The Marriage Agreement

Chapter 10: I almost do 💍

"Okay, lets get started." The officiant said, stacking the papers together. "Do you, Tine Teepakorn, solemnly declare to take... Sarawat Guntithanon to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. Where did that come from? I thought we would only have to sign a few papers??!?!?

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and keep him for as long as you both shall live?" She continued.

Love him?

Cherish him?

Honor him?

Keep him?

For as long as I shall live? What the hell is this woman even talking about?

Mom, what did you force me into? I can't be doing this.

How the hell do I get actually, really married?

"Mr Teepakorn?" The marriage officiant called out my name again.

When the silence in the rather empty room of the city hall stretched on, I realised everybody was staring at me, including the man by my side.

Sarawat gave my hand a tiny squeeze and brought me back from the daze. Reminding me that I wasn't alone in doing this. I had decided to trust Sarawat and now I needed to follow through on that.

"I do." I answered with a smile so fake, you'd think I was crazy. And may be it was just my imagination but for a moment I saw Sarawat smile too.

"Do you, Sarawat Guntihanon, solemnly declare to take Tine Teepakorn to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love—"

"I do. I do." Sarawat answered.

"Okay. Please face each other for exchanging rings."

Sarawat fished into his pocket to take out the ring. I looked up to meet his eyes, but his attention was on the ring as he pulled my hand right up and rolled the ring on my finger.

And I-- I just stared at the ring. It was beautiful. It was a transparent ring with dried flower petals inside it and it was most definitely not the kind of ring I would ever expect Sarawat Guntithanon to pull out of his pocket. The feeling was alien and yet so, familiar.

"You said you liked flowers, not diamonds." He whispered.

"I like it." I said, realising that I couldn't help smiling. He said he'd remember it and he did remember it.

"Do you have a ring as well?" The officiant looked at me, forcing me to look away from Sarawat.

"I have the other ring too.." Sarawat said.

"No, I—I bought a ring.. for you.."

"You did?" Sarawat looked genuinely surprised.

I leaned in to whisper. "Well, its really not that great. It might not even fit. You don't have to wear it if you don't like it."

"I am sure I'll like it, Tine."

I took out the ring, and gently slid it on his ring finger, only to realise the ring was a bit lose.

"Fuck, it's a little big. Never mind" I muttered under my breath, trying to take the ring off his finger.

"No!" Sarawat pulled his hand away, still looking at the ring. "There's no need. Its perfect. Thank you."

"It doesn't fit. Its an old vintage ring anyway. You don't even have to it." I whispered. "I just — I just bought it because I thought we might need it here in court."