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Rey woke in her childhood bedroom, stretching lightly in the bed Poe had made for her. It was early. Far too early to be getting up, at least on a normal day. But today was anything but normal. No, today was New Year’s Eve.
Her wedding day.
It was that thought that propelled her out of the comfort of her bed and into the cream satin robe Rose had left for her. Because that was all she was allowed to wear that day, shades of cream and white and blush, something she’d laughed at when Rose had first insisted, but now was strangely grateful for. It made her feel like a bride.
Elsewhere in the house, she could hear the usual morning sounds, breakfast cooking, the coffee maker sputtering, her father puttering around humming to himself. A nice, quiet morning.
Only, that was wrong, wasn’t it? There should have been chaos. Multiple people running back and forth, hair and makeup setting up, Rose directing it all like a traffic cop.
“...don’t know what we’re gonna do. Of all days, today!”
Well, that didn’t sound too promising.
Ignoring her own fluttering nerves, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway, making her way toward the stairs. As she crept down them, she tried to listen to what was going on in the kitchen.
“...disaster!” Rose said in the loudest whisper Rey had ever heard, “Everything is shut down. Everything.”
Rey took care to avoid the stair that creaked, finding herself on the landing. She continued on toward the kitchen.
“Well, what are our options?” Her dad’s voice was low and steady, obviously trying to keep Rose calm.
It wasn’t working. “We don’t have any!” She sounded panicked. Then, with a sigh, resigned. “I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
“You don’t think what’s gonna happen?” asked Rey, trying not to laugh when Rose literally jumped in surprise.
Rose and her dad exchanged a long, knowing glance. Rey really didn’t like the look of that.
Apparently, that look meant her dad was up to bat.
“How did you sleep, my dear?” he asked, all fake innocence. “Coffee? Eggs? Bacon? Big day ahead of us.”
She looked from one to the other trying to decide who looked more guilty and nervous. The answer was neither. It was a dead tie.
“What’s going on? What are you two not telling me?” She looked around at the mostly empty house, the glasses they’d set up last night for mimosas untouched. “Wait a second, where are the hair and make up people? And the photographers?”
At that, Rose looked downright green. Though Rey was by no means a bridezilla, she began to panic at that look on Rose’s face. Had something happened to Poe? Was she about to be left at the altar? Had they already cancelled the wedding for her?
With Rose looking like she was going to lose whatever breakfast she’d managed to get down, her dad once again had to field the questions.
“Have you happened to look out the windows yet this morning?”
What an odd question. “No. Why?”
Her dad sighed. “You should follow me.”
Which she did, through the kitchen and down the hall to the front entry, extra bright in the winter sunshine. Which honestly, should have been a sign.
Because in the next moment, her dad was pulling back the curtains, Rey blinking in the sudden blinding light. It took a moment for her to understand what she was seeing.
The entire world was a bright, even white, no difference between lawn or street or sidewalk. Even the cars in the driveways were covered, a slight bump in the blanket the only sign they were there at all.
“Snow,” she whispered to no one in particular.
“Nearly two feet of it, if the weatherman is to be believed.” He sounded skeptical.
“But, it was completely clear last night,” she said, barely comprehending what she was seeing.
The rehearsal had gone off without a single hitch, Rey imagining the packed church as she walked down the aisle with a paper plate full of bows courtesy of Rose. Sure, it had been a pretty early night, big day the next day and all, but there hadn’t been so much as a flake in the sky when she’d gone to bed last night.
“Too right you are,” said her dad. “Which is why everything is shut down. It came down fast and hard and surprised everyone. No time to plow.”
It took a second for that to sink in. “What do you mean, everything’s closed?”
“The church, the roads, the interstate, it’s all shut down. The photographer is stuck at her house, the hair and makeup women are two towns over, your guests are all snowed in at the inn. I’m sorry, baby. I think we’re going to have to postpone.”
A year ago, Rey would have shrugged it off. So, they wouldn’t get married that day. They’d waited this long to be together - twelve long years - what was a few more days in the grand scheme of things?
Six months ago, she would have been upset - all that time and money spent planning gone to waste! But still, she would have survived. She was still marrying Poe, after all. Just maybe not the way she’d expected.
Hell, even an hour ago, she would have scoffed at the idea of her doing anything but rolling with the punches. It was an act of God. What the hell could she do about it?
