Althena Book 2

96. My Love

Two guys open the tulle wall in front of us. The candles are lit now. It's beautiful. Everyone stands up. Music plays as we walk down the aisle.

"Do you give this woman to be wed to this man?"

"I do." He waits for Mike to take my hand before he runs away this time.

"You may be seated."

Mike moves us to the center of the arch. Then he wipes his eyes off. I rub my thumb on the back of his hand. Then a tear falls when he smiles at me.

The man stands at a podium. It's kind of between us and behind the arch. It has a microphone on it. "How many of you have met someone in your life that you immediately connected with? They came with a sense of familiarity or understanding. More connection than a typical first encounter." Most people in the crowd put their hands up. I would too, if my hands weren't stuck. "Those are soul bonds. Your soul recognizes their soul. Now, I don't know who they were to you. Maybe they were your best friend 4 lives ago. But your soul recognized them. You felt that." He takes a drink. "Souls are ageless, timeless, immortal. The bonds between souls are ancient. A soulmate bond is no different. It is an immediate connection. A deep sense of understanding and love. They have lived an unimaginable number of lives together. They have fallen in love, time after time. Congratulations Mike and Thena. Before the soulmate pull could even happen, you have recognized each other in this life. You have your soulmate."

Everyone claps. I can't help but smile. We did well. Mike winks at me.

The man moves the podium to us and places the black stuff on it with paintbrushes. Then he roams off talking into the microphone. Lila takes my flowers.

I write -Family- and -My love.- He writes -babygirl- and -soulmate- on mine. Then we decorate each other with hearts.

He comes back and switches the black and oil. "Souls are eternal, so love is forever. Time after time, age after age, life after life, your souls will connect. The love between you will only grow stronger. Your love story will have no ending." Mike places my hands in the oil and the black comes off. Then the man pulls out a long white silk ribbon. He turns to the side. Then turns back and ties it around my left wrist. Then he turns the other way and back before he ties it to Mike's right wrist. The crowd laughs. He takes the microphone again. "I had to think about that for a minute." Mike and I dry each other's hands as best as we can. "During a wedding, you become one. The ribbon symbolizes you becoming one. You must now act as one. For the duration of the night, or until it falls off."

This is definitely different. Not sure if I like it. I try to get my flowers and that doesn't work. Mike smiles and holds my hands.

"The wedding arch symbolizes two lives becoming one. Two sides bent by the hands of the Moon Goddess herself, connect in the middle and become one. Please place your adornments on the wedding arch now."

I try to grab mine from Lila at the same time Mike reaches. He nearly pulls my arm off. Lila laughs and that starts Miles in. We get them though. Then we have to spin all the way around to hang them up. It takes quite a bit of effort. We spin back around and everyone is laughing.

The man laughs into the microphone. "That was well done. I've seen people end up throwing the adornments at each other, so that was really well done. Congratulations."

Mike chuckles. "We'll get it, it just may take us a minute." The crowd laughs for another minute, then dies down.

"The adornments symbolize two lives being connected by the Moon Goddess and you accepting your destiny. Being happy for your destiny. Saying thank you to her. Decorating your arch is a symbol of respect and thanks to her. Showing that you are happy to have your soulmate. You are celebrating."

I guess that does make sense. We make it because we're happy and celebrating. I am thankful she connected our lives.

The man takes the podium again. "And now for the legal part. Do you, Michael James Sander, take Althena May-Eve Sage to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"Do you, Althena May-Eve Sage, take Michael James Sander, to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"The rings." Lila and Miles step forward at the same time. Mike tries to use his right hand to grab it and I nearly fall over. Mike and Miles catch me and make it, so I can stand straight again. Then I burst out laughing with the crowd.

The man laughs into the microphone. "I don't know if she likes being tied to you, Mike. We can ask. Maybe Clayton will take her back."

I hear him yell, "NO." I lose it.

"I'm sorry, he's refusing. You're going to have to figure this out."

We pull it together and get the rings. Then Lila bursts out laughing and starts everyone all over again.

The man nods. "We'll get there eventually. No rush."

I shake my head. I can't laugh anymore.

"I think we're ready now. Mike, place the ring on her finger and repeat after me. With this ring, I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of our marriage and our love. The promise of all of my tomorrows."

"With this ring, I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of our marriage and our love. The promise of all of my tomorrows."

"Althena, place the ring on his finger, and repeat after me. With this ring, I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of our marriage and our love. The promise of all of my tomorrows."

"With this ring, I bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of our marriage and our love. The promise of all of my tomorrows." We smile at each other. "My love."

"You are now and forevermore, husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

He grabs me with his left hand and pulls me against him. He doesn't hold back on the kiss at all. It's amazing. The crowd cheers.

"A few speeches have been prepared."

Chris comes up and takes the flowers from Lila. He hands her some other stuff. "Thank you for coming everyone. I'm Lila. I wrote my speech." She unfurls a scroll, and it rolls out about 12 feet. It goes all the way to the people in the first row. Everyone cracks up laughing. I can barely stand up. She gives me a dirty look and puts on glasses. "As I was saying..." Mike's laughing so hard he's about to cry. Half the crowd is standing up trying to pull it together. Then she laughs. "I couldn't help myself. But honestly, you two are amazing. I remember when you joined cheerleading and the team needed help. Mike became our cheer coach that day. The two of you set an amazing example of what soulmates are. You don't turn your backs on each other. You'll help each other out, no matter what the problem is. I love that and I love you guys. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Miles takes the microphone from her. "My brother and Thena always had an amazing connection. Even when they were kids, he would protect her. As they grew, nothing changed. When she moved away, he missed her. But they found each other again. And that connection didn't change. They would text each other all the time. Then one day, a couple of years ago, Mike broke his phone. Guess who showed up at the door 2 days later wondering why he was ignoring her." The crowd laughs, and I try to hide my face. "Yes, she flew across the city because he didn't text her for 2 days." I have to be so red right now. Everyone is laughing. "Mike wasn't any better though. After she turned 17, I woke up one day, and he was gone. Nobody knew where he went. He never said goodbye or anything. Mom was in a full panic. You know how moms are. But she finally gets a call from him. Thena needed mud from Woodland. His ass drove it there in the middle of the night without even telling anyone where he was going." They laugh and he shakes his head at Mike. "Of all the... He did come back smelling a lot like her though. Maybe that had something to do with it." The crowd screams and cheers. I nearly die.

Mike grabs me. He's laughing. He kisses my head and tries to hide for a second too.

Chris takes the microphone next.

I shake my head. "Oh no."

Mike holds me and laughs.

Chris nods. "I think they need drinks."

Someone hands us each a glass of wine. We down them. There's no other option at this point.

Chris smirks. "I see. It's gonna be that kind of night. I can adjust the plan for that. Next, is the first dance as husband and wife."

Mike kisses my head and dances with me. "I love you, babygirl."

"I love you too." I move my hand so it's on my stomach. I don't know what to do with it, and we're tied together.

Some man in the audience yells, "WATCH YOUR HANDS, BOY."

The man leading it teases into his microphone. "There are families here, Mike. Come on now."

I bury my face in his chest. Mike kisses my head. "The ribbon will fall off eventually."

I laugh as the song ends.

Chris takes the microphone again. "Little spicy, but we'll let it slide since you're tied together. Next we have the cake cutting. They're going to feed each other the first piece of cake."

We actually get through it without too many problems. It's good too. I want more of that.

Chris rolls up the scroll and moves it. "And finally. Let there be drinks."

The tulle walls come down and waiters stand at the end of every row. They have shots, champagne, and wine.

"Food is in the packhouse. Drinks are everywhere. Help yourselves."