Page 133 of Merrily Ever After
‘Thank you,’ I mouthed softly. My heart swelled with joy as Cole slid my wedding ring onto my left hand. We held each other’s gaze, incredulous, happy and so in love I thought my heart would burst.
I picked up Cole’s wedding ring and slipped it onto the tip of his finger.
‘My darling, Cole. I give you this ring as a sign of our love and our marriage. Loving you is the easiest job in the world, and I am the lucky woman who gets to do it for the rest of her life. I promise to do my best to make you happy and to let you sometimes win arguments. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, and I promise to love you even when you are too old to paint my toenails without getting the polish everywhere. Cole, thank you for welcoming me into your family, thank you for allowing me to know and love your amazing children. Thank you for believing in me and encouraging me and not minding when I’m still pouring candles long after I said I would be. My love for you will last a lifetime; thank you for bringing me home.’
I wiggled the ring onto his finger and blew out a breath of relief.
‘Merry and Cole will now perform the candle ceremony,’ said Barbara, moving to the side of the table. ‘I am going to invite Hester and Emily, Cole and Merry’s sisters, to light the slim candles on this table.’
The two sisters followed instructions. Will, I noticed, kept a firm eye on Dad while Emily was busy.
‘Now, Merry and Cole will take these lit candles. Together they will light the tall unity candle in the centre. This symbolises their two lives, their two families and their two sets of friends becoming one.’
Cole picked up his candle and I did the same, and together we lit the central candle. The wick fizzed and glowed as both flames touched it. The label on the glass jar caught my eye. Instead of the Merry and Bright logo, there was a line of familiar handwriting. I looked at Fred quizzically, who gave me a wink, and then Cole led me back around the table to finish the ceremony.
‘This unity candle,’ Barbara intoned, ‘has been handmade with love by Fred, in honour of his son and daughter-in-law’s wedding. The scent is a blend of orange blossom and white jasmine symbolising love, beauty and purity, and Fred has named this candle “Together”.’
‘Oh Fred!’ I gasped in surprise. ‘Thank you.’
Fred got to his feet and blew us a kiss and sat back down again.
‘Every guest has been given one of these candles on the way in, in order that you can take them home as a symbol of the love you have witnessed here today.’ Barbara produced her handkerchief again and dabbed her eyes. ‘And that, ladies and gentlemen, is another first for me.’
My eyes swam with tears: so many surprises, so many gestures of love, I felt it all around me.
Cole squeezed my hand and gave me a look of reassurance as Barbara came to the bit we’d all been waiting for.
‘… It therefore gives me the greatest honour and privilege to announce that you are now husband and wife. Congratulations to you both.’
‘Can I kiss my wife now?’ Cole jumped in, making everyone laugh, except Harley, who covered his face in horror.
‘You may,’ said Barbara, inclining her head.
For a second, I just looked at my husband, drinking him in, the shine in my eyes showing him the depth of my love. He took my hands and drew me towards him and his kiss, when it came, felt like sunshine, lighting my world. Cheers and applause and a wolf whistle I’d recognise anywhere as Nell’s echoed around the room.
‘Merry Christmas, Mrs Robinson,’ he murmured, finally pulling away when Harley’s noises of protest were getting louder.
‘Merry Christmas, Mr Robinson,’ I echoed.
Signing the register took only a matter of minutes and then Harley scooted over to the music system again to play the song we’d chosen to leave the ceremony to. It was Mariah Carey, ‘All I want for Christmas is you’. Cheesy, but the lyrics were perfect.
Cole and I turned around to face the doors, ready to begin our procession past friends and family as soon as the music kicked in. But a few seconds later and we were still waiting in anticipation.
‘It’s not working,’ said Harley, rubbing a hand through his hair. ‘The speaker won’t connect to the Bluetooth.’
‘Bear with us, everyone!’ Barbara cried. ‘Slight technical hitch.’
‘I said we should have booked an organist,’ Cole whispered.
‘You did no such thing,’ I giggled, leaning into him.
‘I don’t want a lot for Christmas!’
Everyone gasped and cheered as Harley’s voice rang out across the room.
Cole and I whirled around to see him standing on the table.
‘I don’t believe it!’ I gasped and blew my stepson a kiss, making him grin.
