Chapter 25
"Where are they?" I ask out loud as I pace the room I have been waiting in. The sun has already begun to set and still they have not arrived. Glancing at my pocket watch I see that they should have been here an hour ago. Perhaps Nadir has forgotten where the Girys live. That cannot be the reason for I am sure that if that were the case he would have come here in search of directions. What if Marie has changed her mind and decided not to wed me after all? But, if that were the case surely Madeline or Nadir would come tell me. What if something terrible has happened? What if they have been attacked or in an accident?
Just as I am about to retrieve my cloak and go searching for them I hear a carriage approaching. Hurrying to the window, I gaze down at the street below and watch as the brougham pulls in front of the cathedral. I am frozen to the spot as I watch to see whom it is the carriage has brought. Much to my relief the door opens and Nadir steps down. I quickly turn from the window and busy myself with Charles, not wishing to catch a glimpse of Marie in her wedding gown.
Waking Charles, I seat myself in the corner farthest from the window and offer the infant the bottle a nun had warmed for him and brought to the room a few minutes ago. He accepts it hungrily and I watch as he begins to devour the milk.
What could have possibly detained them for so long? Had Marie had a relapse? A light tap on my door interrupts my worrisome thoughts.
"Erik, it is I. May I come in please?" Nadir inquires.
"Most certainly," I say as I quickly open the door and motion for him to enter. "Where have you been? You are quite late, my friend," I question as soon as the door is closed once more.
"Forgive me, Erik, but, we encountered a slight problem on our way here," Nadir replies apologetically.
"What kind of problem?" I demand angrily, immediately concerned.
"You see, Erik, we were in a docile section of our journey here when a wheel on the carriage was broken when we hit a rut in the road. We had to wait for the driver to take one of the horses and ride ahead to fetch another brougham for us to continue on ahead while he had the wheel replaced," Nadir explains hurriedly, not wishing to anger me further.
"The fool should have been more careful. Where is he? I wish to have a word with him," I exclaim irrationally.
"It could not be avoided, Erik," Nadir says quickly, trying to avert any violence. "The snow hid it from plain view."
"Is everyone all right?" I ask, the logic of his words slowly replacing my anger with that of concern.
"Yes," Nadir replies simply.
"Are you certain?" I ask, knowing that they must have been jostled about when the wheel broke.
"Yes, my friend. I would not lie to you. The carriage we were in is rather well padded and prevented anyone from being injured," he says reassuringly.
"I am relieved to hear that," I say after a moment.
"Now that that is settled. I have a very anxious young lady awaiting your presence. I will take Charles and allow you a few minutes to gather your thoughts. I shall return shortly," Nadir says as he removes the infant from my arms and quickly leaves the room, leaving me to stare at the closed door.
Looking in the mirror my mind begins to wander as I adjust my clothing and smooth my hair wishing to look my best. This is it, I think to myself. The time has finally arrived for me to walk down the aisle. I have dreamt of this day for so long and now it is here. I have never been more nervous in my entire life. Will I even be able to speak when the time comes to recite my vows? What if she changes her mind at the last possible moment?
"Are you ready, Erik," Nadir calls, interrupting my troubled thoughts.
"I do not know, Nadir," I say as I open the door after a moment, my fears still plaguing my mind.
"What is troubling you, my friend," he asks as he enters the room and observes my paler than usual appearance.
"I do not know if I can go through with this," I admit reluctantly.
"Why?" he asks, concern showing in his voice.
"I am afraid that she will change her mind," I admit sheepishly.
"She loves you, Erik. She will not change her mind," he says reassuringly as he places a hand on my shoulder.
"What if I make a fool of myself? What if I find that I cannot speak when the time comes to do so?" I ask shakily.
"Your voice has never failed you and you will not make a fool of yourself. You are, after all, among friends who care about you. You have nothing to worry about," he says, trying to calm me.
