Home
Part 2: A SECOND TRY... (Gabriel's POV)
January 3rd, 2013
The last of the sun's rays were casting shadows all around, bright rays of orange could be seen through the dense trees.
I breathed in the warm evening air and felt the smooth wood of the guitar in my hand.
I heard her coming before I saw her, then before she saw me, I started strumming.
She rounded the nearest trees and we locked eyes for a second before I started singing:
"'Forever can never be long enough for me
To feel like I've had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won't let them see
But there's one thing left to do
Now that the weight has lifted
Love has surely shifted my way
Marry Me
Today and every day
Marry Me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Together can never be close enough for me
Feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you
And you're beautiful
Now that the wait is over
And love has finally shown her my way
Marry me
Today and every day
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Promise me
You'll always be
Happy by my side
I promise to
Sing to you
When all the music dies
And marry me
Today and everyday
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Marry me
Mm-hmm...'"
My fingers strummed the final chord and Johanna and I held each others gaze for a moment.
Owls hooting, crickets chirping, leaves rustling became our music, the world was full of it. Johanna had took off her hat a while ago and she stood there with the breeze pushing her hair into her eyes.
"Ask me," she whispers.
I place the guitar on the ground and slowly walk until I am right in front of her, looking down into her beautiful green eyes. My own eyes had lost their red violence and turned green this morning.
As the sun was setting I got down on one knee and took the black box from Johanna.
The world seemed to stop, everything was quite.
"Johanna Blake, will you marry me?"
The sky exploded! Royal reds, vibrant oranges and golden yellows painted the sky behind us. I opened the lid of the box to expose a simple silver ring with a huge diamond on it. The only other mark taking over the untouched silver were little vines surrounding the diamond.
Johanna brought her hand to her mouth and tears rolled from her eyes.
She nodded. And nodded again. Then she fell into my arms crying, "I will!"
I tilted her head up and brought my mouth on hers. The taste of her mixed with her tears was enough to make me wish I could cry. She had said yes. I couldn't believe it. Well, I could but it just seemed so much like a fantasy. It seemed like to much of a gift. I realized then that I had been right, love is the strongest of all powers. It lasts even through death, which I have experienced more than once. I felt warm all over and it seemed that if I were to die now... it would be alright. Johanna had said yes...she wanted to be mine and only mine.
"I love you," I whispered against her lips.
"And I love you." She smiled.
I took her hand and placed the ring gently onto her finger.
She giggled and smiled and hugged me. I lifted her up and spun her around. We kissed again and intertwined our fingers.
"I think we should tell the others," Johanna says.
"Anything you wish, Mrs. Ryan."
I was happy. Completely and irrevocably happy. Nothing could make this day better, and nothing can ruin it.
We followed the beaten path back to the house and gazed in appreciation. The windows were bright with light and the house was full of laughter. The house itself was a happy memory but the way it was found...it reminds me of a family gone off to war only to come back years later to find everything destroyed except for their home. This was our safe haven from Volterra. Well, everyone else's first, the only reason I joined up is because at the time they seemed to have the most to offer. And they do, have a lot to offer I mean. Friendship, laughter, good memories, they are family. They've had my back since we met and I'll be there for them as well.
Johanna pulls me towards the door and we walk in. I have such a smile on my lips! None of them knew this was happening today except for Rhoan! In fact, Rhoan played a big part of this and I was glad he wanted me to marry Johanna.
Rhoan is on the couch drinking coffee and listening to Valentina talk about what she got when the girls went shopping. I catch Rhoan's gaze and I see a smile in it which gets bigger when I nod my head slightly.
"Where have you two been?" Faine asks lightly.
"Getting engaged." I say.
There is some silence.
"To each other?" Jordan asks.
"No, Jordan. To complete and total strangers." Johanna replies sarcastically.
There is some silence and then everyone is up and congratulating us. I lost Johanna's hand when the girls rushed over to her with high pitched giggles. They were musing over her engagement ring. Meanwhile, I was shaking hands and being hugged.
"Its about time, old man." Rhoan smiles.
Everyone agrees with him.
The girls switch with the guys. Now I'm receiving hugs and being told that the ring is beautiful. On the other side of the room I hear Demetri hug Johanna and say that he's always wanted another sister.
This is going to be great. Johanna and I will walk down the aisle together with church bells ringing, we will go on a long honeymoon and build a house when we get back. The most important part of this is that we are going to live happily ever after together forever. And that's all that matters.
Things settle down and we sit in the living room together. Johanna and I stand by the fireplace and Rhoan clears his throat.
"So I started planning the ceremony. I was thinking of the vows and-"
"No," I say.
"What? But I'm the priest, I'm supposed to-"
"No," I repeat.
"Instead of 'until death do us part' I was thinking-"
"No," I say again.
"GABRIEL! I don't understand! I left 'until death do us part' out of it, you don't have to be married in a church if I marry you-"
"Yeah, but then who would be my best man?" I say warmly.
"Yeah, well-" Rhoan babbles. A huge grin spreads on his face as my words sink in.
"Best man?" He asks in disbelief.
"I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have standing up there with me when I say 'I do'."
Rhoan pushes himself off the couch to give me a hug.
"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm a best man!" We all laugh at Rhoan's excitement.
