Chapter 49: Wedding Day
*Jasmine*
“So, you must be Zain Perez and you must be Jasmine Hunt!” A cheerful man greeted them as they walked in.
“Yes, we have an appointment to be married at twelve o’clock.” Zain handed him his driver’s license as well as the marriage certificate.
Jasmine handed him her driver’s license, too. She was afraid that the kind, older man might say something about her having just turned eighteen, but he smiled as he handed back their IDs.
“Well, it looks like everything is in order!” He smiled as he clasped his hands. “This is how it’ll work.” He pointed toward a glass case where a woman stood, smiling. “Ms. Hunt, you’ll choose the bouquet you’d like, and Mr. Perez, you’ll choose the handkerchief to go in your front breast pocket. Then you’ll both come and stand at the altar.” He clasped his hands, suddenly serious. “Are either of you religious?”
Zain glanced over at me and then nodded as he turned back to the man. “Both of us are.”
“Good,” the kind man replied. “My name is Reverend Woodward, and I’m a retired minister. So, God will be brought into the ceremony today, if you’d like.”
“Yes, please.” Relief swept over Jasmine at the thought. Although she knew this would be a quick marriage, she still wanted God to be with them. Although she knew He would be regardless, it was still nice to know.
Zain smiled as he patted her hand.
“So, do you have a witness?” Rev. Woodward asked, looking between them expectantly.
Panic shot through them both.
“Umm,” Shane looked up at him nervously. “We didn’t know we should have brought one.”
“Not to worry!” Reverend Woodward gestured to the lovely older woman standing behind the counter. “This is my wife, Gladys. She’ll be glad to stand in for you.”
“I would have asked my best friend Raphael to come if I had known,” Zain replied.
“It’s okay.” Rev. Woodward smiled. “If you don’t have any more questions, it’s time.”
Zain’s hand tightened around Jasmine’s in a death grip. “Are you ready?”
“Yes. Are you?”
He nodded, tucking her hand in his arm. “Absolutely.”
They waited until the reverend was in place. When the Wedding March began to play, Zain walked Jasmine down the aisle. Her arm was looped around his as she held her bouquet with artificial flowers in the other hand. At least she would be able to keep it as a memento.
When they were in place, Zain looked over at her and smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Zain.”
“Dearly beloved,” Reverend Woodward began. “We have gathered here today to celebrate the union of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. If anyone can show just cause as to why they cannot marry, let him speak now for forever hold his peace.”
Although Jasmine had no idea why, images of her father and Zain’s mother rushing in shot through her mind as she held her breath, not wanting to look down the aisle to see.
“Do you, Zain Kian Perez, take Jasmine Elizabeth Hunt as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
“I do.”
“Will you love, honor, and cherish her all the days of your life?”
Zain held her hands as he gazed into her eyes, filled with so much love she thought her heart would burst to receive it. “I will.”
Rev. Woodward nodded, a smile lighting his lips. “Do you, Jasmine Elizabeth Hunt, take Zain Kian Perez, as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
“I do.” Tears filled her eyes at the tenderness of the moment.
“Will you love, honor, and cherish him all the days of your life?”
Jasmine nodded, smiling. “I will.” And no matter what happened on Monday, she would always love Zain. He had embedded himself into, not only her heart, but into the very fiber of her being.
Rev. Woodward smiled, his eyebrows raised as he glanced over at Zain. “Do you have a ring?”
Bringing rings with them had completely slipped Jasmine’s mind, but Zain smiled as he presented a thin gold band, adorned with three small diamonds across the top. “Jasmine, this was my mother’s ring.”
Tears fill her eyes. “Zain, I don’t have one for you.”
“I don’t need one,” he replied. “At least, not yet.”
She nodded as she held out her hand. For a fake wedding, this one is feeling pretty real. But to Jasmine, marrying Zain would always be real. Even if they divorced on Monday, she would always be married to Zain in her heart.
“Repeat after me,” the reverend said. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Zain looked into her eyes, filled with more love than she had ever felt before. He cleared his throat, and his voice was thick with emotion when he spoke. “With this ring, I thee wed.” An electrical charge went through her body as he gently slid the ring on her finger—a perfect fit.
A broad smile spread across Rev. Woodward’s face. “Then, by the power vested in me by God and the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He turned to Zain. “You may now kiss your bride.”
“I love you, Jasmine,” Zain said, placing his hand on her cheek, causing her heart to flutter.
“I love you, too... always.”
He pressed his lips to hers as he took her into his arms, and she opened for him, deepening the kiss. He dipped her back a moment later, causing her to laugh.
“I always wanted to do that.” Zain smiled against her lips. Then he gave her one last sweet kiss.
After the wedding certificate was signed, they headed out, and he kissed her again in the hallway. “I’ll always love you, Jasmine. Never forget it.”
“I’ll always love you, too... no matter what.”
A second later, he swept her into his arms and carried her down the hallway back to the steakhouse as everyone hooted and hollered, clapping as they gave them a wide berth.
Zain’s lips descended upon hers as passion overtook them both. He pulled back a moment later, leaving her breathless. “I thought we’d eat first, if you don’t mind.”
“No. Not at all.” She smiled as relief washed over her body. “It’s perfect.”