Chapter Four #4
“I think about the almost three years we’ve spent together, and I think about how much more I love you each and every day.
I constantly think: that’s it, there’s no possible way you could love her more.
And then somehow, defying all laws of physics, I find that I do.
” She wiped at her eyes again, not needing to flip her papers anymore to get through the end of her speech.
The next part required both of her hands in Anna’s.
With her speech safely tucked back into her breast pocket, she continued.
“I promise to do my best every day to love you with the same attention and care with which you have loved me. I promise to be kind and loyal. I promise to share in your hopes and your dreams. I promise to do everything in my power to see that they come true. Anna Fourchette, there is no sickness or ailment, there is no hard time or financial strife, there is nothing that could ever stop me from loving you.”
Anna’s smile was so incredibly soft. Brooke dutifully passed the handkerchief back to Anna who produced her vows from an actual pocket in her wedding dress.
A few women in the audience gasped, which then turned to light laughs from the guests.
It was a much needed tension break, at least in Brooke’s opinion.
Anna opened her vows and immediately slipped her free hand back into Brooke’s before she began.
“Falling in love with Brooke was one of the easiest things I have ever done; in fact, I think it would have been harder not to. It’s the way she not only observes the world around her, but acts on it.
The simple things: holding a door open, bussing a table on a busy day, excessively tipping people for just doing their jobs, remembering names and faces of people she only met in passing years ago. But it’s also the bigger stuff, too.”
Anna swallowed, her dark eyes finding Brooke’s over her paper before she continued reading.
“I’m sure most of you know that my mother and I were in a horrible car wreck nearly twenty years ago, but it altered my life in ways that I’ve probably, quite intentionally, never shared.
I spent the majority of my teenage years relearning all of the things little kids learn.
I struggled with mobility and memory and most severely, my self-esteem.
“For the first time in my adult life, I met someone who made all of those bigger, deeper, wounds start to heal. For all the pretending and pretense for the first two weeks of this relationship, I had never met anyone so beautifully and tenderly honest. You know, so often love in media gets portrayed in this dramatic, hurtful, often down right toxic way, but you, you showed me that that didn’t have to be the case.
That we could just love each other. That you would just love me, exactly as I am.
Scars and all.” Anna pressed the napkin to the corners of her eyes.
“The past three years have been the happiest years of my life. Every day with you is my new favorite day. Because even on those days where work is a little too stressful, or life is a little too loud, I know that I get to go home to you. And I know that just by the way I walk in the front door, you’ll already know exactly where I’m at and have a whole list of ways you can improve my day.
” Anna folded her vows and stuffed them back into her magical pocket before taking Brooke’s hands with both of her own.
“Brooke Kent,” Anna said, her eyes watering all over again.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.
I promise to do voices when I read to you.
I promise to embarrass you at every single one of your competitions.
I promise to always let you try new recipes first. I promise to never learn all the words to any song, because I know how funny you think my versions are.
And I promise to love you, for the rest of my life.
” She lifted Brooke’s hands to her lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the backs of her knuckles.
“And, I promise that in our next life, I’ll just do us both a favor and make the first move. ”
There was a soft scatter of laughter amongst the crowd.
“And now,” Shannon said, her eyes a bit watery, too. “It’s time for the declaration of intent and the exchanging of rings. The brides have opted for this to be a bit more traditional.”
“Anna Fourchette,” Shannon declared, using a rather official voice. “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, to honor and protect from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” Anna said, her voice thick with joy.
“And do you, Brooke Kent, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, to honor and protect from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live?”
Brooke smiled, that was the easiest question she’d ever been asked. “I really do.”
Shannon nearly squeaked. “The rings,” she said, gesturing for Anna and Brooke to get the rings from their best men.
On cue, Brooke turned and grabbed Anna’s ring from Nate, while Anna turned to get Brooke’s from Nick.
“Brooke, repeat after me,” Shannon smiled, waiting for Brooke to get Anna’s ring lined up with her ring finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Brooke smiled, slowly sliding the diamond studded, rose gold wedding band down Anna’s ring finger.
“As a symbol of my love and commitment,” Shannon continued.
Brooke repeated her, “as a symbol of my love and commitment.”
“With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
Brooke had never meant anything more. “With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
“Anna,” Shannon began, “your turn.” It was clear she was fully fighting back tears of her own now. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Anna slipped the ring onto Brooke’s wedding finger, her smile radiant as always. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“As a symbol of my love and commitment,” Shannon’s voice shook.
“As a symbol of my love and commitment.”
“With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
Anna had never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment. “With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
“And now, by the power vested in me through American Marriage Ministries, it is my greatest honor and privilege to pronounce you, Mrs. And Mrs. Fourchette. You may kiss now,” Shannon added, though Brooke and Anna were already leaning in for it.