"BIENVENIDO a Havana and congratulations on your wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Masterson," the reception desk clerk chirped cheerfully as he handed Sky the keys to the honeymoon suite, "Welcome to the historic Hotel Nacional." Then turning to Sarah, he said, "Your luggage is waiting in your suite, Senora. Enjoy your stay."

"Gracias," Sky answered, smiling with obvious pride. He looked at Sarah standing close to him to hear her say, "Thank you, Senor. We appreciate your thoughtfulness."

As they walked toward the elevator, Sarah whispered, "What are you laughing at?"

"Not laughing." Sky said softly. "I just find it incredible that the fierce mission doll who tried to turn down a date to Havana with me not too long ago, is now a blushing bride on her honeymoon with me tonight in Havana."

"Oh, admit it, darling," Sarah said. "I won the sucker bet."

They were met at their door by a waiter pushing a glass cart on which set a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver bucket of ice, a tin of Russian caviar and crackers, cheesecake garnished with wedges of tropical fruits, candles on elegant candlesticks, and a small vase of congratulatory white and pink roses. Sky tipped the waiter, graciously thanked him, and sent him off.

Sarah giggled and covered her face with her hands for she's never seen such opulence before. Her husband watching her with amusement, lit the candles, turned on the suite's piped music and poured the champagne over elegant tulip glasses. Then he offered a toast, "To us, my darling bride, dulce de leche tomorrow, but tonight, it's champagne."

They drank the champagne, tasted the caviar and crackers, and had a few bites of the cheesecake. They danced. They exchanged soft and dreamy passionate kisses and when they came up for air, Sky blew out the candles and slung his bride over his shoulder.

"Shadrach, Meshach, and to bed we go!" he announced, throwing her on the bed.

Sarah dropped her shoes as she tumbled down, closely followed by her husband, bending over her with a kiss, "Don't you think we're a bit overdressed for the occasion? I've never slept with a sergeant before, much less one in a red uniform," he teased.

Sarah stretched out her left hand, admiring her engagement ring. Then, alarmed, she said, "Gosh, I think we've forgotten something. We forgot the wedding rings!"

"Nope, Honey, I did not," Sky said, now lying by her side, "I have them right here in my pocket. I just had enough time this morning to drop by Tiffany's on my way to the mission to pick up your suitcase. But Uncle Arvide thought we should skip the ring part in the ceremony because we were not sure if Nathan and Adelaide had theirs ready, and we wouldn't want to be the couple with the rings and them without."

"Uncle Arvide always has a thoughtful advice for every occasion," Sarah said, playfully mussing her husband's hair.

Sky continued, "Anyway, Uncle Arvide assured me that rings are not prerequisite in a wedding. He said the bride and groom are the real ministers, ministering to each other, with the presider acting only as God's representative and witness to the community. So, he said we could exchange rings at any time."

"And…?" Sarah listened quietly, her fingers lightly tracing Sky's eyebrows and ears and down to his cheeks, as if to catch the dimples that appear and disappear as he spoke. "Has anybody told you how handsome you are?"

"Yeah, my mother did when I was a baby," he answered nonchalantly, then continued, "Anyway, Uncle Arvide took the rings, ran over to the Holy Innocents Church, and had his friend, the pastor, bless them."

"A Catholic priest blessed our wedding rings?" laughed Sarah, "That is just so cool!"

"Why not? They're in the blessings business. They bless everything; animals and houses, trees and bicycles, food and crosses and such. Why not wedding rings?"

"So happy to know," Sarah smiled, cupped his face with her hands, and kissed his cheek, "Your late daddy and his Church have a small part in our wedding."

Sky sat up, took out the tiny blue velvet box from his pocket and opened it for Sarah to see. "They're plain gold bands engraved with our names and today's date. I hope you approve."

"Oh, my darling, you thought of everything!"

"Take off your engagement ring temporarily. The wedding ring must go in first so that it's closer to your heart," Sky said.

Sarah took off the lapis lazuli ring and placed it on a finger of her right hand.

"Okay, now, honey, let's do the wedding rings properly, shall we?" he said.

"In bed?" Sarah asked. Sitting up, she took off her uniform's jacket and dropped it on the floor, revealing smooth, slender arms, white shoulders, and the deeper neckline of her lace chemise.

"No place more appropriate." Sky said, momentarily awed by how tantalizing his bride looks without her soul-saving red jacket. Then reading from a small card that came with the rings, he solemnly placed hers on her finger, "Sarah Brown, with this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow," he smiled, and tenderly kissing the palm of her hand, moved up to kiss her wrist, upper arm, and shoulder.

Sarah repeated the gesture. Placing the ring on Sky's finger, she read from the card, "Sky Masterson, with this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship…" she abruptly stopped. Like a child, Sarah frantically tore up the card in tiny bits and gleefully threw the pieces upwards. They fell on the bed like snowflakes. Then in rapid succession, she stripped Sky of his dark wedding jacket, took off his straight black tie, wildly ripped off the tiny mother-of-pearl buttons on his white pleated shirt, and loosened the braces that held up his trousers.

"With my body, I thee worship...with my body, I thee worship," recited Sarah over and over teasingly, laughing, and kissing her husband's lips, chin, neck, and half-exposed shoulders. She inserted her arms under his shirt, touching and caressing the warm skin of his sides and back, "With my body, I thee worship…"

Sky laughed with delight and responded to her kisses to start with. Then he reached for the nightstand 's switch and dimmed the light.