The Soldier Next Door

We have been preparing for this moment; this is the hour; this is the minute my life will change.

I never have experienced excitement and yet been more terrified at the same time as I do now. It is truly amazing how the things you desire can bring you to your knees. In saying this, I do mean a woman, that one such a creature can break down your defenses. I always believed that a woman should be my undoing, but this is an undoing that I do welcome. And as I stand here, I have never been so sure about anything in this life and the lifetime before.

I never did think that day I first laid my eyes on her to find the meaning of why I have existed for all these years. It is true what they say that everything that you have done in your life has to lead up to this very moment, this very hour, this very minute.

Standing at the edge of the carpet, I am gripped with feelings that she might not come. I will simply fall into an abyss if she has rejected my last and final attempt to save our relationship. So it is with fiddling fingers that I start pulling at my tie, much to my mom’s annoyance, completely pulling it astray. As she gets up to come to make the much-needed adjustment, I start twisting my cufflinks, causing this also to fall apart and drop at my feet.

Then my mom softly whispers, “Ethan, I know that she will come.”

With sadness in my eyes, I only but pull her closer, “I hope mom is right.”

After having me composed again, I am patiently counting those seconds to torture as I do not let that entrance of the door for one minute out of sight. If I close my eyes and I squeeze them tight, I can almost see her coming through that door as beautiful as ever, all dressed in white, just as soft as the angel that I hold to my heart.

So after what seems like seconds ticking into endless minutes, I start to feel rather nervous that I am going to face disappointment today. Well, at least I can say that I tried. At least, I can say that I did not give up until the very last moment, the very last try. Perhaps I was hopeful to think that Ana will make such a giant leap.

And giant leaps are the minutes that are now bordering to the hour. It is only one minute to go, and then we are set off to sail this unfamiliar ride to the horizon. Yet as it slowly ticks, sixty…fifty-nine…fifty-eight…fifty-seven…ticking down with each wink.

Nothing.

I am set for failure.

My night will be spent riddled with pain.

Yet I continue to stand firm…thirty…twenty-nine…twenty-eight…twenty-seven…

Nothing.

That door has not presented my dreams, not even coming close.

So as I look at my mom and the rest of the guests, I can see the same nervousness that is creeping over their faces.

Then next.

Twenty…nineteen…eighteen…seventeen.

Nothing.

There is a suffocating grip that is taking hold of my heart, and god, it is squeezing tight. It is knocking my breath away and stealing all feeling that is felt in my heart. I am becoming numb, and there are tears starting to brew in the corners of these brown eyes. But how I wish I were seeing those other brown eyes staring deep into mine this very present.

And as it comes…four…three…two…

The music starts.

Then I see her, elegant and exquisite, as if she is floating on air. Her skin is glowing from the afternoon sun that is falling through the trees. The curves of her body are softly covered in layers of chiffon with a beaded lace bodice and a thin belt. A dreamy voluminous tulle skirt that gorgeously flares out underneath. Her long locks of brown hair are neatly tucked into spirals of curls that are flowing in and out of each other like a perfect masterpiece. Porcelain skin is composed to perfection, and to finish off is a pair of stilettos that glimmers as it shines.

And as she comes to stand next to me, a small tear starts to tickle the corner of my eye. Beauty indeed lies in the eye of the beholder, and at present, beauty is flooding my sense of vision.

“Hey, boo.”

She only but chuckles at me nervously. “Quite a surprise, soldier.”

“What can I say? I am a foolish and very desperate man.”

“And I am…”

“Ssshhh, it is forgotten. Now I am guessing you are here for your wedding and not to slap me against the head?”

“Oh, I am here for both.”

…Ana POV…

Well, I guess that Ethan has truly outdone himself. I can not say how much shock and surprise, yet even more excited I felt when Anna produced a wedding dress for me and told me that I should make a choice.

I attend my wedding in an hour.

Or I lose Ethan forever.

Well, that was an easy one to make.

What man, after all, arranges your own wedding for you?

