Sliding Into Antar
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For Whom The Bells Toll, Part 2
Chapter 44
XLIV
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Michael watched the gardens fill to capacity in anticipation of Wade and Quinn's wedding… "You know what, Max? I think we should be selling tickets. This place is full already, and these are just their friends and relatives."
Max nodded. "Hometown girl. Everyone knows her."
"Or claims to… now that she's famous," Michael replied.
"Well, one thing's pretty evident," Isabel interjected, "They certainly seem to like the idea that Wade's the one marrying Quinn."
"They didn't know Maggie," Max said, "She didn't have the hometown girl advantage."
Michael raised his eyebrows. "I think it's the fairytale element. Cinderella wins out over the evil stepsister."
"I wouldn't describe Maggie as the evil stepsister," Max scoffed, "She wasn't bad… really."
Michael shrugged. "No, but there's still that fairytale element. Wade is the princess who… who kissed the toad and turned him into a handsome prince."
The others laughed. "So Quinn is a toad?" Maria asked.
"Not anymore. Now that he's marrying Wade he's a handsome prince… in the public's opinion."
"You've been talking to Alex too much… You're starting to sound like him," Tess said, giggling, "where is Alex anyway?"
"He's around somewhere," Isabel said, "Acting insufferably proud of himself because he was right when he said that Maggie's devotion to Quinn wasn't as deep as Wade's and that Maggie had a past life that could come back to drive a wedge between the two of them. Boy, did she ever!"
"I guess Alex called it," Liz agreed, "Sometimes I think he has a crystal ball."
Isabel smiled. "He's just good at gauging people… and he's a matchmaker at heart… and he's stubborn, too."
Michael snorted. "I'll vouch for that! He's like a bulldog that won't let go… when he thinks he's right."
"I was right," Alex said, walking up at that moment, "Never doubt the Alex!"
"Oh it's THE Alex now?" Michael asked.
"The… or Sir to you."
"That'll be the day!"
"I was right. Admit it!"
"Yeah, okay… you were right… this time. But we all knew it. Some of us just didn't want to interfere in their private lives."
Alex grinned. "Somebody had to."
"I still can't believe you sent Jung-Jo to drag her up to the altar," Michael said, rolling his eyes, "You took a huge risk."
Alex laughed. "It wasn't so risky. I knew what they both wanted. I just had to make them see it."
"Well, I was ready to tell everyone that you crashed the party and that I never saw you before… if it didn't work."
"Oh ye of little faith!"
"Yeah, well… I don't have a lot of faith in any human except Maria… and you're not Maria. You're not God, either. You can screw up."
Alex grinned. "But I didn't."
"The wedding's starting," Max said in a hushed whisper, as the music began to play, "Let's take our places. You guys cut out the mutual admiration stuff for a while."
Quinn and his best man, Professor Arturo, walked in from the side and assumed their places at the front, as did the pastor who was performing the ceremony. Then Max, Michael, and Alex, looking very dapper and smiling, joined the other ushers to escort the bridesmaids down the aisle.
Suddenly, as they neared the front, there was a small commotion, and gasps were heard from some of the guests, as Jung-Jo appeared, walking regally down the aisle, head held high, wearing a special-made tuxedo vest and a bow tie. Wade's little sister walked beside him, carrying flowers that she dropped along the way. As Jung-Jo and the little flower girl neared the front, the music changed to "Here Comes The Bride," and everyone turned to look.
There were gasps… then more gasps. Wade walked slowly down the aisle, on her father's arm, a radiant smile on her face, wearing a stunning white wedding gown that for its sheer beauty and elegance could have rivaled anything a real princess might have worn. But it was her own smiling face that added the touch of perfection. Max glanced at Quinn and noticed that he looked stunned… and maybe just a little goofy. Max smiled. Fortunately, all eyes were on the bride-to-be. Quinn quickly realized that his jaw was hanging open and assumed a more dignified look. Even Max could not deny that Quinn did strike a handsome pose decked out in his tux, with a smile on his face. And as Wade stood beside him, it was hard not to think that the only thing missing was the carriage for this to be a fairytale wedding… the wedding of a prince and princess of legends. Obviously, the guests thought so. The sighs and ahs were audible, and not an eye in the crowd was dry.
"Friends, we are gathered together to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony…"
Quinn glanced at Wade and beamed, and Wade found that she had to struggle to keep her smile from growing bigger than her face, if that were possible. She certainly didn't want to look like Alice's Cheshire cat… all grin and no face. But she needn't have been concerned. The guests loved it.