-Gabriel
January 3rd, 2013
The last of the sun's rays were casting shadows all around, bright rays of orange could be seen through the dense trees.
I breathed in the warm evening air and felt the smooth wood of the guitar in my hand.
I heard her coming before I saw her, then before she saw me, I started strumming.
She rounded the nearest trees and we locked eyes for a second before I started singing:
"'Forever can never be long enough for me
To feel like I've had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won't let them see
But there's one thing left to do
Now that the weight has lifted
Love has surely shifted my way
Marry Me
Today and every day
Marry Me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Together can never be close enough for me
Feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you
And you're beautiful
Now that the wait is over
And love has finally shown her my way
Marry me
Today and every day
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Promise me
You'll always be
Happy by my side
I promise to
Sing to you
When all the music dies
And marry me
Today and everyday
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Marry me
Mm-hmm...'"
My fingers strummed the final chord and Johanna and I held each others gaze for a moment.
Owls hooting, crickets chirping, leaves rustling became our music, the world was full of it. Johanna had took off her hat a while ago and she stood there with the breeze pushing her hair into her eyes.
"Ask me," she whispers.
I place the guitar on the ground and slowly walk until I am right in front of her, looking down into her beautiful green eyes. My own eyes had lost their red violence and turned green this morning.
As the sun was setting I got down on one knee and took the black box from Johanna.
The world seemed to stop, everything was quite.
"Johanna Blake, will you marry me?"
The sky exploded! Royal reds, vibrant oranges and golden yellows painted the sky behind us. I opened the lid of the box to expose a simple silver ring with a huge diamond on it. The only other mark taking over the untouched silver were little vines surrounding the diamond.
Johanna brought her hand to her mouth and tears rolled from her eyes.
She nodded. And nodded again. Then she fell into my arms crying, "I will!"
I tilted her head up and brought my mouth on hers. The taste of her mixed with her tears was enough to make me wish I could cry. She had said yes. I couldn't believe it. Well, I could but it just seemed so much like a fantasy. It seemed like to much of a gift. I realized then that I had been right, love is the strongest of all powers. It lasts even through death, which I have experienced more than once. I felt warm all over and it seemed that if I were to die now... it would be alright. Johanna had said yes...she wanted to be mine and only mine.
"I love you," I whispered against her lips.
"And I love you." She smiled.
I took her hand and placed the ring gently onto her finger.
She giggled and smiled and hugged me. I lifted her up and spun her around. We kissed again and intertwined our fingers.
"I think we should tell the others," Johanna says.
"Anything you wish, Mrs. Ryan."
I was happy. Completely and irrevocably happy. Nothing could make this day better, and nothing can ruin it.
We followed the beaten path back to the house and gazed in appreciation. The windows were bright with light and the house was full of laughter. The house itself was a happy memory but the way it was found...it reminds me of a family gone off to war only to come back years later to find everything destroyed except for their home. This was our safe haven from Volterra. Well, everyone else's first, the only reason I joined up is because at the time they seemed to have the most to offer. And they do, have a lot to offer I mean. Friendship, laughter, good memories, they are family. They've had my back since we met and I'll be there for them as well.
Johanna pulls me towards the door and we walk in. I have such a smile on my lips! None of them knew this was happening today except for Rhoan! In fact, Rhoan played a big part of this and I was glad he wanted me to marry Johanna.
Rhoan is on the couch drinking coffee and listening to Valentina talk about what she got when the girls went shopping. I catch Rhoan's gaze and I see a smile in it which gets bigger when I nod my head slightly.
"Where have you two been?" Faine asks lightly.
"Getting engaged." I say.
There is some silence.
"To each other?" Jordan asks.
"No, Jordan. To complete and total strangers." Johanna replies sarcastically.
There is some silence and then everyone is up and congratulating us. I lost Johanna's hand when the girls rushed over to her with high pitched giggles. They were musing over her engagement ring. Meanwhile, I was shaking hands and being hugged.
"Its about time, old man." Rhoan smiles.
Everyone agrees with him.
The girls switch with the guys. Now I'm receiving hugs and being told that the ring is beautiful. On the other side of the room I hear Demetri hug Johanna and say that he's always wanted another sister.
This is going to be great. Johanna and I will walk down the aisle together with church bells ringing, we will go on a long honeymoon and build a house when we get back. The most important part of this is that we are going to live happily ever after together forever. And that's all that matters.
Things settle down and we sit in the living room together. Johanna and I stand by the fireplace and Rhoan clears his throat.
"So I started planning the ceremony. I was thinking of the vows and-"
"No," I say.
"What? But I'm the priest, I'm supposed to-"
"No," I repeat.
"Instead of 'until death do us part' I was thinking-"
"No," I say again.
"GABRIEL! I don't understand! I left 'until death do us part' out of it, you don't have to be married in a church if I marry you-"
"Yeah, but then who would be my best man?" I say warmly.
"Yeah, well-" Rhoan babbles. A huge grin spreads on his face as my words sink in.
"Best man?" He asks in disbelief.
"I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have standing up there with me when I say 'I do'."
Rhoan pushes himself off the couch to give me a hug.
"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm a best man!" We all laugh at Rhoan's excitement.
-Gabriel