Chapter 13: The Wedding

Chapter 13: The Wedding



         At 2:00 P.M. sharp, on Saturday, October 16, 2001, the Processional began, and with it the biggest step in Erick and Crystal’s life. Pastor Markham, Erick and Best Man John Stamper filed in from one side of the altar, and assumed their positions at the end of the aisle.

         A few last minute guests hurried to seat themselves as the flower girl, Crystal’s four-year-old niece Erin, began her walk down that same aisle, spreading the red rose petals before her. Behind her by about five feet walked Erick’s nephew, Jack, the nine-year-old ring bearer. Erick smiled at how sharp the boy looked in his tux. “Girls will be all over him when he’s about fifteen,” Erick smiled to himself. Jack reached the altar. Erick took the rings, putting Crystal’s in his pocket and passing the ring he would wear to Pastor Markham as Jack seated himself next to his mother in the second row on Erick’s side. Erick gave Jack a silent “high-five” to let him know that he’d done well. Jack grinned and returned the salute.

         Then, the organ fell silent for a moment, the sign to all present that it was time. Time for Erick and Crystal’s lives to change forever. The traditional wedding march began. All heads turned to look up the aisle for the bride’s entrance.

         Crystal and her father appeared at the door. As her father walked slowly, Crystal hopped lightly. Not high, just enough to move her leg forward in even movement with her father’s as she held his arm. After the first couple steps she even became more graceful in her motion. She was too busy concentrating on her movements, and watching Erick’s face as she went, to notice the adoring and smiling throng of faces that admired her for her courage. They sat on both sides of the aisle.

         When they reached the front of the aisle, Erick steadied her with one hand as he took her arm with his other. Her father remained in place to answer the classic question. Erick and Crystal turned to face Pastor Markham.

         ”Dearly beloved,” Pastor Markham began, “we are gathered here in the sight of God, and these witnesses, to join this couple in the bonds of Holy Matrimony. The institution of marriage is a sacred one…”

         As Pastor Markham spoke of the meaning and importance of the institution of marriage, both in the eyes of the couple, and God, Erick and Crystal’s thoughts each went back over the last three years. How they’d met totally by accident when Erick stumbled on that literary web site. How quickly they discovered, in just days, how much they had in common and how much they enjoyed each other’s company. How in the space of a few months’ time they both realized they wanted to be together for life. How Erick's proposal had been online, without ever having set eyes on each other. And, of course, how it all came out into the open in the two weeks that followed her accident just one month before this day. And now, their dreams were becoming reality. Neither knew the other had had these same thoughts. But at this moment, the present held the greatest meaning for them both.

         ”Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Pastor Markham asked.

         ”Her mother and I do,” her father answered, warmly looking at Crystal. He then seated himself in the front row on her side of the aisle, next to her mother.

         ”If there is anyone who knows of just reason why these two should not be wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.” Not a sound could be heard.

         ”Erick and Crystal have written their own vows. Let us listen now as they honor their relationship, and each other.” Pastor Markham nodded to Erick.

         ”Crystal, my love, since we met you have made everything in my life richer, more important, more complete, and far more meaningful. I fell in love with you over three years ago, never having laid eyes upon you. And to me, that is what made this love real. We fell in love with the person themselves, not their appearance. The deep love I feel for you goes far beyond just loveliness and beauty, to the wonderful person within you. That love, and that person within you, are the things I cherish the most.

         ”I have told you before that your accident does not change the person you are inside. I mean that with all my heart. Therefore, I, Erick Metcalf, promise you, Crystal Eryn Sandlewood, that I will love you, cherish you, care for you, honor you, and respect you as my wife and mate, all the days of my life. That I will remain faithful to you, and you alone for all my days. For you truly are my life. And I love you.”

