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“Let us begin. Repeat after me …”
I don’t hear much else from that point on but my own promise to her and hers to me.
“I, Johnathon Gregory Paul, take you, Whitley Mae Belington, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. According to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge you my faithfulness, always.”
I slide the platinum band onto her finger, one she bought in Vegas.
“I, Whitley Mae Belington, take you, Johnathon Gregory Paul, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. According to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge you my faithfulness, always.”
She slides the ring onto my finger.
“Wait, I have one more thing,” I say, feeling kind of like an idiot, but also knowing this needs to be done. I hold up my pinkie. “Pinkie promise, Whit?”
“You’re such a dork.” Whit laughs through the tears streaming down her face and hooks her pinkie around mine. “I pinkie promise.”
As the congregation erupts in laughter, Pastor B begins again. “These vows symbolize the lifelong commitment, love, and devotion that the couple promises to one another within the framework of their faith and also a pinkie promise.”
When she wets her lips, I groan, and she tries but fails to hold back a grin, knowing damn well what she’s doing to me. I love that she knows.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Paul. You may now celebrate this joyous union as husband and wife. Go ahead, John Paul, and kiss your bride.”
I have no idea why I didn’t think that I’d feel this surge of emotions coursing through me. My heart races with excitement. My hands trembles slightly as I see her eyes sparkle with happiness, mirroring the love and anticipation I feel in this moment.
I feel the warmth of her hand in mine, and I lean in slowly, savoring every heartbeat leading up to right here and right now. I take her face in my hands as I pull her closer, and kiss her, my wife, gently, tenderly, reverently, yet still passionately. Knowing that not just me, but both of us could get lost in this, I break the kiss, tilting her face up and kissing the tip of her nose and then her forehead.
“Hey, Whitley Mae Paul, I love you.”
“You’d better.”
Once photos are taken and our family members head to the fellowship hall, my wife nods toward the white lilies.
I know exactly what she’s thinking. “Yeah.”
Hand in hand we walk out of the church carrying two bouquets of flowers through the church yard to the cemetery saying nothing.
At my parents stone, Whit kisses her fingertips and places them on Moms name. “Miss and love you.”
We replace the flowers currently there and wilting, and then I take her hands and turn her toward me.
“Hey Mom, Whitley and I got married today just like you knew we would. Dad, you should see my wife, she’s stunning.”
Her lower lip pouts out and quivers.
“I want to thank you both for teaching me what marriage should look like, how love should be given and what it should feel like. We’re going to make you proud.”
She squeezes my hands and then we hear Nora yelling, “Hey, it’s wedding party time, get back here!”
Laughing we turn and run, yes run toward our Nora who is running toward us.
After a reception in the fellowship hall and at Nora’s request to have my room, to which Whitley simply shrugs, the Vegas Six —Marks, Danny, York, Chloe, Whit, and I— begin moving Whit’s and Nora’s things to the house. I let Nora know that when I have to go to Florida, the contractors will be doing some more work, so she and Whit will probably go back to stay at Pastor and Mrs. B’s house.
“Why can’t we come with you to Florida?” she asks.
“Because you have school and I have work.” Whit tucks her into my old bed tighter.
Her little lip pops out. “I wanna go to school in Florida.”
I was not prepared for that, but I wing it. “Your mommy would be lost without you.”
