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“With that said…” the officiant smiles warmly, looking from me to Ethan. “I’ll leave these words of love as a prelude to your vows.”
He offers me the microphone, and only then I notice how much I’m shaking. I swore to myself I wouldn’t read my vows from a piece of paper, but now I’m second-guessing that decision.
“Ethan,” my voice falters and I clear my throat. “When I first met you, you were a friendly face in what often felt like a hostile world.”
Taking a steady breath, I continue, “But you’ve become so much more. You’re a flame that never ceases to burn, an ever-shining star. We’ve created two beautiful baby girls together, and I love Senna as if he were my own. I cherish them all equally. I love you deeply and will always be by your side.”
I finish speaking and now it’s Ethan’s turn. I smile as I see him retrieve a piece of paper from the inner pocket of his tuxedo. When he takes the microphone from me, I feel his hands are as shaky as mine.
“Mia,” he says softly, and it takes all my effort not to burst into tears of joy. “Before I met you, I thought it was normal that love between a man and a woman would fade with time. But our love is always burning bright, and I couldn’t be happier that I have you, and my boy, and my girls. I look forward to the rest of our lives together and will always be a faithful and devoted husband.”
Tears stream down my cheeks as Ethan breaks from the script to ask the officiant, “Can I kiss her now?”
He chuckles, along with the audience. “In just a moment.”
The officiant takes back the microphone and gently requests, “The rings, please?”
My heart swells as Senna steps ahead, carefully handing the wedding bands to Ethan. His hands tremble as he passes me his ring to hold.
The officiant adjusts the microphone and begins, “Ethan, please repeat after me: I hereby swear...”
He points the mic to Ethan who repeats, “I hereby swear…”
“To love and cherish you, Mia….”
“In sickness and in health…”
“Till death do us part,” and Ethan looks at me so deeply I feel goosebumps ripple across my skin.
“Now hold the ring, please,” the officiant instructs him. “Repeat after me once again, Ethan: With this ring…”
“With this ring….” He takes a deep breath.
“I betroth you.”
He puts the ring on my finger, and my breath shakes upon seeing that diamond now on my hand.
“Mia, your turn,” the officiant goes on. “Please repeat after me. I hereby swear…”
“I here—” I start to sob. “I hereby swear!”
“To—” I let out a sob and try to compose myself. Ethan reaches out his hand to cover mine. I take a breath and continue, “To love and cherish you, Ethan.”
“In sickness and in health…”
My knees are weak.
God, please don’t let me faint.
“Till death do us part.”
“With this ring, I betroth you.”
“The ring…” the officiant urges gently.
I can barely keep steady hands, so I don’t know how in the world am I going to put this ring around Ethan’s finger. But I somehow do it, and as I do, I feel a rush of joy seeing the golden band snugly in place.
The officiant smiles warmly and even knowing it’s coming, my heart skips a beat at his next words. “By the powers invested in me by the State of Michigan, I now declare you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”
