the
trappings and the makeup. She stole his breath.
“Thank you.” She glanced at David. “Shit. I forgot what I’m
supposed to do now.”
David winked at her. “It’s okay.” To Sammi he asked,
“Samuel, is this the woman you agreed to marry? Is she Autumn Schaeffer?”
Sammi extended his hand and took her hand in his. There was
no mistaking his bride. She was as unique as the dawn. “She is.”
“Very well. We will begin the seven blessings.” David tilted
his head to the side and glanced at Autumn as if it were some pre-negotiated
signal.
“Oh, right.” Autumn grinned and headed toward the perimeter
of the chuppah .
She circled around him and walked to the nearest leg of the chuppah. She began her first circuit around him, staying under the canopy as she went.
And she was doing her part as well as any Jewish girl. Her gaze landed on him
and her smile widened until her dimples appeared.
Sammi knew he was supposed to be praying, but this time he
knew his Creator heard him.
He held her gaze as she made each circle and held out a
single finger for each time she completed a lap.
Autumn was there, and though she might be his pretend wife,
part of him loved her for it. Not only had she agreed, but she’d dropped her
life to make this happen for him. All the Dalyas in the world would never
command his heart the way Autumn did without even trying.
Sammi hoped she found someone who loved her the way she
deserved when he was gone.
In the distance the sun touched the horizon, bathing the sky
in pinks, oranges, yellows and purples. It was as if the very Earth were part
of their ceremony.
The rabbi began to sing, blessings flowing from him in song,
washing over them. In that moment, the farce became a reality. A lump lodged in
Sammi’s throat and he blinked back emotional tears as everything blurred
together.
As the ceremony drew to a close, David retrieved two wineglasses
from a small stand positioned behind one of the legs of the chuppah .
Even the Kiddush, the blessing over wine that Sammi had repeated so often, took
on new meaning. Rebekah approached with a braided loaf of challah. This part of
the ceremony was symbolic of their new life together. From this moment on,
Autumn’s life was entwined with his. There was no going back.
Sammi tore a piece of the challah, the rich smell of saffron
in the freshly baked bread rising, and handed it to Autumn. Fresh-baked challah
even on such short notice? She peeked up at him, the fading light suffusing her
face with a radiant glow. Together they repeated the blessing for the bread,
Autumn stumbling over the unfamiliar Hebrew words. They each placed a piece of
the bread in their mouths
“The rings,” David prompted.
Shit.
Sammi had completely forgotten to tell Autumn not to worry
about a ring for him. He tapped his pocket, where her wedding band was a heavy
weight.
“Uh…” Sammi glanced between Autumn and David.
“Are you okay?” Autumn peered up at him, her palm out flat,
displaying a simple black band.
He shoved his hand in his pocket and let his shoulders
slump.
How had she managed to pull it all together so fast?
“I’m fine, just, this is happening pretty fast.” Sammi
chuckled and drew the band out. The diamonds glittered, but no more so than his
bride. Autumn rewarded him with a relieved chuckle and presented him with the
ring.
As David spoke, they took turns sliding the wedding bands on
each other’s fingers and repeating the vows until they stood, hands clasped,
grinning like fools.
“Eleri, the glass?” David asked.
Eleri approached with a tray that held one of Sammi’s shoes
and a glass cup wrapped in a linen napkin.
Sammi pulled the shoe on. It wouldn’t do to go breaking
glass barefoot. He then proceeded to stomp the hell out of the glass. It
shattered with a musical clink and everyone cheered.
They were married.
I’m a married woman.
Autumn wiggled her left hand and watched the diamonds dance
in the fading
trappings and the makeup. She stole his breath.
“Thank you.” She glanced at David. “Shit. I forgot what I’m
supposed to do now.”
David winked at her. “It’s okay.” To Sammi he asked,
“Samuel, is this the woman you agreed to marry? Is she Autumn Schaeffer?”
Sammi extended his hand and took her hand in his. There was
no mistaking his bride. She was as unique as the dawn. “She is.”
“Very well. We will begin the seven blessings.” David tilted
his head to the side and glanced at Autumn as if it were some pre-negotiated
signal.
“Oh, right.” Autumn grinned and headed toward the perimeter
of the chuppah .
She circled around him and walked to the nearest leg of the chuppah. She began her first circuit around him, staying under the canopy as she went.
And she was doing her part as well as any Jewish girl. Her gaze landed on him
and her smile widened until her dimples appeared.
Sammi knew he was supposed to be praying, but this time he
knew his Creator heard him.
He held her gaze as she made each circle and held out a
single finger for each time she completed a lap.
Autumn was there, and though she might be his pretend wife,
part of him loved her for it. Not only had she agreed, but she’d dropped her
life to make this happen for him. All the Dalyas in the world would never
command his heart the way Autumn did without even trying.
Sammi hoped she found someone who loved her the way she
deserved when he was gone.
In the distance the sun touched the horizon, bathing the sky
in pinks, oranges, yellows and purples. It was as if the very Earth were part
of their ceremony.
The rabbi began to sing, blessings flowing from him in song,
washing over them. In that moment, the farce became a reality. A lump lodged in
Sammi’s throat and he blinked back emotional tears as everything blurred
together.
As the ceremony drew to a close, David retrieved two wineglasses
from a small stand positioned behind one of the legs of the chuppah .
Even the Kiddush, the blessing over wine that Sammi had repeated so often, took
on new meaning. Rebekah approached with a braided loaf of challah. This part of
the ceremony was symbolic of their new life together. From this moment on,
Autumn’s life was entwined with his. There was no going back.
Sammi tore a piece of the challah, the rich smell of saffron
in the freshly baked bread rising, and handed it to Autumn. Fresh-baked challah
even on such short notice? She peeked up at him, the fading light suffusing her
face with a radiant glow. Together they repeated the blessing for the bread,
Autumn stumbling over the unfamiliar Hebrew words. They each placed a piece of
the bread in their mouths
“The rings,” David prompted.
Shit.
Sammi had completely forgotten to tell Autumn not to worry
about a ring for him. He tapped his pocket, where her wedding band was a heavy
weight.
“Uh…” Sammi glanced between Autumn and David.
“Are you okay?” Autumn peered up at him, her palm out flat,
displaying a simple black band.
He shoved his hand in his pocket and let his shoulders
slump.
How had she managed to pull it all together so fast?
“I’m fine, just, this is happening pretty fast.” Sammi
chuckled and drew the band out. The diamonds glittered, but no more so than his
bride. Autumn rewarded him with a relieved chuckle and presented him with the
ring.
As David spoke, they took turns sliding the wedding bands on
each other’s fingers and repeating the vows until they stood, hands clasped,
grinning like fools.
“Eleri, the glass?” David asked.
Eleri approached with a tray that held one of Sammi’s shoes
and a glass cup wrapped in a linen napkin.
Sammi pulled the shoe on. It wouldn’t do to go breaking
glass barefoot. He then proceeded to stomp the hell out of the glass. It
shattered with a musical clink and everyone cheered.
They were married.
I’m a married woman.
Autumn wiggled her left hand and watched the diamonds dance
in the fading
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