I glided across the floor as my ivory dress floated delicately above. The sun shone through the window, hitting my dress in just the right way to make it a glittery masterpiece. I looked like an angel, and felt like one too. But I wasn't one…yet. My father kissed my forehead. As his skin touched mine, I felt a tear; born in his eye and dying on my cheek.
"Don't cry, daddy."
"But I'm losing my sunshine." Another tear slipped down his cheek.
"You're not losing your sunshine; you're gaining an angel."
He hugged me tight, not wanting to let go. With my father by my side, I made my way down the white path, surrounded by those I love most. I was on cloud nine; I was in heaven. Angelic trumpets filled the room. The further down the path we went, the louder they became. Tears filled the room as I drifted away from my father, floating into his loving arms.
"You look beautiful." He smiled, admiring the dress he had never seen until that moment.
My heart stopped. He held my hand and miraculously my heart began beating again, in perfect sync with his. I looked into his eyes and just knew; this was where I was meant to be.
Our gaze broke as we looked toward the man cloaked in white; our hearts still in sync, our fingers still intertwined; his much bigger than mine, strong enough to make my delicate fingers feel safe.
The man stepped down to us, smiled, and opened a large book; the gold cover sparkling as a beam of sunlight hit it.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of this man and this woman in holy matrimony."
He and I once again looked into each other's eyes. Everyone was disappearing fast. We were left there, levitating on our own little cloud, our personal serenity; him in his tux and me in my gown. No strait-jackets or unlucky bunnies, no lectures on dead guys or demons of blue, just the priest and his book, reciting age old lines that held little meaning in our magical world. We both knew how much one meant to the other. I was his queen, and he was my angel.
With our cards on the table, we exchanged the words we'd waited years to say.
"I, Criss, take you, Chelsea, to be my wife; to have and to hold, for better or worse…in sickness and in health…until the end of time."
His words rang through my ears like beautiful bells. Now it was my turn to honor his request.
"I, Chelsea, take you, Criss, to be my husband; to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health…in times of danger and times of calm…I'm eternally yours."
The priest looked at us with a gleam in his eye.
"I now pronounce you man and wife."
As we kissed, I knew I had officially become an Angel, and not just any angel, but Mrs. Angel. He suggested I take his real last name, but I preferred his stage name. I didn't want to be a Sarantakos; I wanted to be an Angel.
I looked down at my ring. Inscribed on the side was his logo, the ever famous CA logo that was now officially ours. Doves soon circled us, as if arriving from the sleeves of the priest's cloak by a sleight of hand. The guests came back into view as we levitated above them, slowly returning down to earth. I turned from him to see my family. Tears of joy poured from their eyes as they met my embrace.
My father hugged me tight, not wanting to let go. "Welcome home…my angel."
With my father by my side, I turned to embrace my Angel. Only I couldn't. I scoured the sea of people, looking for his long raven hair, his Victorian style black tux, the handcuffed cross around his neck. He wasn't there. Was he still on cloud 9? Had he not come down with me? Did he go through some kind of metamorphosis and I just couldn't recognize him? Why wasn't he here? I hugged my father tighter as I cried into his shoulder. Unlike the others around me, these were not tears of joy. How could he do this to me? This was supposed to be the most special day of our lives. We were supposed to become one. Now were separated, and I was stuck in this horrible world of illusion.
Suddenly, as if by magic, I felt his presence, and a warmth on my finger. Once again, I looked down at my ring. The logo was still there, but, under the ring, against my skin felt like burning metal. Against my own will, I removed the ring. It was still hot in my hand.
My tears of loss changed to tears of joy. A sense of calm came over me. It wasn't much, but the new inscription meant everything.
Love Lives Forever.