But suddenly, when faced with the realization that she would not be marrying the man of her dreams that day, the boy she’d grown up with and apart from, only to come together again in the most miraculous of ways, she couldn’t stand it. No, she would not wait one more day to be Poe’s wife, to start this life they’d dreamed of together. She’d waited thirteen long years. Not a minute more.
“No.”
Her dad looked at her, a wary expression on his face. Though she couldn’t see her, Rey could feel Rose hovering somewhere over her right shoulder.
“No?” asked her father.
“No,” she repeated, even more firmly this time. “No, we are not postponing, we are not cancelling, we are not rescheduling. No.”
Rose stepped forward. “Uh, Rey? I don’t think we have a choice here. Everyone’s stuck. Cars are buried, streets are all but impassable.”
Her mind was whirling. This was her forte. She thrived in unsolvable puzzles, the high octane problems that seem unfixable, the last minute victory. She’d built an entire career around always pulling through in the end. How many times had it seemed like they’d blow a deadline, Rey Kenobi didn’t lose. And she wasn’t about to start now.
“Sleighs!” she practically shouted, both her dad and Rose jumping at the sound. “That’s it!”
“What are you talking about?” asked Rose.
Rey turned to her, knowing her eyes were wide and probably a little crazy looking right now. “Sleighs, how many do you guys have on the farm?”
A slow smile spread across Rose’s face. It was dawning on her. “Seven, maybe eight if Paige finished fixing the one that broke last year.”
“And how many do they hold?”
They were on the same wavelength now, that same easy flow as when they were putting together ideas for the Christmas Committee.
“Six as long as folks don’t mind getting a little cosy.” Her smile went wide. “It’ll take a little while, but we can get everyone where they need to go.”
“And Paige is at the farm right now?”
“She can have the horses ready in under an hour. We’ve timed her.”
Rey pushed her towards the kitchen. “Go. Make the call.” Then she turned to her father, who was watching the proceedings in wide-eyed wonder. She was guessing he’d never seen her like this. “And you, activate the phone tree. We need to know who all is staying in town and where they need to be picked up.”
Rose stuck her head out of the kitchen, her cell pressed against one ear. “Paige is in!”
“Good. Oh, tell her to pick up the photographer first!”
Rose gave her a thumbs up before ducking back into the kitchen.
Rey started pacing the front hall. “Hair and make up are a loss,” she said, mostly to herself though she was distantly aware that her dad was still watching her. “But that’s ok, I can do my own. I wanted to look like myself anyway. Catering is on site at Rose’s so we just have to physically get the people there. Flowers aren’t at the church or barn yet, but the florist was local, so that’s manageable. Cake is already there. We’ve all got playlists on our phones, so music is set. What am I forgetting?”
Then, as if answering her question, her phone buzzed in her robe pocket, Poe’s name on the screen. Oh right, the groom. “Hey Poe–”
“Have you looked outside?” He sounded a little panicked, and in her mind’s eye she imagined him running a hand through his hair and tugging on those curls she loved so much. “What are we going to do? Everyone’s snowed in.”
“Poe don’t worry, I–”
He cut her off again. “Don’t worry? Don’t worry? How can I not worry?” There was a pause. “Wait, how are you not worried?”
She didn’t even have time to formulate a response before Poe was going on.
“You aren’t worried, are you? Is this cold feet? Is that what this is?”
“Poe–”
“You’re not worried because you’re relieved. You didn’t want this big wedding, and I pushed you…”
“Poe–
“And now the wedding is cancelled and you’re relieved and you have cold feet–”
“Poe!” she practically shouted into the phone. That finally stopped the ramble. “Nobody has cold feet. The wedding isn’t cancelled. We’re getting married today.”
“Uh, you have looked outside, right? I know I asked that already but just in case you missed it.”
She laughed. “Yes, of course I’ve looked outside. Don’t worry. Rose and Dad and I have it all covered.”
“So we are getting married today?”
“Correct.”
“Despite the literal feet of snow in our way?”
“Also correct.”
“Do I even want to know?”
Though she knew he couldn’t see her, she smiled anyway. “When the sleigh pulls up to the front of the house, just do me a favor and get in it, okay?”
He sounded completely in awe when he said, “You are amazing, you know that right?”
