Chapter Twenty
Aiden
Istare at my bride, completely mesmerized.
Ella is like an angel descending to earth—perfect, captivating.
Rhia walks beside her in a moss-green dress, a memorable picture of calm, grace, and unbridled excitement. But my focus is on my love.
She”s ethereal and breathtaking in her simple white lace dress that falls to three-quarter length, with her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders in voluminous waves.
My breath catches in my throat.
She looks almost unreal against the backdrop of the setting sun… like I”ve dreamed her up.
I have to remind myself that I haven”t.
She”s real.
And so is her smile when our gazes meet. In that moment, everything else fades away.
Although the distance between us shrinks with each step she takes, it seems like we”re already together. The rush of emotions is overwhelming—joy, excitement, a touch of nerves, but above all, an overwhelming sense of love.
We”ve overcome so much to be here today. I”m one hell of a lucky bastard to have my happily ever after with her. Especially after the day we”ve just had.
As Ella reaches me, she smiles, and it”s like the world stops turning. A single tear escapes my eye, tracing a path down my cheek. She reaches up to swipe away the moist show of affection with her thumb and caresses my face.
Her eyes are watery too. ”Your tear… it came from your right eye,” she whispers, reminding me of the first time we exchanged random facts. I chuckle, and we both say softly and in perfect unison, ”Happiness.”
Tears from the right eye symbolize happiness. It couldn”t be truer.
I take Ella”s hand in mine, relishing the warmth of her skin, and lift it to my lips, placing a tender kiss on the finger that will hold my ring in only a few minutes… I can”t wait.
Father Josef clears his throat, to bring our attention to him, but my Sunshine ignores him and touches her forehead to mine.
We both let out a shaky breath. ”I love you, Ade,” El whispers, her voice full of awe and love.
My heart is ready to explode with how perfect this moment is.
”I love you, Sunshine.”
”Ahem,” Father Josef tries again, and this time we pull apart, and, laughing, turn to him.
He graces us with a warm smile and begins.
”I went to a wedding recently… as a guest,” he begins, his Italian accent pronounced, lending him an extra touch of charm. ”The priest made an interesting claim. He said marriage is an act of worship.
”That statement touched something inside me, and I pondered it for a long while afterward.
”Marriage isn”t merely a contract signed in the eyes of the law or a celebration for family and friends. In the grand tapestry of life, marriage is a masterpiece where two individuals, each a unique brushstroke, come together to create something beyond their individual selves. It”s a dance of souls, and a celebration of the divine within each other, a commitment to nurture and cherish the flame of God that flickers within. It is a promise to support, uplift, and stand beside one another as stewards of this vast and wondrous universe.
”The challenges you face, the triumphs you celebrate—they all become threads woven into your shared destiny. In the crucible of life, your commitment transforms you into beings of greater love, wisdom, and compassion.
”As you exchange vows today, remember that they are not mere words; they are a sacred oath. The rings you place upon each other”s fingers are not just symbols of commitment but carry the divine essence of your union.
”May your marriage be a sanctuary where love blossoms, where forgiveness heals, and where understanding flourishes. May it be a testament to the transcendent power of love to overcome all obstacles.”
Wow!
For a moment, I”m speechless. I didn”t expect this unassuming man who often deals with mobsters to possess so much poetic wisdom. Or perhaps it”s because of those people that he”s found such depth.
His words resonate deep within my soul.
The commitment we”re making today transcends the ordinary.
It”s a pledge to support each other not only in joy but also in adversity—and haven”t we proven that already?
”Now, Aiden, I believe you wanted to say a few words,” Father Josef invites, inclining his head toward me.
I turn fully to Ella and take in her beautiful face. Her eyes shimmer with emotions as my fingers dust over the back of her hand.
I haven”t practiced this speech. I wanted it to be spontaneous and from the heart. Now, I”m not so sure that was a good idea.
Where to begin…
Closing my eyes, I focus on the touch of Ella”s skin on mine, her warmth, her scent… her very presence.
Opening them again, I”m met with the most brilliant smile and soft eyes, telling me how much she loves me.