"Are you sure, Nadir?" I question softly. "I have waited most of my life for this day and I do so wish for it to be perfect. I am afraid that this has all been just a wonderful dream and as soon as I leave the safety of this room that dream is going to vanish and I will find myself alone again. I do not wish to ever be alone again, Nadir, I could not live like that again," I admit, confessing my fears to my old friend.
"Erik, listen to me. Yes, you have waited entirely too long for this. But believe me, there is no one who is more deserving of the happiness that is awaiting you at the altar. Marie seems to have been put on this earth solely for you. She is your reward for all of the suffering you have had to tolerate your whole life. You will never be alone, Erik," he finishes adamantly.
I ponder his words a moment and as I think on them I feel myself becoming quite calm. Where would I be if it were not for my friend? He has always been my conscience… my link to sanity.
"You are quite right, Nadir," I say, having made up my mind that I am not about to let Marie slip through my fingers. "Thank you, my friend. Now, how do I look?"
"You, my friend, look like a man who is ready to say 'I do'," he says with a smile as he opens the door and motions me through.
Taking a deep breath I do as he wishes and leave the safety of the small room.
"Nadir?" I question suddenly as we walk down the brightly lit hall.
"Yes, Erik?" he replies, glancing in my direction.
"I have never attended a wedding before. How will I know what to do?" I ask, quickly becoming unsure of myself once again.
"Erik, it is rather simple. You, Meg, and I will stand at the altar. When the music begins to play, Madame Giry will walk Marie down the aisle to you. The priest will say his bit and prompt you when it is time for you and Marie to speak in turn. When it is all said and done he will tell you to kiss the bride and that is exactly what you are expected to do," Nadir explains carefully, trying not to laugh at my ignorance.
"I just wanted to be sure," I say defensively. "I have read of weddings and have seen them acted out in operas but I wanted to be sure that that is how they truly are performed."
"Of course, Erik. I can see where you would not wish to be ill informed on such an important matter," he says apologetically.
"I thought you would see it my way," I say sternly.
However, Nadir sees past my façade and replies, "I am glad to see you still have your sense of humor, my friend. Now, I do believe the time has come for you to be married," he says as we find ourselves at the altar where a very excited Meg has been waiting for us.
"I was beginning to worry, Erik," Meg says as we draw closer. "It has been quite some time since Nadir gave the word that he was going to fetch you. We were beginning to think that you had changed your mind."
"No, Meg, I have not changed my mind. It just took a little encouragement from Nadir that I was deserving of such a wonderful woman," I admit softly, not wishing to lie in such a holy place.
"I am glad that he was able to convince you… and I am sure that Marie is also relieved that you haven't changed your mind," Meg says with a smile.
"Are you ready to begin?" Father Renaulda says, seemingly appearing from out of thin air.
Taking a deep breath I give my reply. "Yes, Father Renaulda, please begin."
With an approving nod he signals for the organist to begin the wedding march. As the music begins to bellow forth from the pipe organ the large doors at the end of the aisle swing open as though of their own accord and my eyes are greeted with the most beautiful vision I have ever seen. I can do nothing but stare as Madeline and Marie make their way to the front of the aisle, both smiling brightly. Marie is simply breathtaking in her wedding gown. Her movements are quite graceful for as I watch her walking towards me I envision her as an angel floating to me… an angel sent from the heavens above. With that thought I recall the words Nadir spoke to me earlier. Could he have been correct? Had she been put on this earth solely for me?
When the music stops suddenly I am pulled back to reality… back to Marie standing before me, smiling happily as she waits for the priest to begin the ceremony. It is in that moment that I realize that this is not just a dream… that she will not change her mind… that she is truly mine!
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two people in holy matrimony," the priest begins and I quickly turn my attention to him. "Who gives this woman to be married?"
"I give this woman to be married," Madeline says as she places Marie's hand in mine and I turn to face Marie. The look on her face beneath the veil is one of shear joy and I find myself becoming lost in her eyes, no longer listening to the priest.
