The Heart's Ashes
Page 120
I stood on my toes a little and peered into the yard; the small gathering of friends and family hovered closely around David and Mike, leaving only the tops of their heads visible.
“Shall we?” Dad smiled down at me, the crinkly lines around his eyes remaining even when the smile concealed anxiety.
“Yes. We shall.”
The French glass doors folded out, opening to the path before us. Emily, with her feet full of hesitation, walked onto the back porch. As she reached the steps, Alana and Ryan played the first notes of The Knight of the Rose, and my mind flashed back to that last day of forever in my bedroom where David first gave me the silver locket.
I drew a heart-steadying breath, but the clunking beat in the centre my chest continued to vibrate through my ribs—not from nerves or apprehension, but from how badly it needed to be beside David again.
We stepped through the door and the golden light warmed my arms through the lacy sleeves. As people looked back up from Emily to me, a quite gasp undulated over the crowd of awestruck faces.
“She looks just like her mother.” One whisper stood out among the rest; I looked at Vicki, who covered her mouth, smiling apologetically.
The sentries before the doorway to forever parted, revealing David in all his iridescent glory; as our eyes met, the debonair James Bond image disappeared from sight and the immaculate sparkle of his emerald green eyes stood out from the last of the winter, becoming jewels against the background of the perfect blue sky.
My cheeks flushed with heat when David’s brow folded over his adoring gaze, and he clutched a fist to his chest, shaking his head.
As we neared the end of our walk, the presence of others moulded into focus; Mike, smiling warmly, next to David, his hands clutched in front of him, and Emily, coming to a stop opposite the boys, turning to watch me as Dad steered my hand across the closing eternity and placed it in David’s. A flicker of energy surged between my fiancé and I as his cold touch met mine. This is it—this is right—the way things were always supposed to be.
David looked down at our hands and smiled, though a shimmer of tears around his lashes caught the sun.
The image of the dream I had so long ago was no longer in black and white; today, shone in full colour, with me a part of it—not just watching from a place where dreams are far away and wishes seem impossible.
My fingers tightened around David’s as we turned to face the celebrant.
Finally, I’m moving forward, no longer just moving on.
“Friends, family, we are gathered here today to witness these two young people bind themselves together for the rest of their lives.” —A period of time no mortal smiling back at us can possibly comprehend— “These are the ties that bind us,” the celebrant said, “A union of love for all time. Death will not part them, pain and sorrow will not break them. Like diamonds, their love will be forever.”
David’s eyes smiled then, his lips making a gentle curve as the secret smile that belonged to the boy across the road suddenly became the hidden thoughts of the man I was giving my life to. He focused on my completely red bouquet, then looked up at the celebrant, the smile growing.
“Do we have the rings?” the celebrant whispered to Mike.
Emily took my bouquet so I could place both hands in David’s as we turned to face each other. The green in his intense, focused eyes, glittered around his wide black pupils.
Without blinking, without twitching his brow, his lips remained in the smile, almost illustrating amusement; he rested the small silver band at the tip of my finger. “Your hands are shaking.”
“Shut up,” I whispered almost mutely as the celebrant began again.
“Do you, Amara-Rose Thompson, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband—to love and honour, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for all eternity?”
“I do,” I said as David slid the ring over my knuckle, practically chuckling the whole time.
I laughed too, instantly pinching the soft metal in my fingertips. Mike stepped forward and handed David’s ring to me; it felt kinda heavy for a piece of jewellery, yet so smooth to the touch—like David in some ways.
“And, do you, David Thomas Knight, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife—to love and honour, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for all eternity?”
“I do.” David looked up from the ring, into my eyes, his melodious, smooth and weightless voice breaking as it rang out for the last time as just the boy I love; the next words I hear from him would be as my husband.
“Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you...husband and wife.” The celebrant looked at us and smiled, nodding his head once. “You may kiss the bride.”
David stepped into me and caught my chin between his thumb and index finger. “You have just made me the happiest man alive.”
The golden sun disappeared as I closed my eyes and stood on my toes, my lips reaching for his, meeting in the sweetest, softest kiss he’d ever given—the first kiss, our first act as husband and wife, and by far, the greatest of all my life.
We breathed each other deeply, eyes closed, thoughts lost to the world of our own. He is mine. I am his. Nothing will ever change that now.
David drew one long breath through his nose and whispered as he drew away; “I love you.”
“For forever?” I asked.
“Soon.” He nodded.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the celebrant said, “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Knight.”
The whole yard erupted and confetti came flying at us from every angle. People hugged each other, smiling widely, while beside me, Emily moved in and wrapped me in her arms. I looked over to see Mike and David hugging too. “Congratulations, mate,” Mike said.
“Thanks, bro.” David pulled away, looked at me looking at Mike, and took a step back, ushering me to my best friend. I flung myself into Mike’s arms, and he held me so tight, releasing his hand for only a second as Emily fell into the hug.
“I’ll always love you guys,” I said into Mike’s chest.
“I know.” He kissed the top of my head and I stood back, leaving Emily in Mike’s hold.
Each hug came directly after the other then as David and I walked back down the aisle, holding hands. The sun warmed each tight embrace, and the joy of our family and friends spread like laughter over the afternoon.
