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After celebrating their new wedding date, Cassie and Sam decided to explore the reception hall grounds before returning home. The air was cold but not so freezing they couldn’t stand an extra few minutes outside. They did keep their arms around each other, both for the heat and because it felt nice to walk while huddled together.
“I have to admit,” Cassie began, leaning her head against his shoulder. “While I’m so happy for Emma and Ryan, and a Halloween wedding sounds perfect, I still wish we were married right now.”
Sam kissed the top of her head. “I feel the exact same way. Well, the Halloween thing is not what I ever expected for our wedding. I barely decorate my house and now it’s going to be the whole theme.”
“I thought you were coming around to it.” Cassie had been so elated to find out her new wedding date she didn't realize Sam might not be as enthusiastic. And she wasn’t one of those brides who could dismiss what the groom wanted.
Noticing her concern, he quickly reassured her. “I am, really. Especially knowing it's your favorite holiday. I just need to wrap my mind around guests arriving in costume.”
“We don’t have to do that.” She chuckled at his skeptical glance. “Honestly I'm on the same page as you, everyone would call wanting our approval on their costumes. If anything maybe we can hand out masquerade masks on the dance floor.”
“Okay, I can get on board with that.” They continued walking for a few minutes and enjoyed the view of the water until he broke their comfortable silence. “Thinking about it now, I'm a little surprised to hear you say that. About us not being married.”
The implication made Cassie pull slightly away from him. “Sam, why wouldn't I want to be married to you already?”
Regret flashed across Sam's face. “Oh, sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It's just in light of finally learning about the Merriwicks I...forget it. I shouldn't have said anything.”
Cassie tried to keep the anxiety from her face, though doubts started form in the back of her mind. She should've expected he would still be curious about her magic. “Sam, it's okay. Whatever it is you can ask me.”
“Okay.” Sam let out a deep breath. “Fair warning, I might be a little paranoid, but I couldn't help thinking you worked some magic for Emma and Ryan.” He paused, noting that Cassie suddenly stared at the ground instead of him. “I'm right, aren't I? It isn't some amazing coincidence they wound up with the wedding of their dreams at the last minute. You've been planning their wedding all along.”
While she admired him for putting some pieces together, he'd slightly missed the mark. “Yes and no,” she began uneasily. It was still tough for her to open up about this, even to him. “I never intentionally planned that day for Emma and Ryan. I promise, I would never lie to you. Just the thought of deceiving you about our wedding like that makes me a little nauseous.” It was no exaggeration either as Cassie's stomach churned with unease. What bothered her more was that he believed her capable of doing such a thing.
Sam's eyes widened when he realized her interpretation of his words. “Wait, no, I'm sorry, I didn't...okay, I did mean it like that. But I wasn't upset about it or accusing you of manipulating me. I can't begin to understand how Merriwick magic works so I thought maybe it had to be that way. For some reason.”
Her nerves calmed as Cassie sighed with relief. She reminded herself she had kept an enormous secret from him, for maybe longer than she should have, and she might need to re-earn some of his trust. He'd never admit it but she could tell this would understandably be an issue. “It's okay, I forget we're both still adjusting.”
“Oh yeah. Major adjustment going on here.”
Cassie gave him a small smile and reached for his hand. They resumed strolling along the grounds as she continued. “Let me put it this way – I never once thought the wedding wasn't for us. But sometimes, as a Merriwick, things fall into place in ways even I couldn't have predicted.”
“Hold on.” Sam hesitated while he took in Cassie's explanation. “You're saying this was completely beyond your control? That magic just 'happens' around you?”
“Not always, there are times I do control it. But other times I don't even see what's happening until it all comes together. When Emma and Ryan heard they'd be deployed to different locations, I think you actually saw it before I did.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “You're kidding.”
“Maybe a split second sooner,” Cassie teased. “And that was because I worried you might not agree to the idea.”
“I thought I'd be more reluctant too, but it came down to facts. I didn't want to put off our wedding but the point is we can. Emma and Ryan couldn't.”
Cassie kissed his cheek. “Your logical nature has a romantic side.”
“Who knew?” Sam became quiet as they walked along, before eventually sharing what was on his mind. “So how often do you control the magic, and how often does it intervene on its own?”
Apparently the wedding had opened a magical can of worms. Cassie didn't mind answering his questions, but she also didn't want him to worry. She could already tell he viewed the 'beyond her control' aspect in a negative light. “What, you want statistics, percentages?” she joked. “Should I make you a chart?”
“I'm not opposed to one.” At her narrowed eyes, he added, “I just can't imagine living life never knowing if what you do is for you or some larger purpose.”
“But you already do.”
Sam wrinkled his brow. “I do?”
“Life is unpredictable,” Cassie reminded him. “Sometimes what you think you're doing for yourself, actually helps someone else more. Merriwick magic simply increases the odds.”
The thought brought a slow, appreciative smile to his face. “Okay, I get it. But there are times it's way more than that, right? You made all those wishes come true for the wish quilt. Well, as for Tara, you had the connection and called in a favor. But I cannot figure out how you cleared Martha's schedule.”
Cassie shrugged. “That might have required magic."
“I knew it!” Sam exclaimed happily. “But how? Do you affect the odds just by being present, is it a conscious effort, maybe both? And to what extent? I'm thinking you could cancel Martha's meetings because that might've happened anyway, or maybe was already going to happen. But you couldn't for example, I don't know...make it snow right now. Sure it's cold but weather forecasts have been saying we shouldn't see anymore for a while...”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Granted, it would probably be 'easier' to do now than say, in the middle of summer. But can Merriwick magic even sway something so expansive and intangible like the weather?”
Finally Cassie spoke when he paused. “Was that a rhetorical question?”
“It was, but if you want to answer it I'm...” Sam trailed off, noticing her trademark knowing smile. “Cassie?”
She only pointed skyward in response.
Clouds had moved in and flurries filled the air. Tiny snowflakes swirled down to land on Cassie and Sam, disappearing as soon as they made contact. Sam's jaw dropped while he stared at Cassie in awe, no words coming out of his mouth.
In response she pulled him in close. “Now, what were those odds again?”
Glancing up at the wintry sky, Sam shook his head in wonder as he found his voice. “I'm smart enough to recognize when I have a lot to learn.”
“I love that about you.”
They kissed as the snow continued falling around them, defying every single weather forecast on that particular day.