Once Broken

Chapter 55

Daniel POV
11 months later...
    This was probably the scariest day of my life. The most nerve racking and intense experience I'd gone through, one I never thought would be this hard.... my wedding day. This was it, the day I was marrying Nicole. The day she and I would be united as one, and live as husband and wife.
    In any daydreams I'd ever had, I always pictured the wedding being calm, collected, and beautiful. Although it was a beautiful scene, as we were having the ceremony at a quiet beachside, it was everything but calm and collected. The moments leading up the ceremony was filled with hectic running around to find people, get them to seats, make sure everyone knew their role and what they were going to do.
    "No! You are supposed to throw the flower pedals out GRADUALLY, not all at once!" I heard Nicole yet to what I assumed to be our innocent flower girl.
     Nicole seemed like a nervous wreck, and she seemed very tense, and this was the 4th time so far she had scolded the poor flower girl, and maybe the thousandth time she'd yelled at any of the people involved in our wedding. Every time this happened I would get up and walk over, gently putting my hand on her side. She'd turn to look at me angrily, but once she say my look of 'it's okay', she'd let out a heavy sigh and calm down.
     It came time for her and her bridesmaids as well as the maid of honor to go into a private room and talk to each other.
    Chris, Paul, and pastor Joey, Leo, and 3 other guys I'd gone to high school with, all huddled together by the place where we were having the wedding. We went over all the instructions again, making sure this would run perfectly. P.J patted my shoulder gently, giving me a weak smile, as he had hardly the energy to do this. Despite my telling him I could find a fill in, he insisted he could do it. Not wanting to argue with him, I allowed him do the ceremony.
     He went to his place back behind where everyone was sitting, and everyone else took their places. The organist started playing the wedding song, to which I started humming to myself, tapping my foot out of slight nervousness. The wedding started, and everything was going smoothly, nearly perfect. Yvonne, and some other close friends I had, sat on the side of the altar I'd be on, and others went to Nicole's side, as she had no close family or friends aside from me and other people associated with me. I went up first, standing at my place. The flower girls went down the isle, tossing the flower pedals as they went. Then the ring bearer came down. After this, the Nicole went up , being led by Joey, who was the stand in for the father who would walk her down the isle, being the substitute instead of her awful father. She stared at me the whole way up, looking rather nervous, yet happy, but I just gave her a reassuring smile and kept eye contact with her.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen were already up there in line, standing in the exact pose as the maid of honor, and the best man.
Once everyone was seated, Joey spread his arms out, like he was about to hug everyone at once, his white and green robe flowing gently in the breeze.
"Welcome everyone, to the bearing of witness in the union between Nicole Karade, and Daniel Falcor. I'm good friends with both of these two. And I will say, they are the purest of heart I've seen and officiated in a wedding in all my years of being a pastor. They weren't always this match made in heaven; Daniel was much less patient, and gentlemanly than he is now, and Nicole was more shy, and had a lot of baggage with her. They both worked hard to get where they are now. Of all my years. This is the marriage I'm most sure will stand the test of time. Now, for the readings."
Chris was the first to do his. He unfolded a piece of paper and looked down at it for a moment, then back up,
"I'm not one for public speaking, so bear with me. Ive been friends with Daniel since... well, forever. He is my brother, if not in blood then by spirit. I've seen him do stupid things, and I've seen him do things that were the bravest, and most stunning things. As for Nicole.. I've only known her as long as Daniel has. I was the second person to find her in one of Daniel's purchased cars, all ragged and scared. I never thought that someone who looked like that, would ever capture the heart of the once-brutal man that was Daniel. As I've said, I've seen Daniel do stupid things, and wonderful things.. being with nicole seems to be the best thing he's ever done."
I looked across to see Nicole sniffling a little. Even I was moved, as Chris wasn't a man of many words. Yet all of that was so true, and so amazing. Next to read was Alleah. This one I was interested to hear.
"Nicole is like my sister. Like Chris, I've only known her as long as Daniel has. I remembered when she first came, I was frightened for her when it came to Daniel, as he had no respect for anyone, and he had his eyes on her. I tried to keep him from hurting her, but he was persistent. Until the day Clarissa drove her to far and.. well... needless to say, that night I saw the cold stone shell that surrounded my brothers heart, become dust, and lead to a brother I hadn't seen in years. Nicole had many fears, and many things I thought that would haunt her for life, but she's strong. She's my sister, tried and true. I'm glad that these two together. Once broken, both of these two, can be repaired."
Nicole couldn't hold it any longer. Tears came down her face. I reached over and held her hand, rubbing it gently. She sniffled, and managed to stop the tears.
Now finally, was the time for the vows. I was going to let her go first, as I'm sure that she had only so long before the dam broke again, and even I was close to tears, She looked into my eyes, not bringing out anything to read. Her look was intense and determined.
"Daniel... these 2 years have been.. breathtaking. After the hell id experienced with my dad, and Jacob, I thought I'd never find true happiness, true love. I thought I was dammed to relive the torture of being alive there every day for the rest of my life. But that night.. the night I found myself spiraling into a new direction I never thought possible, I found the courage to run. I ended up in that car, and little did I know, that would be the beginning of this. My heaven. You showed me love, Daniel, you showed me happiness. And most importantly, you showed me that I was worth something. You've broken my barriers in the best way possible... And I can only hope I've even done a single percent to you of what you've done great to me..." I wrapped her in my arms, holding her close after this.
  
      "Before you came, I was angry, cold, dangerous, everything that I never had wanted to be. Before you came I thought I was happy with who I was, where I was at. But God I was wrong. You showed me the man I could be, the man I wanted to be, for you. To make you happy. Like Alleah said, I was, at that time, everything you rightfully didn't deserve. Even now, I still think at times you deserve better than who I am.. I vow to you now, I will always make you smile when things are going wrong, I will be there for you when you need me. And By the way.. you've done so, so much more than I have.. and I'll spend the rest of my life, trying to give you what you've given to me."

      "Do you, Daniel Falcor, take Nicole Karade, to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forth, to be faithful, until death do you part?"
    "I do." 
    "and Do you, Nicole Karade, take Daniel Falcor, to be your lawfully wedded husband from this day forth, to be faithful, until death do you part?"
    "I do."
     "Do you, Daniel Falcor, promise to be faithful, honest, no matter what. To respect, trust, help, and care for your wife; To share your life with her; And to comfort and care for her, in sickness and in health?"
    "I do."
     "Do you, Nicole Karade, promise to be faithful, honest, no matter what. To respect, trust, help, and care for your husband; To share your life with him; And to comfort and care for him, in sickness and in health?"
     "I do"
      "I now pronounce you Husband and wife... you may kiss the bride."
      I pulled her close to me by her waist, cuddling her for a moment, before pressing my lips to hers, passionately, giving her the most affection and love I possibly could. The people cheered. But all I could think and see, was her. My angel.