Page 88 of To Have and To Hold

“The marriage license?” Em enquired.

“I have a contact with the county clerk. The license will have today’s date—Saturday. It is tomorrow already.”

Valentina and Andrés joined the three of us. “Out on the pool deck?” Valentina said. “It’s a beautiful night.”

Em furrowed his brow. “Maybe on Sunday. Tonight, we can stand near the open doors.”

Valentina didn’t question. I suspected his answer was because of all that had happened last night. His mother handed me a bouquet of fresh flowers, their stems wrapped in white ribbon. “They’re from my garden. Sunday, you may have whatever you’d like.”

Inhaling their sweet scent, I smiled. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.”

She went to Em and placed something in his hand. When he shook his head, she closed his fingers. “It’s symbolic.”

“Are we ready?” Father Gallo asked.

Em took my hand, and we turned toward one another.

The priest’s voice echoed through the cavernous room. “Isabella Luciano and Emiliano Ruiz, have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

I stared up at Em’s handsome face.

“Yes,” he replied.

My throat tightened. “Yes.”

“Are you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other as long as you both shall live?”

Em squeezed my hand as we both answered affirmatively.

“Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, keep your right hands joined and declare your consent before God and His Church.”

We repeated Father Gallo’s declarations.

Em was first. “I, Emiliano Ruiz, take you, Isabella Luciano, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you, cherish you, and honor you all the days of my life.”

Next, it was my turn to commit to the vows.

“I, Isabella Luciano, take you, Emiliano Ruiz, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you, cherish you, and honor you all the days of my life.”

I concentrated on the man before me, not on the absence of my family.

Father Gallo spread his arms to his sides. “May the Lord in his kindness strengthen the consent you have declared before these witnesses and graciously bring to fulfillment his blessings within you. What God has joined, let no one put asunder.” He turned to Em. “This is the time for the giving and receiving of rings, but that can wait until Sunday.”

I looked down. “I’m sorry, I don’t have a ring.”

“I have one,” Em said.

The priest looked at me. “The ring is symbolic. The marriage is still covered by God’s blessing.”

I nodded and handed the bouquet to Valentina.

Em retrieved from his pocket the band that his mother had given him and reached for my left hand. It may have been the ocean breeze or my ongoing swings in emotion. Whatever the cause, my hand trembled.

I concentrated on Em’s calming gaze as he lifted my left hand, gently turned it, and kissed my palm. “Breathe.”

It was like the first day at the apartments. I was staring into the same hauntingly beautiful dark brown eyes. I inhaled and exhaled. He turned my hand back over and slid a golden band over my fourth finger. To both of our astonishment, it slid easily over my knuckle and fit almost perfectly.

“Isabella, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

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