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“The step that each of you are about to undertake is one of the most important events in life that any two people can undergo. By entering into a union, one founded upon mutual respect and affection that you both are voluntarily partaking in, your lives will forever change, but your joy will also intensify significantly if you are sincere with your pledge that you are about to make to one another today.” She took a long breath and volleyed her gaze between the two until she settled back on the groom.
“Holden, will you take Iris to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her, forsaking all others, for so long as you both shall live?”
“I do. Yes, I do.” Holden smiled a lot in his life, but that smile put all the others to shame. It was ocean wide, lighting up the couple in their own ray of sunshine.
Mona nodded, barely able to control her own infectious grin. “And Iris, will you take Holden to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him, forsaking all others, for so long as you both shall live?”
“With all my heart.” Iris’s voice had a slight catch in it.
Mona leaned closer, and whispered, “You have to say those two magical words.”
“Oh, yes.” She inhaled. “I do.”
“Now, please, take each other’s hand, and repeat your vows to each other. Holden.”
Iris handed her bouquet to Libby and held on tightly to Holden’s hands.
“Iris, ever since the moment I met you back in high school, I knew you were my big bang, and you were going to change my life, but I just didn’t know how positively you would impact it years later. I’m forever grateful for that late-night flight because it put me back in touch with you, and during that crazy road trip, I found love and acceptance. You held my heart, you filled me up, and you accepted me for who I am. For the rest of my life, I promise to be the man you desire and most importantly, the man you deserve, and I will make sure all your tears, like today…” He reached out and wiped under her eyes. “Are happy ones. You fill me with an energy and a joy I can’t scientifically understand, but my only hypothesis is it’s because we were meant to orbit together. I look forward to spending the rest of my life indebted to your soul as your husband.” He tossed a quick gaze at Mona.
“Iris?”
She swallowed and caught her breath. “Holden. You’re the love of my life. The glimmer of light in my darkest of shadows. The hope in every dream. Every day with you is better than the one before, something I never thought would happen, and I can’t explain it either. When I’m with you, you’re so accepting of my past mistakes…” Her words wavered as much as her voice. “But you don’t try to hide them in shame. Instead, you’ve taught me to look at them, analyse them, and learn from them. You encourage me to take chances, and you help me when I stumble. You make me want to be a better person, and every single day with you is a gift I cherish with all that I am. I am so looking forward to spending eternity being your other half and to make you as proud of me as I am daily of you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
A few of the ladies in the crowd wiped at their eyes, and the men wrapped their arms around their love’s shoulders. Love was definitely in the air.
Iris and Holden exchanged rings, and Mona bestowed a final blessing on them before she declared them legally married. The crowd erupted in some of the loudest cheers Cheshire Bay had ever heard as they kissed each other.
With the ceremony over, and the newlyweds preparing for their pictures, it was go time for Summer once again.
* * *
Ninety minutes later, after a few quick pictures, and a brief ride to the docks in Stewart Surf, the yacht pushed out of the harbour with twenty-two guests and almost half that in assorted crew members.
The main deck on the stern of the giant ship had been transformed into a dining area with a head table of two, two circular tables of eight, and a table for four – reserved for the de Lauers and Amber and Antonio. It was set up nicely and made the space appear more spacious than the original arrangement had been. A walkway surrounded the dining and living room space, and with the windows open, allowed the fresh ocean air in and the sight of the light-sprinkled coastline to fill the view.
Holden rose and clasped Iris’s hand, and the two of them stood.
“Can I have your attention, please?” He brushed his hand down the front of his suit. “Although I am known for rambling on and on...”
The small group of people chuckled.
“I promised I wasn’t going to do so tonight, but I may not be able to help myself. These past eighteen months have been nothing short of spectacular.” He turned to look into Iris’s eyes. “You’re amazing, and I can’t imagine being apart from you for any length of time.” He pulled at his shirt collar and turned to address the table. “Which is why I have a huge favour to ask of all of you.”
Iris stepped closer and pressed into her husband. The skirt of her dress crinkled in complaint.
“I need you all to hang out with Iris over the next six months, keep her company, and love on her.”
Lily turned to look at her husband Eric and whispered, “Are they making a baby announcement? Is that why the wedding was a rushed affair?”
He squeezed her thigh in a loving way.
Beside her, Cedar groaned, and Lily turned to her friend. “Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah.” Cedar had lost a bit of colour and had barely touched her plate of fresh salmon and greens.
“Seasick?”
The boat’s motion was fairly smooth, but still, there had been some minor rolling. It was the ocean after all, and therefore wasn’t going to be like being on land.
