I smile softly, relief flooding through me.
“The night I told you about Helena and me was the night I was particularly hard on you in the bedroom. I thought I’d done it again and that you were going to leave me, too.”
“I like hard in the bedroom.”
“Like I said… sicko.”
“Takes one to marry one.” I smile.
He rolls me onto my back and holds my hands above my head as he kisses me.
“This time next week, you’ll be mine.”
“I already am.”
Fairy tales do come true, I know that for sure now.
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of feeling like a princess, being swept away by my prince.
And I have been.
When Sebastian Garcia tells you that he’s taken care of it, he really has.
It’s Friday , and we are in Toledo, Spain—the place where Sebastian’s ancestors walked.
The golden walls of the iconic Cathedral of Toledo are lit with hundreds of candles, while I stand in the waiting room wearing my cream, floor-length, fitted evening dress.
The church is huge. The priest, Sebastian, and I are the only three here.
There are, of course, ten security guards outside, but I’m trying my hardest to forget about them.
The wedding waltz begins, and I close my eyes. This is it.
With a deep, shaky breath, I push open the heavy door and walk out into the church.
Sebastian is standing at the altar. He turns and gives me a breathtaking smile. He’s wearing my favorite black dinner suit with the silk lapels and bow tie.
I slowly walk toward him in time to the music.
Seeing him there waiting for me with that look in his eyes…
I just want to run.
My heart explodes with love for this man, and my eyes well with tears. We fought hard to win this battle. To overcome our fears.
I make it to the end of the aisle and Sebastian takes my hand. He bends and kisses my cheek. “Hello, my love.”
“Hi.” I smile bashfully, the way he looks at me is so intense, there’s no mistaking his love for me, my eyes flick to the priest and he smiles at the two us. “Estamos reunidos para celebrar la unión de dos almas” The priest says.
“We are gathered here to celebrate the union of two souls.” Sebastian says as his eyes hold mine.
Oh dear god…..we’re getting married in Spanish, Sebastian is translating.
Emotional overload.
My eyes fill with tears and I blink so that I can see him.
“El amor es precioso, el amor es bondadoso.” The priest says.
“Love is precious, love is kind.” Seb smiles softly.
“El amor es un lenguaje que no se puede aprender. Es intrínseco, vive dentro de nuestro ser.”
“Love is a language that cannot be learned. It is intrinsic, it lives inside of us.”
I smile softly over at my beautiful man.
“¿Qué es lo que buscas, hijo mío?” The priest asks.
“What is it you’re seeking my child?” Sebastian’s eyes hold mine. “Amor eterno. Eternal love.”
Gah….
This is too much, I wipe a tear as it rolls down my cheek.
“¿Sebastián García, quieres a April Bennet, para tener y sostener a partir de este día?
“Do you Sebastian Garcia, take April Bennet, to have and to hold from this day forward?”
“Si, quiero. I do.”
“¿Y tú, April Bennet, quieres a Sebastián García para tener y sostener a partir de este dia?
“And do you April Bennet, take Sebastian Garcia to have and to hold from this day forward?”
“I do.”
Sebastian smiles and rocks up onto his toes, as if proud.
Que el Señor los una por la eternidad.” The priest says.
“Let the lord join you for eternity.”
“Repite despues de mi, con este anillo me caso contigo. En la enfermedad y en la salud, en la riqueza y en la pobreza, por el resto de nuestra vidas.”
“Repeat after me, with this ring, I the wed. In sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for as long as we both shall live.”
The priest passes us the two gold rings and Sebastian slides the thick gold band onto my finger. “Te amaré hasta el final. Esta es mi promesa.” He whispers in his husky voice. “I will love you until the day I die, April. This is my promise to you.”
Oh…..
I take the ring and slide it onto Sebastian’s finger.
“Ahora los declaro marido y mujer, puedes besar a tu novia.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride.” Sebastian repeats.
We smile softly at each other, he takes my face in his two hands and we kiss through overwhelming emotion.
We’ve come so far, it feels like a lifetime ago that we met in that club.
So much to get to where we stand tonight.
I love him so much.
We made it….
Mr and Mrs Garcia.
We walk up the boardwalk, and my eyes widen, "This is where we are staying?” I gasp.
Sebastian lifts my hand to his lips, “Well, not right here, but this is how we get there. Yes.”
My mouth falls open. A small landing leads to the largest yacht I've ever seen.
Four men stand in line as they wait to greet us, the one in a white suit and fancy-looking hat dips his head, he looks important, he must be the captain of the ship…yacht, whatever the hell this thing is. "Good evening, Mr and Mrs Garcia."
Mrs Garcia…. what the hell? I let out an unexpected giggle, “You’re the first person to ever call me that.”
Sebastian smiles warmly and winks at the captain before shaking his hand. “Thank you.”
He takes my hand and leads me across the boardwalk and onto the yacht, a man holds out a silver tray with two glasses of champagne, and we each take one. The glasses are crystal and heavy, "Thank you." The waiter gives me a kind smile, "Canapes and cocktails are to be served in fifteen minutes on the deck, Mrs Garcia.
Excitement shoots through me, Mrs Garcia. I’ll never tire of hearing that.
"Okay, thanks." I don't know where to look first. This is over the top opulence. My eyes meet his, "Sebastian." I whisper, "Are you kidding me?"
He smiles proudly as he looks around. "Only the best for my girl." He leans in and kisses me tenderly, and I melt against him. How did I get so lucky?
I pull out of his arms to look around the ground floor. A huge luxurious living area with dark timber floors and exotic-looking custom rugs, a twenty-seater dark wood dining table, a black mini grand piano sits in the corner.
Piano…. On a boat…. what the hell?
The furnishings are the very best money can buy, all in different shades of cream with scatterings of emerald green and navy blue.
Where do you even buy furniture like this?
Crystal lampshades are strategically placed, and chandeliers hang from the ceilings.
Frigging hell…. this is next level.
I glance out onto the deck and see huge outdoor couches, deckchairs and an oversized hot tub. And we’re having cocktails there in fifteen minutes.
Ahhhh……… kill me now. I’m dead.
Sebastian leads me up the stairs, and my mouth drops open once more, the most beautiful bedroom I have ever seen. His eyes meet mine and I smile softly, "I suppose I can spend a week in this dump."