"…If there is anyone present who knows any cause why this couple should not be married let them speak now or forever hold their peace…"
Quinn glanced casually at the crowd and smiled… (They better not. I'll send anyone who makes a peep to a world sooooo far away…)
"Who gives this woman away?"
"I do," Wade's father said, but Quinn only vaguely heard him. (It's funny… I've cherished my independence… and yet… I feel like… Wade IS my independence now… and my future. It just feels right somehow. With Maggie I was never this sure.)
"Would you please face each other and join hands."
Quinn took Wade's hands in his and smiled.
(He looks like a god… my Adonis… I think I'm going to wake up and find out this was all a dream.)
(She followed me into hell… literally almost. She didn't have to. She could have stayed in San Francisco in comfort. She didn't have to go sliding through a hundred parallel words, risking her life a hundred times over… all for me. What did I ever do to deserve her? I can't believe I came so close to losing her.)
"Quinn Mallory, do you take Wade Welles to be your wife… to love, honor, cherish, and protect her… forsaking all others and holding only to her forevermore?"
"I do." (More than you'll ever know.)
"Wade Welles, do you take Quinn Mallory to be your husband… to love, honor, cherish, and protect him… forsaking all others and holding only to him forevermore?"
"I do." (God, just don't let me wake up! If this is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up.)
The pastor smiled then tried to look stern… "Throughout time, nothing has endured more than love or been more important than love. We are told that 'God is Love.' We are assured that 'Love conquers all.' It is love which brings you here today, the union of two hearts and two spirits. As your lives continue to interweave as one pattern, remember that love will make this a glorious union, and love will cause this union to endure.
Paul said, Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels but do not have love, I am only sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.
Though I have the gift of prophecy and understanding all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Love endures and is kind.
Love is not envious or jealous.
Love wants not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, it is not easily provoked, and thinks no evil.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but in the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails.
Where there are prophecies, they shall fail, where there be tongues, they shall cease, where there be knowledge, it shall vanish away…
So faith, hope, love remain -these three- but the greatest of these is love."
The pastor stopped and looked at Quinn…
"Is there a ring?"
Jung-Jo perked up at the word "ring," and he rubbed his head against Quinn. Quinn reached out and untied a small attachment from the bow tie around Jung-Jo's neck, removing from it a ring, which he slipped onto Wade's finger…
"Wade, with this ring, I give you my heart, my body, and my soul. All that I am or ever will be I give to you… for as long as I shall live, and if possible, beyond that, to the end of time and further. All that we have seen together, experienced together, and struggled with together has bound us more closely to each other, but it is nothing compared to the new lives that await us now… as husband and wife."
Jung-Jo purred quietly and rubbed against Wade, looking very contented. Wade reached out and removed the second attachment from Jung-Jo's bow tie. Then she slipped it onto Quinn's finger…
"Quinn, this ring is a perfect circle. It has no beginning and no end, and so shall our love be. I can't remember when I started loving you, and I know in my heart and soul that I will never know the day when I don't love you anymore. We are, and forever will be, one. Wherever you go, I will follow, because, of all the possessions, of all the riches, of all the material things that I could have in this world, there is none that I want more than you. Your love fills my heart and gives meaning to my life. It is the most important thing on this earth –or in any dimension- to me."
Quinn was glad that he had already said his part, because he wasn't sure that he would be able to speak now without his voice breaking. He wiped his eyes quickly and smiled.
"There is nothing more important than love… in any place in time… or in any culture," the pastor continued, "I want to send you into your new lives with these thoughts… the first is an Apache blessing. It goes like this:
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter for each other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be the warmth for the other.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life beyond.
Go now to your dwelling to enter into the days of your life together.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
And the second is a Cherokee prayer:
God in heaven above please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together.
We honor mother earth and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons;
We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts;
We honor wind and ask we sail though life safe and calm as in our father's arms;
We honor water… to clean and soothe our relationship… that it may never thirst for love;
With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together. Amen.
Quinn Mallory… Wade Welles… I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Quinn grinned and swept Wade into his arms, kissing her with… well, not quite all of the passion he had pent up in him at the moment. Some of it would just have to wait. But Jung-Jo put one paw over his eyes, which brought giggles and laughter from the guests.
"We're married," Quinn said.
Wade nodded and smiled. At this moment, she didn't care if she did look like Alice's Cheshire cat.
End of Chapter 44
tbc…