As it becomes time to exchange our vows I am so full of emotion that I can barely speak the words that I have longed to say to the woman I love. Finally getting past the lump in my throat I begin my pledge to Marie. "Marie, my love, I have spent my whole life searching for someone who could love me for who I am. When I had given up all hope of finding such a person to love me I found you. It seems that we have been bound together since the day that you were born. Could it be that fate links thee to me forever and a day? I love you more than anything, Marie, and I promise that I always will. I promise that I will protect you and provide for you and Charles for as long as I am able to draw breath into this body," I say passionately. The priest nods his approval before turning his gaze to Marie.
"Erik, my love, I have dreamed of you my whole life. When you found me I knew that my dreams had come true. I wish to remain by your side for the rest of our lives. I promise to never leave you. I promise to make your life all that you have wished for it to be... filled with happiness, children's laughter, and above all, love," Marie says with a sweet smile.
"The ring," Father Renaulda says softly, pulling my thoughts and my gaze from Marie's lovely face.
"Of course," I say, embarrassed by my lack of concentration. I reach into my pocket and pull out a small black box much like the one I had handed her the night I proposed. I open it slowly, revealing a gold wedding ring. There is a beautifully carved rose dominating the ring and set in the middle is a large diamond. Removing the ring from the box, I hold it up for her to see. "I give to you this ring as a symbol of my love for you," I say as I take her left hand in mine. "With this ring I thee wed," I say softly as I gingerly slid the ring into place.
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," Father Renaulda says with an approving smile.
I reluctantly release Marie's hand and slowly lift her veil. Leaning forward nervously, I press my lips to hers very gently. She wraps her arms around my neck and holds my lips to hers when I would have pulled away. After a moment she seems to remember where we are and reluctantly allows me to ease away from her. However, I do not move my arms from her waist.
"I love you, my wife," I whisper as I gaze down upon her radiant face, seeing a mixture of joy and happiness there.
"And I love you, my husband," she says breathlessly as her smile brightens even more than I had thought possible.
Oh, how I have longed to hear those words spoken to me.
"Congratulations, Erik," Nadir says as he places a hand on my shoulder, suddenly reminding me that we are not alone.
"Thank you, my friend," I say after a moment as I tear my gaze from Marie and turn to look at my old friend.
"Yes, Congratulations to the both of you," Meg says as she hurries to Marie's side with a pleased smile.
"Thank you," Marie and I both reply in unison, eliciting a giggle from Meg.
"I would also like to express my best wishes to the both of you," Madeline says as she moves to her daughter's side. "Now, if you would please, I wish to celebrate such a special day by inviting you for dinner at my humble home."
"We would be honored," I reply after exchanging a brief look with Marie, making sure that she is feeling up to it. After taking Charles from the nun, I wrap my arm about my wife and lead her down the aisle. Oh, how I have longed for this day... to finally hold both my wife and child in my arms. Granted, Charles is not mine by blood but I already love him as though he were.
"Nadir, would you care to join us?" Madeline asks as we make our way to the large doors of the cathedral where we will go our separate ways to retrieve our belongings before leaving.
"Thank you, Madame, I would like that very much," Nadir says, bowing formally as he accepts the invitation.
"Would you mind terribly if Marie and I took our own carriage back to your home?" I ask questioningly.
"But of course, Erik. The two of you should have your privacy. After all, I am sure there is much you need to discuss now that you are wed," Madeline replies as she casts a knowing glance in my direction. "Allow me to see to Charles while we make the journey to my home," she offers.
"Are you sure?" I question as I look to Marie for guidance.
"Yes, I am quite positive, Erik," Madeline replies determinedly.
"Thank you, Madeline," Marie replies as she motions for me to hand Charles to Madeline.
Why had I suggested that we ride separately? I chide myself as I reluctantly hand over the infant. I had planned on taking the child with us. Now that we are properly married there is no longer anything to prevent us from taking our love to the next level. However, a carriage is not where I would prefer to share such passions. At least with Charles present I could rest assured that our shared closeness could not advance that far. Now, with it being just the two of us it is hard to tell what might happen on our journey back to the Girys'.
