"As I love you, my darling." Pulling her flush against my body, I kissed her until we both were getting dizzy from lack of oxygen.
With ragged breaths we both said, "I love you." Then I walked out of the room to get ready.
After I was dressed the guys all saw the jewelry Roza asked me to wear. "Dimitri why are you wearing a bracelet and a necklace? I mean don't get me wrong it all looks great together, I'm just wondering." Mason said.
"Simple, Roza asked me to and I'll do anything to make her happy."
"Dude you are so whipped." Chris said.
I looked at him and asked with a raised eyebrow, "are you going stand there, and to try and tell me. That if Lissa asked you to wear jewelry, you wouldn't do it?"
"Now wait a minute, I didn't say that. I would do whatever it takes to make my princess happy."
"And you said he was whipped, dude your just as bad." Eddie said.
Christian and I turned to him and I said, "so are you, if Mia asked it of you, you would do the same."
He begrudgingly admitted, "yea, I know. All three of us would do whatever it took to make our women happy."
Adrian and Mason laughed at the three of us. "If I were you two, I wouldn't laugh. Adrian, I've seen the way you look at my baby sister Victoria."
He gulped and said in a squeaky voice, "you saw that?" I grinned and nodded at him. "I'm sorry dude but she's just so…so…hell I don't even know. But she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, I would gladly throw myself in front of her if anything or anyone ever tried to hurt her."
I clasped him on the shoulder and said, "Adrian, my friend, that is what is called love." I told him, both Christian and Eddie nodded their agreement. "Plus Roza and I can see it in your aura's."
"Are you saying she feels the same way?!" He asked excitedly. I just smiled at him and watched him jump into the air and pump his arms screaming, "Yes, yes, yes!"
"Now I'm the odd man out." Mason said dejectedly.
"Don't worry Mason, Roza and I know who your soulmate is. We've already met her, and you will before long. But you need to be very careful with her, she is younger than you by three years. I will give you a hint though, she goes to St. Vlad's"
"Three years you say?"
"Yes, but don't try to figure it out, because you will never guess who she is." I laughed. I know Roza is trying to figure out how to tell Lissa she has a little sister. "Ok, I'm ready. Sergei could you show me to the office I have something I need to do."
"Right this way."
He showed me to Abe's office and it was huge. It was also beautiful; I didn't know if Roza would ever be able to step foot inside without thinking of her father. But whether she could or not, it didn't matter because I will always be there for her. I will be her anchor in times of need, I will lift her up when she needs to be lifted up, I will carry her when she cannot stand. And I will love her for eternity, with every piece of me, heart, mind, body and soul. Sitting down I carried out my task, being sure to put the correct names on each of the envelopes. I know the only reason she was giving Kirova this, was because she looked into my memories, and saw what Ellen had said and done the day we left. The other guardians that she was gifting at St. Vlad's, had always treated her with love and respect, and this was the only way she knew how to return that. They had all had a hand in raising her and she loved them all, just as they did her.
After I finished addressing the envelops I put them in inside pocket of my tux jacket, and left the office. The time has finally come to make Roza my lawfully wedded wife. The guys and I all walked to the chapel, I stood at the alter with the priest, waiting on Roza's arrival. This not being a traditional wedding Roza had chosen to enter to the song 'I do' by Mark Wills, which I thought was an appropriate song for the occasion. Everyone was already in the chapel except Paul, Zoya, Roza and Janien. Every one of the woman looked beautiful, Lissa wore a pink one-shoulder long sleeve lace evening dress. Mia wore a royal blue sheath lace bateau cap sleeves evening dress. Tatiana wore a gold A-line high-neck short sleeve appliques evening dress. Yeva wore a sapphire blue A-line V-neck bowknot beading flower long evening dress. Sonya wore a burgundy jewel neckline column sleeveless appliques short formal dress. Karo wore a fuchsia A-line floor-length crystal lace evening, my mother wore an ice blue bateau A-line lace floor length evening dress. Vika wore a lavender A-line strapless sequin long evening dress. Suddenly the door open and there stood Paul in a three-piece gray suit. As he walked down the aisle he carried a small silk pillow with our wedding rings tied to it. Behind him was my niece Zoya, she wore an Ivory sheer back lace bowknot short flower girl dress. But instead of just throwing the rose petals, she bent over and placed them on the floor, which was so adorable. Anyone could see that she would do anything for aun Wosie, because she loved Roza so much, and Roza adored Zoya, just as she does Paul. Behind her stood my future mother in law wearing a peach colored A-line V-neck beading ruched floor-length evening dress. I watched as she held her hand out stretched to the side, I assumed it was for my Roza to take so she could walk her down the aisle. I saw my sister Karo taking pictures of everything and everyone.