“That’s why you’re marrying me.”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “Among other reasons.”
They were quiet for a second, that brand of silence that only comes from two people so comfortable with each other they no longer needed words.
It hit her like a ton of bricks in that moment. Though it had been only one night - tradition and all that - she missed him. Suddenly, next door felt a world away.
“Hey Poe?”
“Yeah, Sunshine?”
“See you at the altar.”
Of course, the town of Yavin didn’t disappoint.
As soon as her dad activated the phone tree, it was like the whole town was in motion. Father Tekka at the church called Mrs. Mirabelle down the street who sent her grandson and a couple of his friends to clear the steps of the church. The Dorsey twins who worked at the diner got on their cross country skis and picked up the flowers from the florist, dropping them at the church. And every man, woman, and child who had experience with horses offered to drive the sleighs. It couldn’t have come together better if she’d planned it this way.
So, Rey did her makeup while sipping a mimosa, and Rose helped her put her hair into a very pretty but uncomplicated chignon. Finally, she stepped into the dress that she’d fallen in love with all those months ago. It was just as perfect as she remembered. Like it was made for her.
There wasn’t a trace of nerves as they waited in the front hall for Paige, Rey cosy in the faux fur capelet she wore over her gown. She was calm and, after nearly thirteen years, she was finally, finally, finally ready to become Poe’s wife.
The sound of jingle bells trotting down the road heralded Paige’s arrival, Rey nearly breaking into tears at the sight of the sleigh. Someone had wrapped a gorgeous floral garland around the edge of the sleigh, the bright white popping against the red metal. Paige, dressed in soft black parka, wore a flower crown, and even the horses had flowers woven into their manes.
It was like something out of a fairy tale. Her fairytale.
So she and Rose and her dad got in (Rose very carefully holding her train above the snow), the photographer snapping picture after picture before hopping aboard herself. The four of them bundled up under the softest snow white blanket Rey had ever seen, the rhythmic jingle of the bells announcing them as they went.
Word traveled fast in a small town, so fast that people had gathered outside, all bundled up, to watch her glide past. She felt like one of those Disney princesses on parade, waving to the kids as she went.
The town was gorgeous under its blanket of snow. So much so that Rey could almost forgive the weather for being so uncooperative. No matter how she sliced it, the pictures were going to be absolutely amazing.
And so they arrived on the square, the photographer hopping out to get the shots of the sleigh gliding down the center of Main Street, actual crowds (or as close as you got to them in Yavin) gathering to watch.
They arrived at the church with only minutes to spare, and thank god for that. She didn’t want any extra time to worry about the state of her hair or whether or not her dress got wet (or god forbid, stained) in the snow. No, all she wanted to do was walk down that long aisle to Poe.
Which was exactly what she did.
Magic. The whole day was pure magic.
The church was packed, every person who had come together that morning to help get them here in attendance. As soon as she appeared in the back, Poe lost it, practically sobbing as she made her way down the aisle. She didn’t even remember reciting her vows. One minute, they were saying a few words to each other, and the next, they were being pronounced man and wife.
“You did it,” whispered Poe as they faced each other. “I don’t know how, but you did it.”
And then to the delight of the congregation, they were kissing.
Rey’s cheeks ached as they made their way hand in hand back down the aisle. Half the town was waiting for them as they made their way into the waiting sleigh, waving the jingle bells Rose had made for the occasion.
It was still a winter wonderland as they made their way to Rose’s barn, the photographer taking the new theme and running with it. Everything was snowy white perfection.
Later, as they danced away the old year in anticipation of the new, Rey looked into her husband’s eyes. “Do you remember what you said to me a year ago today?”
His smile went wide, eyes doing that crinkle thing she loved so damn much. “Of course I do. And it still stands. I’m all in, Rey. Today and for the rest of our lives.”
Around them, the countdown began. “Ten...nine...eight…”
“We’re really doing this?” she said, already knowing the answer.
“Six...five…four...”
Naturally, Poe didn’t disappoint. “Oh hell yes we’re going this.”
“Two…one…”
“Happy New Year, Mrs. Dameron.” Poe smiled at her as their guests erupted into cheers.
She leaned in, closing the distance between them. “Happy New Year, Mr. Dameron.”
And so they began as they meant to go on, as husband and wife.