When I finally pulled away from the last hug, I turned around to look at David; at some point we we’re dragged off in opposite directions. He smiled, his eyes warmly watching me as if he had been the whole time.
“Shall we?” Dad smiled down at me, the crinkly lines around his eyes remaining even when the smile concealed anxiety.
“Yes. We shall.”
The French glass doors folded out, opening to the path before us. Emily, with her feet full of hesitation, walked onto the back porch. As she reached the steps, Alana and Ryan played the first notes of The Knight of the Rose, and my mind flashed back to that last day of forever in my bedroom where David first gave me the silver locket.
I drew a heart-steadying breath, but the clunking beat in the centre my chest continued to vibrate through my ribs—not from nerves or apprehension, but from how badly it needed to be beside David again.
We stepped through the door and the golden light warmed my arms through the lacy sleeves. As people looked back up from Emily to me, a quite gasp undulated over the crowd of awestruck faces.
“She looks just like her mother.” One whisper stood out among the rest; I looked at Vicki, who covered her mouth, smiling apologetically.
The sentries before the doorway to forever parted, revealing David in all his iridescent glory; as our eyes met, the debonair James Bond image disappeared from sight and the immaculate sparkle of his emerald green eyes stood out from the last of the winter, becoming jewels against the background of the perfect blue sky.
My cheeks flushed with heat when David’s brow folded over his adoring gaze, and he clutched a fist to his chest, shaking his head.
As we neared the end of our walk, the presence of others moulded into focus; Mike, smiling warmly, next to David, his hands clutched in front of him, and Emily, coming to a stop opposite the boys, turning to watch me as Dad steered my hand across the closing eternity and placed it in David’s. A flicker of energy surged between my fiancé and I as his cold touch met mine. This is it—this is right—the way things were always supposed to be.
David looked down at our hands and smiled, though a shimmer of tears around his lashes caught the sun.
The image of the dream I had so long ago was no longer in black and white; today, shone in full colour, with me a part of it—not just watching from a place where dreams are far away and wishes seem impossible.
My fingers tightened around David’s as we turned to face the celebrant.
Finally, I’m moving forward, no longer just moving on.
“Friends, family, we are gathered here today to witness these two young people bind themselves together for the rest of their lives.” —A period of time no mortal smiling back at us can possibly comprehend— “These are the ties that bind us,” the celebrant said, “A union of love for all time. Death will not part them, pain and sorrow will not break them. Like diamonds, their love will be forever.”
David’s eyes smiled then, his lips making a gentle curve as the secret smile that belonged to the boy across the road suddenly became the hidden thoughts of the man I was giving my life to. He focused on my completely red bouquet, then looked up at the celebrant, the smile growing.
“Do we have the rings?” the celebrant whispered to Mike.
Emily took my bouquet so I could place both hands in David’s as we turned to face each other. The green in his intense, focused eyes, glittered around his wide black pupils.
Without blinking, without twitching his brow, his lips remained in the smile, almost illustrating amusement; he rested the small silver band at the tip of my finger. “Your hands are shaking.”
“Shut up,” I whispered almost mutely as the celebrant began again.
“Do you, Amara-Rose Thompson, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband—to love and honour, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for all eternity?”
“I do,” I said as David slid the ring over my knuckle, practically chuckling the whole time.
I laughed too, instantly pinching the soft metal in my fingertips. Mike stepped forward and handed David’s ring to me; it felt kinda heavy for a piece of jewellery, yet so smooth to the touch—like David in some ways.
“And, do you, David Thomas Knight, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife—to love and honour, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for all eternity?”
“I do.” David looked up from the ring, into my eyes, his melodious, smooth and weightless voice breaking as it rang out for the last time as just the boy I love; the next words I hear from him would be as my husband.
“Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you...husband and wife.” The celebrant looked at us and smiled, nodding his head once. “You may kiss the bride.”
David stepped into me and caught my chin between his thumb and index finger. “You have just made me the happiest man alive.”
The golden sun disappeared as I closed my eyes and stood on my toes, my lips reaching for his, meeting in the sweetest, softest kiss he’d ever given—the first kiss, our first act as husband and wife, and by far, the greatest of all my life.
We breathed each other deeply, eyes closed, thoughts lost to the world of our own. He is mine. I am his. Nothing will ever change that now.
David drew one long breath through his nose and whispered as he drew away; “I love you.”
“For forever?” I asked.
“Soon.” He nodded.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the celebrant said, “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Knight.”
The whole yard erupted and confetti came flying at us from every angle. People hugged each other, smiling widely, while beside me, Emily moved in and wrapped me in her arms. I looked over to see Mike and David hugging too. “Congratulations, mate,” Mike said.
“Thanks, bro.” David pulled away, looked at me looking at Mike, and took a step back, ushering me to my best friend. I flung myself into Mike’s arms, and he held me so tight, releasing his hand for only a second as Emily fell into the hug.
“I’ll always love you guys,” I said into Mike’s chest.
“I know.” He kissed the top of my head and I stood back, leaving Emily in Mike’s hold.
Each hug came directly after the other then as David and I walked back down the aisle, holding hands. The sun warmed each tight embrace, and the joy of our family and friends spread like laughter over the afternoon.
When I finally pulled away from the last hug, I turned around to look at David; at some point we we’re dragged off in opposite directions. He smiled, his eyes warmly watching me as if he had been the whole time.
