Awakening

Chapter 39

"Celebration of past and present"

"This is so unlike me..."

"What is that, my love?"

"Is like I have been a voluntary guest at my own wedding..."

"I still don't understand."

"I was supposed to be behind every single detail of my wedding, the planning and the organization... designing the schedule for when to do what, or at least have a thought on it... and I am now here, unsure of the next step, uncertain of how I got here..."

"Our love is not something planned, everything was unexpected, new and exciting... it seems to me, Elaine and Vanessa both have more experience at knowing your tastes and planning events... so you shouldn't be feeling bad about this, rather just enjoy it."

She smiled and leaned to kiss his arm, looking up at him. In response, he smiled tenderly and kissed her forehead.

They were sitting together at a round table with other people, right in the middle of the garden, and surrounded by other round tables with the guests. At the center of the table, a simple but elegant flower bouquet with white calla lilies and rare deep red orchids. In the middle of the flowers, a single crystal wing coming out and pointing up.

Elaine was talking to some of the guests, she seemed to know everyone who attended, and even though she offered Caliope some introductions to them, she kindly refused it, admitting to be too nervous to be able to remember their names or faces until the final celebration was done.

As Maxwell approached to the main table, Caliope stood up, walked to him and gave him a hug. People were smiling and a little surprised as she did this, but she didn't cared "Thank you... you did an amazing job making my heart swell with emotions..." It was true, even tho he looked younger than her, he acted almost like a father, caring for her and wanting her happiness just as much as Elaine and Pronab; she felt how honest his feelings and his emotions were. He smiled "I am very happy that everything was of your taste..."

"I can't even begin to describe... perhaps in another time you will let me know how you did it... and why?"

Maxwell chuckled "Oh, now that would be a story to tell..."

She felt Amra as his hand gently rested now on her hip, he pulled her close to him almost possessively; she knew he wasn't jealous of Maxwell, she smiled as she felt just how simple were his love demonstrations "We both thank you, for everything."

Elaine joined them and the guests around faced them and went silent. She took a glass of wine and lifted it up for a toast. Caliope stepped back with Amra and squeezed his hand. "I want to personally thank each and everyone one of you for making it in such short notice; I know neither the time nor the location was easy for some of you, but you made it nonetheless. This event is unique in its kind and time; we are celebrating a union so special and so important, it was meant to be shared. We all know how special it is to find our partners, our companions; we did not expect our very own Amrafel would find his in our earth, under these extreme circumstances. But he did, in the most unexpected way, and it has blessed us all greatly. In his own words, finding her gave him the reason to push him further, to guide him to accomplish his mission here beyond any other reason... I am perhaps, besides Amra himself, the most touched person by this union... I truly felt their unusual connection from the start, and witnessed every change in both of them since they've met... She arrived to our lives to stay, and she is becoming tonight, one of us... So let's toast for their union, their love and what it symbolizes to all of us."

The silence was deafening yet everyone lifted their glasses and smiled; it was a simple, educated gesture. "Now, let's enjoy this particular and interesting choice of food made specific for this occasion..."