I saw my Roza take her mother's hand, but I still could not see the love of my life. Then there she stood, the most magnificent and beautiful creature God would ever be able to bless this world with. She stood there a moment, looking directly into my eyes, she was so beautiful I couldn't breathe. All I could do is stand there gasping with my mouth hanging open, until I felt Adrian slap me on the back, as everyone laughed. "My God you are glorious Roza." Then I smiled at her. I watched her walk down the aisle in an aqua colored one shoulder sheath beading sweep evening dress. With crystals in swirling designs along one side of her rib cage, and a splint from the bottom of her dress all the way up to about two inches above her knee. She looked like the total fucking goddess she is.
Just before Janien placed Roza's hand in mine I heard Abe say, "you better always treat my daughter like the queen she is, Dimitri. Or I will haunt your ass for eternity. Do you understand?"
Without taking my eyes from my beautiful Roza I replied. "Yes sir. She will never need or want for anything as long as it is within my power to grant. I will cherish her like the rarest jewel God will ever create, because to me that is exactly what she is. She and our children will be the best treated and most loved and looked after people on this planet. I promise you that with all my heart Abe and Janien."
I felt Abe pat me on the shoulder, "you have my blessings son."
"Thank you." Then Janien finally placed Roza's hand in mine and nodded, letting me know I had her blessings as well. "You are so beautiful my angel; I love you with everything I am."
"As I love you Dimi." As Janien sat down Roza and I turned to the priest.
"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to unite Dimitri Alexie Belikov and Rosemarie Marsalis Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov in holy matrimony. The bride and groom have selected personal vows to be spoken. Dimitri, please speak your vows now."
"I Dimitri Alexie Belikov, take you Rosemarie Marsalis Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov, to be my wife, loving you now and as you grow and develop into all that God intends. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart; when our lives are at peace and when they are in turmoil; in times of rest and in times of work. I will honor your goals and dreams and help you to fulfill them. From the depth of my being, I will seek to be open and honest with you. I say these things believing that God is in the midst of them all. And finally I love as no other has ever loved another my Roza." I just had to throw that last bit in there to personalize our vows.
"Rosemarie, please speak your vows now."
(RPOV)
"I Rosemarie Marsalis Hathaway Mazur Ivashkov, take you Dimitri Alexie Belikov, to be my husband, loving you now and as you grow and develop into all that God intends. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart; when our lives are at peace and when they are in turmoil; in times of rest and in times of work. I will honor your goals and dreams and help you to fulfill them. From the depth of my being, I will seek to be open and honest with you. I say these things believing that God is in the midst of them all. I love you as no other has ever loved another my Comrade." When I said my Comrade, Dimitri smiled one of his once all too rare smiles, that sent my heart beat racing into over drive, just as they always have.
"By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride Dimitri." And oh boy did he, he kissed me passionately while dipping me almost to the floor. Without ever breaking our kiss, then slowly brought us back up into a standing position. Looking at the guests the priest said, "May I present Mr. and Mrs. Dimitri and Rose Belikov." The announcement was followed by cheers, screams of joy and tears. Everyone congratulated us at once, with our new senses we could pick out what each person said and responded to each appropriately.
