Chapter 30

Jane

The dreary morning was draped in a thick mist, the orange of the peeking sun cresting over the graveyard, spilling over the wet grass and various tombstones.

Michael and I had informed the local police about what had happened, and they discovered the body of Anna.

It wrenched at my heart to witness the priest giving a eulogy over her coffin. At Michael’s insistence, he’d paid what remained of her distant and broken family and covered the expenses for the funeral of Anna Fields.

It wasn’t justice, but it was something. I couldn’t believe in an afterlife like my parents did, but I wanted to believe that her suffering had at least ended.

The horrors that she witnessed... nobody should have to go through something like that.

Friends, family, alumni, and patients of Anna gathered here this morning for her. One by one, we all placed a rose on top of her closed Silver-tone metal casket. When it came time for me to pay my respects, I walked over to what remained of her with a heavy heart, each step feeling more surreal than the last.

I tried not to blame myself for what had happened to her. Knowing that she wouldn’t want me to feel guilty for something out of my own control.

I closed the last distance between myself and the coffin, placing my hand on the face of it, feeling how cold it was even with the sun pouring down heat.

“I’m so sorry,” I offered weakly to her. “I never had the chance to tell you how important you were to me. Now, I never will,” I tried to blink away the water that was forming in my eyes. “You were kind,” I whispered to her remains, “caring, loving, and above all you just wanted to help. I hope there’s peace for you.”

I placed the dozen California Poppy’s on her casket, put my fingers to my lips, kissed them, and placed my fingers one last time on her casket.

***

It was an hour before the guests and our private officiate were to arrive, for the binding ceremony. And seeing as how Michael wanted us to arrive at the Heart Tree before anyone else, I’d hitched a ride on his strong back, letting him carry me as he trekked through the serene Wester Woods.

“I think you’ve been eating too much sushi,” he complained, readjusting me on his person.

I ducked beneath a branch in my way and pulled on the lobe of his ear coyly. “That’s an awfully subtle way to call me fat,” I quipped.

“If you were actually fat I’d tell it to your stupid, pretty face,” he replied, and I could feel his chest rumble out a laugh.

“See now you’re calling me stupid. You’re not going to be a very great husband,” I sassed back, “it’s that way,” I told him, pointing towards the right. “Right?”

“Right,” he replied. “Well I guess I’ll have to take some classes, then. Educate myself--”

“On how not to be an asshole?”

“Sure let’s go with that.” He looked up to me as best he could, and I could feel the love from his eyes. I wanted to gorge myself on the deliciousness of that bliss. Never wanted to let it go.

We finally made it to the heart tree, and I climbed off of Michael, giving him a tight hug and thanking him for carrying me all the way here.

Michael pulled on my hair to angle my mouth for him, placing a long, deep kiss on my lips, his supple tongue slipping into my mouth and playing with my own. “You ready to get hitched?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I told him, placing another kiss on his lips.

He let go of me then, only holding onto my hand as he led me to the Heart Tree. Michael then produced a swiss army knife from the pocket of his charcoal flat-front dress pants. He brought it up to the face of the mighty, old tree, and found a place where names and hearts weren’t carved, cutting out a heart for the both of us. Even though so many people had done it before us, it felt like we were engaging in a special ritual all of our own.

One that I hoped to cherish for the rest of my life.

When he finished the heart, he smiled over at me and carved in his initial: M.S

I grabbed the knife from him right as he finished, not wanting him to steal that opportunity from me. Right beside his name I carved my initials: J.C and two much smaller hearts, smirking and looking to Michael.

***

After we sat around for a while and talked about the days ahead of us, our people made their way to us with the guidance of Joshua and Magdalene. It was Tim, Sayla, Beth, some woman that I did not fully recognize from Michael’s company, and an officiate.

One by one they took their places around us in a semi-circle, standing patiently and talking amongst themselves.

The officiate moved between us, and Tim Vermaine strolled over to us, smiling at me with a small black box in his hand. He looked to Michael then, and handed him the box. “It’s a good choice,” he told Michael, “just don’t weigh her down with your bullshit.”

Michael beamed, taking the tiny velvet box in his hand. “I won’t have to worry about that,” he replied, “she can handle anything that I give her.”

With that, Tim went back to his place as Michael’s best man, and the officiate instructed us to take one another’s hand.

Michael popped open the box, revealing a breathtaking 14K golden ring, inset with a two carat marquise diamond: There were tiny, shredded crimson petals held within the stone. He looked to me for permission to slip it on my finger. When I finally found the strength to give him consent, he pushed it down along my ring finger, and the warmth of love cloaked me.

The officiate went through the whole ordeal, and we both said our ‘I do’s,’ both of us trying not to smile and laugh so much when it was supposed to be a serious matter. All I could think about was how things would be years from now, with the two of us having a big wedding with all the details. Me in a wedding dress, him in a suit, and our honeymoon to look forward to.

The officiate paused, smiled to show us his one golden tooth amongst ivory, and announced: “With the power vested in me, I now pronounce the both of y’all husband and wife. You may kiss the lovely bride.”

When our lips came together, so did our hearts. The world became still to me, and for one second of my life I was certain I was living in a perfect moment.