BONUS II.
❝ I do. ❞
king county, washington
february 23, 2013
IT WAS the day. The day that Leah Clearwater became Leah Lahote-Clearwater.
Standing in the middle of her hotel room, where her wedding dress laid spread out on the bed, Leah's nerves were eating away at her. Behind her stood Sue, Emily, and Aubrey. Each glancing at each other with concerned eyes.
"Hey Lee, you okay?" Aubrey walked over to her friend, placing a warm hand over her shoulder.
Leah seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in and jumped at the warm touch, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine... just nervous. And excited."
Aubrey's gentle smile helped her hands stop shaking which allowed her mind to focus on the task at hand: getting ready. With the help of her cousin and Aubrey, Leah was able to look as beautiful as she wanted on her wedding day. Looking in the mirror, she didn't recognize the person staring back at her. She was fully dressed, with a face full of makeup, and low heels on her feet.
"How do you feel?" Sue asked her daughter, smiling to ease her nerves.
Not taking her eyes off the mirror, Leah responded, "I feel beautiful..."
Emily walked over to stand beside her cousin, "You've always been beautiful Leah. The makeup and dress just highlight it even more."
"Thanks, Em."
"No problem Lee," Emily fixed her hair to keep it away from her face.
Inside Paul's hotel room, Josiah fixed the jacket of his tuxedo, making sure the cuffs were in place. His hands shook as he did this which caught his brother's attention who was fixing the tie of his suit― he was the best man after all.
"Nervous?" Paul asked, not taking his eyes off his reflection in the mirror.
Josiah sighed. "You can say that."
His brother chuckled, "It's going to be fine Jay. Both of you have been looking forward to this day since the day you proposed. And besides," this time Paul turned around to fully face his brother, "You two love each other."
Smiling, Josiah turned to look at himself in the mirror again, "Yeah we do."
"Well let's go," Paul grabbed his brother's arm, pulling him away from the mirror and to the bedroom door, "Let's get you married."
Josiah laughed, a wide smile on his face as they made their way out of the Seattle hotel.
***
The wedding ceremony and reception were to be held at Mount Peak Farm. Both Josiah and Leah had wanted their wedding and after-party to be outdoors: being raised surrounded by nature and all. With the perfect weather, closest friends and family gathered in one place, they couldn't ask for a more perfect day to tie the knot.
Standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for his bride, Josiah could not keep still. Feeling excited and anxious at the same time made the former soldier mess with his tuxedo cuffs and tie. Besides him stood his best man, Paul Lahote, and groomsmen: Liam, Seth, Samuel, Sam, and Jared. Opposite to them stood Leah's maid of honor, Emily, and bridesmaids: Aubrey, Nora, Paisley, Rachel, and Rebecca.
"Relax Jay," Liam spoke up, pulling his friend's hands away from fixing his tie for the sixth time.
"I'm trying," Josiah muttered, making his friends chuckle.
Their attention was taken as the piano began playing and the flower girl began walking down the aisle, pouring rose petals from her basket as she walked.
And at the sight of Leah, with her white dress and veil, walking down the aisle being led by Charlie Swan, Josiah's breath was knocked out of his lungs. Everything else seemed to fade away and a sense of complete bliss filled him to the bone at the sight of his beautiful, soon-to-be wife, Leah Clearwater. Holding back his tears, Josiah sent her a smile which she returned, lighting up the path in front of her.
Charlie handed Leah's hand over to Josiah, patting him on the shoulder before walking off to stand beside a crying Sue. Josiah's eyes never left the woman in front of him, his smile plastered on his face never faltering. Leah's dark brown eyes trailed all over her imprint's face, holding back the unshed tears that were building at the corner of her eyes― not wanting to ruin Aubrey and Emily's hard work.
Standing in front of the marriage officiant, both Leah and Josiah let out a sigh of contempt. They were finally here.
"Dearly Beloved and Honored Guests, we are gathered here today to join Josiah Eli Lahote and Leah Clearwater in the spiritual union of marriage."
At the word marriage, both lovers seemed to smile wider than they were before, not listening to the rest of the words the officiant had to say afterward. However, their attention was gathered again by the priest looking over at Josiah and saying, "Do you, Josiah Lahote, take this woman, Leah Clearwater, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?"
Without even hesitating Josiah answered, "I do."
Turning to face Leah this time the officiant repeated the words, "And do you, Leah Clearwater, take this man, Josiah Lahote, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do," Leah repeated. Each not once taking their eyes off the other.
"Josiah Lahote and Leah Clearwater will now exchange rings as a symbol of their love and commitment."
Ollie was then sent out with the rings attached to his collar, tongue sticking out of his tongue― the audience awed at the sight. Josiah rubbed his snout, "Good boy."
Taking the rings, Josiah said his vows first, "On this day I give you my heart, my promise for you that I will walk you with every step of our life. Wherever our journey leads us, in good times and in bad times. I will be with you forever: living, learning, and loving together forever."
He then slid the ring onto Leah's.
Grabbing the other ring, Leah said her vows, "I promise to love you without condition, to honor you each day. To laugh with you when you're happy, to support you when you're sad. To challenge you to be a better person, and allow you to do the same for me. To be your biggest fan and your ever-present listening audience."
She slid the ring onto Josiah's.
"By the authority vested in me by American Marriage Ministries and the State of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Gently lifting Leah's vail, Josiah grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her in. Their lips moved against each other, eyes closed in ecstasy. The cheers of the audience went deaf to their ears as they were too lost in the taste of each other and the rings sitting on their fingers that tied them together for the rest of their lives.
Guests danced on the dance floor at the sound of the music being played by the DJ while the bride and groom sat together at the main table; Josiah and Leah laughing at the weird dance moves they were seeing.
All of a sudden the music stopped and Liam's voice came over the speakers, "Can we please have the bride and groom on the dance floor for their first dance."
The audience cheered as Leah and Josiah made their way to the middle of the dance floor. Pulling her against his chest, Josiah wrapped his left arm around her waist while taking her left palm on his right.
"I've waited a hundred years
But I'd wait a million more for you"
Slowly moving from side to side, with Josiah's head buried against the crook of Leah's neck, they moved to the sound of the music playing. Leah kept her head placed on Josiah's chest, hearing his heart beating softly.
From the sidelines, Liam had a placid smile resting on his lips; Paul standing next to him with his arms wrapped around Rachel, a similar smile on his face.
"Your love is my turning page
Where only the sweetest words remain"
Tightening his grip slightly, Josiah pulled away, making Leah do so as well, to look at each other in the face. His eyes told her everything that he was feeling at the moment― the immense joy that was coursing through his veins.
"I feel like I'm dreaming..." Leah whispered, never breaking eye contact. Smiling, Josiah pulled her closer to him, "It's a dream come true."
"Though we're tethered to the story we must tell
When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well
With a whisper, we will tame the vicious seas
Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees"
Claps followed the end of the music from the audience, some yelling at the lovers to kiss, which they did; causing an uproar from the audience once again, making them laugh.
***
Sitting in the black SUV, designated driver in the front and the recently wedded in the back, the two lovers waved at the people goodbye. The guests cheering on the outside, waving them goodbye. Josiah made eye contact with his brother and best friend, both of them giving him thumbs up with smirking faces― making him roll his eyes. Leah watched Emily send her wink with Aubrey covering her mouth in shock, making the bride chuckle and wave.
On the drive to the airport, Josiah caressed his wife's hand, looking out the window to the night sky filled with stars. Leah had her head resting on her husband's shoulder, eyes closed with a peaceful expression on her face.