Now, the words flow from me with ease.
”Ella, the very first time I saw you… I remember it as if it were yesterday.”You girls were staying in that hotel in Taormina on your Sicily trip, and I was there with Lex who had flown in to surprise Rhia for their anniversary. He and I were about to leave when she remembered she left something she wanted to give to Lex in her room and was rushing back to get it. None of us knew you were already on your way to bring it to her.” I pause, letting those memories wash over me. My entire body lights up, remembering that next moment. That moment that changed my life forever… that moment that would shape and define my future.
”Even before the elevator doors opened, my eyes were drawn across the busy hotel lobby toward them. Then you stepped out.”
Goosebumps erupt all over my body. It”s like I”m living that moment all over again.
”One look at you and I knew it was over.”
My sunshine laughs at that, and I join in.
”I mean every word. Life as I knew it was over.
”In fact, a sense that my real life was only beginning took hold.
”You stole my breath away… standing there in that happy, sunny dress. I swear you shone brighter than the sun, filling me with so much warmth that my heart melted for you right then and there.”It felt like the earth was shifting beneath my feet and rearranging itself… It confused the hell out of me. ”I had to look away to catch my breath and calm my suddenly racing heart.
”Lex was talking to me, but I heard nothing. When I looked back in your direction, your eyes were on me, and I swear I died and saw the light.
”You… that experience… it scared the living daylights out of me.
”And then you were gone.
”I somehow convinced myself that I made up the whole thing. Experiences like that aren”t real. They happen only in movies and books and are completely exaggerated. So I went back to Greece and continued on with my vacation. Just that I couldn”t get you out of my head.”I had seen you for a minute, maybe two. So how did you become a permanent fixture in my mind? I tried to ignore my feelings. And I resisted ringing Lex to find out everything there was to know about you. But fate intervened, and I took it as a sign.”When we literally ran into each other in Switzerland, and our eyes locked for the first time, it was as if you could see right through to my soul, and I had this overwhelming sense of coming home.
”I”ve never felt more content.”
I swallow the lump forming in my throat, the emotions I”ve been holding back surging to the surface.
”Home. That one word kept echoing inside me.
”It sealed our fate.
”Home no longer is a physical place. It”s wherever you are.
”You, Ella, are my home.
”When I”m with you, I find comfort, solace, and an undeniable sense of peace. But you also bring an exhilarating excitement into my life, stimulating my mind and spirit, and presenting challenges that push me to grow and become a better person. Your presence is a perfect balance, a blend of calm and thrill that makes every moment with you both grounding and electrifying.
”But it took us a bit to get here, didn”t it?” We both chuckle at that.”You resisted ”us” and everything we could be together, but I think we both knew it was only a matter of time before my charm and determination were going to wear you down.” I wink at her, and she squeezes my hands.”Then we were pulled out of what should have been the happiest time of our lives, and everything was suddenly overshadowed by fear and complete uncertainty. At times it felt like it would swallow me up whole.
”But God couldn”t have been that cruel to dangle everything I ever dreamed of in front of me and then tear it away. That thought kept me going. Now that we”re well and truly through that dark night of the soul, I can even be grateful for it.”Master Sachinanda used to say, nothing is ever good or bad. It depends on the perspective. If you see the bad, then look for the silver lining. It is, without fail, always there.”We grew so much closer in that harrowing time. All walls either of us had ever built were demolished, and we”re stronger for it, individually and as a couple. And that”s something I will never take for granted.”We deserve this happily ever after. And I intend to celebrate it… celebrate us, for the rest of our days.”To pledge my life to you today for always and forever is the easiest thing I”ve ever done. But that doesn”t mean I take it lightly.
”Ella Rose O”Neil, I promise to love you, protect you with my life, and hold you above all for always and forever.”
By now, tears are streaming down my Sunshine”s face, and she”s dabbing at her face to dry them.
I feel myself well up too, and I pull on her hand to bring her closer to me. I take her face in my hands, and rub my nose against hers.
And I can”t help it. The love I have for this woman can”t be contained for a second longer. It bursts free and I connect my lips to hers, needing to share everything I am because of her.