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Claudette clears her throat loudly, and our gazes turn toward her. I’m sure my cheeks are flaming, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She coughs a few times, as if trying to dislodge a tickle from her throat, before taking a sip of water from a bottle she keeps below the altar. After drinking nearly half of it, she seems happier.
Then coughing slightly again, she begins.
“Dearly beloved. We’ve gathered here today to bear witness and celebrate the sacred union of two souls.”
My eyes go wide. I didn’t expect Claudette to go all traditional. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Seeing my surprise, our marriage officiant giggles. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”
It brings forth my own chuckle, and I hear Rhia and Lex join in too.
“Anyhow, it’s colder than a snowman’s heart out here. But I think I speak for the three of us”—she points at our witnesses—“when I say I can’t feel the cold with the love that is radiating from the two of you.”
Awww.
Now she’s gone all cheesy. My smile nearly splits my face.
“That and the many layers of thermals are helping too. I haven’t worked with this many layers since the last time I tried to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture.”
I cover my mouth with one hand to suppress the laugher bubbling up.
Oh, this ceremony will be interesting!
“Love is a choice,” Claudette’s voice rings out in the night air, but it has an unusual tremble to it.
Is she nervous?
“Your souls have found each other. It was always going to happen, but it doesn’t take away from how special it is. So please, never take it for granted.”
She says the last bit with a wistfulness that tells me she’s thinking of Jasper. Their connection was just as strong as Tiero’s and mine, but they couldn’t make it work.
“What’s important is what you chose and acted on after you found each other. And might I add, that was in rather spectacular fashion. You really couldn’t have found a more impactful way had you tried,” she chuckles.
She’s right. Images flood back of me landing on top of the man who’s now holding my hand tightly.
That moment when our eyes first connected… my entire world shifted on its axis.
The sparkle in Tiero’s expressions shows he’s right there with me, having gone down memory lane too.
To think all this happened less than six months ago. And here we are getting married!
It feels as if we’ve crammed multiple lifetimes’ worth of excitement and heartbreak into this brief span of time.
“Your souls decided to love each other… to be with each other. That means that no matter what you’re going through, and no matter how much your feelings fluctuate, you stand by your choice.”
Claudette reaches for her water again and swishes it around in her mouth before continuing.
“Now, in any marriage, there comes a time when the last person you want to see is your spouse. But never forget, you two are exactly what you need.
“Honor that.
“Trust that.
“And always remember what you’ve overcome to be together, and the sacrifices you and others have made for this union.”
Tiero’s eyes are locked on mine, and I smile up at him. Claudette is right. Our decisions have affected so many people. I swallow the lump in my throat as her words sink in.
Rhia and Lex lives have changed because of the decisions I made… Aiden’s… Mateo’s… Mariella’s and all ofla famiglia.