"Erik, are you feeling well?" Marie asks softly, concern evident in her voice. Her question quickly pulls me from my troubled thoughts and I realize that everyone has left but Marie and myself.
"Forgive me, my dear," I begin smoothly. "Many things have happened today and I was simply overwhelmed with the realization that you and I are finally married," I say, not really lying to her. "I shall go fetch my cloak and hat and then we can be on our way," I add quickly.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. To save time I will go get mine while you are gone," Marie says with a smile as she turns to go retrieve her cloak as well.
Why am I so nervous? I ponder to myself as I make my way to the room I left my hat and cloak in. It is just a carriage ride with my wife. I must calm my foolish fears before I embarrass myself. The ride to the Girys' is not that long, after all... what could possible occur between the two of us in that amount of time?
"Erik, are you ready?" Marie calls from the doorway, pulling me from my worrisome thoughts and I realize that I have spent much too long on such a simple task.
"Yes, my love, I am ready," I say, forcing my voice not to tremble.
"Are you certain that you are feeling well?" she asks once again as I enter the hall, pulling the door closed behind me.
"Yes, I have never felt better," I say with a smile, recalling Nadir's words that there is nothing to worry about. Making up my mind to cease this torment and just allow what ever is meant to be to be, I wrap my arms about Marie and kiss her softly, reveling in the knowledge that this is my wife I am holding in my arms.
After a moment I raise my lips from hers and without a word lead her to the doors of the cathedral. Scooping her up into my arms, I carry her out into the night to the awaiting brougham where I gingerly set her on her feet with a feather soft kiss to her forehead.
"What was that all about?" Marie asks with a radiant smile.
"I simply felt the need to hold you in my arms," I reply as I open the door and offer her my hand. Taking it, she quickly climbs into the brougham and awaits me to join her. I am quite tempted to seat myself across from her but I know that she would only move to sit next to me... after all, it would not be proper not to sit next to my new wife.
"I love you, Erik," Marie says softly as she leans against my side, resting her head on my shoulder and wrapping her arms about my middle.
"I love you too, Marie," I say as I press a gentle kiss to her forehead and pull her closer against me.
Why had I feared this time alone with her? I wonder as I savor the feel of her so close. Last night I had almost lost her, but now... now she is my wife! It feels good to hold her like this and I am rather glad that Madeline insisted on taking Charles with her. Had Marie had this planned? I wonder suddenly, recalling Marie's response. If that is the case can I expect that Madeline will insist on keeping the child with her tonight? Perhaps a night without any interruptions would be for the best.
"I am so happy, Erik. I have dreamed of this day for a very long time," she says happily and I feel her shift against me, tilting her head back so that she can see my face.
"As have I, Marie," I say softly as I turn to face her more directly before lowering my lips to hers, no longer able to resist such contact. The kiss quickly turns from one of sweet promises to that of intense passion as we both silently express our feelings for one another.
After long moments of shared kisses I am suddenly aware that the carriage has come to a stop and I reluctantly ease away from Marie in order to see why we have stopped.
"Pardon me, Monsieur, but we have arrived," I hear the driver call from the front of the brougham.
Finding this hard to believe I part the curtain only to discover that we have indeed arrived at the Girys'. The ride did not seem to have lasted nearly as long as it should. Had we truly been kissing for so long? Pushing these thoughts aside, I reply, "Thank you, Monsieur."
"I suppose we should make an appearance. Unless you would rather remain in here and allow everyone to think that we could not wait until we got home," Marie says playfully as she presses a fleeting kiss to my cheek.
"I daresay it is a tempting thought. However, I do not believe it would be proper to be late to dinner when it is being held in our honor," I say as I quickly rise and open the carriage door.
"I suppose you are correct," Marie says in an exaggerated tone of disappointment as I help her down. Her smile reassures me that she is only jesting.
