When the morning comes

25 | woven like woolen socks

You stayed quiet, I was used to the trait. You smiled at the ground, played with your fingers. Eventually, you took a folded paper out of the back pockets of your trousers. "Your Papà.. he told me about.. the Italian, kinda new, tradition of a groom and a bride.." You hesitated, and I teared up.

The way you invested in me. In my roots. It all proved the amount of love you had and still have for me.

"Aurora, my love.." Your hands were shaking. You read your vow word by word, looked up at me, smiled, mentioned you had to pee and ended your vow with; yours only, Zev.

"I cannot wait to call you my man." I whispered, as the tears streamed down my face. I stretched out my hand again, a moment later, you climbed up the downspout with a guitar on your back, stood on the roof of the annex, and gently held my hand.

You gave me another present. An acoustic, Italian love song. You had learned all of the words. Your pronunciation was funny, extremely off with some words, but the sweetest I'd ever heard. It was the first Italian song I'd ever let you listen to.

We exchanged a soft kiss on the lips and I told you to wait. It was fifteen minutes later when I finished knitting the socks, and you still stood on the exact same place, waiting for me. With all the patience you had. I handed you my gift. "Wear those on our wedding, please, amore. I promised you warm socks on your feet on our first date."

You laughed, admired the socks. "The Sound Of Music theme?" Tiny edelweisses.

I had smiled at you. Nodded.

We exchanged another kiss and you went back home, so we could both get some sleep before our big day.

I first saw you at the ceremony. Our mothers had decorated the old barn with eucalyptus, jute twine and ochre yellow and rust brown candles. Edelweisses laid on some chairs, white balloons hung on the ceiling, and wooden benches and chairs were scattered in the area. The doors of the barn would be open behind the place we would stand at for our ceremony. Through the open wooden door, we could see the meadows full of flowers. The one I'd start to love so much, after.

Soft music started playing. Papà held my hand, cried silent but happy tears when the door opened and he brought me inside. Beforehand, I had imagined saying hello to my friends and family I hadn't seen yet, but when my eyes had landed onto you, I couldn't look anywhere else.

Zev, my man. My heart bursted right there. It was too full of love. Emotions. The feelings you gave me. And when I think back, when I look at you now, playing a cow for Benjamin so he can catch you, my heart is only fuller, and will be fuller by tomorrow.

You wore a checkered Italian wedding suit, dark, with rust brown, something I hadn't expected, yet fitted you so extremely well. I wore a simple, elegant, vintage dress. Our eyes had met. Tears started rolling down our cheeks. You stood there, so timid, so gentle, so you. If it wasn't for the traditions, I would've ran all the way over to you, screamed out a yes and dragged you all the way to Italy so we could finally become one, physically and mentally, too. And not only formally.

Papà gave my hand to you, and you took it so gently. Brushed your fingers over my knuckles and whispered how beautiful I looked. I told you the same, smelled your cologne. Even Teddy had tears in his eyes when he looked at you. It softened the pain that appeared when you had told me your father hadn't reacted to your invitation, and wasn't here.

The ceremony had started, first we got married for the legal, civil registration, after a long speech he asked us the questions we had both longed to hear.

"Zevediah Malin, what is your answer?"

"I call upon these persons, here present, to witness that I, Zevediah Malin, do take thee Aurora Giulia Moretti, to be my lawful wedded wife." Your voice was hoarse. Cracked almost by the intensity of the atmosphere and emotions.