Authors: Dani Morales
It’s crazy to think that exactly one
year ago today I almost lost the love of
my life. Is that cheesy to say? Probably.
You would have never heard those words
come out of my mouth until the day I met
April. She completely turned my world
around.
I’m standing in the doorway of the
new age area staring at the beautiful girl
behind the counter reading another book. I
can stare at her for hours. Every day I
memorize the way the sunlight plays in
her hair and the way it casts shadows
across her face. I’ve never seen such
beauty, and I thank the stars for each
moment I’m blessed with her presence.
Tonight is the night that I take her away
to make her my wife.
April wanted to wait to make sure
nothing else was going to spring up on us.
If it was up to me, we would have gotten
married the day she came home to me. I
had a few things to do at the store today,
but now that I’m done, I couldn’t be more
excited about going to get ready for the
big day.
We decided to have a pagan
ceremony since we met at the bookstore.
Plus, after everything that had happened,
it just seemed right. Mom and Gran are at
the clearing setting everything up. There
are a few things that have to be done, like
casting a protective circle and finding
friends to stand around us. Another
interesting part of the ceremony is when
the bride and groom get their hands tied
together. I thought they were insane at
first, but April really wants to do it, so
how could I say no?
April starts to fidget under my stare
and looks up. "What?”
“Nothing babe. I’m done. Are you
ready?” I ask.
She looks at me shyly. “I’m always
ready.”
We leave the store and head home
to get ready. I won’t get to see April again
until the ceremony. Her friend Nicole is at
the house now, so she can help April. We
pull up. I give her a kiss and tell her that
I’ll see her in soon.
I drive to the clearing out in the Red
Rock Mountains. The last time I was here,
we were fighting to protect Mathew, and
April died. I head to one of the tents that
are set up to get changed. Luckily I don’t
have to look like a penguin like most
grooms do. I get to my tent and see that
a pair of dark blues jeans, a royal blue
button up, and my Vans are waiting for
me. I start to get dressed and run through
my vows. I chose to read a poem. I don’t
think I’ve ever been this nervous.
I’m pacing in the tent when the boys
come into it. They’re all wearing similar
clothes, dark blue jeans and black button
down shirts. I smile at them. I can tell
that they’re so excited. I’m amazed at how
easily they accepted me into their family.
“Momma looks really pretty, Dad,”
Lee says.
It still surprises me when they call
me Dad, but I love it. “Momma always
looks pretty, Lee.”
Mathew is looking at me. “Let’s go
out there before Mom starts freaking out.”
I laugh. “You're right. She will
probably hunt us down.”
We all laugh as we make our way
out of the tent. The priestess is standing in
the circle that Mom, Gran, Nicole and her
husband are starting to form. The boys
close the circle in between their two
grandmothers. I’m standing next to the
priestess when April walks out of her tent
and makes her way to the circle. All the
nerves quickly leave my body and are
replaced with undying love.
April can still take my breath away
when she walks into a room. Everything
fades away except for her and me. She’s in
a strapless royal blue dress that flows
around her legs. Her golden skin stands
out against the blue dress. Her eyes are a
blue-green outlined with black eyeliner,
and her blonde hair is curled at the tips.
She’s absolutely stunning, and I can’t take
my eyes off her. She comes to stand in
front of me and the Priestess. She has
that gorgeous smile that’s brighter than
the sun.
The instrumental song I chose to be
played during our ceremony begins. April
eyes water to the music of Rascal Flatts
“God Bless the Broken Road” as the
priestess begins our ceremony.
“I Ravenmoon, High Priestess call us
together here to celebrate the joining
together of April and Logan. There are
many things to say about marriage. Much
wisdom, concerning the joining together of
two souls, has come our way through all
paths of belief and from many cultures.
With each union, more knowledge is
gained and more wisdom gathered.
Though we’re unable to give all this
knowledge to these two, who stand before
us, we can hope to leave with them the
knowledge of love and its strengths and
the anticipation of the wisdom that comes
with time. The law of life is love unto all
beings. Without love, life is nothing;
without love, death has no redemption.
Love is anterior to Life, posterior to
Death, initial of Creation and the
exponent of Earth. If we learn no more in
life, let it be this. “
“Marriage is a bond to be entered
into only after considerable thought and
reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has
its cycles, its ups and its downs, its trials
and its triumphs. With full understanding
of this, Logan and April have come here
today to be joined as one in marriage,"
she pauses for a second. ”Others would
ask, at this time, who gives the bride in
marriage, but, as a woman is not
property to be bought and sold, given and
taken, I ask simply if she comes of her
own will and if she has her family's
blessing. “
April nods her head, and the
priestess continues,
“
There are children
who will share in this marriage. The
gathering of this new family will have a
deep influence upon them. It will both
complicate and enrich their lives. They will
also have much to contribute to this new
family. We realize that in order for the
home to be a happy one, It’s essential that
there be love and understanding between
the children and the adults being married.
“
“Is your love for each other broad
enough to include Mathew, Lee, Michael
and deep enough to honor her presence in
this marriage and to pledge yourselves to
love and care for them?" Ravenmoon asks.
“Yes It’s,” April and I say together.
“Your family relationship is
symbolized through the pouring of these
individual containers of sand; one,
representing April, one representing
Logan, and one container for Mathew,
Lee, and Michael.”
She hands me the container with
blue sand, April the container with pink,
and Mathew the container with purple
sand. Then she turns to the boys.
“Mathew, Lee, and Michael, you are
a vital part of this new marriage. April
and Logan give you their unconditional
love and honor your presence in their lives.
