replied with a grin, brows furrowed as he thought on that. ?I remember the bargain that we would speak honestly to each other.?

?That's the one.? Her smile was warm as she kept looking at him. ?I believe that it might have been the most fortunate bargain I ever struck.?

His chuckle sounded to join her laughter, then his brow quirked. ?Really? You mean you weren't tired of hearing me bellyaching?? he remarked with a crook of his grin.

Her smile turned into a teasing grin too. ?Well now I am!?

?See? I knew it. I knew it!? He laughed, proclaiming victoriously.

She leaned to laugh with him, the two old friends sharing the afternoon together, until it was time. Time for Eva to walk down the aisle.