It was a bright and sunny day . . .
Ok, so it was raining like crazy outside. Just imagine the sky less cloudy and the clouds more.. sky-y? That's a word right?
Anyhow, this is the story about how I got to marry the most awesome girl ever.
~.~
Trembling hands, rapid-beating heart, and enough sweat to fill a swimming pool. When the future generations sing their epic tales of glory about me, I'd rather not have them know that the Awesome Maria P. Beilschmidt could get nervous.
But here I was, hiding in my room instead of getting ready for the wedding, and looking as if I'd hidden a body in the closet and was desperately hoping nobody would find out.
A knock on the door. Oh Gott, there it is. They're coming to say that she bailed on me, that I'm going to die alone, and I'll be known as the loneliest person who has ever lived. Maybe if I jump out of the window now, I can still avoid this.
"Maria, are you alright?" A gentle voice came from the door.
"Of course I'm alright! I'll just get some more Gilbrids to keep me company for the rest of my life!" I snapped at her whilst trying to decide on weather or not to smash through the window.
A few seconds of silence. "Maria, I'm coming in."
My head turned just in time to see Alice close the door behind her. I tried to crack my biggest smile but she wasn't buying it.
"I understand that you're nervous, but you have nothing to fear. In half an hour you'll be happily married and you will realize how silly it was to be nervous."
That calmed me down a bit. "Nervous? Who's nervous? Me? I'm not nervous."
"Come now Maria. I haven't seen you this nervous since you and Maddie asked me to perform the spell that granted you two your baby."
Part of me wanted to keep denying it, and state that someone as awesome as me couldn't get nervous. It's impossible for awesomeness and nervousness to mix. I kept glancing between Alice and the window. I could still make it. I could take off before she realized I was gone, and I'd be out of sight before she recovered enough to use magic.
"Maria?" she cautiously asked. She moved a few steps closer and I decided to throw the escape plan out the window. Heh, no pun intended.
I figured that since I didn't have any more escape plans that didn't involve knocking her out with a LOTR book, I might as well just spill the beans.
"I'm nervous." It flew out of my mouth before I could stop it.
"But why? You have absolutely nothing to be worried about."
"What if she doesn't show up?" I asked, and kept going before she could reply. "What if she was walking to the wedding, and a plane out of the sky and crushed her? Or, even worse, what if she decided that I'm not cool enough for her?"
"Don't worry, I saw her just a few minutes ago. Everything's fine and she's getting ready as well."
"Oh." Well, that eased the tension a bit.
"C'mon Maria, I sense there is more to it than that."
Damn, foiled again. Maybe I can still get to that book. Ironic, getting knocked out by the very thing that she made me read. No, focus.
"Fine, I admit, there's more to it."
Alice was about to say more but this seemed to shut her up. She looked at me, motioning me to go on.
"This day is perfect. I'm getting married to the girl I love and we have a kid to care for together, but after this, it will only start going downhill. Getting into W.A. Academy doesn't even come close to the joy that I would feel from getting married to Maddie, and that scares me." Yes, it's true, I used the s-word. Even the awesome me get scar-..., s-word sometimes. Pay attention to the story.
"Oh Maria, that's not tru-"
"IT IS TRUE! And that's the problem! How will we live together if every day with her will feel less awesome than the day that I got married to her?"
Alice seemed to reflect on this for a moment, and I could have sworn that she giggled under her breath. "Maria, what are your plans for the future after today?" She asked, cautiously.
"That's easy. Get into W.A. Academy, move in with Maddie, care for our little girl together-"
"There! That's what I'm looking for!" Alice suddenly exclaimed.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Maria, what does your kid mean to you?"
"She's the most important thing in my life right now. I mean, she's me and Maddie combined. She was awesome before she was even born!"
That's true you know. She is awesome. The way she giggles when you give her a raspberry. How she pouts and keeps pouting until you give her what she wants. That kid is destined for great things. One day they'll have to invent a competition worthy of her awesomeness.
I kept staring forward, lost in thought. Apparently Alice noticed because she gave me a slight nudge to get me focused on the matter at hand again.
"And what do you do when your kid is that important to you?"