So, I guess that we are going into this blindly, but not truly blindly, for I know what I feel for him. I have never been asked to confine it in a few sentences, in a string of words, broken down into syllables that should escape over my lips easily. I guess you can put it down to fate.

So it is without even having to hesitation that I take his big strong hands into my tiny ones that are trembling visibly to the eye. But the moment he envelopes them, all the anxiety and nervousness slip away. His smiles grow even fonder around the corner of his lips. Those big brown eyes sparkle like crystals in the sun. And I know this is right where I need to be.

So we nervously stand and let the priest guide us through the ceremony, reading a beautiful verse and telling us how we should hold our love dear for the rest of our eternity. Then the scariest part of all of this happens, my vows.

So I take a rather deep breath and say what comes straight to mind from the heart.

“Ethan, I believe in you, the person you will grow to be, and the couple we will be together.

With my whole heart, I take you as my husband, acknowledging and accepting your faults and strengths as you do mine. I promise to be faithful and supportive and to always make our family’s love and happiness my priority.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph.

And I will dream with you, celebrate with you, and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring. You are my person—my love and my life, today and always.”

…Ethan POV…

Now, if the day was not overwhelming enough as it is, those words coming from Ana’s lips have laid deeply in the deepest passages of my heart. I do not even think that my words can compare to hers. But it is not a question of comparing, it is what the heart feels, and even though our hearts might not feel love the same way, it is love that we both feel. So I do not even know what to say, but I know where to start. And as I lace my fingers between hers, I start to fumble at my words.

“Ana, I promise to overdraft the checking account

I promise to complain about the kitty litter

And I vow to encourage us to try new and strange things

I vow to fill your ‘I love you’ bank every day

I vow to never use a recipe when fixing dinner

And I vow to be the best parts of me that fit perfectly with the best parts of you

Although I will be imperfect, I pledge to be sensitive and respectful of your unique talents, abilities, and quirks

I pledge to lend you strength for all of your dreams

Through our union, we can accomplish more than I could alone

I believe in you.”

Well, that did cause quite a stir among the guest, and yet the priest did not quite find that find. Though do I care? This is my day, and I shall live it up the only way I want to remember it, and it is with this woman in my arms.

So with that, the priest brings as to the scariest and the final part of bringing our union complete.

I go to Ana and kneel in front of her, presenting the ring I wish for her to wear to complete this eternal bond. And as I slip it gently onto her finger, “I do, Ana Jenkins.” When she slides mine into place, “I do, Ethan Hunter.” I can now say that we are wed.

And with that being said, that tear that tickled my eye has now rolled down my face. So as we get lost in this moment, I take Ana in front of all present and pull her slowly closer to me and wrap my arms around her and rest my hands at the small of her back. She loses herself in the warmth of my embrace.

Ana only but leans in closer against my sculpted chest, breath by a breath, she moves her deep cherry lips, closer and closer, with only one wink… our lips touch. She tastes like cotton candy and feels smoother than that silk dress that hugs her body around her perfect curves.

She runs her hand through my hair and pulls me even closer; the world around us has completely faded away; she is my only focus.

I totally come undone as she floods all my senses. My heart is beating so loud; it feels like I am going to explode. With hands that are slightly trembling, I whisper in her ear.

“I love you, Ana Hunter.”

She inhales, “I love you too, Ethan Hunter.”

My heart flutter inside my chest.

For what seems like an eternity, we just stare into each other’s eyes.

She looks down at my slightly parted lips. We both lean into each other in slow motion, never breaking eye contact once. Then we begin to close the gap even more than before. My warm breath lingers just for a second; I feel that I cannot breathe, I cannot move, my entire body stiffening.

Then she kisses me.

When she kisses me, my brain lights on fire, and the warmth spread throughout my entire body. I am addicted to her, I cannot bear being without her, and I can barely breathe when she is around. I dedicate my life to being with her, for I know that if I lose her, I will lose myself. She is the half that made me whole.