         ”Erick, my darling, I, too, fell in love those three long years ago with the person that you are inside. For we had no pictures to deceive our hearts. Like you, that is what I cherish the most. For that reason, and in keeping with our pledge of honesty, I ask you to forgive me for the one fleeting moment in my life when my mind doubted your overwhelming love. In the shock of the accident, for one moment, I was terribly afraid that the changes that accident forced upon my life would cause you to change your mind about me, and about us. But very shortly thereafter I listened to my heart, and was reminded of the very words you have just spoken once more. And the amazing words you spoke to me today, as we came to this place and time, have only served to reaffirm our love even more. When you told me that you have been thinking about, looking forward to, and even in some ways planning this wonderful day from the moment you fell in love with me so long ago, and that not only did the accident not change your mind, but that you never even gave it a moment's consideration because your love for me is so very deep and strong, it brought wonderful tears to my eyes. There will never again be any doubt whatsoever in my heart, or my mind, about our love. Therefore, I, Crystal Eryn Sandlewood, promise to love, honor, and obey you, Erick Metcalf, throughout all the days of my life. That I will cherish you, and our love, remaining faithful to you, and you alone, through all trials that may come our way, for the rest of my life. For you, Erick, truly are my life, as I am yours. And I love you.”

         Crystal had heard many in the pews catch their breath when she promised to obey Erick. That’s what she had wanted. For them to realize she loved him and trusted him enough to make the old-fashioned commitment of a wife to her husband. Their hushed sounds told her she had done just that.

         ”Join your hands.” Pastor Markham turned to Erick. “Erick Metcalf, do you take Crystal Eryn Sandlewood to be your lawful wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for as long as you both shall live?”

         Looking Crystal straight in the eye with a look of love deeper than she’d ever seen, Erick said softly, “I do.”

         Crystal immediately found herself fighting strong tears at finally hearing Erick say those two very special words she’d waited, and wanted to hear for three long years.

         Pastor Markham placed a hand on Crystal’s shoulder providing a source of balance for her. She took her hand from Erick’s shoulder and held it out to him. Smiling broadly, he took her hand in his left, and as she watched with tears of joy streaming down her face, he put that very special ring on her finger. That ring that she’d only been able to look at and hold for the last three weeks. She cried even harder as she looked at it where it was meant to be. Then Erick took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed the ring. Crying quietly, yet doing the best she possibly could, Crystal looked at him, her face wet with tears, her eyes saying more to him than her words ever could, and ever would in her life. Erick locked his eyes on hers and mouthed the words “I love you”. Crystal took a deep breath and stood tall. Erick wiped her eyes gently with his handkerchief. Pastor Markham continued:

         ”And do you, Crystal Eryn Sandlewood, take Erick Metcalf, to be your lawful wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

         Her happy tears still obvious in her voice, and those same tears of joy still streaming down her face, Crystal looked Erick right in the eye, and with all the emotion she felt showing in her words, she said softly, “I do.” Then silently, her eyes still fixed on Erick’s, she mouthed the same words to him: “I love you”.

         Pastor Markham again extended his hand to Crystal’s shoulder. She took the ring from his other hand, and placed it slowly, lovingly on Erick’s extended left hand. Knowing what she’d want to do, Erick relaxed his arm, allowing her to raise his hand to her lips and kiss his ring. He hadn’t planned on this part, originally, but he knew, once he’d surprised her, that she would insist on doing the same. Erick gently took her hand and placed it back on his shoulder.

         ”By the Ordinances of God, and the power vested in me by this state, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Erick embraced Crystal. As he held her, she released his shoulder and embraced him in return. They looked in each other’s loving eyes for one moment, then shared the deepest, most meaningful kiss they’d ever had. Erick saw tears of joy filling her eyes again, and he knew Pastor Markham’s first words would send her over the emotional edge once more. He decided she deserved an unexpected show of his love as a finish to their happiest moment. He turned the two of them to face the guests as Pastor Markham spoke.

         ”Ladies and Gentlemen, I now have the most wonderful pleasure of introducing to you Mr. and Mrs. Erick Metcalf.” As the guests erupted in a round of applause, Crystal began openly crying as Erick had expected she would at hearing the Pastor’s words. As the recessional began, he gently lifted Crystal into his arms. The look of love he saw in her eyes as her sobs deepened even more with the happiness she felt was one he knew he’d remember forever. She laid her head on his shoulder, her grin of happiness never leaving her face as Erick carried her back up the aisle to truly begin their life together.

Chapter 14: The Receiving Line  (E) Warm hearts, and lessons learned #424150 by Incurable Romantic