"I don't know, you spend time with them, you support them in their choices and you watch over them like a good parent, I guess."
"That's exactly what I mean, Maria, think of all the great moments you'll share with her. Today is just the tip of the iceberg. After today you and your wife can look after your little girl together as a family."
She was right. The wedding was just the gateway to a life with Maddie and our little girl. While today was going to be perfect, our life together afterwards was going to get even perfecter. That's a word as well right?
I hesitated a bit. Admitting someone else is right never did quite fit for me. "I guess you're r-r... right."
"Of course I'm right! And by God, you're going out there even if I have to drag you with me. Besides, everyone is out there waiting for you and Maddie to finally come to the altar." Alice replied with a slightly raised voice.
"Right, just help me get in that tux over there and I'll get ready!"
I look so cool in a tuxedo. Like John Wayne. NO! Like 007! They probably wouldn't have noticed if I did a few rolls and pretended to have a gun.
No, Beilschmidt! This isn't about you being awesome, it's about you and Maddie being awesome, together. Just keep walking down the aisle and you'll be fine.
I saw the officiator first. Strange how she looked so familiar, even though I'd never seen her before.
I tilted my head slightly to the left and there she was, looking as beautiful as always and smiling softly at me through her wedding veil. I spotted a hearty blush adorning the area around her cute freckles. I guess she was a bit nervous as well.
As I came to a standstill at the altar, I raised her veil and cast a loving glance at her face. One look at her and I forgot all about the quivering nervous mess I was just a few minutes before.
I nodded at the officiator to start the ceremony.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union between Maddie C. Williams and Maria P. Beilschmidt . The couple has written their own vows, who will begin?"
"I will!" I said, determined. "Maddie Willams, the day I first met you is the day that's etched in my memory forever. We saved the world together, we got to make lifelong friends and we met each other. From that day my love for you has only increased in size and in time I just had to let you know how I felt."
I stared into her eyes and kept going. "I couldn't have expected you to like me the way that you did. The day that you said yes, my heart didn't belong to me anymore, it was given to a better person. One who I knew would take care of it, and make sure to never break it."
I inched closer, restraining myself from touching her too soon. "Our love continued to grow as we went to our favorite nerd because we needed a hand in getting the daughter that to this day is the very symbol of our undying love for each other and for her. I'll forever stay loyal to you and only you. I stand here before you today, saying yes, I want to share my life with you. And it will be an awesome life, as long as we have each other."
A few choked sobs went through the crowd. Nobody would've expected that Maria, the same girl to not ever do anything girly, could speak with such love towards her partner.
The officiator motioned for Maddie to begin.
"Maria Beilschmidt, I can't say I could ever be happier than I am now, with you by my side, ready to start our life together. We've had our rough edges throughout our relationship, but keep on grinding those rough spots together, and they'll grow smoother than silk."
She smiled that smile of hers, and my knees grew weak. "The day Alice used that magic spell and I found out that I was pregnant with our daughter, I knew that I wanted to share my life with you, and nobody else but you. The pregnancy was hard, especially since it was magical and all that stuff. I half expected you to run off a few times... but you didn't. You stood by me, through everything that life threw at us. I can honestly say that I love you. That I'll keep on loving you, as long as the wind keeps blowing, and life keeps blooming. I stand here today, ready, to start our life together."
The few people who had managed to hold back their tears during my vows could no longer do so, and tissues were passed around rapidly upon hearing the warmth and love in Maddie's words.
"Please bring forth the rings," The officiator instructed.
Alfred -that's Maddie's twin brother- approached from the side, bearing the goofiest grin and the teariest eyes I've ever seen him with. He's holding the pillow with our rings. A Prussian Eagle and a Maple Leaf adorn the side of it.
He holds the pillow between me and Maddie as we get ready for the final part.
"Your words are true and your love is pure. Maria P. Beilschmidt, do you promise to stand by Maddie's side, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"
"I do," I respond as I slip my ring on her finger.
"Maddie C. Williams, do you promise to stand by Maria's side, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"
"I do," she responds as she slips her ring on my finger.
"Then, by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you wed. You may now kiss your bride."
And I did.
One kiss to seal the deal to a lifetime of happiness...