Southern Sunrise (Southern 4)

“Let’s get this over with,” I say, grabbing the flowers and then walking to the door.

“That’s so romantic,” Chelsea says. “What everyone always wants to hear. Let’s get this thing over with.” All I do is glare at her, and she looks at me. “I can’t wait to have normal Emily back.”

I laugh now, and when I stand outside the closed door, I hear the pianist start to play, and then the door opens, and I look down the aisle at him wearing a suit with his hands in front of him, and his face breaks out into a smile. I start walking down the aisle, and all I can do is look at him. When I finally make it down the aisle, he grabs my hand and brings it to his mouth. “You look amazing,” he says, “but you could have tripped.”

“Shut up,” I say. “Don’t ruin this for me or so help me God …” Leaning into him, I say, “I’ll say no.”

I glare at him, and he just laughs at me, grabbing my face in his hands. “You wouldn’t dare, Sunrise,” he says, kissing my lips.

“Well, it seems that we have gotten a little bit off of the path,” the preacher says, making everyone laugh. I hand my bouquet to Jenna, who just smiles at me through her tears.

“Now, shall we start at the beginning?”

“Yes,” Ethan says, and he holds my hand the whole time. I don’t even hear all the things he says because I’m too busy looking over at Ethan. He is still the handsome boy I fell in love with under the stars—the boy who waited until I was fifteen before he kissed me.

“I’ve been told that Ethan and Emily will say their own vows,” the preacher says, and he tells us to face each other and hold hands. “Emily.” I smile at him and then look at Ethan.

“Ethan,” I say, suddenly nervous. “My Ethan.” I look into his blue eyes, and all I can do is feel loved. “I knew I loved you when I was fifteen years old, and I snuck out of my house to watch the sunrise with you. I knew lying there looking up at the stars that I wanted you to be with me forever. When we would see stars flying through the sky, and you would tell me to make a wish, it would always be the same thing. To always be with you.” A tear comes out of my eye, and he lets my hand go to wipe it away with his thumb. “Thank you for loving me with everything you are. Thank you for loving our child to the point of driving me insane. Thank you for being you, thank you for choosing me to walk beside you for the rest of our lives. Thank you for giving me the best life anyone could ask for.” I smile at him, and he leans forward and kisses me softly.

“Sorry,” he tells the preacher. “I don’t like it when she cries.”

“You are forgiven,” the preacher says. “Now it’s your turn.”

“Emily,” he says, “Sunrise …” I look down and then up again. “I don’t know where to start, so I’m going to start at the beginning. Asking you to be my girlfriend was the best thing I ever did.” I can’t help but smile. “Falling in love with you came so easy. I didn’t even know it was happening until one day I looked over at you and my heart skipped a beat, and I knew I could never be without you. My body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. They are all yours. Everything.” He sheds a tear, and it’s my turn to wipe it away. “Everything that I am is because I want to be that better person for you. I am going to hold your hand every single morning when we watch the sunrise. I’m going to wipe away your tears when you cry. I’m going to hold you up when you fall. I am going to hold you in my arms every single night while we sleep. I belong to you, my heart belongs to you in this life, in our past life, and in our next life, it will always be you.” He comes to me and kisses me and then looks over at the preacher. “She’s my wife now.”

“Not yet,” he tells him. “You have to exchange rings. Emily, place the ring on Ethan’s finger and repeat after me.”

He says the words, and I repeat after him. “I give you this ring as a token of my love, and I promise that from this day forward, I will love you, honor you, and cherish you, in sickness and in health for all of the days of our lives.” I slide the ring down his finger, and he smiles big, then he takes my hand and repeats after the preacher.