Pearls of Love (Episode One)
It is a confusing weather, raining and hot at the same time. Somehow rain doesn't stop wedding ceremonies from holding.
I
still don't know how Saturday was chosen as the day for celebrating
marriages and holding other feasts, probably Sunday would have been a
better day.
Anyway,
how did they come about the days of the week anyway? Who and who
decided which day should come first? Why is Sunday before Monday or is
it Monday before Sunday? I guess that's a research for some other time!
As
for me, these days are just the same, sun rises and sets at the same
time. We sleep and wake up with no remarkable difference in the days.
Rain fall whichever day of the week it chooses to, so what makes the
difference in these days?
Today
is my wedding day! I feel very tired and kind of upset, but the wedding
must go through all the same. I haven't had this kind of a busy week
since I started working. It had been from one investigation to another
the whole of the week. And to worsen it I didn't apply for a leave for
my wedding, maybe it would have been easier for me. My annual leave was
scheduled for July when Ann and I would be traveling to Scotland to
spend time with Thelma. We got her invitation since last year.
We
would first go to the registry before the traditional marriage would
hold at my in-law's residence. Left to me I am not so keen about the
traditional rites. I would have preferred that the marriage holds at the
registry and we go for our honey moon. if there is any honey moon
anyway.
Well
I have no say in such matters as it's my fiance's family that decides
what we do on the day. According to the traditional belief of where I
come from, the woman's family decides the whole thing since they are the
one marrying out their daughter.
Our
traditional attires "Aso Ofi" was bought from Mandilas, and sown by one
good tailor living in my area. I was initially skeptical about it,
until I wore it and noticed it looked good on me. Hmm! Someone said I
looked like a traditional ruler of my town.
Okay,
maybe I could be one some day since I am also from a royal family! The
Aso Ofi was brown. I preferred a black suit for the registry, the suit
was imported from Italy with an inner sky-blue shirt to match it. Ann?s
wedding gown was also imported from Italy while Thelma sent the rings
from Scotland, they were pure gold.
Now
I am sitting at the back of my Honda Accord with so many things going
on in my head as John drove. He was more of a family friend to me than a
driver; he had been driving me for over year and I haven't had any
reason to doubt his loyalty.
"Take it slowly there" I warned as he overtakes another Honda car.
"Yes boss, I am trying to beat traffic"
"Yes, I understand but you have to think of our safety first. If there is an accident, there won't be a wedding"
He
understands when I don't want him to do a thing. And one of those
things is over-speeding; I don't like it a bit. There is no point in
over-speeding when at the end you don't get to your destination.
We
arrived at the registry a little before ten, and waited for about
fifteen minutes before the arrival of my in-laws. Ann looks beautiful
and radiant in her wedding gown. She looks like an angel. I couldn't
hide my smile as I saw her coming down from the Mercedes Benz she rode
in.
"You are beautiful, my angel" I hug her and we walked into the registry.
I
could hardly recognize all the people who were there. I greet those I
was able to before stepping into the registry where we waited for the
pronouncement from the registrar.
As
we stood before the registrar, taking the oath of marriage millions of
thoughts ran through my mind. I had been in anticipation for weeks and
now is the height of my of anxiety.
"Dan
you promise to take Ann as your wife, to love and to cherish, in
sickness and in health, in riches, and in needs, for better and for
worse till death do you apart" The marriage registrar reads from a book.
We had done rehearsals along with some other couples a few weeks back.
"I
Dan Promise to take you Ann as my one and only wife, to love and to
cherish, in sickness and in health, in riches, and in needs, for better
and for worse, till death do us apart" I repeated after the marriage
registrar.
I reflected over my relationship with Ann, we had long wanted this marriage to take place and now finally it was here!
Marriage
oaths aren't just prose or poem, they can actually mean a true
sentence,and I mean being sentenced into life in paradise, if the
marriage goes well, or a sentence to hell and damnation, if it goes the
other way. I wonder which one I was being sentenced to, though I knew
all along that my marriage to Ann will be paradise.
We
finished taking the oath and we were cheered by the witnesses and
others present at the registry. I was anxious to finish the ceremony so
that I could have a quiet moment with Ann.
"You
may now kiss your bride" The registrar announced. I pulled Ann gently
towards me, and kissed her lightly. As my mouth touched hers we closed
our eyes and kissed passionately, camera lights flashed all across the
hall and the people cheered us with a standing ovation.
"I love you Ann".
"I love you too Dan".
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