"It's a shame, though."
"What?" she asked.
"We are only a week or so from awesome make-up sex!"
Yes, she hit me. Yes, I loved it. Yes, we made out as much as we were comfortable with having two little girls just around the corner.
This was our first real test. We were going to be just fine tonight, and we knew future tests would be met head-on and resolved. So, yes, we grew closer on yet another dimension.
*****
The day before the wedding finally arrived. I held a clandestine meeting with my family at noon to prepare for Laura's surprise. We cleaned up evidence of our preparation in time for the wedding rehearsal.
The rehearsal was great. Pastor Browning was a lot of fun and kept things light. There wasn't going to be a lot of pomp and circumstance, so the rehearsal went quickly. Laura had two attendants. Hanna was her maid of honor. She was grinning from ear to ear the whole time and was made to feel very special. After all, she was really, really special. Sarah was her matron of honor and was thrilled to be considered such a close friend after knowing Laura for only a few months. Mattie was the flower girl and would stand next to Hanna during the ceremony. She behaved as good as a girl twice her age and was intently focused on doing things just right. Dang, she was cute.
Bobby and my brother Dan were my co-best men. Dan was the brother closest to my age and was my best friend growing up. We didn't get to see each other often, but the bond was always there. Bobby had charge of the rings because Dan needed to take part in the surprise I had planned.
After the rehearsal, I hosted a dinner for the wedding party at our favorite Chinese restaurant. We also invited other family members that arrived from out of town. Fifty-three of us had great food, lots of warm and loving toasts, even more humorous toasts meant to embarrass either Laura or me, and lots of good conversation. Everyone in my family had been warned to keep the family secret so we wouldn't spoil Laura's surprise, and everyone behaved.
We parted at about 10:30 and hoped for sound sleep. I was too excited to even close my eyes. I couldn't wait for Laura to become Mrs. Hawkins.
*****
Finally, it was the day of our wedding!
The ceremony was at 11:30 AM. Sarah and Bobby picked me up and I was at the church by 10:30. I had to make sure everything was in place, then went to join the pastor in his study to prepare to enter from the side doors at the front of the church along with my best men. Laura's mom was in charge of the get-ready room for the bride and her attendants. I heard she got to the church not long after I did.
As people arrived, the first part of the surprise unfolded. In the rehearsal, we used recorded music for everything. What Laura didn't know was that my family used to be a traveling music group. My dad played guitar for staff orchestras in recording studios. He was very professional. As a kid, I would sit and listen to him play for hours. The rest of my family all played multiple instruments, and all sang. For this morning, they would all provide pre-service music, the processional, recessional, and a special piece. Dad was on guitar, Mom at piano, Jane, my youngest sister, either played violin or country steel guitar. My brother Ron played drums. Sisters Ruth and Mary usually alternated between guitar, mandolin, and violin, but Ruth had to cover upright bass for my brother, Dan, who was in the wedding party.
The time had come. It was 10:30, and the Pastor, Bobby, Dan, and I entered from the side and took our places. My family started playing the processional—Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" with just Dad playing the guitar. Sarah looked radiant as she strolled slowly to the front of the sanctuary in a beautiful, light blue evening dress.
Then I watched Hanna come into the doorway. Her long hair was styled with most of it flowing but with a group from each side braided, traveling up to the top of her head, and then gathered behind her making the shape of a heart. She beamed as she started the wedding party walk in her medium blue dress. My God, she looked so grown up and beautiful. I could see so much of Laura in her smile. Gasps were heard as she strolled the carpet. Everyone was taken by her beauty. And, yes, I had a tear escape. And the butterflies inside went wild.
Then Mattie appeared in a similar dress to Hanna's but in a more age-appropriate fashion. She had her hair in a ponytail and was as cute as could be. Her walk up the aisle was a little quicker than expected, and she had to shout out "Hi, Daddy!" halfway down her journey. That brought tears and smiles to just about everyone. Me, too!
Then Dad and my family started the bridal procession with a more forceful verse of "Jesu" while adding bass, and violin. And I saw the woman I love more than life itself move into the doorway on her dad's arm. The congregation stood and turned. Cameras were clicking. My attention was drawn to her as if she was all that existed in the world.
