Chapter 25 I Object!
806 Words
For a lifetime.
Once upon a time, Gabriel wanted to be with Caleb forever. On the day she married Caleb, the idea of divorce never crossed her mind. Unfortunately, you couldn’t achieve anything with your earnest effort and patience to resolve.
She hoped fervently that this time, Caleb would not appear in her life.
The bride now stood face-to-face with the groom.
The officiating priest, laid his hand on the Bible with sanctity, commencing the wedding ceremony.
“Groom Caleb, are you willing to take this woman as your wife, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?”
Caleb, his gaze tender, fixated on the white box within the bride's grasp, replied, “Yes, I am.”
“Bride Gabriel, are you willing to marry this man as your husband, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?”
The bride remained silent, merely raising the white box in her hand.
A sudden uproar filled the scene.
“So, the bride is named Gabriel.”
“She has the same name as Mr. William's ex-wife. Do they have identical names?”
“Seems like Mr. Williams likes a girl with that name.”
Gabriel's breath caught. Since her vision waned, her sense of hearing had heightened, allowing her to discern every nuance of commotion.
Yet, she questioned her ears now. She clutched the neighbor's hand beside her. “What did they say about the bride's name”
“It seems to be Gabriel, sounds like your name.”
Lillian referred to her as Gabe. She wasn't aware of Gabriel's full name.
Gabriel winced at the coincidence. It struck her uncomfortably.
She endeavored to suppress her thoughts. Perhaps, five years had diminished the impact of her name upon Caleb. Or perhaps, not just her, but even he found relief in the familiarity.
Observing the discussions below, the priest asked politely, “Does anyone here object to this union?”
At the wedding, everyone's assent was essential.
Without everyone’s approval, the marriage would remain incomplete. And the couple would not have a happy life.
Caleb disregarded the gazes around him. Having heard that only through marriage could a couple truly become one, he felt resentful during his first wedding, being absent from that crucial event.
His questions lingered.
He wanted to ask God if he could hold another wedding for Gabriel, would fate allow them to cross paths again in the next life, or the one after?
Despite life's cruelties, he believed he owed her this wedding.
A splendid event, just as now.
“If there are no objections, please exchange the ring.”
Caleb accepted the ring from the little girl and prepared to place it on.
Suddenly, in the VIP section, a figure stood up, “I object!”
A thunderclap.
All eyes turned to that figure.
By this point, Gabriel was perspiring profusely. When she heard her name uttered by the priest earlier, her heart threatened to burst from her chest. She struggled to persuade herself that it was a mere coincidence.
But when she heard, “I object,” and recognized the voice, panic surged.
She recognized Dominic's voice.
“I oppose your marriage, Caleb. Gabriel doesn't wish to marry you again.”
“Dominic, from what standpoint do you contest this?”
“She suffered three years of torment under your roof. She desires freedom. Caleb, give her ashes to me. I promised her to scatter her ashes into the sea. After all these years, give her freedom.”
A storm of astonishment swept through the crowd—
Ashes?
[My God, am I hearing correctly? Mr. Williams is marrying the deceased Mrs. Williams, so that beauty isn't the bride but the keeper of an urn.]
[That is, Mr. Williams is holding a ghost wedding today. That's scary. Yet, what's even more eerie is someone snatching away the ghost bride.]
[Why do I find this strangely romantic? Mr. Williams's affection is unwavering, even in the face of death. He wants to love her for a lifetime.]
Gabriel could no longer restrain her tears, which flowed freely.
A lifetime was an extravagance she couldn't afford. It was too late.
With her diminished self, she continually reminded herself that some wounds heal but the pain persists. She could no longer entertain illusions.
She said to her neighbor, “I need to leave. Please wait for a bit and bring Ethan back."
Fearing her tears would cascade uncontrollably, Gabriel hurriedly departed, stumbling along.
Stepping upon the soft sand, buffeted by the breeze, she faltered.
All she wanted was to escape, to flee this place.
“Mom, Ethan is here.”
From the VIP seats, Ethan spotted her mother and realized she must be searching for him.
- Writer
