Page 143 of My Vows Are Sealed
I chuckled as I turned to take Darla’s hands, bringing one of them up for a kiss, which made her blush crimson. I really loved that even after all this time, it was still that easy to make her blush.
“The only direction we’re going is forward,” I said. “I was born ready.”
“Okay. Do you, Brendan Carter, take Darla Jones to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” I vowed, swallowing the lump that rose in my throat.
Easiest two words I’d ever spoken in my life.
“Okay, Darla, it’s your turn. You ready?”
“I’m ready,” she sniffled, letting go of one of my hands to wipe away a few tears.
“Do you, Darla Jones, take Brendan Carter to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” she promised with a breathtaking smile.
“Brendan and Darla have decided to write their own vows, so they will now exchange rings as a symbol of the lifelong love and abiding commitment that they’ve just promised to one another. Brendan, you’re up first.”
Taking a deep breath, I turned and took Darla’s wedding ring from Alex, then grabbed her left hand as I started to recite the vows that I’d written and rewritten so many times that I had them memorized.
“Dar, I’ve known you for so long that I literally don’t remember the first time I ever saw you. You’ve just always been part of my life, and I’ve always known that you belonged there. I knew even before the first time I kissed you that we were going to end up here, promising each other forever, one day. The path we’ve taken to get here hasn’t been easy, and we’ve been through so much pain and fear and heartache in the past few years, but I wouldn’t change a single thing. Our struggles have helped shape who we are, and they’ve helped us to grow, both as people and as a couple. Today is about making promises to each other, so I’m going to make you the same promise now that I made you on that awful night in the hospital a few months ago. I promise you that I willneverlet anyone hurt you the way you’ve been hurt again. And I also promise that I’ll love, protect, and take care of you and our daughter, and any other kids we have down the road, for the rest of our lives.” I lifted her hand and kissed it, then slid her simple white gold wedding band onto her finger. “Darla, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. I am honored and grateful to call you my wife.”
Darla turned and took a tissue and my wedding ring from Naomi. She dabbed at her eyes and cheeks before handing the makeup-covered wad back to Naomi, then turned to me and grabbed my left hand.
“Brendan, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the day you dragged me into the carpentry room during our lunch period at school, even when I’m old and senile and can’t remember my own name. I was dizzy and lightheaded from trying to lug my ridiculously heavy backpack around campus with a freshly-set shoulder and a broken rib, and I was so scared that you were about to tell me that you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore. But instead, you guessed the terrible truth that I was too scared to tell you, and you told me that you weren’t going to let me suffer alone anymore. You said that you believed God had a plan for our lives and you asked me to take a leap of faith with you.
“Saying yes to you that day was both the easiest and hardest thing I’d ever done in my life. I was so in love with you that it hurt and all I wanted in the world was to be with you, but I was so scared of what my father would do if he found out that I had a boyfriend. That was the first time I ever admitted to myself that I wanted something badly enough not to care what the consequences were, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without you, Brendan. You’ve always said that your job is to protect me, butI’vealways told youthat your job is to make me feel safe, and there hasn’t been a single second when I’m with you that I haven’t felt completely safe. So, today, I promise you that I’ll always be your safe place too. I’ll always be there through the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between, and I’ll always love you and care for you the same way you’ve always loved and cared for me.” Taking a shaky breath, Darla slid a slightly thicker version of the white gold band that I’d gotten for her onto my ring finger, and I couldn’t help noticing that it looked like it had always been there. “Brendan, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. I am honored and grateful to call you my husband.”
I was a goner by the time she was done. Not that it surprised me. I knew I’d end up crying today. Honestly, the only thing that surprised me was that it had taken this long. It felt like I’d been waiting forever to make these vows with her, and I was just so grateful that we were finally getting the happy ending that we’d fought for, tooth and nail. I took a deep breath to calm myself down and wiped my cheeks as I turned back to look at Peter, who was wearing an ear-splitting grin.
“Okay, I’m going to stop being your minister for just a second and be your friend,” he said, chuckling weakly. “I amsoproud of you two. When I look at you, I see two of the strongest people I know. I see two people who have overcome more obstacles than anyone should have to face, and have done it with the grace and maturity of people three times your age. I see two people who have supported and depended on each other for their whole lives, and who love each other with a passion and conviction that’s so rare and beautiful, especially at your age. I see a loving and devoted couple that each and every person in this congregation can draw inspiration from and learn something from, no matter how young or old. I feel so incredibly blessed and honored to be performing this ceremony today, and I’m so grateful to the Lord for putting the two of you in my life, and in my wife and sons’ lives. Let’s pray.
“Heavenly Father, once again, I want to lift Your children up to you. Please help Brendan and Darla to fulfill the promises they’ve made here today and to reflect your steadfast love in their commitment to each other. Give them kindness, patience, affection, understanding, happiness, and contentment. May their family and friends continue to support them in difficult days, so that their love for each other may continue to grow for the rest of their lives. In Your holy Name I pray, amen.
“Brendan and Darla, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here today, by the power vested in me by the State of South Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Brendan, you may now kiss your bride.”
He didn’t have to say that twice. I pulled Darla into my arms and crashed my lips to hers, and it took all of my willpower to force myself to keep it PG because we were in public. I couldn’t stop a few more tears from trickling down my cheeks as our lips moved together in perfect sync, sealing the vows we’d just made to each other. Vows that it felt like I’d made the day I met her over fifteen years ago.
“I love you so much,” I choked out in a whisper.
“I love you,” she sniffled.
I felt our still-unnamed daughter kick, and I looked down at Darla’s stomach, caressing the spot where I’d felt the movement. It was kind of mind-boggling that in three months, this little girl would be fully grown and drawing her first breath.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you for the first time…Brendan and Darla Carter!” Peter announced.
I brushed another soft kiss on Darla’s lips, then took her hand as we turned to face about seventy-five percent of our church congregation, all of whom had come to support us today. And then we walked back down the aisle as husband and wife.
Even though nothing had really changed about our relationship, at the same time, everything had. Finally, the lifetime of love that we’d shared had turned into a vow that bound us together, in the eyes of God and man.
THE END
