And I can’t wait.
As I reach the altar, he takes my hand and helps me up so that I’m facing him. It feels like it’s just the two of us here, even though there are at least a hundred guests in the church. But I only care about Leo being here. The rest are just white noise to me. It’s been that way ever since I met him.
And today, he looks so damn good. I’m used to seeing him dressed well in his pressed suits, but today, he looks even better somehow. I can’t believe this handsome hunk of a man is going to be mine. My husband.
“You look so beautiful,” he growls as he lifts my veil away from my face. I’m smiling so much that my cheeks are hurting. My heart is so full of love that it feels like it can’t get any better than this, but I’ve felt that way before, and he ups his game every single time. He’s proven to me over and over again that he’s incapable of giving me anything, but pure joy.
“I can’t believe we’re finally here,” I whisper to him.
He reaches out to take my hand.
“This is everything I ever wanted,” he says. “We’re going to be so happy.”
I squeeze his hand, feeling elation taking over my entire body. This is how it should be. This is what love truly is. And once we’re married, we’re locking this love in forever. When I make my vows today, I’ll mean every single word.
Till death do us part.
I get lost in his eyes until it’s time for us to say our vows. I’ve prepared something to say, but I don’t have notecards. It’s coming straight from the heart. I take a deep breath as I smile at my man.
“Leo, we’ve been through so much in this last month. I’ve gone from thinking being with you is impossible to standing here at the altar with you. And now is my chance to tell you what that means to me. I’ve felt alone in this world for such a long time. When I came to your home as your maid, I did so knowing that there was nothing else for me out in the world. I planned to only stay a while, get some money and find my feet in the world. I thought I’d be out of there before long, living my life. But as it turns out I found my life in your home, with you.”
I hear the audience awwing, but I’m stuck in the moment, staring deep into Leo’s eyes. If I had my way, this speech would be for his ears only, because these words are crafted from my love for him. Still, this is a way to show the world, my love. Our love.
“From the moment we met, I wanted to be with you. You intrigued me, and then you enticed me, and then you came to love me. Now, we’re here and it feels crazy to me. Only months of loving you took place before we even came together yet it felt like an eternity. And now, we’re planning a future together. When I think about what’s in store it excites me beyond words. It scares me too, sometimes. I’m scared that I won’t be a good wife or a good mother…”
“You will,” Leo growls in reassurance. “Of course you will…”
I smile back at him. “I hope so. And if I am, it’ll only be because I have you by my side, guiding me along the way. You’re my wisdom, my balance, my heart. Even when life becomes unpredictable, you’re right here with me showing me the way. I love you so much for that. It’s easy to get lost in this world but as long as your hand is in mine, I’m happy to brave the unknown.”
There’s not a dry eye in the church. I feel moved myself, close to tears because I’m just so damn happy. This is everything I wanted and more. Leo squeezes my hand.
“You’re amazing,” he says. I watch as he takes his vows out of his pocket. I know this isn’t his thing. He’s so much better with gestures than he is with words, but I know he’s put his heart and soul into these vows.
He clears his throat.
“Life has been hard lately. I lost my father recently, as you know, and it feels like I haven’t fully grieved yet for the loss of him. Last month, I found out that he wanted me to marry, and he gave me an ultimatum...marry the love of my life or lose my inheritance. It was a strange request from my dad, but I learned today why he wanted me to do it. It’s because he saw the love I had for you, and he wanted me to act upon it. He wanted me to take my chance with you.”