Chapter 37: Wedding
Katrina did not go overboard on her "wedding" as Bo had predicted. Instead, she was perfectly happy getting married at the Ambrose church in her own clothes. It was Bo who insisted on taking her to Silverton to buy a proper dress and veil. She chose a simple white satin strapless ball gown with lace on the bodice that was on the clearance rack and a small tiara with an elbow length gauze veil. Together, dress and veil cost Bo a total of one hundred twenty two dollars. They also stopped at a grocery store on the way back, to buy a bouquet of red roses and a little white cake.
When they got back to Ambrose, Katrina ran up to her room to get ready while Bo and Lester went to the church to prepare for the ceremony.
"I cain't believe Vince's getting' married," Lester told his older brother with a smirk as they divested Father Carl of his robes.
"Me neither, Les. But we need new Sinclair's running around here, and I ain't the type t' keep a woman 'round permanently. Not one I was fuckin', anyway. And it ain't like you're getting' married anytime soon."
"Hey now," Lester frowned, "I had myself a girlfriend once."
Bo laughed. "Yeah, that Hetty sure was an ugly little thing," he said, remembering the girl Lester had dated in seventh grade. "That fucked up bowl haircut and those nasty ass pimples. Ugh." He shuddered, grinning wickedly at Lester.
"Fuck yew, Bo."
Grabbing the robes from Lester's hands, Bo opened his mouth to retort but his gaze caught sight of Vincent skulking in the corner beside the door.
"Well?" Bo asked, "Get your ass in here, Vincent!"
Vincent sighed uncomfortably and came into the light, wearing one of his father's dark grey suits. It fit the deformed man perfectly, showing off his muscular figure while looking sophisticated. He had even combed his hair and tied it back into a neat ponytail . . . but his mask was on.
Bo shook his head at the sight and grabbed a missal from underneath the altar. "Go get Kitty Kat, Lester," he ordered. "It's time."
It wasn't long before Lester knocked on the door of the church, the signal to start the wedding march. The song rang eerily from the cassette player, a recording of someone's wedding from the early fifties, played by an elder's wife on an organ. Vincent shuddered a bit when he heard it, remembering that the woman in question now opened and shut her curtains twenty-four hours a day up on the main street of Ambrose.
Then Katrina walked in and all his thoughts turned towards her.
She had left her hair down and loose, in the natural curls that he loved so much. The veil draped prettily over the tiara, covering her black tresses in a frost of white. Her creamy shoulders and arms emerged sexily from the strapless bodice, also covered by the gauze of her veil, reminding him of a tantalizing gift waiting to be opened. Katrina had applied only a little makeup: lip gloss, mascara, and blush . . . enhancing her pretty face without looking fake.
After both genuflected, Lester led Katrina down the aisle, walking clumsily along to the music. He stopped when he reached his mother's coffin . . . closed and covered with a cloth to serve as a makeshift altar . . . and kissed Katrina's hand before taking a seat in one of the pews. Vincent held out his hand to his beloved and she smiled at him, taking his fingers in her own. He led her up to the prie dieu set by Bo's feet and the two crossed themselves and knelt.
"Vincent and Katrina, you have come to this church to seal and strengthen your love in the presence of God and the Church. Have you come freely and without reservation to give yourselves in marriage?"
"I have," Vincent said.
"I have," Katrina whispered.
"Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?"
"I will," the two said together.
"Clasp your hands," Bo ordered, watching as his brother and Katrina did as he said. "Now Vincent repeat after me. Vincent Raphael Sinclair, do you take Katrina Adelaide Roseau to be your wife? Do you promise to love her in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor all the days of your life?"
"I do," Vincent said soberly.
Bo repeated the vows for Katrina.
"Of course I do, and more," she whispered with a smile.
"You have declared your consent before God and the Church," Bo read, spreading his arms wide. "May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. 'What God hath put together, let no man tear asunder.'"
"Amen," said Lester.
"Amen," Vincent and Katrina repeated.
"The rings, Lester."
Lester handed Bo the rings Vincent had picked out. Bo held them above his head as he pronounced a benediction.
"Bless these rings which I bless in Your name. Grant those who wear them faith in each other, peace in each other, and eternal love. Amen."
Vincent took Katrina's ring from his brother and pushed it onto her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."
She took his ring from Bo and did the same. "With this ring, I thee wed."
"Repeat after me," Bo said. "Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero."
Vincent and Katrina stood before repeating the Latin vows. She placed her bouquet of roses on the altar before Bo began the final prayer.
"Lord, accept our offering for this newly wed couple Vincent and Katrina. By your love and providence you have brought them together. Now bless them all the days of their married life. We ask this through Christ our Lord."
"Amen," they all whispered.
"You may kiss the bride."
Vincent lifted the veil and kissed Katrina's sweet, smiling face.
Thus was it done. They were married.
Translation of Latin rite: The love of Christ has gathered us together into one. Let us rejoice and be glad in him. Let us fear the living God. And love each other from the depths of our hearts.