We’re here. We really do have this.” She beamed.
I hope the photographer listened to my instructions. Catch all of her smiles.
“There are many theories on amour, on human chemistry, on marriage and husbandry throughout all species. There are animals who, without faith of a higher power, find their biological mates. The reciprocal to themselves. And they monogamously mate for life. That is fact,” she stated.
We’d shared many conversations with her about how we wanted the ceremony to happen. What we were comfortable with—what was important to us. It was probably just as unorthodox as the rest of our relationship had been.
Neither Blake nor I felt like religion was the center of our vows or our commitment, but we both felt like it was certainly a higher power that had brought us first together, and then gave us strength to fight. Unquestionably, however, there was something so basic—so chemically fundamental—to our attraction.
“When I first met Blake, and she told me her story, I was so curious. Skeptical, too, in fact. Surely, she was in love. It was obvious. The way she spoke of the man in her heart. The way her love made her glow, even when she felt less than a prize to be had.
“I had to see for myself.” Dr. Rex chuckled. “This love-sick woman. I hoped—for her sake—he felt the same way. Then I saw him with her, unfortunately, in a hospital, she didn’t even know he was there. He was tender and attentive. He was just as tangled up with her as she was him.”
I winked at Blake when she stole a sideways look at me.
“So, call it what you will. Divine intervention. Chemistry. God’s will. Casey Moore loves Blake Warren. And she loves him. Undisputedly. Unapologetically. Unconditionally. Untamed and completely.”
At that point, I was watching Blake as she listened. She’d sucked in her bottom lip and I would have given anything to hear her thoughts. Hear what she was thinking.
“Blake and Casey have written vows for each other. Perfect for them. Giving blindly and wholeheartedly they are making promises to one another. They consent to each other’s needs. They yield to the other’s will. And after all, isn’t that what we want from love?”
Dr. Rex opened her arms and then kindly asked, “Blake, would you go first?”
Her brown eyes shimmered. Gone was worry. Gone was guilt. Only hope and trust and love were reflected. I knew what she was about to say, as I’d written them myself. But I never expected how overwhelming it would be hearing my wildest fantasies spill from her wedding lips.
She giggled when her trembling hands unfolded the paper I’d handwritten her vows on.
“I, Blake Gretchen Warren, take you, Casey Frances Moore, to be my equal partner in love, ally through conflict, accomplice in mischief, and lover for the rest of my days on this Earth.” She read slowly, it was clear she hadn’t broken her word to wait until now. “I promise to always include you in my joys and my trials, my happiness and my sorrows. I promise to always let you share my burdens and ask for help when I need it. I promise to never serve you steak on a paper plate.” She laughed through the most beautiful tears I’d ever had the pleasure of seeing. “I promise to never willingly share my cheesecake, but make you work for it. I promise to always be your Valentine, your Betty, and your honeybee. I promise to always be careful when you’re not around because I carry your heart in mine.” She stopped when the words choked her. Finally she continued, voice wobbling, chin quivering. “I promise to always let you catch me, always follow the wind back home to you at night, and trust that you’ll always chase me and welcome me home. I’ve been yours from the first night we met, and you’ve been mine that long too. I promise that even though love is hard work, it’s worth it. I love you and I promise to never stop.”
I’ve never in my whole life wanted to kiss two lips more than I did in that moment. She was mine.
When she finished, she put the words to her heart and said only to me, “I took the bait.” My knees almost failed.
Dr. Rex said, “Casey, now you, please.”
I pulled the paper from my pocket and took a deep breath.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
I WANTED HIM TO kiss me so badly. It felt like his lips were pulling mine toward him,