I had never seen a more beautiful sight.
Her hair was long and flowing with curls twirling in the front strands falling down her neck and down to her collar bone. She wore a delicate silver vine hairpiece with silver flowers and pearls randomly interspersed. It flowed over the top of her hair starting a little behind her hairline and flowed to the back of her head then down the back mingled in with her long full strands. Her smile radiated as bright as the sun. Her eyes sparked making the stars blush in shame. I burned her image in my brain. I will never forget it.
My family orchestra caught her attention and I could read her lips as she asked her dad, "What's going on?" Her dad shrugged his shoulders since he didn't know either as she refocused on me. Our eyes locked. It was as if invisible lightning bolts of love passed between us. She started to walk towards me and I felt weak-kneed. I focused on my bride and the vows we would make while trying to avoid thoughts of my pending surprise so I didn't shake apart.
My eyes were locked on hers as she came forward. I only noticed her dress in my peripheral vision. It was a satin white, softly covering the edge of her shoulders and a little down her arms. The neckline was v-shaped and low cut, modest enough to appropriately cover her breasts and yet extremely sexy. It was plain at the top and showed off the perfect shape of her abdomen and waist. It flowed into soft pleats below her waist and ended just above her knees. It was simple and understated. It was magnificent! The dress let all her natural beauty take the spotlight. I was having trouble breathing. I wanted to run to her and embrace her just to immerse myself in her beauty. I forced myself to hold my ground.
Her dad brought her to my side and gave me her hand. With a hug for both of us, he took his seat. I never wanted to take my gaze from her eyes. I tried to listen to the pastor's words, and occasionally forced myself to look at him.
We exchanged our vows that we wrote and memorized. I went first, just hoping for enough calm to remember what I composed.
"Laura, we know that God loves us even though we don't deserve it. I know with every touch, every look, and with every kiss just how much you love me even though I could never deserve you. I promise to love you with every breath and fiber of my being. I promise to honor you, care for you, hold fast to you only, and consider you and your needs above my own no matter what life brings to us... as long as I live."
I kissed her, and Pastor Browning joked, "You're jumping the gun there, Ben. I'll tell you when!" Everyone chuckled, and it lightened the mood enough for me to gain some composure. Then it was Laura's turn.
"Ben, my life was a mess until I met you. If it wasn't for my faith, my two girls, and my family, I would have been totally lost. Then you decided to weed your garden, we really met for the first time, and I saw in you the missing piece of heart and my life. I love you more than life itself. I am committed to showing you that love every day of our lives. I promise to love you, honor you, obey you as God's appointed head of our household, and give all of myself to you and only you in all circumstances of life for as long as we live."
"No kissing yet!" Pastor Browning said with a smile.
We exchanged rings vowing that the infinite circle symbolized our unending love, and God's unending love for us.
We took a healthy breath as the pastor announced: "Based on the vows you've exchanged, the promises you've made before God and these people, and by the power vested in me by God and the state of Illinois, I now pronounce you... man... and wife. NOW... you may kiss your bride!"
Oh yes. It was quite a kiss as the congregation cheered and clapped. The sound around us seemed distant, almost as if it came from the other side of a tunnel. I was kissing my wife for the first time and she had all my attention. I felt her love for me through her lips. Her tongue unveiled the passion from within her. This was the first physical act of our heavenly bond and the significance of the moment overwhelmed my senses. I willed the moment not to end, yet it was just the beginning. This launched our life together—our singularity—our oneness. I was in heaven.
Once the applause died down and we pulled ourselves apart, Pastor Browning made the announcement we had planned. It was time for Laura's surprise.
"Normally this is where I introduce the new couple, but first, the groom has a special gift for his bride. As he stepped back, my family started the introduction to a song we planned.
The first four bars were played just by Dad on guitar and my brother Dan on bass, who joined my family from where he was by my side. It was beautiful and simple. But then the next four bars tugged at everyone's heart. The steel guitar added beautiful fills while my entire family sang a chorus of "ahhs" like an angelic choir.
