Page 121 of Forever and Ever

“I want to thank you all for coming here today to celebrate the love between Noah Samuel Hayes and Mercedes Adelita Garcia Lopez. Marriage is a commitment. It is a devotion to the person who stands in front of you. A promise to honor them, support them, and love them, through all struggles and successes. It is a relationship built as much on faith as it is hard work. And as someone who has the pleasure of knowing Noah and Merry well, I have no doubt they will honor these vows to each other.”

Adrian’s not usually a man of many words, so I’m a little surprised to hear true sentiment in his voice.

“Noah and Merry have written vows they would like to recite to each other.” Adrian nods at me. “Noah.”

I hold Merry’s hands in mine and look down into her dark eyes.

“Mercedes Lopez,” I say with a grin, and she rolls her eyes. She still hates it when I call her by her full name, which makes it that much more fun. “I loved you from the moment I met you. And, while that’s usually just a line people say, for me, it’s the truth. I haven’t always believed in destiny or fate. But whatever put you in my path that day was something bigger than us. Because you not only saved me, but you also saw me, through and through. You changed me. And I’m a better man because of you.”

Merry’s grip tightens and tears brim in her eyes.

“Merry,” Adrian says, and she nods.

She looks down, and when her big brown eyes meet mine again a tear falls from them.

“Noah,” she says with a smile. “I didn’t see you coming.”

Her words choke in her throat, and she stumbles a little on her words, so I pull her close and whisper in her ear.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

She squeezes my hands and gains her composure.

“I’m not good at this. And not just love, but relationships in general. More than a few times I’ve failed at us because of it. But you don’t quit.”

Her statement gets more than a few laughs from the crowd because it’s no secret I had to chase her endlessly until she gave in.

“Thank you for never giving up on us,” she says with a smile. “Because I’m never going to give up on us. I’m yours, always.”

I reach over to wipe the tear from her cheek, and she smiles at my touch as I hold her hands once more in my own.

“I love you,” I say.

“I love you.”

We hold stares as Adrian steps forward again and nods.

“For hundreds of years, couples have exchanged rings as a token of their vows to each other. The ring is an unbroken, never-ending circle that represents the commitment of love that is forever. Can we have the rings?”

I turn and Sebastian hands me the ruby infinity band I had made for Merry, while Monica hands her the solid black tungsten band for me.

“Noah, do you accept this ring from Merry as a token of her love and faithfulness to your vows?”

“I do,” I say, looking into Merry’s eyes and holding back that knot that won’t break loose from in the back of my throat. She slips my ring over the permanent one tattooed on my finger.

Then I take Merry’s hand and hold it up, rubbing my thumb over the solid black tattoo ring that already circles her finger as well. I thought the wings would always be my favorite tattoo on her. And they were until she asked me to tattoo this band on her left hand.

“Merry, do you accept this ring from Noah as a token of his love and faithfulness to your vows?” Adrian asks her.

Merry narrows her eyes at me and smirks the slightest, making me sweat for a second on purpose, which I plan on making her pay for later.

Finally, she smiles wide, with tears brimming on her bottom lashes. “I do.”

I slip the ring over her tattooed band and kiss the back of her hand. Her skin is so warm I want to kiss her all over.

The sun is setting on the horizon behind her, and she looks more beautiful than any painting by any artist as she stands there in her black dress.

“Noah and Merry, you have pronounced your love and commitment to each other in front of your friends, family, and each other through the promises you have just made,” Adrian says. “It is with these in mind, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Noah, you may kiss your bride.”

---