Author's note – OK, so the situation with my friends has slightly improved.
I still have three friends, who decided not to take sides, which is good.
And apparently, there is a chance that everyone else will forgive me. So,
if all goes well I'll be responding to reviews for this chapter!
I stood nervously at the alter, waiting for Abby. She was beautiful. Each step she took was in time with the beat of my heart. Everything was going in slow motion. Her eyes were shining and she looked as nervous as I was. But I knew we'd be OK. So we've had our problems. Who cares? As John Lennon once said, "All you need is love."
When Abby reached the alter I took her hand, my eyes never leaving her face. The minister started to speak but I didn't hear a word he said. I just gazed in Abby's eyes and I could feel myself drowning in them. I was pulled back out only when I heard my name.
"Do you, John, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long as you both shall live?"
I opened my mouth to answer but I couldn't make a sound. Abby bit her lip and I knew she thought I was going to back out. But that wasn't it. Everything I'd ever wanted was right in front of me and I was scared shitless. I licked my lips, swallowed, and tried again. "I do."
Abby let out a sigh of relief as the minister turned to her. "And do you, Abigail, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"
Abby smiled. Of all the different smiles she had, this one was my favorite. It wasn't a full out grin but just a slight smile, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly. But her eyes – when she smiled like this, her eyes just lit up and you could see that she was truly happy. I loved that smile because I loved knowing that I had made her as happy as she had made me.
"I do," Abby said, her smile slowly becoming wider.
"Now, with the power vested in, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
I put my hands on Abby's waist and kissed her gently but she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me to her, kissing me fervently. When we broke apart I grinned at her. "I love you, Mrs. Carter," I said.
She grinned. "That's Dr. Carter to you," she said. The she frowned. "We're both gonna be Dr. Carter," she said. "Everyone will get confused."
I shrugged, my arms still wrapped around her. "Well, they'll just have to deal with it, won't they?" I kissed her again, silently thanking God that he'd finally given me the one thing I'd always wanted. Love.
*************************************
"I can't believe we're married," I said. We were lying together on the sand in front of a little house on a remote beach in Aruba.
"Me neither," Abby said, rolling onto her stomach and kissing my bare chest. "So are we gonna swimming, or what?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.
I laughed. "It's almost midnight."
"So?" Abby said, lightly running her finger down to the waist of my swimming trunks. She ran her finger underneath the elastic band. "Come on," she said, leaning in for a kiss. "Please." She stuck out her lower lip and batted her eyelashes.
I smiled. "OK," I said. "But I have to warn you . . .the water looks kinda rough and that little suit you're wearing might not stay on too long."
Abby reached behind her and pulled the string on her bikini top. "You've got that right," she said.
I stood up and helped her to her feet, then led her to the edge of the water. "I love you," I said.
Abby smiled. "I love you too."
I stood nervously at the alter, waiting for Abby. She was beautiful. Each step she took was in time with the beat of my heart. Everything was going in slow motion. Her eyes were shining and she looked as nervous as I was. But I knew we'd be OK. So we've had our problems. Who cares? As John Lennon once said, "All you need is love."
When Abby reached the alter I took her hand, my eyes never leaving her face. The minister started to speak but I didn't hear a word he said. I just gazed in Abby's eyes and I could feel myself drowning in them. I was pulled back out only when I heard my name.
"Do you, John, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long as you both shall live?"
I opened my mouth to answer but I couldn't make a sound. Abby bit her lip and I knew she thought I was going to back out. But that wasn't it. Everything I'd ever wanted was right in front of me and I was scared shitless. I licked my lips, swallowed, and tried again. "I do."
Abby let out a sigh of relief as the minister turned to her. "And do you, Abigail, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"
Abby smiled. Of all the different smiles she had, this one was my favorite. It wasn't a full out grin but just a slight smile, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly. But her eyes – when she smiled like this, her eyes just lit up and you could see that she was truly happy. I loved that smile because I loved knowing that I had made her as happy as she had made me.
"I do," Abby said, her smile slowly becoming wider.
"Now, with the power vested in, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
I put my hands on Abby's waist and kissed her gently but she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me to her, kissing me fervently. When we broke apart I grinned at her. "I love you, Mrs. Carter," I said.
She grinned. "That's Dr. Carter to you," she said. The she frowned. "We're both gonna be Dr. Carter," she said. "Everyone will get confused."
I shrugged, my arms still wrapped around her. "Well, they'll just have to deal with it, won't they?" I kissed her again, silently thanking God that he'd finally given me the one thing I'd always wanted. Love.
*************************************
"I can't believe we're married," I said. We were lying together on the sand in front of a little house on a remote beach in Aruba.
"Me neither," Abby said, rolling onto her stomach and kissing my bare chest. "So are we gonna swimming, or what?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.
I laughed. "It's almost midnight."
"So?" Abby said, lightly running her finger down to the waist of my swimming trunks. She ran her finger underneath the elastic band. "Come on," she said, leaning in for a kiss. "Please." She stuck out her lower lip and batted her eyelashes.
I smiled. "OK," I said. "But I have to warn you . . .the water looks kinda rough and that little suit you're wearing might not stay on too long."
Abby reached behind her and pulled the string on her bikini top. "You've got that right," she said.
I stood up and helped her to her feet, then led her to the edge of the water. "I love you," I said.
Abby smiled. "I love you too."