(DPOV)
Rose spoke up, "everyone please listen. Since we have no need of wedding gifts, we have decided to give rather than receive. Please, when we call your name come up here." Everyone sat back down.
"Also, please do not open these until everyone has theirs and do be careful opening them." I said. "My wife would you like to call out the names?"
"How about we take turns."
"Sounds good to me, I put those not present on the bottom." I whispered the last part, she smiled and nodded to me.
"You go first my darling."
"Very well, mama please come up here." My mother stood up and walked to us. "This is a gift from Roza and I, we would like to thank you for everything you have ever done for everyone we care about." I handed my mother the envelope.
"Mama, I want to thank you for raising my Dimi into the man he is today. Your thoughtfulness and love, taught him to be the kind, loving and amazing man he is today. So thank you so much for my soulmate." Mama hugged my Roza and returned to her seat.
"Mom, please come up here." Janien stepped out of the pew and walked up to us. "This is a gift to you from Dimi and I, we would like to thank you for everything you've ever done for everyone in the world. I would personally like to thank you for sending me to the academy." She and everyone except Dimitri looked shocked. "If you had not done that, I may not have met my soulmate, so I thank you." I hugged her, as I saw tears in her eyes.
"Janien, I would also like to thank you, for sending my Roza to the academy. It was very difficult for her, sometimes painfully so, but thanks to your decision we found each other, so thank you." Her tears fell then, as she returned to her seat.
"Lissa." She made her way to us and hugged us both. "Lissa, I want to thank you for bringing my soulmate back from the dead. I have no idea where I would be today without her, and I never want to find out. So thank you sister in law, for returning my Roza's very precious life." I hugged her this time.
(RPOV)
"Liss, as Dimi said if it weren't for you we may not have ever met. You not only brought me back to life, but with you I ran away from St. Vlad's, causing them to send Dimitri after us. Which is the best thing that could have ever happened to me, so thank you so much sis. I love you."
Hugging me again she said, "I love you too sis." And she cried too.
"Karo…thank you so much for being a wonderful big sister, and helping guide me in my times of greatest sorrow and difficulty. I love you sister."
"Karo, thank you for everything you've ever done to help make Dimitri into the man he is. The husband he has become and the father he will become." Dimitri handed her the envelope.
"Mia, thank you for turning from enemy into great friend I love you."
"Mia, when you first met my Roza. I quite honestly, wanted to shove you off a building," everyone laughed. "because of the things you said and did that caused her worry and pain. But you have both grown into amazing women over this year. And I personally would like to thank you for busting that water tank in Spokane. And helping to save the life of my one and only love, my Roza." He hugged her, then handed her then envelope.
On and on this went until everyone had their envelops and were once again seated. "Pasha, ZoZo be very very careful when you open yours ok?"
They nodded and said "yes aunt Roza" well Pasha did.
ZoZo said, "k aun Wosie."
"Alright everyone open them up." Dimitri and I watched in amusement at the faces of everyone as they saw what was in the envelopes. Dimitri stood behind me with his arms around my waist, his hands resting on my stomach and his chin on my shoulder.
There were gasps from everyone, and tears from more than a few, as they all tried to return the checks. But Dimitri reminded them they were of no use to anyone except the person they were already made out too.
"Karo, Sonya those checks will hopefully help towards the kid's future education and anything else you wish to use them for. Vik, you can finish your education at St. Basil's, if you wish, but you can't become a promised guardian. Therefore, we were hoping that check could help you with whatever you choose to do with your future. Be it college or your own business, it doesn't matter to us, as long as you are happy. That goes for all of you, we didn't do this for thanks or praise. We did it to help with your futures and your happiness." Everyone came up and hugged us again and again thanked us. "Let's go to the reception. Sergei can you get that shown into the cells as well?"
"Of course Rose." He got on his earpiece and did whatever he needed to do then gave us the thumbs up. Everyone left the chapel and proceeded to the dining room where the reception had been set up.