You will have a share in this union, for
your lives will be touched by the covenant
being made here today. Your participation
is requested to help develop the bonds of a
new family. “
“As April and Logan have exchanged
their pledges in holy union, we ask from
you also a pledge, that you will join
together to weave a fabric of mutual help
and comfort, of challenge and support,
and that you will help create a home and
a way of life in which all of you may grow
into the fullness of the best people you can
be."
“As you each hold your sand, the
separate containers of sand represent your
lives to this moment; individual and
unique. As you now combine your sand
together, your lives also join together as
one family.”
She motions for us to start pouring
our containers of sand into a different
one.
“Just as these grains of sand can
never be separated and poured again into
the individual containers, so will your
marriage and your family be."
She grabs my right hand and puts
April’s left hand in mine. She takes a pink,
blue, black, red, and purple ribbon
bunched together and ties our hands
together. Once she’s done with that, she
recites, “These are the hands of your best
friend, young and strong and full of love
for you, that are holding yours on your
wedding day, as you promise to love each
other today, tomorrow, and forever. These
are the hands that will work alongside
yours, as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately
love you and cherish you through the
years, and with the slightest touch, will
comfort you like no other. These are the
hands that will hold you when fear or
grief fills your mind. These are the hands
that will countless times wipe the tears
from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears
of joy. These are the hands that will
tenderly hold your children. These are the
hands that will help you to hold your
family as one. These are the hands that
will give you strength when you need it.
And lastly, these are the hands that, even
when aged, will still be reaching for yours,
still giving you the same unspoken
tenderness with just a touch."
April has a steady stream of tears
coming down, and I use my free hand to
wipe them away.
“If you have vows you wish to speak,
now is your time," Ravenmoon states.
April clears her throat and says,
“Maybe…We’re supposed to meet the
wrong person before meeting the Right
one, so that when we finally meet the
right person, we will know how to be
grateful for that gift. Maybe...It’s true that
we don't know what we have until we lose
it, but It’s also true that we don't know
what we have been missing until it arrives.
Maybe...the happiest of people don't
necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything
that comes their Way. Maybe...the best
kind of love is the kind where you can sit
on a sofa Together never saying a word
and then walk away feeling like it was the
best Conversation you've ever had.
Maybe...you shouldn't go for looks; they
can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that
fades away. Go for someone who makes
you smile because it takes only a smile to
make a dark day seem bright. Maybe...you
should hope for enough happiness to make
you sweet, enough trials to make you
strong, enough sorrow to keep you
human, and enough hope to make you
happy. Maybe Love is not about finding
the perfect person; it's about learning to
see an imperfect person perfectly. When
you do what you can, love will do what
you can't.”
She brings our tied hands up to her
mouth and kisses them. I hold back the
tears in my eyes, clear my voice, and say
the one poem I know she loves.
“
I carryyour heart with me
I carry it in my heart
I’m never without it anywhere I go
you go, my dear; and whatever is done by
only me is you’re doing, my darling I fear
no fate for you are my fate, my sweet I
sun will always sing is you here is the
deepest secret nobody knows here is the
root of the root and the bud of the bud
Everyone is crying around us. Then
Ravenmoon speaks, “Blessed be.”
Everyone around us whispers,
“Blessed be.” Then April and I are
jumping over the broom on the floor,
sealing our marriage.
It’s like déjà vu. You know the moment when
everything seems so surreal that you’re constantly looking
over your shoulder and waiting for something? That’s how
I feel right now. I’m holding a tiny 6lb 8oz baby girl in my
hands. For the life of me, I can’t believe how right it feels.
I was sure when Logan and I got married, all hell
was going to break loose. We both kept waiting for the
other shoe to drop. We waited for the legion of darkness to
rain on our parade, but it never happened. The only logical
explanations I can come up with is that they either gave up,
or they’re waiting for a specific moment to surprise us.
Logan keeps trying to reassure me tha
t it’s over.
He says that I already took care of our family, but the little
girl in my arms is just too important to not consider the
danger. I know it; he knows it, but he just refuses to
acknowledge it. She is a gorgeous surprise, a dream
fulfilled. You might be wondering why I consider her a
dream, right? Well, when I had my miscarriage, I was also
told that the chances of me having my own child were slim
to none. If I did manage to get pregnant, it would most
likely end in another miscarriage. Yet here she is.
I was so scared when we found out we were
pregnant. Logan was thrilled. Then he became worried
once I told him all of this. He was convinced that
everything would be okay. The boys were excited when we
found out that it was going to be a girl. I refused to buy
anything or have a baby shower until the delivery date was
closer. Why take the chance on jinxing myself?
I fully expected to blow up like a house because I
was already overweight, but I didn’t. I just looked like I
had gained a few pounds and had a ball under my shirt.
I’ve never felt more beautiful than I did when I was
pregnant. I felt like there was a constant light shining out
of me. Logan couldn’t keep his hands off of me. We were
like that before, always holding hands, but each month of
the pregnancy it got more and more ridiculous. I loved
every minute of it. He was always next to me, not letting
me do anything. Even the boys started following him. The
house was always clean, and the boys didn’t argue… it was
perfect.
When she started moving around inside of me, I
was so excited. Nothing compares to the feeling of life
growing inside of you. The boys got a kick out of it. They
would poke a spot on my tummy, and she would poke
back. So much love was blessing us that I knew deep down
that something was lurking on the horizon. Then it
happened. I was walking from the bedroom to the kitchen
to get some water when my water broke. The boys were at
their Grandma's house, Logan was at the bookstore, and I
was alone.